Zoe Ford
What better way to end the summer with SPEAK and start a brand new set of courses than with a picnic!
We gathered in Jardim do Torel, a beautiful little park on the top of one of Lisbon’s 7 hills for an evening of games, ‘getting-to-know-you’s, and, of course, a picnic. We started the evening by practising our Portuguese, splitting into groups and finding out more about each other. Everyone was really enthusiastic in sharing facts about themselves and about their experiences, exactly the reaction that we encourage in SPEAK! Everyone was willing to get stuck right in, chatting to people they had never met before, being really friendly and sociable which, especially for someone like myself who arrived in Lisbon less than 2 weeks ago, was a really lovely atmosphere to be in.
And of course, there was the food. Picnics are always a great way to get together and be sociable, with everyone sharing what they had brought, some things were even home-cooked! Whilst eating, everyone was chatting and having fun, getting to know each other and making new friends. Even when the park security came to close the park, everyone made the best of the situation and moved the picnic to another spot just to carry on the evening!
After my first SPEAK event experience, I would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants a chance to practise their language. It is so helpful that everyone is so relaxed and friendly, and that there is no pressure to have perfect language skills. Plus you get to meet lots of new people and start building a network of friends around you if, like me, you have just moved here and are lacking in companions!
Huge thanks to everyone helped organise the event, Mariana, Nuno and Susana. It was a great night with great people!
*As a side note, I would 100% recommend this park to anyone with a bit of spare time in Lisbon, it may be small and you may have to climb up the hill to get there, but trust me, the views of central Lisbon and Bairro Alto are worth it!*
