First assignment - Cultural differences

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 and it is a strong belief in the Mediterranean area that it takes two hours to enjoy a sardine meal with half a bottle of wine. In Finland consuming alcohol such as wine is usually seen as inappropriate before dinner time, whereas in Portugal it is much more common. Portuguese restaurants are usually open for lunch from 12:00 to 15:00. Dinner is served between 19:30 and 23:00 although there are always a few restaurants that are open until 02:00. Meals are generally not the time to make business decisions. There is an old saying that sums up the Portuguese spirit perfectly: meal time is sacred, like the cult of the shared meal.

The educational system in Portugal is very similar to ours in structure; Basic education (ensino básico) is compulsory and free for everyone. It is intended for children aged between six and fifteen. Pupils who complete this schooling receive a certificate of basic education. Following middle school, pupils enroll for three year vocational certificates. These include practical skills in technical and artistic crafts. Higher tertiary education is provided by polytechnics and universities. The former have a practical bias while the latter are more academic. 

With Finland being a generally atheist country, I'm a bit nervous about how I should behave in a culture in which religion is strongly presented. There's lots of small gestures to remember and hierarchy is prominent both is everyday life and business  - though they do have a more relaxed attitude towards things such as time and do not see deadlines as crucial as people from many other cultures do. Portuguese people in general are also more outgoing than us Finns, so I might get a bit overwhelmed by everything at first - at the same time I'm interested to see any personality changes in myself during and after the trip!