2023-10-09 09:29:00
Independence and freedom are the two most important elements for Maxime. “Portugal is a little less than 2000 kilometers from Belgium, you don’t know anyone there, so you can build a little life as you wish.” He also remembers the welcome and kindness of the people he met there: “they come from all walks of life, from lots of different cultures, they are super nice and simple. Everyone is there for the same thing: partying and meeting people, so there was a really good atmosphere.”
What memorable anecdote during your Erasmus in Portugal?
“The town of Covilha was one of the last destinations available and they gave it to me because I was a dunce!” he remembers. Once there, Maxime realizes that other people are in the same situation. “It wasn’t their choice either, but in the end it was really nice because it was a small town in the only real mountain in Portugal.” Passionate about cycling, Maxime quickly fell in love with this destination. “Since I had my bike with me, it was cool because I could ride up the mountain. In the end, what was supposed to be a crappy destination was crazy.”
Maxime also remembers the difference in the welcome of the Portuguese compared to Belgium. “Here, when you see a stranger in the street, you avoid them. There, they are all super nice and welcoming.” Upon his arrival in Covilha, several Portuguese students quickly took care of him, introducing him to people and even inviting him to party with them. “It was great, much warmer than Belgium.” This kindness is precisely what Maxime misses the most since his return to Belgium. “I came back from my Erasmus in winter. I came back from three months in the sun with happy, fulfilled people and here, you come home and everyone is pulling their heads, being in a hurry, honking their car horns, being unpleasant.”
What advice for an Erasmus in Portugal?
Maxime advises trying to meet people there as quickly as possible, because groups of friends form quite quickly, so as not to do your Erasmus alone. He also insists on not only staying with French speakers to succeed in getting out of his comfort zone. “The more strangers you are with, the crazier your experience will be.”
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