Last week I received from AIESEC PORTO FEP the final evaluation form for my traineeship. In the last part of this evaluation form I had to write my testimony about my traineeship in Portugal.
I decided to make a short resume about my story, so here u have it :
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I can´t tell you the story about my experience as a trainee here in Portugal, without speaking a little bit about me, before coming here.
I´ve been an active member of AIESEC since 2004 until 2007. This organization transformed completely my years of faculty, and transformed me as an individual. I improved the skills that I had and I developed new ones. And while passing through all the AIESEC Experience, I felt that the Exchange faze it´s a must for my personal development.
So, after “finishing” my courses, I become an Exchange Participant, and I was opened to go wherever Insight will lead me, but as a favorite Country, Brazil was on top of my list.
But my path was going to change its way …. After 6 months of continuous search for an internship, I was on the edge of giving up, when I received an e-mail, from one Ricardo from AIESEC in Porto FEP, Portugal, asking me what do I think about some company´s form. I gave it a look it seemed pretty interesting. A lot of e-mails came, an interview, the acceptance and all the AIESEC formalities.
On the 2nd of March, after a sleepless night – maid of honor at my best friend´s wedding – I was welcomed by a bunch of happy AIESEC people at the Oporto Airport. I had my first francesinha and watch a Portuguese football game :).
And this is how my traineeship started …
Remember I´ve told you about my dream of going to Brazil … Well, I found out here that I am going to share an apartment with a guy and a girl from Brazil. You can imagine what came: I got to know a lot of Brazilian culture, food, music, stories, and a lot of Brazilian people.
Then I found out that almost each month, an International Reception Weekend is organized by AIESEC. The great thing about these IRWs is that I had the chance to see some parts of Portugal, and meet all the trainees all over the country. I visited place like Porto, Lisbon, Coimbra and Tavira in Algarve. I saw how the Porto wine is made and I tasted it. I experienced Queima das Fitas – celebrating together with all the students the end of graduation courses. I listened to fado and drink coffee on the little streets of Lisbon.
I have made a lot of friends from all over the world: Brazil, Venezuela, Spain, Germany, Romania, Mexico. Poland, and I have met people even from more countries. I am fully LIVING DIVERSITY.
One of this people that I met, and I´m talking now about Dey(ex PAI), become my best friend here in Portugal, enriched my soul and brought me a new perspective on life.
Also a lot of FIRSTS happened during my traineeship:
- First time when I saw an orange tree :),
- First time when I saw the ocean,
- First time trying kite surfing and rafting,
- First time in a huge concert like Rock in Rio
- First time to an African Party
….. and the list is not stopping here ….
And so, 6 months passed …
But the story doesn´t end here:
I got an offer from the company I´ve been working with, to stay for 6 more months. I accepted it and I´m very happy with my new job description and with the work I´m doing. And even if officially I am not a trainee anymore, I will continue in spending my free time with the other trainees, because they are my friends and my family, and I will try as much as I can to stay in touch with AIESEC.
Once an AIESEC-er, always an AIESEC-er !
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