At first, it was scary trying to speak Portuguese every day, and sometimes I did not understand the signs or what people were saying. But little by little, I began to practice ordering a tea, or saying hello to a security guard or telling my colleagues about my family at home. Everyone I met was very welcoming and patient, and often complimented me on my Portuguese. By the end of the summer, I had met lots of Portuguese people, traveled around the country and even learned how to surf!
As soon as I came back to the States, I knew that I wanted to travel even more. I loved meeting new people, seeing completely different landscapes, and of course, trying new foods. My junior year, I studied abroad at the London School of Economics, and I had the chance to do my own independent research for the first time. While I was there, I also had the chance to visit ten other countries and made several friends who were from all over the world. At the end of college, I applied for a Fulbright scholarship to live for a year abroad in Portugal, researching women-owned businesses and entrepreneurship.
I arrived in Portugal in October, and will stay here until the end of May. During the past six months, I have had the chance to talk to lots of interesting people about what it is like to start and own a business in the country. I have also been able to travel a bit more around the country, and to a few other countries in Europe as well.
When I am not traveling or doing research, some of my favorite things to do are go for a walk along the river in Lisbon, visit a new museum or try to cook a new dish using local ingredients. For eight years, I ran track and field in high school and college.
