Portugal 2019

My first week working in Portimão went by so quickly I almost didn’t realize to make a post about it! I’ve started off easy, helping at breakfast every morning and then going to a restaurant upstairs. Currently I’m taking care of a group of football players from Norway and Iceland, so I haven’t spent my afternoons in the restaurant this week. My shifts have been mostly eight hours but some days I’m allowed to leave a bit earlier, which means I get to enjoy the sunlight a bit longer - the sun sets after 6 pm everyday! Feels like home, right? Later during my training period I’ll move to the front desk and housekeeping. The weather is pretty interesting, mornings and evenings are super cold & moist but during the day it’s been around +20 celcius degrees the whole time. I’m looking forward to the hotter days! Not... I’ve become pretty close with the other trainees who I live with. They all work in the kitchen but we’re all pretty much the same age so we get along well, ...

On Saturday evening I finally arrived in Portugal! I’ve had only two days of work so far but I can tell that it’s going to be an amazing journey! This far I’ve been helping in the restaurants of the hotel but I’m also going to be at the front desk and soing some housekeeping - needless to say that I’m very excited!   My co-workers have been the loveliest, everyone takes such good care of me! I’ve had a few people keep and eye on me and guide me through all kinds of tasks so I haven’t had to feel abandoned or helpless at all. In general I think Portuguese people are much more upbeat and social. It’s a nice change from the usual! I live in a dorm with other trainees who are mostly Portuguese. My roommates don’t speak such good English but we manage - we ude google translate and body language a lot! The dorm is very cold compared to Finnish homes but nothing is cozier than burying yourself in blankets and turning on a heater! I’ve also tasted some Portuguese food, my f...

This time I'll be listing some words and phrases that are going to be useful for me personally. Onko teillä vapaita huoneita? = Do you have free rooms? = Tem um quarto livre? Huone kylpyhuoneella = A room with a bathroom = Um quarto com casa de banho Suihku = Shower = Duche Yhden hengen huone = A single room = Quarto individual Kahden hengen huone parivuoteella = Double room = Quarto de casal Kahden hengen huone kahdella vuoteella = A twin room = Quarto com duas camas Portieeri = Doorman = Porteiro Avain = Key = Chave Minulla on huonevaraus. = I have a booking. = Tenho um quarto reservado. Voinko maksaa luottokortilla? = Can I pay with a credit card? = Aceita cartões de crédito? Vastaanotto = Reception = R ecepção Valitettavasti olemme täynnä. = Unfortunately we are full. =  Peço desculpa, estamos cheios. Onko hotellissa ravintolaa? = Does the hotel have a restaurant? =  Há um restaurante no hotel? Milloin ____ tarjoillaan? = When i...

In this assignment I will be combining some useful phrases in Portuguese! Asking for directions: Where is... ? = Onde está/estão... ? Ordering in a restaurant: I'd like... = Queria... ... mineral water = ... água mineral ... fries = ... batatas fritas ... beef = ... bife ... coffee = ... cáfe Asking for help: Excuse me, please =  Com licença, por favor Help! = Socorro! (in emergency) Asking if someone speaks a language: Do you speak English? = Fala Inglês? Greeting co-workers and manager: Hello = Olá (informal) Como está? = How are you? (formal) Starting a casual conversation: What are your hobbies? =  Quais são os seus passatempos?

In this assignment I will be introducing you to my beautiful home country.

Hi again! This time I will be making a list of useful facts about Portugal, especially regarding my stay and location. In Portugal it  is generally safe to drink tap water in urban and touristic areas. They use the euro as their currency. Driving is on the right. The level of English is good in Portugal, especially in areas with tourists. During springtime, the temperature is between 15 and 20 Celsius  degrees during the day, but it goes down by the evening. This means that I should pack both light - but also covering - and warmer clothes. As an EU citizen I don't need a visa or residence permit. In general Portugal is a safe country but it is recommended to stay alert in case of pickpockets. The closest hospital to me will be  Centro Hospitalar Universitário do Algarve - Hospital de Portimão The embassy of Finland will be in Lisbon Around 81 percent of Portugal’s population are Roman Catholics - this affects some public holidays during my stay there, such a...

Hello! As you can probably tell from the title, in my first post I'm going to focus on cultural differences between Finland and Portugal. My personal knowledge on this topic is pretty nonexistent but let's see what I can find out through research online! Let's start with a more professional point of view. Usual business hours are from 9 AM to 6 PM, so pretty much the same as here.  Unlike its neighbour country Spain, Portugal doesn't have siesta, an afternoon break. Surprisingly to no one, this is also the case here in Finland - whether or not this is a pro or a con is probably arguable. Since Portugal is mostly Roman Catholic, it is recommended to dress conservatively.  There is little difference between business and social attire. Communication is generally formal until a closer relationship is built, so hand shaking and using honorifics such as "senhor" and "senhora" are standard. The Portuguese like to have long lunch breaks an...