When this semester began at the University Institute of Lisbon, Sean Donnelly '26 made sure he was in his seat for each class 10 minutes early. He's that kind of student. But now, Donnelly's barely strolling in by the start of class. He's not struggling; he's acclimating.
Donnelly had a list of priorities when choosing a study abroad location, but one in particular was more important than anything else. The weather.
"I grew up on Long Island. I've done the Albany winters. I wanted to get away from that."
Donnelly weighed his options, giving consideration to programs and other variables, and narrowed his list to either Lisbon or Copenhagen. The average high temperature in Copenhagen this time of year is in the mid 40s, but it's 20 degrees warmer in Lisbon. That settled it.
"It's been in the 60s here every day for the past month and a half. It's been great."
And warmer temps have made exploring all the more enjoyable. Donnelly didn't want to feel like an outsider for long, so he spends each day walking the city, meeting people, and assimilating to his new surroundings.
"Every day I hop on the metro and get off at the main square, the Praça do Comércio. From there, I walk along the water. I usually do it at sunset. The views are incredible. It's how I've gotten to really experience Lisbon. By now, I know all the best restaurants and places to go. Sometimes on those walks, I still can't believe this gets to be my life for the next two months."
Acclimating fully to the Portuguese lifestyle meant getting used to "Portuguese time."
"Everything is laid back. People show up to class 10 to 20 minutes late. It's the same with dinner reservations. I used to be early, but now I'm adjusting to being more casual with time."
And for Donnelly, that was the whole point of this experience. Going somewhere new, and living the life of a student in that country. Not as a tourist, but as someone who felt like they were at home. Assuming that somewhere was in a warm climate.
