Since my return home from Portugal, I have had some time to reflect on my experiences this summer. My time in Lisbon not only provided me with valuable insights and lessons for my academic and professional career, but also helped me understand how to better enjoy life. While I learned countless things working in my…
Time Flies
Two months sounds like a long time. It can also feel like a long time; for example when you can’t sleep on the plane ride or when your allergy medication runs out. But two months can also feel incredibly short; like when one month into the program, half of the friends you’ve made go home…
World Cup!
The Portuguese love soccer. Children, teenagers, and adults pass around soccer balls in parks and on the sidewalks. My coworkers discuss their favorite club teams, praise their best players or criticize their coaches on a daily basis. It seems as though every other person I walk by wears a Ronaldo jersey. In normal times, the…
Working in a Different Culture
During the short time I’ve spent living and working in Lisbon, I have observed a significantly different work environment then what I am familiar with in the United States. The 9-5 here is not strict like in the U.S. As my boss Sarah put it, “nobody is looking at the clock”. At my office, if…
Reflecting on my Time in Romania (and Belgium)
This was an absolute whirlwind of a program. It was so incredibly fast-paced, with multiple engagements for us to go to as a group every single day, and so many knowledgeable and driven people at the top of their respective fields for us to take notes from and discuss with. It was a very draining…
The Legacy of Brutalism in Romania
Since the end of Communist Party rule in Romania in 1989, the country has put a great deal of collective effort into distancing itself from the regime. However, the legacy of this period of Romanian history remains present in a lot of ways in everyday life in Romania, particularly in the form of brutalist and…
Romania: Explored and Demystified
My title follows up thematically with my first post on this site and for good reason – I am significantly more aware of the inner workings of Romania, and I feel confident that I traversed much of the country. That being said, “significantly more aware” than the zero knowledge I had going into this trip…
You Probably Don’t Know Where Sinaia Is, But You Should
After nearly 2 weeks in Bucharest, our group piled into a Mercedes Sprinter van and drove off towards Transylvania, the region where we would be spending the rest of our time in Romania. After a stop in Piscu to tour a pottery workshop and have an amazing lunch — in my opinion the best meal…
A Party at the Palace!
Needless to say, the 20+ hour travel day gave me an indication that I was no longer in the United States, but my first true “wow” moment came very soon after. On Sunday, May 10th – only one day after arriving in Romania – my group attended a garden party hosted by Her Majesty, Crown…
What We Can Learn from Europe About Public Transportation
During my time in Europe, I was aware of many cultural differences between my host countries and my own, but few were more apparent than the stark gap in public transportation. Throughout the trip, our main method of movement was public transport – ranging from taking the subway to hopping on the bus to even…