Dorothee International Thursday, 1st June 2017
It is the International Children’s Day and Portuguese love their children, though you can see families in the shopping centres pamper their children. Deolinda told us, that Portuguese parents always take their children with them, wherever they go. It is no difference if they go shopping late in the evening or to a restaurant. They do not like that other people care about their children, they do not feel secure with it.
I was at work as usual. Deolinda spent the entire working day with us, but the breaks. She also did give us her private number if we cannot come to work, she did not remember the official number. I forgot to take the paper home, where I had written the number. We have to leave our notes in the training room.
A bank had their sales person at TP – in the canteen. Deolinda asked if someone of us is interested in to open a Portuguese account, what I am. Though she brought me there and spoke with the assistant from the bank if I already could sign up for an account, even I have no tax number yet. It was possible to apply for an account, but they will first open the account, when I have sent them the tax number. Anyway I was going there, talking with them. A problem appeared: There are no names on the letter boxes in our house and I do not know, if there is a key to one of the letter boxes, but even if there is a key, how should the postman know, where he should put in the letter. I also asked if there is no other way, but it is not, because even if I open an account in a branch, they will send the credit card to our Portuguese address. Therefore I will continue to use my Maltese Account.
On the way home I was to the supermarket in Amoreiras. It is very close to my place and there are no hills in between. I was going there by bus 783 from Saldanha.
The employment support did not call me, even they had announced it. The story is this. The 29th May I sent an email to the employment support, because the sink in a bathroom has a blockage in the sewage, I cannot lock my room – do not have a key and about the horrible mattress in my bed (it is very, very thin). There were two emails already about it. The sink was not done either.
I also found a note of Kim, put in my room under the door acknowledging me, that I may not use the bathroom close to my room during the night and early mornings, because she has her room side by side with the bathroom. The window of the bathroom is also her window! She wrote, she awakes every time I use the bathroom and unfortunately, the night before I had to use it more than twice during the night. She asked me to use the other bathroom instead. I would do it, but cannot, because I won’t find my way in the dark. There are areas without any light and the areas with lights have the switch so far away from my room, I think I would break my legs going there in the dark. Though I answered her, that I do all I can to be quiet, but I cannot use the other bathroom of the reason I wrote here. I also recommended her ear plugs. She did not talk with me about my answer.
Friday, 2nd June 2017
Also this day there was nothing special going to work. Deolinda showed us Power Point Presentations again and we were using fejk accounts on the computer. By the way our younger colleagues are laying computer puzzles meanwhile they listen to Deolinda. They are really multitasking and are bored if there is not enough of new information. I am concentrating on the training, that is the way I learn.
For lunch they had a rice dish with all the meat rests of the week like chicken, beef and sausage. They had topped it with egg, though it looked like fried rice.
After lunch we went outside for feedback. Later on someone from the employment service came and had a lot of papers for us, which we had to sign. I also was asked about my CV. I had put in the “Statist” (extra) jobs in my CV, because I have been told before of the HR responsible, that they could not give me a contract if my CV was not up-to-date. I was not willing to put into the CV that I have pension. I put my year travelling under hobbies. After my explanations I was asked to send a new CV, without the “Statist” job. I did that on Sunday morning and also took away the explanation about my travels. I hade to change the CV, because I had no income papers from that period. They were also asking for our phone numbers and for our next of kin. I sent them with the email on Sunday morning, too, because I did not remember the Portuguese number as well as the one of my son Samuel.
After work I followed our group to the Vasco de Gama shopping centre, but wished them a nice weekend, when we came there. They will meet in the evening again, from 10pm onwards, but I am too tired and do not like to drink either. Furthermore I am here to save money.
In the apartment, where I live now, I met the French girl for the first time. She is really nice. I asked her for Kim and she told me, that Kim will be late. I was to bed really early, my legs are so tired and hurting.
Saturday, 3rd June 2017
We have the weekends off as long as we are in training. I had a late morning, because I won’t disturb anyone in the apartment. I found my letter to Kim on the floor of the living room, though I took it and put it in the trash. That letter was for Kim and not for everyone. Kim is never asking for it. I met the boy from the Netherlands, he did not say anything to me, not even “good morning” even I did. That is the way he is, I will learn. He sometimes looks at me, but at the same time he ignores me. He was using the bathroom close to my room. I think others also do, there are so many shampoo and similar bottles there. There is no space for my bottles.
I showered after breakfast and was going to the city. On the way there I bought a wrap (clothes) in a shop in our street. When I paid, I discovered, that the owner is Asian, I think Chinese. That does not matter to me, but I would like to buy from Portuguese people, because I am a guest in their country. I took the 28E to Martim Moniz. I hoped the tram would go up to the castle, but this one does not. I bought a cup of strawberries for 2 EUR – not really cheap. I did think about, that I used the Spanish word “fresas” for strawberries and was wondering if it was the same in Portuguese. In the evening I looked it up and it is not. In Portuguese the name for strawberries is morangas, so totally different.
I was looking around on Martim Moniz for a shopping mall, but did not find one, though I was going by Metro to São Sebastião, where I found one, but it was an upper class gallery. Anyway I tried a multicoloured dress, which I really liked, but it did not look good on me. While leaving the mall I found a kind of tourist information centre and got a free map as well as an explanation about a shopping mall in Chiado. A flat mate had told me about it, but I understood the name is “Shadow”. Fortunately the man at the tourist information did understand what I was asking about – though I was going there as well. It seemed to me, that the bakery for the best “pastel de nata” was in the area, I think, I recognized it, but I was too tired to walk all the small lanes to see if I was right.
By the way I was dressed in skirt and tights for looking for shoes. I would like to have sandals matching my long dress. The first shoe shop was just around my corner. They had shoes I liked – how they looked and the size was right, too, but the heals were too hard to walk on. I have to be careful with the heals because of my heel spur. I was entering every shoe shop I found in Lisbon, all had shoes in my size – which I usually cannot get because of my small feet, but none had a really comfortable, but pretty shoe. Though I gave up. Going home by Metro I chose the green line from Chiado. I never had used that one and I was interested in it. I changed at Alameda to the red line. While walking from the one to the other line I found a shoe shop with really comfortable, nice looking shoes – even I would have prefered even nicer ones, but I was happy, that I could get a pair of comfortable shoes. My left knee, my legs and my feet hurt so much after walking around in the city. I put the new shoes on and took the old ones in the shoe box. I was eager to take the shoe box home too, because it would be great to get some stuff in order. I always use shoe boxes instead of buying some boxes at IKEA or somewhere else. They are really great for it. By the way it felt like heaven with the new shoes. The price was 69.90 EUR – not cheaper as in Sweden or Germany and I was wondering how Portuguese people can afford shoes.
Still on my way home I was waiting for the bus 783 at Marquês de Pombal. I was waiting there for about an hour. All busses of that line had a red background under the number and it took that hour before I understood, that no 783 busses will go further than Marquês de Pombal on weekends and holidays. After a while I found another bus I could take. It was the 711 route and it was going on weekends and holidays as well to Amoreiras – not far from my place. While looking for a bus I also took some photos of the lovely blue flourishing trees – the same kind they have on Malta.
Well at Amoreiras I entered the shopping centre for a meal. I ate a Brazilian Tapioca with Gorgonzola and ordered also a little bottle of water. It was for 7.10 EUR but not much to eat. One Tapioca is like a pancake or crepe, but the dough is different. It is done of cassava flour, what I did not know, when I ordered it. I always have to try new dishes as long as they look pretty and are not insects as well as fish or seafood. The latter two I am allergic to. The filling was more than Gorgonzola – I think there were apple bites, too, which I did not like so much. I had bought some raw smoked ham and cheese and had another meal at home. – By the way, on the short way home it was really cold by the very cold wind, which started around 7pm. In Lisbon it is nearly always windy, what makes the heat not feeling so warm and also here is not a heavy humidity as on Malta. Though the summer, sun and warmth is wonderful.
Before going to bed I wrote some lines on my blog, but found out, that I have to make more sites. It would be too hard to put all in under Lisbon – I have to change to Lisbon 2015 and Lisbon 2017 and have sites for every month under Lisbon 2017. You can see, that I did it.
Sunday, 4th June 2017
I made my laundry after breakfast – so far I only had to wash towels and panties. I am happy we have a dryer as well.
Afterwards I went to IKEA. I needed some stuff to feel home in the new room, e.g. hangers and some kitchen things as well. I was looking on my app “Here” (gps working offline), how to go there. It showed me three alternatives and I chose the fasted one, I thought. The app told me, that I only needed 29 minutes for the way from my home to IKEA. I left early to be sure to find the bus stop – I had to use the app for it and was in very good time at the bus stop. I asked the driver to call at the bus stop I have to leave as well as I counted the stops, if the driver will forget my wish. I saw that bus stop by myself and was asking the driver if it was the right one – one never knows! Now I had to take a walk again, which should not have been so long, but one of the streets mentioned in the app was a private one and totally closed by a gate on weekends. Therefore it took much longer than half an hour to reach my goal. Well there I have seen, that there are bus stops directly outside the company, but it is an other route.
The first I did at IKEA was going to the restaurant for Swedish meatbolls. Actually they offered meatbolls, but no Swedish ones. All the dishes were more Portuguese as Swedish. I had potato mash and chard to the meatballs, which had too much pork in it. They were not tasty either as I am used to. I’ve got a full stomach anyway and was going downstairs for complements after I was looking for what they offered in the “IKEA family corner”. I found a dressing-gown, what I have been looking for in other shops before. It was nearly half the price for it as a family member, though I tried to become one at the Portuguese IKEA – you have to know, that you only can be a family member in the country you are living in. Once I was one in Sweden and also had some money on the card, when moving to Germany I could not use it there. I had to cancel my Swedish membership and asking for the money back. It was not working here on the computer to become a member, because I do not have any tax number yet. We will get it as soon as we have our real contract.
Anyway I took the dressing-gown and the following items: plastic hangers, a tablet for the table (under my plate, when I am eating), a multi coloured cushion, a red cushion for the chair, a pot to boil water in (and boil eggs sometimes), a big glass, cutlery for one, a dry rack, hangers for the door (with 6 knobs) and also two small for the door of the wardrobe, a black waste bin as well as finally multi coloured linen for the bed. The design could be for children, but I like it anyway, because it is in bright red, blue, yellow and green on a white ground. It makes my room no longer looking like the room in a hospital. Before paying for all of it I asked the IKEA assistants for becoming a family member explaining my situation. The guy asked his supervisor and though I could asked for a membership on paper and the supervisor did give me a card. At the end I saved around 15 EUR by not giving up. The amount for all I had bought was 100 EUR :-(!
For the money I saved I took a taxi home. Actually it should not have been so expensive, but on the one hand side it was Sunday, though I had to pay a little more anyway and on the other hand side I only had a 50 EUR note, which the taxi driver could not change. He only had 25 EUR in his pocket. I had to find a shop close to my home to get other notes. Fortunately there is a little supermarket close to me, which was open and he was eager to help me. Coming back to the taxi driver he took 15 EUR instead for 12.50, what the taximeter was showing. Even it was his fault, that he did not have change. I was happy to be home with all my stuff, though I did not complain.
At home I washed my new dishes and put them in the cupboard as well as I took care about the rest of the things I had bought. Afterwards I was out again for a meal and found a genuine Portuguese restaurant (with a betting corner) where I bought a local dish. I also took photos of the surroundings of my place. When I finally was home again I was very tired and this time it was not only my knees, my legs and my body, but also my mind. I had a very good sleep that night.
Monday, 5th June 2017
Going to work as usual, but found out, that I can take a bus to the Metro station Rato – it is the 774, a smaller one going as often as every ten minutes during rush hours. In the evening it is only going every 30 minutes, which is not funny, of course.
At TP we practised in the training. We had to made it with the projector, though all of us could see, what everyone of the group is doing. I was first out and made a mistake. When it was the turn of the woman next to me, I helped her a lot. That was possible, because our trainer was not looking, but made notes.
After work I was walking into the other direction as usual and passed a “colégio”, which looked like a kindergarten and also an “Externato”, which was a kind of school, too. Inquisitive as I am I found out, that both the colégio and the externato are schools, who educate children from the kindergarten up to grade 9. Both are private schools. Why they have different names I do not know. The street in front of the externato was a dead-end street from where one could see the open part of the Metro, though it should have been Bela Vista. I walked down the street again and continued the one I was coming. After a while I was in an industrial area with abandoned buildings and some in use. The area was really ugly – all cities have this areas I know, but it was not an area I will come back to. When I gave up to find the Lidl, why I was using this way, I was looking for a Metro station or bus instead, but suddenly saw the shop. I must have been hungry, because I bought a chocolate bar, but also a small package of kitchen rolls and matches, which I need for the gas stove. It was for 3.17 and really not worth to take the long way to this shop. I won’t go there again. There are more Lidl shops in Lisboa, but I think I will buy Portuguese products instead. I could catch a bus to the Metro station Oriente and was then going by Metro to Rato, taking the bus 774 from there.
Back at “home” I tried to learn Portuguese by duolingo.
Tuesday, 6th June 2017
Another day at TP, some hours side by side with colleagues on the second floor. Afterwards I was going to the book fair at Marquês de Pombal. There were lots of stalls with all kind of books, but they did not sell very much while I was there. I was looking for a book to learn Portuguese, but gave up. I had a soft ice cream instead. It sounded cheap, but it was so small, though it was not cheaper as others. There were also snack sellers and restaurants. Actually I only was walking half of the book fair. It was on two sides of the place.
I found some nice buildings – a convent, but my camera run out of battery. Unfortunately I did not have any spare battery with me. I did not have my tablet with me either, though I could not take any photo after that.
I walked upwards all the time, passed through the Praça do Marquês de Pombal and started looking for a bus stop. I passed the prison of Lisbon, too, which is a very beautiful building. Close to the prison I found a bus for Amoreiras, the 713. Unfortunately I left a stop to early and had to walk a little bit longer, but it was not too hard, because it was not hilly.
Wednesday, 7th June 2017
One more day at TP and we were preparing for nesting.
After work I followed the group to the Vasco de Gama shopping centre. I was prepared to follow them to the “Miradouro de Santa Catarina”, a place where lots of young people meet and one has a wonderful view on the statue of Jesus Christ and the bridge “Ponte 25 de Abril”, which looks like the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, USA. This afternoon two of the guys were going home to make their laundry. The others told me, they will go and eat at a McDonald’s and later the evening maybe go to the “Cati”, how they call the Miradouro de Santa Catarina. I try to eat local dishes, I do not think that I will find them at McDonald’s, therefore I was shopping at the supermarket and then going home and eat. I bought too much again. It was for close to 50 EUR, but most of it was food, e.g. papaya and Cantaloupe melon.
Thursday, 8th June 2017
We were in nesting at work from 9am to high noon and 4pm to 6pm. We had an hour lunch as usual and briefing between 1pm to 4pm. The person, who should brief us was late, because she was in a meeting, though the supervisor did take the first part. I was aware of, that I made a lot of mistakes. I hope I will be better soon.
On the way home I made company with Natalie. She was on her way to meet a friend and had to change line in Alameda. That name sounds nice to me, though I decided to do what I would do once anyway and left the Metro there, too. While Natalie was going further by another line, I was leaving the Metro, first looking around at the place I came to and then walking in the direction, which seemed most interesting. I hoped to find a restaurant. There were one or two, but the one I liked was too expensive, though I continued. After a while I have seen a sign for Martim Moniz and followed that. It was much longer to go there, than expected. Anyway I made it and on the square there were lots of stalls serving food and wine etc. I ordered a sandwich with four kinds of cheese and my first beer ever in Portugal with the name Imperial. It was only 0.2 l – absolutely enough for me. While I was eating and a little while afterwards I was looking at the people around. There were two dogs at one leash, but I did not see anyone caring about them. There were two children 8 to 10 years old happy in dogs and tried to play with everyone of them. Finally they were lucky, when a man in his 30s came to the area with his dog and let them play with the dog for a long time. It was a very well-trained dog. It was fun to look at them.
At least I continued and was listening for a short while for a street band, but I had to find a bathroom. I did find two, unfortunately they were so dirty and in such a bad condition, that I took the tram home instead. The last part I had to take the bus 774. I had to wait for it for half an hour, because I could not catch the one before, which was just in front of the tram. The bus I finally was going with was the last one for the evening. It was very windy and chilly outside.
Friday, 9th June 2017
That was not my day! I was so tired in the morning, when I awoke. I left my home 7:45 – I have never been so late. On my way from the Metro to my work the handle on my bag broke. It was the little bag I had with me. There was no space for my tablet, but I like it very much anyway. I checked if it was possible to fix the handle, but found, that it is not. That day I also had a plastic bag with me with my tablet and a notebook, in which I wrote my memories during the trip on the Metro. I put the broken bag and the plastic bag as well in my locker and was in time for work. We had nesting again this day. After lunch we had briefing again and nesting one more time between 4pm and 6pm.
After work I was following the group to the Vasco de Gama shopping centre again – there is also the Metro station Oriente. We separated in the shopping centre. I was going to eat something and chose a restaurant, where I took a menu for 5.30 EUR with a big pot of soup, a sandwich, a dessert and something to drink. It was free to choose the kind of soup, dessert and drink as well as one could choose of three different kinds of sandwiches. It was not bad at all.
On my way to the Metro I bought a cheap bag. It was for 35 EUR, but I think it is just plastic even it looks like cork and should look like leather.
I was only for a very short time at “home”, before I was taking public transport for meeting the group at “Cati”. My gps told me, to use a lot of stairs and it was not easy to walk there, because of the crowd, sitting on the stairs. There were restaurants nearby and it was very crowded. Two girls, who were recognizing that I was looking for something told me, how to go and also, that I should not have the tablet in my hand, but in my bag and that I also should take care about my bag, because there are so many people everywhere that night.
Finally I found the group. They were sitting on the ground and expecting, that I will do the same. They also told me, that the ground is really warm. It was, but it is hard for me to go down and come up again – even I did without help. I never could sit with crossed legs, that means I take a lot of space, too. We were chatting and talking about the upcoming day and I did not feel or see in time, that someone long way behind me had broken a bottle of beer. Anyway the beer was rinsing down to us. When I was wondering, that it was wet on the side of me, I also felt, that my rear was wet as well and so were my rain jacket i was sitting on. It was horrible. I told it the others of the group, but none was listening or comfort me, even I was standing up as soon as I checked the situation. By the way a guy was coming to us, asking if we were interested in buying weed. This is not the USA, just Portugal!
When one of the group told us, she will go to the Metro, though she will come home before there is no public transport during the night, I followed her. She had a much shorter and more comfortable route to the Metro, than the gps had shown me. It was going well with the Metro, even I was standing up. Nobody was wondering about that, because of the crowd and nobody seemed to smell the beer either. I also catched the last bus from the Metro station Rato, even I had to wait for it for around half an hour. My rain jacket was now dry enough, that I could put it on the seat and sit on it.
Finally home I washed my rear – I could not take a shower that time of the night, put my phone and my tablet on the charger, checked WhatsApp for the upcoming day – a hitch hike to Sesimbra was planned and I had told them, I will try to follow them, depending on, when I will awake. I fell asleep very quickly.
Saturday, 10th June 2017
I was awake the first time around 7:30am, but I was so tired, I did not follow the group to Sesimbra. I ate brunch at 11am and tried to make my laundry. I met the guy from the Netherlands and was asking him, if it was his clothes in the washing machine – the washing was already done. He told me, that it was not, though I emptied the machine and put my laundry into it. The French girl then told me, that Kim had left the clothes and she will take care of them. My first washing was not done, when the French girl put Kim’s clothes into the dryer and switched it on. I first thought my laundry is done, but when I opened the box to put in new detergent and softener for the next washing, I saw, that my softener was still there. Though I had to wash the clothes one more time, but with a shorter program. I also put it on a lower temperature (from 40°C to 30°C). – Did I already tell you, that it is only possible to wash or to dry? There is a switch for that, one has to use in which case ever.
Meanwhile the first washing was ongoing, I also was downstairs using the back stairs to the recycling. Coming back I met Dolores on the ground floor. She has her room there and we did not know before, that we are living in the same building. We were really surprised! She is taking another bus than me and also going only with the red line, but all the way from São Sebastião, she told me. She showed me her room, the living room and the kitchen. She had done the dishes and it was nice to see, but her room, even it has a balcony, seems to be even smaller than mine. The bathroom in that apartment has moldy on the walls and I am happy, that I do not live there. By the way on the ground floor is a terrace in the back yard.
My washing was not done before midnight. I did not care, that it was not done before 10pm, because I tried my best to do it earlier. I do not know the programs of the washing machine either. When I was talking with the French girl about, that it takes so very long time to wash one load, she showed me the button I should use for a 40 minutes turn. Actually I think 40 minutes are not enough for my clothes, even they are not very dirty. While waiting I updated my blog for my time in Portugal, but I have to put in photographs another day as well as I have to update my blog for Sweden. The whole month of May is missing there.
Sunday, 11th June 2017
I awoke in the morning with a swollen eyelid – it is the left one. I think it was by a mosquito. I took my medicine as every morning, put a half load from my last washing the evening before in the dryer and was then using duolingo for around half an hour. I had a big breakfast and afterwards a shower. I used the other bathroom, even Kim had used the one close to my room, when she came home around midnight. Later that day, when I used the bathroom close to me, I could see, that Kim had something dark – I think it is a kind of curtain – on her side of the window, she shares with the bathroom.
Afterwards I put the dry clothes in my chest with drawers and in my wardrobe, but not all of my clothes were dry yet. I continued with my blog – uploaded some photographs and was later on working with the month of May 2017 in Sweden. I actually finished it all before midnight. There were no other things done this day, of course.
Monday, 12th June 2017
This day was a usual day at work. We are still in nesting between 9am and noon as well as 4pm and 6pm. After lunch we had three hours with Deolinda, getting answers on all kinds of questions. We were sitting in the shade on a green until a school class were coming and took place on the side of us, though we moved to another shadow area. The temperature this day was 32°C and it felt hot. Someone of our group said, that we can feel the humidity, but here it really is not humid at all as on Malta.
After work I had loved to go to the Avenida da Liberdade. There was a big fiesta. Unfortunately my shelf in the fridge was empty and I had to made my shopping. I made it at Continente in the Vasca de Gama shopping centre. I love the supermarket and as Beolinda told us, their own brand has good quality and is not expensive. There were no problem to go home by Metro, even no buses were going in the centre of Lisbon and all people had to go by Metro instead, but while waiting for my bus 774 at Rato, it took such a long time, before one arrived. I think I saw one just driving through as well. Finally at the bus it was crowded, of course. I was at “home” around 9pm and still had not had an evening meal. After my evening meal I was too tired to go downtown again and was going to bed.
Tuesday, 13th June 2017
It is a Portuguese holiday (St. Anthony’s Day) and because we are still in training we have the day off. There are processions with dancing like carnival. It started already the day before and that was, why I would loved to be on Avenida de Liberdade yesterday. There were also a big wedding for poor people of Portugal. All the pairs will be there at the same time. The costs for the weddings are paid by the municipality of Lisbon and one is lucky, when poor, to be allowed to be one of these pairs. The event was also shown on TV.
I had a late morning, but around noon I was going downtown and to the Avenida da Liberdade in the hope to see something of the processions, dancing and fiesta. Against what I have been told, there was no fiesta anymore. I walked the whole “Avenida de Liberdad” and came to a place called Praça da Figueira (it is a part of Chiado, I think), where I have been before as well in 2015 as during the last weekend. I was looking for a seat in the shade and took an ice cream.
Actually this day was so hot, I could not go in my sandals without socks and had to buy new ones while already in the city. It is not to easy to buy socks, when you do not know, where to look for them. I was asking for a pair of very thin socks – I was thinking about “nylons”, but the only thin socks were anyway thicker ones. I took the multi-pack, because there were no others.
I hade not taken one of my cotton hats as well and was now locking for a nice hat. I had problems as usual to find one in my size. After a while I took one, which was a little to big for me. I needed to cover my head. Now I was walking all the way up to the castle, but taking a rest at a restaurant. I needed something to drink as well as I was hungry. I ordered schnitzel of turkey – but this did not have any cover – and french fries. I did not order salad, because I thought, there will be some salad on the plate – but it was not a piece on it. I also had a bottle of water and I heard, that the waiter was disappointed, that I only took water to the meal. The fact is, that I was thinking about to take a glass of wine, but was changing my mind because of the heat. On the way up to the castle I also read at a restaurant, that it was fado night. I asked the waiter, if I have to announce, that I will come, but he told me, if I will arrive around 7pm, it is not necessary. The fado night would start at 8pm and be until 11pm (if I remember right).
Finally at the castle I read about the entrance fee. I was first looking for, if there is a lower price for seniors. It was, but then I saw. that residence of Lisbon has not to pay entrance fee at all. Though I was to the cashier for residence and disabled people and asked him, what I need to show, that he will trust me, that I am a resident. He asked me for a paper, etc. the first payslip to my home address. Though I decided to see the castle from the inside another time and was walking the alleys in the surroundings and taking some photographs.
I also walked down all the way again. Afterwards I was going by tram 15 to Algés. The reason for it was, that my legs were tired and I was interested in to see more of Lisbon. Algés is the last stop I can go to by my VIVA-card. I tried to take some photos out of the window of the tram, but that was not possible. The route to Algés passes Belém, but there I have been in 2015. I was going back all the way by tram 15 again and took at least the Metro home – first the blue line to Marquês de Pombal and finally with the bus 711, because I thought the bus 774 is not going on weekends and holidays. I was quite tired and early to bed this evening.
Wednesday, 14th June 2017
A new day at work, but I am not sure if I will do this job, even if I will be offered the contract. I feel, that I make a lot of mistakes. I have problems to talk the way we should. I think I will be great in one part of the job, but not in the other one.
While waiting for our trainer, I had a chat with Dolores. It is easy to talk with her.
Irena told me this day. that I do not speak out and therefore nobody is listening to me. Maybe I have an Swedish accent. I do not care either, what Irena says to me, she has had a totally different life and does not understand me, anyway. I also decided, that I won’t follow the group anymore. I was waiting for them for going to the Metro station Oriente, but that was stupid of me, because they had other interests there as well as one group was to fast for me and the other one was behind me. I do not feel like a part of the group, though why should I make company with them?
I felt I needed some chocolate and I was thinking about that I have chocolate drink at “home”. I hope my mood will be more positive afterwards. Before falling asleep I made some exercises with duolingo.
Thursday, 15th June 2017
It is a holiday again. I think this day most of the European countries celebrate, it is called “Corpus Christi”. I started with duolingo and checked my accounts afterwards. The first salary from TP has already arrived. It is around 200 EUR for two weeks. The amount is around what I have paid for things for my new place. Anyway I will be more careful with my money now, because I do not know for how long I will stay here.
I am still feeling depressive, but I had my breakfast and was then sweeping my floor. I also was thinking about, that the medicine I have – it is still the one from Canada – may not work anymore. Fortunately I will start with the new medicine from Sweden tomorrow. I hope, I will feel better soon again.
After the cleaning I was looking for something to do by the map of Lisbon. I decided to go and see the Praça de Espanha and the nearby Centro de Arte Moderna. I had to go by Metro – the blue line – to Praça de Espanha. When I was there, I did not realize that I was in the right area. I thought, I have a bit to walk even I have seen an arc and took a photography of it (as good as possible, because there are lots of trees in front and behind it). I continued and was looking for the Centro de Arte Moderna. I expected, that it was closer to the place I was and have seen a theatre – though I walked there in the hope, that there was an art gallery, too. There was not and I tried to find out the name of the street. When I found it, I also found it on the map. I was not sure in which direction I had to continue and was asking a well dressed Portuguese man in his 50s, if he speaks English. He did not, but when he saw, that I have a map, he tried to help me. I actually could understand his explanation and was following it. He told me, that the place I was looking for was close to the shopping centre “El corte Inglés”. Well there, I had a coffee and a sandwich at a Starbuck. I ordered in Portuguese, but did not understand the answer – as usual. Anyway I have got, what I wished, even the waiter wrote “Tolocie” on the mug instead for Dorothee ;-).
Finally, I was looking for the Centro de Arte Moderna again. I followed a wall, which looked old and like a castle, until there was an opening. There was also a sign there, telling everyone, that there is the park of the Museum of Calouste Gulbenkian. I entered thinking that it might be worth to see instead of the Centro de Arte Moderna. I walked throughout the wonderful park and entered the building with the name: Museu Calouste Gulbenkian Coleção Moderna. I did not find the reception, though I was asking in the bookshop, if there is an entrance fee and got the answer: Unfortunately not, I have to pay at the reception and with a sign in the direction of the reception. With a smile I was going there and after have read all the prices, I asked, if there is a lower fee for seniors. The answer was 50% and I have got my ticket for 5 EUR instead of 10 EUR without a need to show my passport. I also was asking for a map, but did not really understand the answer. There were three floors with exhibitions and I started with the one I came in. I later understood, that it was the space I should have been at the end. I was looking at all the exhibitions in the totally wrong sequence. Anyway it was a very interesting exhibition all the time relating the artistic works to the history of Portugal. While leaving I enjoyed the rest of the park and took some more photos as well, but I have to visit the Centro du Arte Moderna another time.
I took the blue Metro line and the bus 711 again, surprised noticing that the bus 774 was coming when I was just some meters from my home. I had a rest in my room and was then caring about my photographs and writing my blog. It was not far to midnight, when I fell asleep.
Friday, 16th June 2017
I did not have a lot of sleep during the night, because I awoke twice and also had bad dreams. Anyway I left my Lisbon home 7:30am and was at work in good time, but our supervisor was late. Irena asked me today if I still feel like on Wednesday and told me, that I do not need to work here – I just do it for saving money for my travels. Actually I know that – nobody needs to tell me that and she does not need to work here either, but she loves this kind of work.
The morning was very calm for me. A colleague, who sat next to me, told me, that he makes the countdown for going back to Germany. He has been here for a year. He also told me, that he had been studying and working in China before and would like to go to Japan. The afternoon was not bad either.
After work I wished all a good weekend and walked my way, not caring about the group. I had to go to the Metro station Oriente anyway to go home and was very hungry, though I was to the little bar, where I had eaten Torrados with a Galão before and ordered a Portuguese Sausage dish. It came with French fries, rice and salad. I also had a bottle of water. The two sausages was tasty, but not hot. It was cut twice by the length, therefore there were six pieces. The Portuguese kitchen is really good for me. I tried it in Portuguese, but at the end I had to speak English anyway. I do not have enough with words, yet. By the way the receipt was 0.50 EUR for the sausage, 1.50 EUR for the French fries, 1.50 EUR for the rice and 1.50 EUR for the salad. Next time I will say “não arroz” and see if it will be cheaper. I also left 0.50 EUR in tips and made the guy behind the bar happy.
I took the direct way home – by the red and yellow line of the Metro as well as by bus 774. We had to wait a while for the bus and it became really full even it was around 8pm now. Back there I took a look in the kitchen – no cleaner had been here today either. I took my Brie cheese and a glass of water (for my vitamines) and went to my room. I am tired, but will try to exercise Portuguese by duolingo.
Saturday, 17th June 2017
I started with duolingo this morning and had brunch around 11am after has cleaned the surface of the kitchen bench (cupboard), because it was so dirty there was not a clean space for a plate. The guy, living in the same apartment, came around and I told him, that he, when he makes his dishes also has to clean that bench. Around high noon I left for Sintra. It was so hot this day – up to 40°C in Lisbon and Sintra, too. Actually it did not feel as hot in Sintra as in Lisbon. I had to go by the train and to by a chargeable VIVA card, because I had forgotten mine at home. The return ticket between Lisbon and Sintra was for 4.40 EUR.
Please follow the link about my hours in Sintra.
There was no air condition on the train – or if there has been, it was not a good one, though I used my fan. I was going all the way back to the station Lisbon Oriente, even I had bought my ticket to Sintra at the railway station Sete Rios, closer to my home. After I left the train I was going to the restaurant floor in the Vasco de Gama shopping center, looking for a lemonade. I also found one and ordered in Portuguese “Um copo de limão, por favor”, but the waitress did not understand me – I should have ordered “Um copo de limonada, por favor”, though she asked me, if I speak English ;-). Anyway I have got that excellent drink – there is no better one in the heat.
Coming out in the fresh air in Lisbon, the heat was worse than in Sintra! I walked along the river Tejo, but it was hot there, too. There was nearly no wind this day, either. Around 8pm, the sky was getting grey and darker grey and I was expecting a thunderstorm, though I went back to the Vasco de Gama shopping center accompanied of the noise of thunder, thinking to go home by the Metro and by bus. I just reached the centre, when it started raining. When I left the Metro at Rato, there were still some drops of water falling down, but it ended soon again.
As usual I had to wait for nearly 30 minutes for the bus and there were more people waiting for this one, most of them elderly. When I finally entered the bus I did not take a seat, because of the other elderly and my short way to go. The bus driver was driving really fast and with the bad condition of some of the streets, it was hard to hold on. Just before he stopped at “my place” he found a really deep hole, driving through ;-). Luckily I hold with two hands at that time.
Entering the apartment, where I live, I greeted Kim and the guy, living here. They sat in the little living room and she was smoking. Though I told her, that it is not allowed to smoke in the apartment – I think, she has the same contract as me. She got angry and asked If we could talk. I agreed, of course, but she was only claiming, that I do nothing else than talking bad and also do not care about her sleep, because I am using that toilet closest to her bed. Though I told her, that I am 66 years old and I have to go and pee during the night and cannot make it to the other toilet, when I awake. She told me, that she don’t care about my age and my problem. I answered, that I am really quiet, don’t flush in the middle of the night and if she has such a problem with her hearing and becoming disturb, she should use ear plugs, because people, who have the same problem as her, do so. She told me, she will not use ear plugs and showed me, how close her bed is to the toilet and told me, that I have to care about her problem as well as all the others did before. Actually she has a big room and there is no need, that her bed is standing so close to the WC. I told her, that I will ask for another room, because our problems can’t be managed here. By the way, the guy complained, that I should have asked him in the morning, to clean the bench, when he is cleaning his dishes. I did not answer him, because for me it is common sense to do so and everyone has to do it.
In my room, I did write an email to the employment service asking for another room and explaining the reason – the smoking as well as our problems. I cannot pee my pants just for a flatmate won’t use ear plugs. I did not fell asleep that night before early in the morning, by the heat as well as the discussion. If I open the blinds during the night, the mosquitos are coming in as well as the noise from outside is very heavy. I usually can sleep even in a noisy environment, but the other circumstances have to be good.
Sunday, 18th June 2017
I slept some hours in the morning and had brunch at high noon, followed by making my dishes and taking a shower. Afterwards I was in my room, writing this blog. I did it with open window to get some fresh and hopefully not so hot air in. Around 5pm the air was very hot again. Even today we have 38°C and it will be as warm as 22°C tonight. I stayed inside until 7pm and was then out for a walk to take photos of the aqueduct between the shopping centre in Amoreiras and the Metro station in Rato.
Done that I continued to a restaurant I had been before. There were not the menu with the Hamburger anymore and for my bad knowledge of Portuguese, his bad knowledge of English as well as the TV was on showcasing sports, I tried somewhere else. After a short while I found a restaurant, where the waitress tried to convince me to eat at their place – a whole menu with entrée, drink and main course for 10 EUR. I was very hungry, so I agreed.
The owner, a Nepalese guy in his 30s, took time to talk with me meanwhile no other guest was there. Therefore I also know that he is Nepalese and was living in the UK for six years before he came to Portugal. Here he lives already for three years and also speaks Portuguese. We hade our conversation in English. I asked him about the different dishes, telling him, that I cannot eat fish, because I am allergic against fish. Unfortunately I did not tell him, that I am also allergic against other seafood. He described the different dishes for me and I ordered one. The thing was, that he did not really tell me, that there was seafood in it. Fortunately it was on the top, when the meal finally was served – the cook, a friend of him, is Portuguese and as I learned the first day at my new job, they have no hurry. I asked, what that was and told the Nepalese guy, that I am also allergic against seafood. That was no problem, I could choose another dish! I apologised and was allowed to order another dish. It was one with different kinds of meat: pork, biff and a little sausage as well. It came with French fries and salad. I also could have ordered it with rice, but I am not so happy in rice and at my job we have rice very often. This dish took very long time to get, too. The good thing is, that there is no premade dish. The cook does all from scratch. I actually ate all of it, which took time and also had two bottles of water. I did not have to pay for the other bottle of water as well – it is just water, he told me ;-). After a while the restaurant filled somewhat by Nepalese people, but only men.
I would have liked to talk with the owner one more time – about his place, but with all the guests I did not. I have had some think thank about his displays in the little window he has to the street. Though I asked him for a business card respectively the address to his homepage, but he told me, that he has not yet come that far. I left the restaurant just in time for my bus home – it was just luck, because I never know, when that bus is going and entered the apartment, where I live here for the moment at 10pm.
Monday, 19th June 2017
I was to work or better, the training, as usual. We will have another trainer this day and for the rest of our training, but she has a one year old child and is not working full-time, though we started with Marie, who is not really a trainer, but the best one I met at TP. Our new trainer Nadine came around 10am. Soon she was asking us, if it would be OK, if we start at 8am instead for 9am – we will end the training at 5pm instead of 6pm, of course. We agreed, even if some of us would liked to start at 9am as usual.
This day we had our lunch already at high noon, though I was very hungry at the end of the training for the day and was walking directly to the Vasco de Gama shopping centre, where there are lots of restaurants. I did eat a vegetarian meal at work, because I did not like the look of the meat. Therefore I had a meal with meat and a lemonade at a restaurant here. I like that lemonade on hot days like this was (+40°C). It is made of lemon and water, though it is a little sour, but very refreshing.
On my way home, when the bus 774 was ready to go from Rato and all the passengers were in, a hord of four employees from the city of Lisbon, which runs the public transport – if I am right about the latter, entered the bus. One passenger told them, he was on the wrong bus ;-), but they did not let him out. Three of the employees were checking the passengers in this little bus = seats for 12, a place for a wheelchair and 15 standing persons. All of us, but the named passenger, had a valid ticket.
Home at the apartment Kim and her guy was in the living room and eating. The kitchen floor was swept in the middle of it and the whole length – there were cigarette packages left on the side of it. I asked Kim if she had done that cleaning, because I am still working on it, that the cleaning lady has to do her job. Furthermore I apologised for ringing the door bell, because I thought it was the light. Usually the light outside the apartment switches on, when a person is leaving the elevator or come up the stairs, but it did not do it, that day.
The night was very hot. I could not fall asleep, but early in the morning. I had the window open because of the heat, but it was still hot and there was also the noise from the street and the airplanes. As usual I had been on Internet for duolingo and had done some exercises. I was tired of that, but as I told you, I could anyway not fall asleep. Furthermore I got mosquito bites that night again.
Tuesday, 20th June 2017
I need my time in the morning, to shower – or wash me, cream my body and dress as well as eating breakfast. I will not feel like a human being without a breakfast and being hungry the entire day even I have meals later. From awaking in the morning until starting at work I need three hours. The second reason is, that I need a little more than an hour to go to work by bus and Metro. I do not like stress and therefore I start half an hour early, if there is the bus or Metro late or not going. The experience from my first day to work made me starting that early.
Though I started at 5pm with the shower. I hoped, that I won’t crash with one of my flatmates, maybe starting at 7am at work. We are anyway three persons sharing that shower. Fortunately I did only meet one of them in the morning and she was around half an hour later than me. I arrived at work exactly one hour earlier as usual.
Marie was a little late this day, that happens, but only some minutes. She took care about us soon. Nadine picked us up after 10am. This day we had lunch at 12:45. Though we were very hungry at that time. Even there were not so many hours before we finished our training at 5pm for the day, I was very hungry again. The meal at work is really cheap (2.50 EUR) and we can get very big portions, but I cannot eat so much at the same time and there is often rice or pasta, what does not make me full during a long time. I had only a sandwich with a lemonade this evening at a restaurant called “pan”.
Around 5pm it was still 38°C and I was happy, that I had taken my hat with me. Actually Irena and me agreed the day before to have both our hats, but she did not come with it. She told me, she will go and dance after work and the hat would be not so practical.
By the way, we lost Dolores. She made her decision, not to continue with the training and was not interested in to start working either, of course. We are only 8 persons left of the 11, we should have been from the beginning.
By the way, it seemed the cleaning lady had been in our apartment. The floors were shiny, the bath tubes and the sinks clean, but there were bags of trash on the floor outside the apartment. I think it is Kim, who place them there. Though she has to take them to the bins, too. The cleaning lady only does take the ones in the apartment.
Wednesday, 21st June 2017
Time seems to pass very slowly. I also was so tired this morning. I did not sleep more than for one hour that night again by the heat and the noise from outside. When I came throughout the kitchen, there were lots of (clean) clothes on the kitchen table. When I was ready for breakfast, I did put them together on one half of the table, did lay my tablet on the table and put my mug and my plate on it. It was not a good look, but anyway I made space for me.
We were on the upper floor again in the morning, before Nadine arrived. I later told her, that I was interested in to work with emails instead for calls. I did not know, that there is such an opportunity, when I applied for the work.
After work I was at the same restaurant as the day before. I like it, because I can use the little Portuguese I can speak. I ordered a chocolate com nata (chocolate with whipped cream) and a “pão deus”. I thought it was time to taste something else and I was not so very hungry this day. It was delicious.
I was still very tired, when coming home, but it was quite early and I was not in the mood for duolingo, though I watched the German series “Notruf Hafenkante” as well as “Großstadtrevier”, the scenarios are from Hamburg. I did some duolingo, but very little – though the program did not count it. That night I could sleep better, because it was not so very hot anymore and I could close the blinds (which hold the noise away).
I had a headache throughout the entire day and it did not leave before I was falling asleep. In the morning I had a talk with Marie about my living situation, sleep and headache and she told me, that I have to send a reminder to the employee service, where I asked for a move. She told me, that there are two words making the department working faster with a complain: Security and health. So I did. I told them about the trash in the staircase as well as I cannot sleep and have such a headache as well as I cannot take a lot of pain killers as well, because a health problem – actually there are no pain killers mild to the stomach and the kidneys.
Before going to bed, the bathroom from the kitchen was occupied, though I used the one close to me to brush my teeth etc. It smelled cigarette smoke in the bathroom and soon it also was smelling in my room. I also mentioned that in my email.
Thursday, 22nd June 2017
I am still very tired, even I have had some hours of sleep that night. We were on the upper floor again in the morning and from around 11pm with Marie in our training room. We had lunch as late as 1pm to 2pm regarding to the needs of our trainer Nadine.
We also had a discussion about eating out Friday, the 30th June to celebrate the end of our training and maybe the contracts with TP. I told them, that I do not know, if it will be possible for me to join, because I am very hungry, when the training / working day is finished and I cannot wait for 8pm as well as I need more than an hour going home and coming back will be around three hours all together. There is no meaning with it. I told them, that I do not know yet, what I will do – and some of the mates complained how I can do. I know, how and what I can do. I just want tell them, that I do not know, if I will attend. I think it is German, but I am not sure, that people think, they have to think for me. I am not sluggish and I know what I want. I do not need the “good advises”. I am really happy not to live with Germans all the time.
I was home as usual in the evening and checking if I had got an email from the employment service. There were still the clean clothes on the kitchen table. I also have seen – because the door to Kim’s room was open, that she moved her bed to the other side of the alcove, even it still is close to the bathroom window. – I was exercising Portuguese by duolingo this evening as well.
Friday, 23rd June 2017
I slept the whole night through, but was still tired, when the alarm clock rang at 5am. The same clean clothes are still on the kitchen table. I did take my camera and made some photographs if none trust me, what I am talking about. Unfortunately I did not take photos of the trash in the staircase the days before. Anyway the photos of the bathrooms I took the upcoming day.
The different kinds of training this day were OK, but we have a woman, who is not good in English at all and also not so quick in learning. She does hardly understand complex themes and need time to understand, which delays us others. I have seen that in different situations.
A German guy, named Robin, will leave the upcoming Sunday and was asking people, also us newbies, to join him after work in the Irish pub close to us. Dexter, an English guy, working in the same department, was waiting for us and took us to the pub, in case of, someone did not know the pub. It was time for me to eat. Well there, I was the first of us to order a pint of Guinness and a Hamburger Irish & Co – it comes with a fried egg instead of tomatoes. When the waiter came with the Guinness, I did not hear, that he asked me, if it was mine. Though he took it and asked other people on our table. When I asked for mine, he told me, that he gave it to the guy, apologised and told me, I will get a new one quickly. I was waiting for it for a very long time. I have got the hamburger and others, who ordered hamburgers as well, have got them. They also got the beer (even Guinness) or other drinks, they had ordered, before I have got my Guinness. I was really angry, that I had to wait for such a long time. Irena, the German in her 50s, who already told me, how I have / have not to dress and similar, told me, that it was my fault, because I did not answer the waiter. I told her, how it was and that it was very bad of the waiter to handle it that way. He should have remembered, that it was my order! In addition to that, all the people around the table where much younger than me, that should have made it easier for him to remember me. Marie agreed, that I should not have to wait for such a long time. Anyway, when I paid, before I left, the waiter did not get any tip of me, of course. I will never go there again and cannot recommend it to anyone. Waiters, who cannot remember of whom they got the one order should look for another occupation!
I had a nice talk with Marie and the people around me. Maxi told me, that he is impressed, that I still make the decisions to work abroad. Though I told him, that I am used to it and just continued. I did not really get in touch with Robin. I was sitting too far away from him, though was Dexter – who mourned.
When I was back home I checked my email. YES, I have got one for the room and will be able to move at the end of this month. I will come much closer to my work – just a 20 minutes walk, but I think I might use the Metro from time to time – I do not have to change the line and there is neither a bus from the Metro nor is there a bus directly to my place or the station Oriente. I will see, when I am there. Sometimes one can find a fitting route one never expected. I hope the mates I will live with then will be nicer as the mates I have now.
Saturday, 24th June 2017
I decided during the week, that I have to try to make my laundry this day. I always save the dirty clothes during two weeks, though I can fill a machine by each kind of = 40°C washing bright colours, 40°C washing dark colours and 60°C washing. When I have bed-clothes as well it will be another machine. I was lucky, that none was using the washing machine in the morning. I won’t waste time – and also because it was cooler in the kitchen, I sat there exercising Portuguese on duolingo during the washings. Though I was there, when the laundry was ready and could start with the new one. I put the first one – bed-clothes – in the dryer, the other clothes I hang on the dry rack, but my bathrobe and my towels, which I put in the dryer as well. It takes quite a long time, though I could not leave the house before 6pm. I have to make the sightseeing the next day.
I had just a banana, a tapas (sausage) and two pastais de nata with a glass of soya chocolate drink for lunch) and started updating my blog while waiting for the washing machine respectively the dryer.
Unfortunately I tripped over the drying rack, when I came back from the kitchen to switch the tablet for my mp3. I had to hang all the washed clothes again on the rack and also my headphone broke. That was not what I had wished! When going to the city for my evening meal I have to look for a new headphone as well. I hope I will find such a little one as I have had, fitting my head. Actually I first was only to the shopping centre in Amoreiras, trying to find something to eat, what I like, but I did not find anything. I bought new headphones instead with bluetooth – what I have not got to work yet. Fortunately it followed even a cable, though I can use the headphone anyway. It was quite cheap, but has a great sound and the ear cups are oval and fit even my hearing aids. In addition to that, it is possible to fold them very well, when carrying them. I have to try to find out, how the Bluetooth is working, the manual is only in Roman languages and there is no explanation (I read the Spanish manual) about the Bluetooth.
Afterwards I walked down the streets to the Metro station Rato and looked for a restaurant I have not been before. I found the A Padería Portuguesa at Álvares Cabral and had a salad with chicken. I also took sweet potato chips, though I got full easier. The box with the sweet potato chips was hard to open. A woman in my age at a table close to mine was watching me and we were grimacing, when I finally had opened it. By the way it was such a nice box, though I saved it for the raisins I had bought earlier that evening. The small bags are always hard to open and does not hold the raisins fresh, with help of this box it is much easier for me.
Sunday 25th June 2017
I had boiled egg for breakfast in addition to my usual one and left my room around 11am for visiting the castle S. Jorge. First I walked in the other direction as usual for the tram no 28E. I came all the hill up to the Miradouro das Portas do Sol and the Museu da Fundação Ricardo Espírito Santo e Silva (Museum of Portuguese Decorative Arts). I entered it, paid an admission fee for seniors (4 EUR) and became more and more interested in the exhibition as longer as I was in there. Unfortunately the museum closed down for lunch from 12;30 to 1pm. Meanwhile it was closed I followed the rails further upwards. I passed a lot of restaurants and stalls, offering meals outside the buildings, but I was not hungry yet. I entered a shop with souvenirs, just for the fans of cork. With one of them I left and was going back to the museum. The admission fee was paid for the whole day and I could enter at 1pm with the same ticket. I was there for two more hours before I finally walked up to the castle. This time I had my contract for the room with me and was welcomed for free.
At the ground of the castle I bought a soft ice cream, even it was not a very hot day and was then walking around. It is a very old, but refurbished castle with lots of towers and stairs as well as yards and an old archeological ground. The latter one need a guide for to come close, but the tours are for free. Anyway I saved that for another time.
Back from the castle I took the bus 773 down to the square Praça da Figueira, because the bus was just waiting outside the castle. There were a lot of stalls selling food, drinks and souvenirs as well as honey and more. I bought a plate with smoked ham in thin slices and bread with half-soft cheese. At another place I bought a medium glass of Sangría and a bottle of water. I ordered as good as I could in Portuguese and was understood and answered in Portuguese as well. The little conversation made me happy. These are still my first steps with the new language. At the table, where I had the Sangría I met German tourists, who had arrived a couple of hours ago and had a week for Portugal. They rented a car for going north – up to Porto. I recommended Sintra for them, especially the Palace of Pena. They were surprised, to find German speaking people here and grateful for the recommendation. – By the way, even I drank the half liter of water, I felt the Sangría in my head. It would have been totally enough with a small glass of it. I found my way home easily and was only changing the Metro line once – therefore it took a little longer on the train.
Monday, 26th June 2017
After a bad night – I could not sleep much, e.g. for my heartburn, I had to cope with a chilly morning (around 17°C in the morning and the temperature was not getting higher before the afternoon). I did not have a cardigan with me, therefore I was a little frozen at my work. Happily I told my work mates, that I will move soon and closer to my work place.
We had Marie for training the first two hours again, one of our rests and after that Nadine again. The both trainers are so different – I think I already wrote about it. Anyway the people in our group are as well. Some of them cannot concentrate for a longer while respectively become bored very easily. It is a new generation, grown up with computers and all that technical stuff like my children. I think they should anyway try to listen more active to all kinds of trainers.
We also have got an email from our supervisor about our success and I was very surprised about my positive result. I know, that I for the most just have been lucky to reach that result. Other things I do not remember.
I asked Nadine during a rest about the social welfare contribution, that means if she knows if I have to contribute to the unemployment scheme as well as to the pension scheme, because I do not need them anymore. I know in Sweden we have not, when we already have our pension. She did not know and recommended me to go to the employment service, which I did after work. There I was asked for the papers about my pension and got their email address. I also have been told, that I would not have to contribute as a pensioner if I would be a Portuguese citizen.
On my way home I had a sandwich at the restaurant PAN at the Vasco de Gama shopping centre. Back at home I sent the pension statements by a zip-file. It was still a very big one, because some of the documents were photographed not scanned.
Tuesday, 27th June 2016
I was still tired, when the alarm clock was ringing, but I have had a full nights sleep – if one can call that, when there is a need to wake up at 5am. This day, too, we had Marie for the first two hours and Nadine the rest of the day. Irena told me, that she like the way Marie have the training and not at all the training of Nadine and I told her, that we people are so very different and have different ways to learn, that there always will be trainers we like more and trainers we like less. Actually myself also prefer Marie’s way. On the other hand side it is the low discipline of the group, which make the training of Nadine less efficient and I also told Irena – or maybe there were more of my mates around – that we have to tell her, that we want to have more structure and staying with the subject. I also have got the opportunity to practise that somewhat in the afternoon, speaking out loud, that we may continue with the subject. It reminds me on my time in Sweden at the course “Information Management”, when I was the only one who told the teacher, that we except clear and competent instructions and information. That time, the class mates did tell me, I should not have to do so. I should think about the poor teacher, even my class mates became very happy, when we later on got another, really competent teacher for the subject. With this I will not say, that I think Nadine is not competent, but tell you, that it is up to us, who is in training, who should tell the trainer, what we are expecting. Together we will make it!
While in the restaurant, I ordered a vegetarian meal with a “por favor” and the kitchen guy became very happy. The meat meal was chicken (legs) and I prefered the vegetarian version of spaghetti Bolognese. I always eat vegetarian, when I do not like the meat meal.
The three of us, who had their passports / id-documents with us, had to sign our contracts this day. I was one of them. We also got our badge. Anyway, the contracts has to be signed by the manager as well as the badges are not active yet. Furthermore I asked about the holidays. One or two of our trainers told us, that we have to wait for six month before we are allowed to take of our holidays and I would like to go home for a week at the end of August or start of September. Fortunately the assistant from the employment service told us, that it is not true, but we have to plan our holidays almost one month in advance and have to care about, that there are enough with people at work in our department.
I had a healthy meal at a restaurant at the Vasco de Gama shopping centre this evening and also bought a Mango dessert. On my way home I took the bus 758 for Portas Benfica, because it is better to come to Amoreiras and walk around 500 meters than to wait for a bus of the line 774 and one never knows, when it arrives. The day before it jumped from 3 minutes waiting time to 14 minutes waiting time, without any bus had come in between. The bus did not arrive after 14 minutes, either. I had seen bus stops for the 758, but never got with that one for the destination Portas Benfica. Finally today I found out, that it goes quite close to my place, even I left one bus stop too early, which will not happen to me again.
The evening I spent with the computer and was to bed around midnight, happy that we the upcoming day will start at 9am at work.
Wednesday, 28th June 2017
During the first our (9 – 10am) we were together with Marie, from 10am to 1pm we were with Nadine, had lunch 1 to 2 pm and side by side in the email department from 2 to 4 pm as well as side by side with colleges of the call center between 4 and 6pm. The guy I was with here was Hannes. I really nice guy, who came around 3 month ago.
After work the group was eating hamburgers in a restaurant only serving hamburgers, but around 10 different kinds of – and we could order the hamburgers as well done, medium or rare! We celebrated our contracts. Maxi did not follow us. On my way home I refilled my VIVA-card for new 30 days at the Metro station, because I do not know if a refill is possible at the bus. Anyway there are really 30 new days on it.
At home I checked the Internet for TP-jobs with Swedish, because I have been told, that I could earn more with Swedish. I applied on the homepage of TP, unfortunately, my CV got a link starting with fake and I have not heard about TP either. I was early to bed this evening.
Thursday, 29th June 2017
We started 9am again and this was our first day of “nesting”, that means, that we work in real, but get all the help we need. I had lunch an hour after high noon and three of the new colleagues as well. Because of the early lunch, we had to work for one more hour before the briefing with Nadine and continued after that again until 6pm. Unfortunately I have got a call 5.55pm and that was for around half an hour. I also promised an email to a customer, but forget it first, though I went back – had not reached Oriente. Afterwards i was one more time to our employment services, because my security card is not working properly. I only can come in to my work space, but neither to the space with the lockers nor to the ground floor, from which I reach my working space.
On my way home I had a cheap meal in a restaurant at the Vasco de Gama shopping centre, bought oats and soya chocolate drink at the supermarket and was for a while at duolingo before I fell asleep.
Friday, 30th June 2017
We were all the day in “nesting” at work, but had a briefing again between 2 and 4 pm, This time also David from the back office joined us.
After work we celebrated our contracts with our trainers at the Chimarrão, close to TP Oceanario. The Chimarrão is a Brazilian restaurant with a buffet and serving lots of different meat on the spit by waiters coming to the tables. I have been in a similar restaurant in Hamburg, while working at the Freie und Hansestadt Hamburg, Financial department. Unfortunately this evening I took too much of the buffet, because there were so many dishes, I never had eaten before and even I only took one of each I could neither eat of all the different kinds of meat, we got offered nor all the things I had taken at the buffet. I have to go there one more time and only take a small selection of the buffet food and try to taste all kinds of meat, which is offered. At the end there are also fried bananas and should have been fried pineapples.
I had a nice chat with Marie this evening and we also met at the Metro station again, though we had more to talk about in the Metro.
Continue to Portugal, Lisbon, July 2017
Dorothee International 