Romanian Learning Community and Resources

Let me take you down the memory lane for a second. More precisely, to July 2020.  

I was at home, probably doing the same thing as most of you at that time: baking or scrolling online. I don’t necessarily enjoy baking, so I was of course mindlessly scrolling. Suddenly, I see a photo of a former classmate, on a beach in Portugal.   

“This can’t be!” I thought to myself. “I want to be on a beach as well, instead of trapped between four walls”  

After some more research, I realized he wasn’t bluffing. My mate was doing a European Solidarity Corps program in the South of Portugal, and the photo was not just for bragging, he was looking for more people to join. So, as I just graduated with my master’s degree in Law and had no prospect of finding a job anytime soon because of the pandemic, I applied.  

In November 2020 I was flying to Faro, Portugal.  

To be honest, I was afraid that my flight would be cancelled, but it did not happen. Besides a pretty much empty airport, my trip was almost as normal as before. Well, except for having to wear a mask and gloves.

I landed in Lisbon and took the train to Faro. The organisation covered all the travel expenses, including the flight. The accommodation and health insurance were also covered, and I received some pocket money as well. It was just 300 euros, but I managed to live well with it. I was living in a very cute apartment on the main street in Faro, together with three other girls: two from Spain and a Romanian, just like myself. They were also my coworkers, as well as the guy where I saw the announcement before coming!  

Let me describe Faro to you because it is the kind of small city you’d fall in love with. Imagine waking up and going for a coffee by the ocean. Then, you pass through the old town, which reminds you of the Roman Empire, the one you see in movies. You say “hi” to your friends on the way to the office, because Faro is such a small town that bumping into everyone you know daily is normal. Then, at around 9 am, you get to the office, ready to start your day as a social media manager. Your job consists of annoying your work colleagues with doing all the online trends, but they love you anyway. At lunchtime, you all go to eat at the nearby canteen or to try out a new place. There are probably 20 in total, so you are in no hurry to find your favourite. Lunch is only 5 euros for 2 courses including dessert, and you consider moving to Portugal for good. After work, you go home, change, and ask your flatmates if they would like to go to the “praia” for sunset. You get your bikes, grab some snacks, and, after 20 minutes, you enjoy the most perfect picnic on the beach overlooking the ocean as the sun goes down.  

Yes, this was my life for six months as a social media intern in Faro during my European Solidarity Corps program. I made so many good friends, relaxed by the ocean, learned a lot, developed my skills in social media and also started my own travel account, which is now at over 100k! But the experience also made me realise so many things about myself, as being away from home during difficult times was a challenge. I remember the time I travelled to Lisbon, got covid, felt very sick, and couldn’t call anyone. It’s only an experience like this that helps you grow and become more resilient!  

I fell in love with Faro but never returned (so far). I will always think of Faro and my experience there as a time that shaped me into the person I am today, and I will cherish these memories forever. I am of course curious to see if I would view Faro with the same eyes today, or if it changed. So, if you travel there by any chance, please message me and tell me if it’s the same quaint town, if people are still enjoying their espresso by the ocean, if sunsets are still best observed from the gate as you enter the old part of the city, if the trees are still full of oranges, and if they still serve the best Bacalhau à Brás in all Portugal. If you don’t know what this is, go ask Juliane, the OLS Community Manager for Portuguese!  

I hope you enjoyed reading this post about my European Solidarity Corps experience in Portugal. I would love to also hear about your experience with moving abroad or doing an Erasmus+ program in the comments below!  

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask in the comments or message me directly!  

See you on the forums, 

Roxana, OLS Community Manager – Romanian