The last 2nd September, I arrived to Castelo Branco, Portugal. Frankly, I had done no previous research about the city, I’d decided to embrace the adventure. I didn’t even have an apartment where I could live, but that’s the way I am!

I knew neither the Portuguese culture nor its language, but I had a feeling that they weren’t very different from the Spanish culture and language. At the end of the day, all of us are Iberian.

When I arrived, my first impression was that most of the Portuguese people are very nice, they are very helpful, and they think highly of us Spaniards. So, thanks to them, arriving here without any preparation was not such a horrible thing after all.

The city… Castelo Branco is a little city, a very little city. In fact, it’s like a big village. The good thing is that most of its population are students, because Castelo Branco has one of the biggest Polytechnics in the country, so there are a lot of young people.

The outskirts are wonderful. They are full of mountains, and little villages like Aldeias do Xisto, Penha García or Monsanto. All of them are worth a visit.

A day at ESART is very similar to any day at EASDB, with a lot of practical classes. The only difference is that ESART is in a big university, so they have more autonomy, and more money. I was surprised with the free study trips. It is wonderful.

From the first day, all the professors lent me a great attention. They were always anxious about my well-being (almost more than me). Moreover, during this semester, I am the only Erasmus student in Fashion Degree; this means I am the “spoiled girl”!

In short, it’s being a great experience, where I am meeting fabulous people, and I don’t rule out the possibility of looking for my future here.

Azucena Tubilleja

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