Bom Día! I am writing to you from the gorgeous city of Porto, Portugal. Check out the picture — I’m not lying about this city’s beauty. I’ve officially been living here for a week, so I wanted to check in and share my thoughts about my experience here so fast. I am participating in the European Innovation Academy, which is a three-week startup competition. Because this is a structured competition, my study abroad experience may be a bit different than those who are completing more traditional exchange school work. That being said, I still attend the program from 10 am to 6 pm every day, so it does feel like school in a way. So far, the only real struggle I’ve experienced while here is balancing my work life and exploring. By the time we get out of “school”, most of the shops and such are closed and I’m pretty tired from a long days work. There are so many things to see, and not enough time! But other than that, everything has been perfect. Besides exploring the city, I think that my favorite part of being here is meeting so many international students. I have officially met someone from every continent (except Antarctica), which is something I never thought I’d say. Each person brings a completely new perspective to the program, yet it is very easy to bond with them. We are all here doing a somewhat intense competition away from our homes, so it’s comforting to bond with others about this. I am so glad that I came to Porto, and I can’t wait to keep you all posted over the next couple of weeks!
