Portugal was definitely a trip to remember! It went by so quickly, but we made lasting memories, took in the culture, and learned a lot! From the bakery to cork farms, to the winery, and olive oil producers, we got to visit a wide variety of businesses and discuss many business strategies. I was so impressed by how each company focused not only on the happiness of their employees and customers but worked on sustainable goals to better the environment. At Oliveira da Serra Mill, we saw how they use every single part of the olive in production, even though only about 20% of the olive is the actual oil. At the porcelain company, Vista Alegre, we saw an example of a flexible business model that has survived for 200 years due to its ability to adjust its product offerings with the times. At Impetus textile company, we observed an almost completely vertical company with a large focus on their employees and the idea of building a family within the company. Therefore, by visiting all these companies, our group and I gained valuable insight into the heart of many different types of companies and got to meet some very impressive entrepreneurs.
Now that we?re back home, I?m missing the beautiful scenery and the closeness of our study abroad group. Some of my favorite memories were walking around the castle in Sintra and exploring all the secret passageways, riding the Ferris wheel in Cascais, and our many gelato runs. Even the simple experiences, like our walking tours of Lisbon and Porto were some of the most fun days of the trip. I honestly don?t know what I?ll do now without a shot of espresso after every meal. I?ll miss our amazing tour guide, Paula, who was always cracking jokes and never failed to have a smile on her face! The convenience of having our own coach and driver, Joaquin, will also be greatly missed now that I?m back to the College Station traffic. Overall, it was a trip I?ll never forget, and I would totally recommend it to anyone who wants a fairly short but valuable study abroad experience!
