Portuguese Learning Community and Resources

My Language Learning Journey is a new campaign from the OLS Portuguese Community. This campaign is designed to offer insights into the mobility experiences of international students, providing you with a glimpse into their diverse language learning journeys. This time we interviewed Başar Yılmaz. He is a student from Erasmus+ studies and he was doing his mobility in Porto. Keep reading to learn more about Başar Yılmaz's mobility experience and the adaptation to the Portuguese language!    

Can you present and talk a little bit about yourself? 

My name is Başar Yılmaz, I'm from Turkey, and I'm 20 years old. Currently, I'm a third-year aerospace engineering student. When I was in Portugal, I was in my second year, studying at Universidade Lusófona in Porto. I like hiking, and one of my favorite activities is traveling! 

*Source: Başar Yılmaz 

Can you tell us where you did your mobility? How and why did you choose the place to go? 

I completed my mobility in Porto, Portugal, choosing the city primarily due to the contracts between universities. My university had only one contract, and it happened to be with Porto. In Turkey, we have an English exam to qualify for the Erasmus+ program, and after obtaining good grades, the application process begins. Porto turned out to be my only option. At the time, I had no prior knowledge about Porto or the university, so my expectations exceeded reality during my Erasmus experience. 

 Language Learning Experience  

How was your experience getting used to the language? What was the language you used on a daily basis?  

In Porto, at Universidade Lusófona, classes were conducted in Portuguese. However, the aerospace engineering degree in my home country is taught in English, so it came as a surprise to me! Some professors explained some classes to me in English, but the rest were all in Portuguese. B Initially, I had limited proficiency in Portuguese, only knowing basic phrases like "Olá" and "Como estás?". Upon arriving in Portugal, I needed to learn a lot to understand my classes, but with my friends, I used English to communicate.  

 Did OLS help you to improve your language level? What do you think about the platform, do you think it is useful, do you advise Erasmus students to use the community? 

The forums and blog posts are useful, and the language learning system is also helpful. The challenging part for me was the absence of translation in the video courses. In the forums, sometimes there is a translation, so, for me, that was the perfect way to learn! 

What advice would you give to someone who is starting to learn a new language?   

Talk with local people, pay attention to classes, and explore more of OLS. 

Mobility Experience  

How was your mobility experience? 

This was my first experience abroad, and it was actually my first time getting on a plane! I initially did my Erasmus+ for 6 months, but then I extended it for another 6 months. I think you can tell how much I loved the experience!  

 The best part, I believe, is meeting lots of international friends. You are living with them, experiencing new things together, in a new culture, and sharing moments. I think the most long-lasting friendships are the ones you make during this time of shared experiences and lots of fun! Most of the things exceeded my expectations. The culture really surprised me, especially the greetings in Portuguese. Giving two kisses, are also a Turkish tradition, so I was surprised that Portugal also has this kind of greeting.  

I loved the celebrations, the holidays, and big events like São João Festival. It was surprising to discover that each part of the city has something happening every week! My favorite spots to catch the sunset and relax were Jardim do Morro. When it got too crowded, I preferred heading to Jardins do Palácio do Cristal. 

Any advice you would like to give to someone preparing to go on mobility?  

 Don't be afraid to make friends. If you're headed to Porto, make sure to explore the city. Erasmus+ is an excellent opportunity to learn languages and make the most of your time there!  

How did the mobility help you grow? 

 This was my first mobility experience, and also the first time getting on a plane. I learned to be alone, enjoy my time alone, and be more independent, taking on the responsibility of taking care of myself. It's truly a personal growth experience, a feeling that you only experience when you're in Erasmus. Always doing something new, different, a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Learning how to live with people, especially those from other cultures who become your family for a few months. 

Would you like to do an interview for the Portuguese OLS community and share about your mobility experience in Portugal and language learning path?  

 Click here and let me know if you would like to participate! 

I would like to thank Başar Yılmaz for his time and great chat! Muito obrigada :)  

See you,   

Juliane, OLS Community Manager - Portuguese