My initial impression of Portugal was amazement at how incredible the artwork was, especially in the churches and cathedrals. The amount of skill and talent it took to construct such beautiful buildings blew my mind. The roads are very narrow, so you don’t see many trucks, unlike in Texas. However, the sides of the buildings are several stories high, often painted in a variety of colors. One significant difference in food here compared to the U.S. is that it’s much healthier. Meals also take much longer, typically ranging from one to two hours. Fast food isn’t really common here, except for McDonald’s in tourist cities. So far, we’ve learned some Portuguese, such as “bom dia,” which means good morning, and “obrigado,” which means thank you. Their language is noticeably similar to Spanish, and we learned why through our planned cultural events. Another difference I’ve noticed is how people dress in Portugal. In the U.S., we tend to be much more casual, whereas many Portuguese seem to dress up more, even for everyday activities. What I hoped to gain from this global experience was a deeper understanding of Portugal’s culture. Learning about their customs, traditions, and daily life was something I genuinely looked forward to. I especially enjoyed walking through Porto and Lisbon with our Portuguese tour guides. They gave us valuable insights into what life is like here and introduced us to some amazing places to visit and eat. Dr. Koufteros ensured we were well taken care of when it came to food. Our first meal was at Brasão Coliseu, where we had a delicious four-course meal that included Portuguese-style steak and red wine. While I initially felt some nervousness about leaving the U.S. for the first time, I knew that stepping outside my comfort zone would lead to the most personal growth. So far, Portugal has been an incredible experience. “Travel is still the most intense mode of learning.” – Kevin Kelly.
