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I am happy and a little excited.

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I'm excited to go but nervous for the work experience

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I’m looking forward to this trip

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Looking forward to it. Exited to see what work I will be doing in the field im studying.

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I’m very exited!

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I am exited to see what sort of work placement i will get on erasmus.

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Today was the first time I met everyone that's going to Portugal with Erasmus+. I'm a bit nervous but mostly excited.

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I’m feeling excited and nervous for the trip. I met everyone I will be traveling with today.I feel Appreciative for this opportunity.

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I am really looking forward to Erasmus. I’m excited to meet new people make new friends and experience the culture over in Porto. I am also looking forward to work experience.

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Lowk chill pretty excited

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First Erasmus Meeting! Excited, nervous but I can't wait now that our journey has begun.

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I’m feeling exited and a bit nervous to be going to Porto :)

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Bom dia, Porto! 😍

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A lovely café just downstairs from our apartments

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On the first day of our stay in Porto. A nice place where we will be staying, lots of shops and restaurants, I was especially impressed by the Monument to the War Heroes on the peninsula - an interesting place worth stopping by, I hope to visit, see it closer.

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Saw performance by Cientuna near Porto São Bento 🤩👏 It was great to hear a portuguese song!

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When we got unpacked in Porto Danyil Evan Nathan and I decided we were too excited to call it a day and went on an adventure.

Waking up was a chore the next day but like the sun rose so did we, got some groceries and I decided to do some assignments infront of the beautiful view out of our balcony while waiting for our welcome dinner.

The dinner went okay I feel like but after was the real fun part where I got to know the people I was sharing the experience with a bit more by sharing a few mocktails in a lovely hotel bar.

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We went to a restaurant yesterday as a welcome dinner, it was right around the corner from our apartments which were better than I could've believed. The dinner was lovely but the afterwards was even better, meeting everyone properly and getting to know them was lovely.

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Today we met our work placements, mine and eoins was lovely as the manager Elsa and CEO Mario brought us up to speed once they found out what our skill sets were. After that I went home to eat, then came to a park danyil found. You can see three of the bridges from here.

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I’ve had such a lovely first few days in Porto. My roommates are really nice, and we’ve been getting on so well. We spent the afternoon in a cute café and explored the city together it’s even more beautiful than I expected. Later on, we went out for dinner which was really nice to meet everybody properly after we went to a really cool bar, which was so much fun. It’s been such a great start to the trip!

Today we had our induction, which went really well too. I got to learn all about the company I’ll be working with, and it made me even more excited for the weeks ahead.

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I’ve had such a nice few days in Porto. I was quite nervous about coming abroad as it was my first time away from home for three weeks. We arrived in Porto and were picked up by our transfer and brought to our apartments. The girls in my apartment are really nice and we have been getting on really well.

On our first morning we went to Lidl to do our food shop, then we went to a really cute coffee shop and explored the town in the sun. Later that evening we all met up and went for a welcome dinner. It was nice to properly meet everyone. Afterwards, the girls and I went to a bar for a few drinks and danced the night away.

Today we had our introduction for our work placements which went really well too. I’ll be working in a hotel and the staff seem lovely as well. It has been such a great start to the trip and I’m excited to see what else is to come

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On Sunday morning, we discovered that we have a cemetery right in front of the apartment. Not exactly the dream view… but at least it is kind of beautiful 😅

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Shopping in Lidl instead of the one close to the apartment (much safer for our budget).

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While taking a walk with the girls and I just found a Venezuelan restaurant

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I went to a bakery and I realised a dessert call “bola” is Portuguese and not from country 😂. It was really good and tastes exactly like the ones that I tried before. Very nostalgic.

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Sunset view with my new litle friends (seagulls)

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Got introduced to the zoo today. Looking forward to starting. We were told that we will be helping clean enclosures, feed the animals, shadow the keepers and give suggestions for the enclosures etc.

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Went to the aquarium on the 22nd. Walked the there and back. Ended up doing 26k steps that day.

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The park was very beautiful and had a lot of wildlife and flowers. A really lovely introduction to Porto and a very large and scenic space.

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we seen a street performer dancing with fire down at the river, with some scenic views.

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very nice view of the river while walking around

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It’s my second day in and I’ve had my introduction to my work placement and have been exploring, so far it’s been so fun and adventurous and I’m having the time of my life seeing new things. It’s so nice to see the different between here and back home. I’m still a bit nervous tho and hoping to talk to the people I’m with more.

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I had my work experience placement today which I’m very excited about. I also explored around the city and went down to the port and I took some pictures

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The first day of work at Zoo da Maia was so much fun. We learned some names for the residents such as Savannah the lioness and Hector the ostrich. Learning the feeding schedule and making sure everyone got their share was entertaining and rewarding. I can't wait for what's in store for the rest of the week.

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Yesterday was the first proper day of work experience. The zoo is amazing. We were brought around the zoo with a keeper and assisted him with his daily tasks. We cleaned enclosures and fed many animals and accompanied him to check up on the sick and injured animals. We fed many birds including an ostrich and gave some seeds to the monkeys in near by cages. My favourite animal so far are the small deer that love to be scratched under the chin. We are getting great hands on experience here at the zoo and it is hard work especially in the heat but I am enjoying it.

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In the last two days We've had Mario teaching us more and more about the company we're working for as well as the history of the different cities in Porto and the country as a whole.

It's exciting that not only do we get to learn about our field but we also get to learn about the culture and history of the area.

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Today was the most exciting so far as I got more hands on experience with the animals. Today I got to hand feed many monkeys including a lemur that sat on my shoulder and politely ate from my hand. I also got to hand feed a brown bear through a wire fence so it did not bite me as well as two zebra. I also cleaned and fed the porcupines and collected some of their quills.

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Jardins do Palácio de Cristal, one of the gardens to see here in Porto! It was beautiful! It had a building which looks like half of a giant golf ball. It is building where concerts, plays and performances are held. I was mesmerised by the vibrant colours of the Tulips. While walking around in the garden, I was able to get a glimpse of the Douro River. And then I saw something unique, there were roosters in the park. One announcing its presence by giving a loud crowing! What a day! 😍

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Porto gifted me real magic ☕✨

Aromatic coffee, narrow streets, sunlight on old facades, and the feeling that time slowed down just a little.

A walk through this city is not just a journey — it’s a mood, warmth, and small moments of happiness in every step 💛

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After placement I went exploring gained some aura from the cold photos I have of myself now, placement gave us a 3 week schedule and we have completed two weeks of it this is our third full day, feeling very excited getting a better grasp on the company and meeting new people, pretty lit. Also P.S. I enjoyed some local cuisine (super book).

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This week I completed my first week of work experience and I am really enjoying it so far. The hotel is quite quiet so it is not too busy. My main tasks include checking guests in and out and talking with customers, which I am really enjoying because it is helping me build confidence and improve my communication skills.

During the week we also got to experience some local culture. Last night we went on a port wine tour at Cálem Winery which was very interesting and gave us a chance to learn more about Portuguese culture. After that we went for food at Eleven Sports Bar where we watched the Ireland vs Czechia match. Unfortunately Ireland lost, but it was still a very enjoyable evening.

Overall, my first week has been a very positive experience. I am learning new skills, meeting new people, and gaining valuable work experience. I am looking forward to seeing what the next few weeks will bring.

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Yesterday we went on a tour of a port cellar here in Porto, we had a tasting afterwards and the two we tried were lovely. Afterwards we went for dinner and drinks while watching Ireland play in the playoffs semi final

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I started to design a table for my workplace. The college will use the table I design and place them around. I also went on a wine cellar tour and we tried some wine.

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I finished work and I went down to the beach 🏝️

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Amazing wine, stronger than I expected but still very good 🍷

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That evening I saw one of the most beautiful I ever seen 🤩

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we went on a tour of porto wine, at calem caves and it was very intresting and insightful, even if i didnt like the wine.

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very nice seating area next to my work placement, this where ive been spending my lunch break 😌

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Today we all had breakfast on the terrace together, Vanessa, myself, Grace and Orla handled the cooking. It was nice everyone sitting together to eat.

Myself, grace, Orla, Vanessa and Natalia all went on the tour bus around the city seeing different sights as well.

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Went to a military museum today. It was very small but entry was only 3 euro. There was some interesting pieces in the museum and after I had taco bell and stumbled across a market selling things like food, clothes and art

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First week of Erasmus flew by! We learned how to use public transport.🚇Thank goodness, the Metro is easy to use. It is great being in Sinerconsult / learning together, everyone has a smile and friendly and gave us support whenever we have a question. I am learning and it is specially nice to use a new app, I have never used before. I am looking forward to next week!

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My first days of practice at Sinerconsult have been a very positive experience. We had a really warm and welcoming meeting with the team, and I received clear guidance and great support from my mentor, João Conde and Diana. It was also a pleasure to work alongside my colleague Vanessa , whose support made everything easier. During this time, I researched information from the company's website about educational programs in countries such as Hungary, Slovenia, and the Czech Republic. This practice is already proving to be very useful and inspiring for my professional development.

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A lovely walk down to the bridge today.

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My first week in Porto has been absolutely amazing. I’ve already had so many new experiences, and I’m really starting to appreciate the charm of the city. One of the highlights was the wine tasting getting to learn about traditional Port wine, the different types, and the history behind it was so interesting. And of course, tasting it was even better!

We also went on a river cruise along the Douro, which was such a beautiful way to see the city from a different perspective. The views from the water were stunning, especially with all the colourful buildings along the riverbanks. I’ve been really enjoying the evening sunsets too; they’re honestly some of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen, and they make the city feel so peaceful.

Work seems to be going well so far. I’m still settling in and getting used to everything, but overall I think I’m doing okay. It’s a learning curve, but I’m feeling more confident each day.

Overall, it’s been a great first week, and I’m hoping the week ahead will be just as good maybe even better!

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Yesterday we went on the river cruise seeing the bridges, it was gorgeous and the sun was perfect. Afterwards everyone split into their own groups and did their own thing.

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Work experience has been fun and I’ve been learning so much, unfortunately I’ve come down with a cold and couldn’t go in because it would off been to unsafe to be dealing with food in this condition. But it’s been so interesting to even look at different parts of Porto on my commute there.

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This week on my Erasmus placement it has been full of new experiences, both in work and in exploring the city.

Work is going well so far and I am starting to feel more comfortable in the environment. Yesterday I got the opportunity to experience housekeeping and see what it is really like to work in that department. It was interesting to see how much organisation and attention to detail is needed.

Outside of work, I have also been making the most of my time here. On Sunday, I went on a boat trip with the group which was a really fun experience. It was a great way to relax, enjoy the views, and spend time together outside of our placement.

On Saturday, I went on a hop-on hop-off bus tour which was a great way to see more of the city and learn about the different landmarks. Afterwards, I went for lunch near the beach which was such a nice experience. The weather was beautiful and it was great to be able to just sit, relax and take it all in.

Another highlight of the weekend was visiting the famous Livraria Lello bookstore with Vessena and Natilita. The building was absolutely beautiful and very unique inside. It was amazing to finally see such a famous place in person and it definitely lived up to expectations.

Overall, I am really enjoying my Erasmus experience so far but I’m starting to miss my friends, family and my doggies at home 🫶

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While I was looking for a stationery shop after work, I happened to come across this market. They were still open at 5.30pm. Hmmmm 🤤 they had little tapas, fresh fruits and juices and fresh seafood, a bit too fresh for my liking 😅. But this is what I love about exploring Porto, you discover little things which brings that little bit of joy. ❤️ I will definitely go back! I also loved the architectural design of Livraria Lello, very unique. I was very excited to explore it with Nataliia and Orla the other day. But it was very hard to really admire as it was packed to the brim. Still 😍...

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Yesterday after work I went to the zoo to see Danny and Cerys, seeing the different animals was incredible but getting to learn about them as well as having the opportunity to feed them made my day.

The ostrich was an asshole though, scary man.

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Me and Padraig sent off a 2 week refinement and 3rd week draft on Monday so Tuesday we spent researching more on Mognio until about 2:15 and Richie came to visit us at our placement it was a nice surprise, after I finished work I went shopping for some ingredients and seen spider man, the ingredients were for a pico de gallo, which tasted amazing !

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We went on a river tour of the Douro river which I enjoyed a lot. I took a few photos of Porto from the river. I am working on designing a table which I have to a 10 minute presentation on. The school will use the table that I designed.

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The past few days in the zoo I have been cleaning mainly the big cat and monkey enclosures. I have had a great opportunity to work closely with a very sweet orange tiger. The white tiger is very aggressive. I have cleaned the tortoise enclosure with great difficulty as they keep getting in the way. Today we are cleaning the pool in the tiger enclosure. Yesterday Padraig showed up to the zoo after work and we got to show him around.

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Porto. It was very beautiful and peaceful. I saw the river, the bridges and the beautiful old buildings. The views were incredible.

After that I ate local food. It was very delicious. I tasted traditional dishes. Everything was very delicious.

It was a simple and happy day. I really enjoyed it.

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beuatiful boat down the river looking at all thr bridges and such, exited for trip this weekend.

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Yesterday at the zoo we cleaned out the tiger's pool which was challenging as it was so slippery after being drained, but also really cool to be inside the tiger's habitat (whilst they were kept in the indoor area). Later it felt almost like a treat to clean the Muntjacks because they are so friendly and curious.

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Myself and Richie went surfing after work yesterday, it took me a few tries but the instructor was great at getting us used to standing up and I ended up enjoying it beyond belief. I'll be going back down again tomorrow for it.

The group went for dinner again after, we all were talking and enjoying ourselves. We've all gotten to know each other the last two weeks and its been a pleasure.

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I went to a local market to try some seafood and got a natural mango juice that reminded me of my childhood 😅

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Sunset at the beach (Actually it’s was so cold) 🥶

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Today had a very busy morning cleaning all the primate, lemur, porcupine and bear enclosures before the zoo opened. Later we made sure everyone got their fruit and veggies.

It was really nice guiding children that were interested on how to feed some friendlier animals like alpacas and goats, even if there was a bit of a language barrier at times. Great to see kids excited about wildlife too.

Later Diana, Emma and her two children came to see how Daniel and I were getting on, and we walked around the zoo to show them all the residents.

Afterwards I rejoined Piedro to give the animals their second round of food for the day, and tossed an orange for Junior  the grizzly to have as a quick starter. I finished a few minutes early and decided to finish off with sitting and watching the reticulated python go for a dip.

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Last weekend, we were treated to a cruise on the Douro River, we enjoyed this activity with our coordinator Richard. During the cruise, we passed 6 bridges in Porto. It was a lovely group outing paired with a lovely weather.

The first bridge is Luis I Bridge, a very well known one. After the cruise, we dispersed but some of us stayed by the Ribeira and decided to have lunch there. The flaming Chorizo was enticing from afar, therefore we decided to try it 😁.

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Flaming Chorizo 🔥

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This week at our placement we continued to do our research but also helped packed kits as shown on the photos and other small admin task. We also had a new Erasmus student from DIFE who joined us in the office this week and she brought a positive happy energy. We will miss her! 🙂

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Today myself, Grace and Vanessa went exploring. We visited a church called Santa Clara and it was absolutely stunning. After that we went to Palácio da Bolsa where we got a guided tour.

We then went for lunch which was really nice, and on the way home we went for a walk in the park and got some ice cream. Tomorrow we are all going to Aveiro for the day which will be lovely.

We now only have one week left. The three weeks have gone so fast!

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We were talking at work of what to do, what else to see in Porto, when Anna mentioned that there was an art exhibition at Forum da Maia of a famous Portuguese Artist name Paula Rego, naturally 🤔! It was very interesting and educational to see her work. It may not be my type of art, never the less, it was a treat.

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trip to avioaro today with a short boat cruise down the river, very intresting spot with lots of nice bridges and small shops.

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Me Danny Danyil and Cerys went exploring took a few scintillating selfies and we ended up walking over the top of the Ponte Luis I bridge where I learned Danny has a fear of heights which was understandable considering the height…, we ended up in Gaia at the cultural experience where Danny also made it his mission to create a three legged frog by dropping a ceramic statue of one, pretty good day.

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We went on a trip to Aveiro and it was beautiful. The city is called the “Venice of Portugal” because of its canals and colorful boats. I enjoyed a relaxing boat tour and saw lovely houses along the water.

The atmosphere was calm and charming. It was a simple but very enjoyable day.

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Went on our second boat trip of our Erasmus experience in Aveiro pretty chill location. We also got the pleasure of meeting Emma’s kids here is a photo they took of us, Luke is on the very left he was initiated into the Gurt syndicate named “Lil Gurt”, but in all seriousness I was very impressed with his extensive knowledge on video games, I like this photo as it shows the a few of the friends I’ve made directly because of the Erasmus program, e.g. Danny Evan Nathan & Luke. Ps. Also got to see one of the stadium used in the 2004 euros, Estadio Municipal De Aveiro with a capacity of around 30,000 people, it’s decent (Joe hart reference).

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I’ve been having such a nice time in Porto. Today we went to Aveiro and it was really lovely – such a pretty place. We went on a boat cruise through the canals and then had a wander around the town for a while, which was really nice and relaxed.

When we got back, we headed to the beach and spent some time sunbathing, which was just what we needed. It was so nice to just switch off and enjoy the weather.

Can’t believe this is our last week here already, it’s gone so fast. I’m definitely going to miss Porto, it’s been such a great place to spend time 🤍

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I’ve mainly just been exploring more and more on this trip and it’s been so fun. It’s so interesting to view a different it’s and see how they live and how they celebrate holidays as well. It’s been so much fun here but I’m still feeling a bit home sick, I’ve been calling my parents a lot and sending post cards home as well to keep them updated. The boat trip I went on was also very fun

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We went on a trip to Aveiro where we went to a boat tour of the city. I took a picture of the buildings on that cruise. We also walked around the market. Later that day we went to a restaurant and we got food.

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We went to Aveiro, the "Venice" of Portugal, with our group and Emma. We also tried the Ovos Moles but I think it might be an acquired taste. We had an enjoyable time exploring Aveiro by boat and foot. The guide was nice.

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I think they are doing a traditional Portuguese song and dance. But I am not sure 😅. It was still beautiful to watch and engaging.

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Friday myself and isabella went surfing again, it was great fun and both of us managed to catch decent waves and had lunch nearby in a cafe.

Yesterday we went to the city of aveiro on a short trip, it was lovely with a boat ride and a talk about the history of the town.

Afterwards, we had a dinner with Emma in an Italian restaurant with some lovely burgers and pizza. We all went our own ways afterwards, with some of us staying in the apartments to relax and have a drink while others went into town for a night out.

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Emma brought us for a nice meal after our trip to Aviero yesterday. Today I went to Santo Inácio zoo

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Today I visited the Santa Inácio zoo. The goats had a really fancy tower, and the zoo was quite bigger than the one I'm working in. The zookeepers even used bikes to get around which was funny to think about. Seeing their residents made me excited to get back to work tomorrow as I miss the ring-tailed lemurs.

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On the weekend I decide to take the cable car, it’s was so lovely (I didn’t take any videos inside, I was quite nervous) 😅

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We took a boat ride in Aveiro, and then spent the rest of the Time exploring the markets and walking around it was such a beautiful experience

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We’re now on our final week of Erasmus. On Saturday, we went to Aveiro, where we took a boat trip along the river. I also tried pastel de nata for the first time—they were so good! In the afternoon, the girls and I went to the beach. Later that evening, we had dinner with the group and went out for drinks afterwards.

On Sunday, I had a relaxing day. I spent the afternoon reading my book on the terrace in the sun.

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Yesterday myself, orla, grace and isabella cooked a home made dinner for the group.

We cooked pasta, chicken, bacon and an assortment of veg. Everyone seemed to love it, with left overs being used for lunches today. It was lovely seeing everyone enjoying the food and enjoying each other's company.

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The main thing I love about Porto so far is the amazing weather, especially knowing that back home is storming it was consistently 18-21 degrees while over here and we saw our first bit of rain yesterday actually. It was a bit nice in a way because im still home sick and it actually reminded me of home in a way

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The buildings and architecture over here is amazing, I love walking and exploring and I’ve been doing that most of my trip over here. Because of this I’ve been able to take in all the lovely and unique building and architecture. They have lovely tile work and little balconies on the houses here and it makes me wonder how it would be so easy to spice Ireland up a bit more if we hade more of a unique touch with our buildings and design

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I went for a walk along the waterfront

It’s surrounded by incredibly beautiful views

The Portuguese people I met along the way struck me as very open-minded, freedom-loving people who love sport

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On Saturday, we visited the wonderfully beautiful and charming town of Aveiro, where we went on a boat trip