10ReasonstoStudyinPortugal

　　ItsassunnyasSpain,thefoodsastastyasinItalyandthewinesasgreatasinFrance.ThebeersarejustasgoodastheGermansandinthemiddleofallthis,itscheaperthanGreece.Portugaldoesnthavetobecomparedtoothercountriesbutwhenyoudo,itshines.IfafterallthisyoustilldontknowwhatmakesPortugaloneofEuropeshottestplacestogostudyabroad,checkoutthis10-pointlistofreasonstostudyinPortugal,thatlaysitallout.

　　1.Theexcellentuniversities

　　Alloverthecountryyoullfinduniversitieswithexcellenttrackrecordsandreputations.Justtocountafew:theUniversidadeNOVAdeLisboaearnedaplaceintheQSrankingoftheworldstop50universitiesunder50yearsold,theUniversidadeCatlicaPortuguesa(UCP)hasaworld-classMastersinManagement,andtheFacultyofArchitectureoftheUniversityofPorto(FAUP)hasbeenaleadingEuropeanarchitectureschoolfordecades.

　　2.Thelowcostofliving

　　PortugalisbyfarthecheapestcountryinWesternEurope,andLisbonisoneofthecheapestbigcitiesofEurope.Thismeansthatifyoureonatightbudgetyouregoingtogetbyjustfinehereandifyourenot,yougettolivereallycomfortably.

　　3.Portugalwelcomesyouwithopenarms

　　ThePortuguesehaveawell-deservedreputationforbeinghospitable.Youllbewarmlyreceivedbythelocals,andafterafirstmeeting,itsallhugs,kisses,foodandbeer.Withoutdiscriminatingtouristsfromworkers,Erasmusstudentsorpostgraduateresearchers,thiscountrylooksateachvisitorasawelcomeguest.

　　4.Itsasmallcountry,andproudofit!

　　Doyouhavethatoneshortfriendwhosalwaystellingyouhowgreatitistobeshort?Well,Portugalsthatsmallerfriendofyours,anditkeepsshowingyouwhybeingasmallcountryhasitsadvantages.Thebeachisalwaysnearby,forexampleinPortoorLisbon,yourerarelymorethan20/30minutesawayfromthebeach.Ifyougetafreedayfromschool,youcanvisitanycityinthecountryforadaytripandbebackintimeforschoolnextday.Oryoucangettoknowthecountryalotbetterinaweekend.

　　5.LearnPortugueseagloballanguage

　　EventhoughPortugalisoneofthoserarecountriesinEuropewherepeopleactuallymakeanefforttounderstandyouinthestreet,whetheryouspeaktotheminEnglish,SpanishorevenRussian,ifyoustudyinPortugalyoulllearnyourwayaroundsomebasicPortuguese.IfyoudolearnPortuguese,youllbespeakingtheworldssixthmostspokenlanguage:thisisagreatCV-boosteronceyougraduateandcanhelpyoubuildlinkswithpeopleinfourdifferentcontinents(SouthAmerica,Europe,AfricaandAsia).

　　6.Theweather,obviously!

　　TheraininSpainmightstaymainlyintheplain,butPortugalmuchprefersitssunshine.Mostyearswereceiveonlyaround90rainydaysacrossthecountryandregionsinthesouthofPortugal,likeAlentejoandtheAlgarve,boastmorethan300sunnydayseveryyear.

　　7.TheAtlanticocean

　　ThePortuguesehaveapassionfortheoceanthatcrashesuponthecounrtysshore.Thisoceanallowsyoutolearnorpractiseallkindsofwatersports:wevegotincrediblescuba-divingspots,world-classwavestosurforbody-board,andalonghistoryofyachting.Andifyourenotintoanywatersports,itsprettytolookatandfuntoswiminanyway.

　　8.Allkindsoffun

　　Whatisyourdefinitionoffun?Drinksattrendybars,awildstreetparty,clubbingthenightaway?Orareyouintothequieterpleasureslikeagreatmealwithgoodcompanyandconversationandanafternooninthebeach?Areyouintomountainbiking,skateboarding,paintballing?ThePortugueselovetohavefun,ineveryway,everyday.Whateversyourpleasure,youllfindithere.

　　9.ThegreatPortuguesefood

　　StudyinPortugal,andyouwillnever,evergohungryunlessyoureavegan.Mostofourdishesarebasedonmeat,fishoreggs.But,ifyourenotvegan,thefoodhereisreally,reallygood.Themealsarehotandheavy,butsharingdinnersandPortuguesetapasarenowveryfashionable,soyoudontreallyhavetoleavetherestaurantfeelinglikeyouvejustbeenstuffedfullbyyourgrandma.TraditionalPortuguesedessertsaresweet,basedarounddifferentcombinationsofegg,sugarandcinnamon,moreoftenthannot.

　　10.Itopensupdoorsforyourfuture

　　Everythingyouheardaboutthehard-hittingfinancialcrisisandtherecord-breakingunemploymentratesistrue.Butthetruthis,ifyoustudyinPortugalthereareopportunitiesthatyougainaccesstooverhere.Whileyoudoyourdegree,therearehundredsofstart-upsandsmallcompanieswhowouldlovetowelcomeyouintotheirteam.Whateverlanguageyouspeak,itisalanguagethatwillbeusefultothesecompaniesthataretryingtogrowacrosstheworld.Afteryourdegree,ifyougetgoodgrades,networkhardandlearnPortuguese,doorswillbeopentoyoubothinthatlocalstart-upsceneandinlargerinternationalbusinessesinsomeofthenewworldsmonstereconomies,likeBrazilandAngola.