Our accommodations for my public health study abroad program in Lisbon, Portugal, are right in the heart of the city. With every passing day abroad, my familiarity with the layout of the city and the Portuguese language has grown. I am beginning to understand the public transit systems – elaborate tram stops and metro lines make Lisbon an incredibly accessible city. With every ride on the metro, I get more courageous and venture further out of the city center. One of my favorite aspects of studying abroad so far is feeling like I can get lost anywhere in the city and still know how to get back home safely. This has been perhaps my most cherished pastime in Lisbon. I have found so many little quaint cafés, restaurants, parks, and even a jazz club! I feel like I am becoming attuned to the local way of life. I shop at local grocery stores, get medication from local pharmacies, and watch the sunset at local parks. I have even begun to make friends with the proprietors of the café just across the street from my accommodation. It was wonderful to feel like I have developed a small sense of community here in Lisbon – each morning I wave to the security guard, the neighboring café owners, and the waiters at the local Donner Kebab joint.

One of the ways I have connected most with the locals has been through observing live music. I have come to adore the ways in which the expression and experience of music can be appreciated universally – or, more precisely, cross culturally. I have very fond memories of singing my favorite songs with locals at a Karaoke club on Pink Street in downtown Lisbon. A smile never left my face as we shared our favorite songs, showed off our dance moves, and sang to our hearts’ content! Interestingly, the club had a live band karaoke set up – so all the backing music was live! The coolest part of this experience (and maybe of the whole trip) was seeing one of my classmates get up on the stage and absolutely nail his performance like a complete rockstar!