PORTUGAL-LISBON

When I arrived in Lisbon, I noticed at the airport that the clocks are set differently than in Germany. Everything is slower and much more relaxed. But unlike what I expected, no one complained that we had to wait 25 minutes at the airport until a finger was ready. Waiting for luggage is almost impossible for less than an hour. I knew immediately that everything is slower here than at home, and you must adapt to the speed. After a few weeks in Lisbon, you get used to the pace. Since I worked remotely at UBS during my semester abroad, I wanted to experience the differences in working life personally and speak with fellow Portuguese students who worked in Lisbon. For me, it is customary to start work between 8 and 9 in the morning. That's the first difference! Unless you work in private equity or investment banking in Lisbon, your day starts at 9 am at the earliest, but mostly at 10 am. Lunch breaks are held for at least an hour, as it is too stressful for many to eat in 30 minutes. The day also usually ends at 5 pm. That is also the end of the day for some people in Germany. Nevertheless, I understood the information to mean that people in Lisbon work much less than in Germany. Some people said that perhaps we people in Lisbon work more productively than in Germany, but that is not the case for me when I follow Lisbon's development.

Nevertheless, I was also able to discover the beautiful sides of Lisbon in the first few weeks. The feeling of living by the sea is unique. In summer and autumn,  the weather is so fantastic that most residents go to the beaches almost every weekend. There are excellent beaches to explore. I don't want to take too much away from the front and tell you about it in another blog. But I also directly explored the fantastic and yet different cuisine. Unfortunately, I never warmed to the classic home-cooked dishes during my stay. Steak with egg, rice and chips is a strange mixture for me, and most of the time, it doesn't taste how you expect it to. The second typical main dish is bacalhau. It comes in wide different varieties-Gratinated with cheese, grilled with vegetables, breaded or in my other ways. However, the desserts in Lisbon are unique, and it is a variety of sweet pastries. The most known pies are Pastel de Nata. It is hands down the most famous pastry in Lisbon. The Portuguese egg tart, pastel de nata, is a round, puffy filled with an egg-based custard. The custard is made with egg yolks, sugar, cream or milk, and other seasonings, including cinnamon, vanilla, or lemon zest, depending on the recipe from the bakery. There are shakers of cinnamon or sugar on the counter to top the pastry.

To enjoy your stay in Lisbon, you must play Padel with friends. Padel is the racquet sport of this century, as it's one of the fastest-growing sports globally. Invented in Mexico in the 60s, the sport has spread widely throughout Latin America and the United States. In Europe, Padel began its conquest from Spain and Portugal. Almost every town in Spain and Portugal has a Padel court. But why is Padel such a considerable part of the culture and lifestyle of Lisbon people? Padel has become chiefly famous for its simplicity. It's effortless to learn for players of all ages and skills. It was straightforward for me to play Padel since I have played tennis since my 5th year. It was not difficult to play, even for people with no connection to tennis or other sports with rackets