Portuguese Learning Community and Resources

*Source: Aristeides Stamatoulis 

PRESENTATION 

Can you present and talk a little bit about yourself? 

Hello, my name is Aris, and I am 23 years old. I am from Athens, Greece, and I am currently studying Business Administration at a university in my home country. I only have one exam left to complete my degree and obtain my diploma. Since participating in a mobility programme, travelling and meeting friends across Europe have become my main hobbies. I am currently working, and the internship I completed in Porto played an important role in helping me find this job. 

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

I did my Erasmus mobility for an internship in Porto, Portugal. The organization that hosted me was ESN Porto. I chose this destination because I had travelled to Portugal before for about four days, and I really loved the people and their way of life. I saw an opportunity to do something that could help with my degree and, mainly, to talk with international students to practice my language skills. That was the main reason I chose it. Also, I think Porto is such a beautiful city. 

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

At university, I studied English and Greek, and when I was in Portugal, the main language I used was English. It was important because it helped me step out of my comfort zone and start speaking English daily. Back home, people mostly speak Greek, so this was a great way for me to practice English. It’s also the main language I’ll need for work in the future, so it was a good reason to start learning more. I think learning languages is important because it helps you exchange culture with people from other countries. I haven’t learned Portuguese yet, but I love hearing people speak it. Even if I don’t understand everything, I enjoy the feeling of listening to people express themselves, it’s amazing how you can still feel the emotions and meaning behind their words. I can understand a little Portuguese now, and since I’ve decided to stay in Portugal for a couple of years, I’d really love to learn it. It would be super useful! 

LANGUAGE LEARNING EXPERIENCE 

How was your experience getting used to the language?  

The only Portuguese I could understand at first was similar to Spanish since I know a bit of Spanish, so I recognized some words. Over time, I started picking up phrases and using simple words to get by, like when going to the supermarket or trying to communicate in basic situations. I feel like I’ve improved in understanding people when they introduce themselves or when I need to handle everyday tasks like taking the bus or shopping. What I liked the most during my internship was the help I got from the volunteers in my mobility programme. They were the main reason I improved, they were always there, trying to help me learn the language. I didn’t take a course, so they were the ones who taught me how to use Portuguese for daily life. 

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

It's really helpful to start by understanding basic expressions. You don't need to overcomplicate things, just be yourself and focus on the words and phrases you'll actually use in daily life. Once you start speaking a bit, it becomes easier to understand and learn more of the language over time. A good tip for learning a new language is to listen to people speaking and step out of your comfort zone. Try speaking with them, even if you don’t know everything. What really helped was watching series in the language I wanted to learn. I used subtitles in a language I already knew, which made it easier to start connecting words. 

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? 

It's useful because when you move to a new country and start a new life there, one of the first things you might think about is taking a course to learn the language. This is great because it's provided to you for free, and it's a good way to start learning. It also gives you the opportunity to learn from the community and, as you said, to connect with people. However, it could use more promotion. I knew it existed, but I thought it was only for the language of the internship, not for learning multiple languages. 

MOBILITY EXPERIENCE 

Was it your first experience abroad? How long did you stay there? 

My first mobility programme was in Spain. In Portugal I started in September 2023 and finished in January 2024. During this mobility, I realised that I really liked the environment of the country and felt welcomed, so I decided to stay longer. Now, I've been living in the country for one year and two months. 

How was your mobility experience? 

The thing I liked the most was going to a country that wasn’t my own and feeling welcomed. The people in Portugal are open and they didn’t just spend time with me but also took the initiative to share and explain their culture and country. I come from the capital of a big country, full of people, and I wasn’t sure if I would be happy living in a smaller city. But when I went there, I realised it’s much easier to live in a smaller city that has everything you need than in a chaotic capital. Something else that surprised me was the food. I thought it would be more Mediterranean, but it wasn’t, it had a lot of meat. I like meat, but it was unexpected because people often think that all Mediterranean countries, even Portugal (even though it’s not fully Mediterranean), have similar cuisines. 

One challenge I faced in Porto, was with accommodation. It was hard to find a place that felt safe. There are so many international students for such a small city, and although the city can welcome everyone, there aren’t enough resources to help people find accommodation easily. 

I would recommend visiting Virtudes. It’s a place that I really like, and it’s one of those spots where you can see the sunset from a chill place. It’s the kind of place where you can be outdoors without spending money, you just go for the view. Another experience that I would recommend, it’s not a specific one, but in Porto, there are a lot of exhibitions. It’s really nice that they bring so many things from outside, like music or art exhibitions. And I love that they promote so much culture and local artists. I like every city that I visit because each has a different vibe. One of the cities I didn’t expect to like so much was Guimarães, but when I visited and learned about the history, like how Portugal was born there, I started feeling the vibe, the atmosphere, with the old stone houses and castles. It was super nice. Another city I like is Braga and I also really enjoyed visiting Madeira. 

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

A mobility programme can change your personality and your perspective on life. The multicultural experience and the people you meet from other countries really open your mind. It’s amazing to expand your understanding of other cultures. One main point I feel is really challenging during Erasmus is stepping out of your comfort zone, but, at the same time, it doesn’t feel like you’re completely out of it because everyone on the mobility programme is going through the same thing. It’s a great way to connect with people. It all happens over just a few months, the emotions and experiences feel ten times more intense. You end up connecting more easily with people and having so many experiences in such a short time. 

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

First, it helped me grow mentally, it made me feel like an adult after everything I experienced. I learned so many new things that I never imagined I would. Specifically, through the internship, I gained a lot of knowledge, and it truly opened my mind. The main takeaway was that the internship ended up being the key to finding my current job. Doing a mobility internship not only fulfils your desire to explore new opportunities but also gives you the chance to try something different in another country. Employers valued that on my CV, especially because I completed an internship abroad. 

Would you like to do an interview for the OLS Portuguese Community? Click here and let me know if you would like to participate! 

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

See you, 

Juliane, OLS Community Manager - Portuguese