Hi everyone! If I could choose one word for this adventure, Lisbon was love. It was the most amazing experience and I would really think about going there again like a lot of people did. I think I have never met nicer people than in Portugal. Students from Lisbon medical school were extremely helpful all the time, from the first day when they picked me up at the AirPort to days when I didn’t have accomodation and they offered me to stay over anytime. At some moments It was not just a trip with great people, it became my big Portugal (or international haha) family for one month.We were staying the whole month at a student residency, which was very nice and close to the city centre and also to the hospital. It was unfortunately a bit far from the metro station and grocery store. There were rooms for two people with bathroom for every room and one kitchen for every floor.However some people say that you can see the whole Lisbon in few days, we made trips almost everyday somewhere else and after month and a week there were always places I didn´t see. It is a perfect place for people with art in heart, because of musicians at every corner playing amazing music creating great atmosphere with colorful buildings and little extraordinary streets, which always lead you to another pretty place. Lisbon is a city literally built on 7 hills, so at the end you´ll get even a nicer body! About the internship, even though I should have been at a Gynaecology department, I ended up at Cardiosurgery department. The doctors were very nice, explaining everything and I did even get to scrub in surgery. It was an unforgettable moment in the OR when a doctor asked me: „Did you ever touched a heart ?“ And now I can say I did and it was breathtaking. It was a very nice journey at historical St.Marta Hospital.At the beginning of July we received pocket money for one meal a day and there was a cantine at the residency with really cheap and also good meal to offer.I think the „must have“ in Portugal are Pasteis de nata from Belém and a typical meal Francesinha, which is best made in Porto. In addition, the portugal coffee was so good that at some point I was afraid of poisoning myself with it.People from IFMSA did a great job at doing our social program. We had an opportunity to go for a weekend to Porto, 4 hours away from Lisbon by bus and many more trips to small cities and beaches near Lisbon. I did especially like a place named Cabo da roca with spectacular views and nature. It is the most western point of Europe. There are way more beautiful places to visit for example Sintra, Lady hill, Cristo de Rei statue, Belém and many more.I have to mention also the night life of the city which was always a great fun and the best bar to go to is the Pensao Amor at the Pink street.I think I could write a book full of great memories of this place and the whole experience. I would go back in time to the first day immediately.
Kalinayová