It’s been exactly a week since I arrived in Lisbon and I already have a few highlights to share.
A tram driver had left his tram to help an old lady cross the street in a busy area in Lisbon.
It’s finally shorts weather!
I started Piscine Reloaded at 42 Lisboa last Thursday
This might be a bit confusing since I haven’t written in a while. A lot has happened since last year, but in short, you could call it a transformation or transition. Here’s a quick summary:
I dropped out of Entrepreneur First and moved in with my parents in Barcelona (more on that later).
I’m (re-)connecting with myself, my family and friends (more on that later too).
I decided to pivot and apply to 42 Lisboa to learn more about software engineering.
I moved to Lisbon!
Why Portugal?
After 10 years in the Netherlands, I wanted a fresh start. I wanted to be anonymous, have a slower pace of life and spend more time in the ocean. Moreover, I thought I might be less inclined to succumb to the pressures of capitalism in Portugal.
In the long term, my goal is to move to South East Asia, Africa or South America but because I’m in the process of reconnecting with my family and friends, I didn’t want to leave Europe just yet. Hence Portugal! Good waves, nice weather and friendly people.
Calçada do Tejolo, where I stayed the first week in Lisbon!
Why Lisbon?
My dream was to live within walking distance from the beach, on the outskirts of the city, something Scheveningen-like. At first, I applied to 42 Porto because I wanted to avoid the “big” capital city. I thought Lisboa would be like Amsterdam and Porto would be like a Portuguese version of Rotterdam or the Hague.
However, while visiting Porto I realized that Portugal has a population of only ~11 million people and that Porto was rather small (by my standards, population of ~250,000). So, I ended up taking the train down to Lisbon and I immediately felt at home in the city (with a population of ~500,000, which is a bit closer to Rotterdam which has ~650,000 people). The metro ride from the train station into the city already had a more diverse group of people than I’d encountered in my 5 days in Porto.
What’s next?
This Thursday we have the official kick-off of the Common Core program at 42 Lisboa. I’m excited, but also stressed, because I’m also trying to figure out life, i.e. finances, work, relationships, trauma, the whole shenanigan.
From now on, I’ve set a goal for myself to write once a week to share more about my journey as I try to figure it all out.