Contradictions

I’ve realize I haven’t posted any pictures of where I live. So below are pictures of my resident hall as well as the buildings and view around it. I live near the pharmacy school and biology classes. Also I live right next to an old antique church. I am beginning to become more aware of this contradiction of the city: old vs new. Traditional vs modern. I wonder how it will look 10 years from now, for some reason I believe it will still be torn like this. I mean not that the relationship is seen as bad, its just very obvious. Even in the people, on a daily bases the people I encounter are either students or an elder person (meaning like 70+). Sometimes on the bus I count them because I am so shocked how many there are, one time I counted 15(70+) people on the bus, on a regular bases I see like 7 or 8. The elder people here use the public transportation regularly, they still living their lives, which to me is motivational. When I reach that lovely age I’m trying to keep living and moving, not settle for my bed and a card game.

My resident hall


The old church right next to my resident hall (not in use)

Th new buildings, pharmacy school and other medical classrooms

To the right of the picture is another cantina=lunch room. also the hard cement benches they have..lol

The contradictions that exist here mirrors my feelings here: sometimes I like it here and sometimes I really don’t. It honestly varies I am loving the fact that I put this goal to study abroad and it is now my reality. Sometimes I feel scared when my goals and dreams come true. But the more my dreams/goals become a reality in my life and exist, the easier it is for me to think of new ones. I believe in them because God allows them to come true. And when one may not go my way or come true, it just wasn’t meant to be. I dislike that the student culture I have witness is something I really don’t want to be a part of. The student cultural I have witness is partying and drinking from 1am till 7am Tuesday and Thursdays. They party hard here, the first two weeks I experienced it but I honestly got burnt out and after self-reflection I realize it is something that “self” didn’t want to do it anymore. I had a desire to experience it and I also have a consciousness and a soul that deciphers that I really don’t want to participate. I guess I came here with an expectation that the student life would be different from Madison, the only difference are the drinks, times, music, and language.

I enjoy the people I have meet here. I really love the conversations I have been having. Understanding different cultural things about Europe, the similarities between countries as well as the differences besides the obvious: language. Learning about the different reasons for the other students to learn Portuguese as well as their first encounter with Portuguese. There are many Asian students in my class that express the job opportunities and how their families have moved to Portugal for work so they have followed as well to help or find a different job. The people from Timor here want to learn Portuguese because it is the official language in Timor but they speak another language(cant remember the name, sry). But I found that interesting, like does the government keep education away from the people? Is it hard to learn Portuguese in Timor? Like are their no teachers teaching it? I’m sure language represents power and the ones with power probably speak Portuguese and it’s a privilege to know it. I don’t know just guessing. I had no idea that Timor people spoke Portuguese, or that it is their official language.

I don’t enjoy the lack of art here. I feel like if I had more time here I could start like a dance club or an open mic or something, but I don’t have that much time here.(yeah!..lol) and I don’t want to start something I cant finish, I would feel bad about that. They have tons of partner dance classes like tango and salsa but im not really into partner dances. I like to watch and mess around with them here and there at like a party or something but I don’t want to devote time and money to it. Also there are ballet classes but there in academies so I have to enroll for a year and pay for a year and also I found some dance classes an hour away for meninos-little kids. Ya should have seen my face when I arrived there, the lady was like do you want to try out the class, I smiled at her and told her thank you but I will pass. I mean the kids were 6 and 7 years old skipping all around the room. But maybe when I go to Brazil I will be able to do more, who knows. I will try to come with no expectations, I see from experience here in Portugal that’s all wrong. You end up disappointed. I cant expect that Belo Horizonte will be my experience in Bahia, and I cant have those expectations. I have to go there with an open mind and willingness to try new things and new ways. I have a friend Caleb there now so I have been talking to him and he is just loving it there, he spent a whole year there, I kind of wish I spent one year there just because the first 3-4 months your finally feeling settle-made friends, u know were places are, you’ve traveled a little, school is going well, and then bam you pack up to leave. Lol. I mean I couldn’t do a year here in Portugal but maybe another part of Europe, like Holland(lol) that would be a great experience. There is soo much cultural there, man if it’s one place I recommend in Europe it is Amsterdam.

I like were I stay, the resident hall is really nice and the people are very nice and helpful. I am enjoying the food I am eating although I wish cereal boxes came in bigger boxes, I feel like I always purchase two just so I can use all my milk in enough time. I really love the pastries here, yeah bread has taken over my diet. For better or worse…lol