Early Portgual Thoughts – Nick Wienecke

Wow! What a start! We are only on day four of our study abroad in Portugal and it has been incredible so far! We started out a bit rough with almost not making it here after our flight from Newark to Lisbon was delayed for more than 8 hours. But despite the flight delays and COVID scares from family Christmas gatherings, we made it!

Our first few days have already been quite eventful. We have already seen many famous castles and cities around Lisbon. Just today, we spent the day touring a cork farm in Cascais and then visiting an olive oil farm in Sintra. Both companies had very interesting presentations with a major emphasis on sustainability. Given the recent push in the US for a more environmentally friendly energy transition, I found these sustainability practices implemented by farmers in Portugal very interesting.

Being here during COVID has been a unique experience. Lisbon has been less busy with many restaurants closing earlier than normal. Additionally, all bars and clubs are closed for the first week that we are here. Masks restrictions are strictly enforced in all public areas with the possibility of fines if not followed. However, despite the COVID restrictions, we have still had the opportunity to explore many areas of Lisbon. I am excited to see what the rest of the trip holds!