Portuguese Learning Community and Resources

Can you introduce yourself and talk a little bit about yourself? 

My name is Ixan Curtamet. I am 23 years old and from Romania, near the Black Sea. Five years ago, I moved to Bucharest to study, and I have been living there since. In Bucharest, I completed my bachelor's degree in economics and business communication at the Bucharest University of Economic Studies. Currently, I am pursuing a master's degree in European economics in Romania.  

During my Erasmus exchange, I studied management and marketing at Universidade Portucalense in Porto. I am an outgoing person who discovered a passion for traveling a few years ago, and since then, I have travelled with various friends. I love volunteering and am a member of the Erasmus Student Network Romania. Additionally, I enjoy sports such as bowling with friends, watching tennis, and playing volleyball. 

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

In April 2022, I travelled to Portugal for the first time to attend the Erasmus Generation Meeting in Porto. Before the event, I visited both Lisbon and Porto and fell in love with the country and its culture. The following year, I met many Portuguese students and volunteers, which deepened my interest in learning more about the country and its culture, as well as spending time with my Portuguese friends. 

 LANGUAGE LEARNING EXPERIENCE   

 What language did you study and why is it important for you to learn languages? 

 My native language is Romanian. I've studied English since the third grade and spent a summer in the US, which greatly improved my proficiency. English is essential, as it is the universal language. From the fifth grade until I finished high school, I studied French, but unfortunately, I don't speak it well because I haven't practiced much. Besides that, I speak a little Turkish because my family speaks Turkish, but I am not fluent. I also studied some Russian due to my interest in Russian culture and completed one semester of Spanish with a tutor because I initially wanted to do my Erasmus in Spain. Over the past year, I started learning Portuguese because I believe it's important to understand and speak the language of the country you're traveling to, as it shows appreciation for the country. 

How was your experience getting used to the language? 

I feel very fortunate because both Portuguese and Romanian are Romance languages, originating from Latin. While in Portugal, I discovered many similarities between the two languages, making it easier for me to learn Portuguese. Many words are similar, some expressions sound almost the same, and interacting with numerous Portuguese and Brazilians in Porto helped me a lot. Even though everyone was happy to speak English, I was delighted to listen to conversations in Portuguese to catch what they were saying, and everyone was very supportive.  My mobility experience helped improve my Portuguese. Without it, I wouldn't have started learning Portuguese, and it was an excellent way to practice. 

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? 

 OLS is a very good tool to use. I found some very interesting courses for complete beginners, like I was, who had never interacted with Portuguese before. These courses were very helpful and made learning quite fun. I would advise everyone to use it. 

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

 Try to immerse yourself as much as possible in everything related to the language. I watched Brazilian TV shows and listened to music in Portuguese. Additionally, learning about the culture helps you understand the language better. 

MOBILITY EXPERIENCE 

How was your mobility experience? 

This was my first long-term experience abroad. In high school, I did one short mobility Erasmus in France, and I also lived for three months in California in 2021. What I liked the most was, obviously, the country. My perspective didn't change; if anything, it just made me love Portugal even more. I loved the whole experience overall, including seeing different methods of studying. The personal growth I experienced here, I'm pretty sure, will help me for the rest of my life. I was definitely surprised by some cultural shocks. For example, in Portugal, you don't take your shoes off when you go to someone's house. I didn't realize this until I went to my friend's place and took my shoes off while everyone else kept theirs on. Porto also surprised me with the incredibly high number of international students, which made it a very nice and comforting place because you know you are not the only one different, and it gives you a feeling of safety and that you are never alone.  

I didn't like the housing prices. I think it's a very important problem. It's something that might stop some students from doing mobility abroad. But besides that, it's hard to think of something I didn't like.  

I would recommend visiting Nazaré, especially if there is a competition there because the biggest waves in the world with the best surfers are the perfect combination that can be the cherry on top of your Erasmus experience. Try francesinha and pastéis de nata, and overall, the Portuguese cuisine. Visit Sintra and Belém in Lisbon. Everyone should try surfing at least once because it's not as hard as it looks. Experience the beautiful and careful nightlife of Porto and the sunset at Jardim do Morro. 

Any advice you would like to give to someone preparing to go on mobility? What do you think are the main challenges? 

Do some research on the country and its culture so you don't offend anyone. This will also help reduce the cultural shock, which can be overwhelming for some of us. Remember, you shouldn't feel sorry for the life you're missing back home, because the experiences you have during your mobility are going to build up your future self. 

How did the mobility/volunteering/internship help you to grow? 

It helped me in so many different ways. I think I'm more open to getting out of my comfort zone and experiencing things I never thought I would, which are so different from my normal life. I'm even more sociable than I was before. I came here by myself, knowing only a few friends, but I wanted to make as many friends as possible from all the nationalities I could meet. I believe I will be leaving with the biggest treasure I could find in the world: friendships. 

I would like to thank Ixan for his time and great chat! Obrigada! 

See you, 

Juliane, OLS Community Manager - Portuguese