For the past semester, Lisbon became our home for five months. Looking back, it is hard to believe how quickly an unfamiliar city became part of our everyday lives.
Like many Erasmus students, our experience started with a bit of stress. Finding accommodation from another country was not easy, and before arriving we spent quite some time wondering whether we were getting scammed by random people online. Luckily, everything turned out well. We found a spacious apartment in one of Lisbon’s main neighbourhoods, close to both Universidade Lusófona and the city centre, which ended up being a great base for the months ahead.
The beginning itself was slower than expected. Instead of immediately exploring the city, we spent the first week cleaning the apartment, scraping mould off the walls and getting used to Lisbon’s humidity, where even towels seemed to take forever to dry. It also rained almost every day. But after a few weeks, the weather changed completely. The sun came out, and from then on we had months of beautiful weather that made it easy to spend time outside, explore different parts of Lisbon and travel around Portugal whenever we had the chance.
Most weekdays were spent at the university. The professors and staff were welcoming and approachable from the beginning, especially towards Erasmus students. They gave us enough time to attend different classes before deciding which ones we wanted to keep, so there was never any pressure to make quick decisions while we were still settling in. Some of us also attended Portuguese language classes, which made everyday life a little easier and helped us better understand the local culture.
Although we all came from different study programmes, everyone found something valuable during the semester. Natalija, who studies Engineering and Management, decided to step into a completely new field by taking photography courses. She especially enjoyed analogue photography, where technical knowledge and creativity naturally go hand in hand. It was a completely different academic experience from what she was used to, and one that she is very happy she got to try.
Vukašin and I (Sofia) continued studying film, but the way classes were organised was quite different from what we were used to. Most assignments were done in groups because there were so many students. It meant constantly working with different people, sharing responsibilities and approaching projects as a team. It was interesting to experience another way of working and to see how different people solve the same creative problems.
One of the nicest parts of the exchange was meeting people from all over the world. We made new friendships that will hopefully last long after Erasmus. It was also fun to experience the exchange from the opposite perspective. We had already met two Portuguese friends when they came on Erasmus to our university, and this time they welcomed us to theirs.
Outside the university, Portugal introduced us to a different pace of life. It took us some time to get used to how relaxed everything felt. People were patient, friendly and rarely seemed to be in a hurry. At first it was unusual, but after a while we found ourselves slowing down as well. Instead of trying to fit as much as possible into every day, we started enjoying simple things more—walking through the city, spending evenings by the river or making spontaneous plans with friends. It changed the way we experienced our days and made us appreciate a different way of living.
During the semester, we explored both the north and the south of Portugal, as well as one magical island that quickly became one of the highlights of our stay. Every trip gave us a chance to see another side of the country, but in the end it was everyday life in Lisbon that we will probably remember the most.
Looking back, Erasmus was much more than studying abroad. It gave us new experiences, new friendships and the opportunity to spend five months living in a culture that was very different from our own. We came home with many memories, but also with a different perspective on how everyday life can look. It is an experience we are grateful for and one that we will not forget.
Until next time,
Sofia, Natalija & Vukašin
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