At the polytechnic i took part in 5 courses. Most of them were about marketing and management to complement my studies in Finland. I also took part in a Portuguese language course. Taking the course proved to be helpful because the other courses where mostly in Portuguese. Not being able to speak or understand the language at all in the beginning meant that there was a lot of studying on my own – which wasn’t the best option for a procrastinator like me. Luckily I got the materials in English and the teachers were happy to help me whenever i couldn’t understand. The campus is nice and next to a shopping center where you can spend time waiting for the next class to begin!
I used my spare time to visit new places and try new restaurants. Travelling is one of my favorite activities so I had a great opportunity to learn about the culture and history of the country. I tried to visit every part of Leiria, and took a few trips to Lisbon and Nazaré beach. I also got to witness the celebration of christmas with big, bright fireworks in the opening of Leiria christmas market. I also got to meet people from Portugal and all over Europe and hear about their lives and experiences.
Compared to studying in Finland there are some differences. Most courses are divided into two parts: theoretical and practical. The theoretical classes are typical lectures to learn about the subject and in the practical classes there’s a more hands on approach. Just like at Tampere University of Applied sciences, here is an emphasis on working as a group. Most teachers here had the approach of giving the students a choice between attending classes and doing group projects and smaller tests, or studying independently and taking one big exam. Some teachers in Finland do the same thing but it has been way more uncommon. On a greater scale the teaching methods used in the countries are pretty similar. There is a mix of teaching and letting the students learn by doing the work themselves.
Even with the academic work and some courses being difficult, my time here has felt more like a vacation. The more relaxed and less time- and performance-oriented lifestyle has helped me learn and grow as a person. I am thankful for the opportunity to come to this amazing country to expand my world view and learn how it feels to live on the other side of Europe!
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