Lisa Farley ’26

I spent my Fall semester studying abroad in Portugal through a CIEE program. When I applied for the Intercultural Enrichment Stipend, I hoped that engaging in private weekly Portuguese lessons would help me feel more grounded during my semester abroad. What I didn’t expect was just how deeply these classes would shape my experience, my confidence, and my understanding of language as a bridge to culture. 

“Bom dia!” “Bom dia. Posso ajudar?” “Sim, queria um café e um pastel de nata, por favor.” “Claro.” 

What began as a simple exchange, one that I practiced repeatedly before entering a café, became the foundation of one of the most transformative parts of my time in Portugal. I have not formally studied a language since high school, so beginning Portuguese felt like waking up muscles I had not used in years.

Sitting in my first lesson, I felt both excited and intimidated. My instructor spoke entirely in Portuguese for the first few minutes, and I immediately felt that familiar cognitive stretch: the sense that your brain is reaching, searching for patterns, sounds, and meanings. Even so, this discomfort was energizing. 

I quickly realized that learning Portuguese here, surrounded by the language’s sounds every day, was its own form of immersion. Each class became a kind of workout for the mind, pushing me to think in new rhythms, observe small details, and trust myself in moments of uncertainty.

Connections (and Misconnections!) Between Portuguese and Spanish

One of the most surprising aspects of this process was the connection I found between Portuguese and Spanish. I had taken Spanish previously, and although the two languages can be deceptively similar, the differences kept me alert rather than relying on assumptions.

Sometimes Spanish helped me understand certain words, and other times it tricked me completely. Drawing comparisons to root structures, shared origins, and false cognates enriched the learning process. It also reminded me that language systems are living, interconnected histories, shaped by movement, culture, and identity. 

Embracing Humility and Patience

There were moments where I felt like a toddler again: slowly sounding out words, stumbling through verb conjugations, or mispronouncing phrases I had practiced the night before. But these moments were important. They taught me humility and patience, both with myself and with others.

The native speakers I interacted with: classmates, my instructor, shop owners, waiters, and even strangers who overheard me trying, never made me feel embarrassed for getting things wrong. Instead, they encouraged me, gently corrected me, or celebrated small wins with me. Their kindness strengthened my confidence and created an environment where learning felt safe and collaborative. 

This experience directly shaped my growth in Linguistic Competence. Developing multilingual skills wasn’t just an academic exercise; it became a way for me to participate more fully in the life and culture around me. Understanding Portuguese, even imperfectly, opened up conversations, deepened interactions, and reduced the invisible distance that often exists between a visitor and a place. 

Intercultural Communication: More than Words

Lessons also enhanced my Intercultural Communication skills in meaningful ways. Portuguese is not just a set of vocabulary. It carries gestures, tone patterns, expressions, humor, and cultural layers that I began to understand only through repeated practice.

For example, learning when to use “tu” versus “você” or how the tone of “pois” changes meaning depending on context taught me to pay attention to subtleties beyond the words themselves. Through this, I became more aware of how communication relies as much on listening and observing as it does on speaking. 

Building Meaningful Connections

One of the unexpected gifts of this experience was the relationships it led me to form. Through my Portuguese class, community activities, and daily interactions, I developed friendships not only with Portuguese people but also with Angolan and Cape Verdean peers.

Sharing conversations with them helped me understand cultural nuances that I never would have encountered in a classroom alone. These relationships reflected the competency of Cross- Cultural Collaboration, showing me how people with different backgrounds and fluency levels can still create meaningful connections through shared effort and mutual curiosity. 

These friendships also encouraged me to practice Portuguese beyond the structured environment of class. I started challenging myself to use Portuguese in everyday situations: ordering food, asking for directions, shopping for groceries, riding public transport, or chatting with Uber drivers.

My proudest moment was when an Uber driver, after a short conversation, assumed I was Portuguese because of my accent. Although I’m far from fluent, that moment represented weeks of effort, vulnerability, and growth coming together. 

Language Learning Opens Doors

Perhaps the most transformative aspect of this experience has been the deeper sense of Cultural Appreciation it fostered.

Language learning opened doors I didn’t even know existed, from stories people shared with me, traditions they explained, recommendations they gave, to even small jokes or cultural references I could finally understand. It allowed me to be present not as a tourist but as a participant in the rhythm of daily life. 

Understanding Portuguese changed the way I navigated Lisbon and the surrounding areas: familiar streets felt different, interactions felt richer, and I felt a deeper sense of belonging.

Learning Portuguese Gave Me a Voice

My most important realizations came from situations where English was not an option. Whether speaking with an older vendor at a market, a local tram operator, or a café worker with limited English, I discovered that I didn’t need to default to Google Translate. I could rely on the skills I was building and trust myself enough to try. Sometimes I found the right words immediately; other times I had to improvise or describe what I meant. But every attempt made me stronger and more adaptable. 

In the end, my supplemental Portuguese instruction became much more than language classes. It was a process of personal and intercultural growth that shaped my entire semester abroad. It pushed me out of my comfort zone, helped me develop new skills, and allowed me to forge authentic relationships with people from diverse backgrounds.

Learning Portuguese gave me a voice I didn’t have when I first arrived and, more importantly, helped me listen more fully to the voices of those around me. This experience taught me that language is not simply a tool for communication; it is a gateway to understanding culture, identity, and human connection. The Intercultural Enrichment Stipend made that possible, and I carry the lessons, both linguistic and personal, with me long after my time in Portugal.