My Erasmus in Lisbon

Hello friends,

Actually, I left Lisbon one year ago after 9 months erasmus at FCT Lisboa. I can't still describe as such experience changed me and my personality forever. There's not a single day my thougts don't fly to Lisbon and to my portuguese friends, and the very sweet and uncomplicated way of life.

Today I just want to tell you about my arrival episode to Lisbon.

Never in my life I've been feeling I belonged somewhere immediately at arrival. I found my house on the web, so when I arrived there late night I had a home expecting for me. The next day of my arrival, I wook up late around 12 p.m. and went ground floor from my building where I've been seeing the night before a small tasca (is a restaurant, but simple) and try to have a snack as I was quite hungry and had the freezer empty . When I step in the tasca a small old woman told me in straight portuguese I could barely understand, "You are the foreigner girl from the 3rd floor. Sit down, I'll make you eat!" No please, no excuse me, simply direct and commanding! How does she knows me? Why is she speaking so loud and catching up attention on me? Nevermind, I seated down, I could't even choose from the menu not even the table to seat, because I was supposed to be in their hands, "nas mihnas maos", Dona Rosa said. Regardless to say that I've been eating superbly well, soup, grilled Dourada fish and a dessert I can't remeber the name but was very caloric. I could as well select a digestive, which I didn't. I knew afterwards, Dona Rosa was instructed by the apartment owner to feed me "as soon as the tall blond girl steps down the building", no payment bill... At the end, two noisy kisses on the face like grandmothers do to children, like this, deliciously unexpected. Impossible not to leave with a big smile on my face.

Portugal, sempre no coraçao. Obrigada.

Anna, Poland