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The Porto waterway
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Bright Future
Psychology major Daisy Roswer-Grier soaks up some rays at the majestic Porto Cathedral in Portugal while on a recent trip with USG Goes Global.
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Porto streets at night.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I’d like to tell you about our amazing, amazing trip to Portugal.”
That’s the opening my eight-year-old daughter Emilyn suggested, so I’m sticking with it. The trip was indeed amazing and Emi’s time accompanying me for study abroad, with grandparents in tow to watch her when I was in class, just as they did on our Paris trip four years ago. This summer our adventures in learning continued in Porto, Portugal, where I took Environmental Psychology with Dr. Carla Bluhm, as the final course to complete my Bachelor of Science at the College of Coastal Georgia (CCGA).
Annaliese Kondo
The Adventure Begins
Dr. Carla Bluhm with students Daisy Rowser-Grier and Anisa Nur in front of a wall of azulejo tiles in the Sao Bento railway station.
A CCGA professor since 2009, Dr. Bluhm has five years of experience leading study abroad programs in Europe for Georgia college students as part of USG Goes Global under the leadership of Director of International Education Tammy Rosner. After three summers teaching Psychology and Nutrition and Human Development in Paris, Dr. Bluhm was asked to develop a program in a new country and location of her choice, serving as its Program Director and faculty member. She immediately suggested Portugal. As the third most peaceful country in the world, Portugal would appeal to students considering study abroad for the first time, but Dr. Bluhm’s reasons for the choice were more personal. “I first visited Portugal with my Portuguese grandfather when I was eight. In 2019, I completed a 230-mile Camino walk from just north of Lisbon to Santiago, Spain. When I passed through Porto I felt this amazing connection to the streets, the River Douro, and the people; it had become a home to me and supported that leg of my Camino. My gut instinct told me that students could relate and grow in such an atmosphere.”
Her instinct was correct. Following this summer’s trip, she recounted, “Students said almost by the end of the first day that they felt like they had always lived in Porto. They loved the country and its people and felt a sense of home, opening the possibility for learning – the real purpose of study abroad. For me, as a professor, the opportunity to teach within the charm and beauty of Porto was a dream come true.”
The students stayed in a trendy hotel atop a steep hill. First opened in 1839 as the Cinema Aguia D’Ouro, the hotel’s beautifully restored art deco façade overlooks Bathalha Square, where we met each morning after breakfast before setting out with Dr. Bluhm to learn the ancient lessons Porto would have to impart. Busy vendors, passing townsfolk, tourists taking breaks, photos and tours filled the square along with an endless stream of Ubers, worshippers and others visiting the ancient Church of Saint Ildefonso. A proto-baroque masterpiece completed in 1739 and later adorned with more than 11,000 azulejo tiles, the church is the crown jewel of the square. The distinctive blue and white tiles commonly seen throughout Porto are an iconic part of the city’s culture and history, representing a style brought to the Iberian Peninsula by the Moors. Here, they depict Biblical stories to share the church’s message with those who were unable read or afford books.
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Church of Saint Ildefonso
This proto-baroque masterpiece in Porto is adorned with more than 11,000 azulejo tiles.
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Exquisite ornate detail
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Azulejo tile detail.
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More intricate detail
We learned about the evolution of the culture and means of transportation from early trams and electric carriages, with a few lingering street cars that tour the city, to the gleaming metro system that whisks travelers through its tunnels nowadays. The São Bento railway station, considered one of the most beautiful in the world, was there to take us to distant destinations.
At Porto Guitarra, in the heart of the city, we were treated to a private concert by Carlos Araujo and shop owner Agostinho “Tico” Rodrigues. Tico explained the history and build of each instrument he played, including the braquinha, the “grandfather” of the ukulele. This former engineer who left his career to open this guitar and instrument store knew his instruments inside and out, right down to the age and origin of the trees used to make each part.
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Areesha Siddiqui at the tram museum
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Carla Bluhm
All aboard for adventure!
USG Goes Global Students visiting the tram museum. EIL photographer & writer of this piece, Annaliese Kondo far right.
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Student Wiliam Godat playing a tune with Carlos Araujo at Porto Guitarra
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Porto Guitarra owner Tico Rodrigues (right) and Carlos Araujo treating the students to a concert
William Godat, a student from Gordon State College who sat in and played with the musicians, said of the experience, “The kind and accommodating nature of the Portuguese people is a memory that I will take from my trip – particularly Tico and Carlos. Despite being nervous at first. playing music with them was the highlight of my trip.” He adds, “Plus I got a great souvenir that I will always treasure from that experience,” referring the bass guitar he bought and had shipped home. Even Dr. Bluhm recalls picking up ukuleles with some other students to strum after the concert, “We took a few minutes to sing one last song together, just us together, eager to prolong what was an amazing evening!”
At the Serralves Museum of Contemporary Art, we contemplated its abstract architectural design, its use of space, and the way guests experience it. Observing the museum and its expansive grounds, along with the trip to the Casa De Musica and Tico’s Porto Guitarra, provided an immersive look at how design, color, layout, temperature, and even texture, can alter the way in which we experience these spaces and their psychological impact.
Annaliese Kondo
Art installation at Serralves Museum of Contemporary Art
A private tour of the Estádio do Dragão, the home of FC Porto and third largest football stadium in the country, took us into the world of football (soccer, to us). Our tour began with the history of the sport and took us through their triumphs and tears, from locker rooms and press boxes to trophy cases and statues of great players, finally culminating with the awe of standing on the pitch. Soccer is everything to Portuguese culture, their game, their pride, their chance to gather and celebrate greatness. Another vital trip for understanding Porto and the key to its fame was our visit to the Sandeman Port Wine Cellars to learn about the port wine industry. The oaky aroma of barreled port wine surrounded us in the wine cave which has been providing ideal conditions for casks to age for the past 200 years. All Portuguese port wine spends time in cellars like this before it is bottled and shipped around the world.
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The entire group of USG Porto study abroad students on the pitch at the Dragão Stadium.
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Football history on display at Dragão Stadium.
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Cask of port wine at the Sandeman wine cellar
We were lucky enough to be in Porto during the São João festival, a celebration like nothing I have ever seen! At first, I had planned to stay inside, thinking this late evening festival wouldn’t be appropriate for kids. But as I watched the sun slip behind the city’s red roofs from the window of my room, I was surprised to see families with children – even little children – walking by. This festival was for everyone! Old folks and toddlers alike danced in the streets. For CCGA Math major Mallory Boyd this was a core memory from the trip. “I’ll always remember the Festa de São João do Porto. It was such a happy and immersive experience.”
Annaliese Kondo
São João festival tradition
Emilyn with toy hammer, ready to bonk passersby, as a traditional part of São João festivities
Dr. Bluhm adds, “The Festival of São João permitted students to join one of the biggest parties of Europe. The town smells of grilled sardines, and playful hammer hits with plastic hammers are given by every passerby. My first hammer hit was by an infant held aloft by his dad.” Emi displayed perfect technique! It seemed like that night the whole city lifted its eyes to the sky as it filled with lanterns carrying the hopes and wishes of the Portuguese people.
Hope is something Georgia Southern psychology major Khloe Henderson touched on when discussing her cherished memories of the people and the environment in Porto. “I have been very big on the word ‘hope’ lately, and I didn’t find out until leaving that the green in Portugal’s flag represents the hope the country is built on. With that, the environment felt like a second home to me, with everyone being very kind and extremely positive.”
Daisy Rowser-Grier, a psychology major at University of West Georgia, the group experience was key. “There is such power behind being surrounded by wholesome people. During the trip, I had the opportunity to be surrounded by enthusiastic and motivational people who encouraged me to be myself. The students and Professor Bluhm, who are now my friends, motivated me to grow. I am forever grateful for their impact. I aspire to be a person that helps people become the best version of themselves or the version they want to become.”
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Shades of Blue
Daisy Roswer-Grier poses in front of Porto's beautiful Church of Saint Ildefonso with its gorgeous azulejo tiles.
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Anisa Nur poses for a snap in the city.
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A message of peace on the Porto streets
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Dr. Carla Bluhm leading a group excursion
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Taking in the sights around the city
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Students Zakiah Bassett and Destiny Williams ready to explore
As a final consideration, Dr. Bluhm suggested, “Perhaps the biggest environmental impact of Porto is the extraordinary beaches. At the beach, students could relax, gaze at waves or the sunset and detach on their own terms.” But it was a different kind of warmth that CCGA interdisciplinary studies student Jordan Harper recalled, saying, “The one thing I will take away from the trip is being able to witness the rich culture of Portugal and the loving atmosphere that is present everywhere. You are engulfed with this warmth by locals and my favorite part was becoming friends with some locals and dancing with them all night. Their energy was electric.” CCGA senior Goddess Payne shared her appreciation for the people on the trip as well, saying, “My biggest take-away was the variety of people I met throughout the trip, especially those students who attended CCGA. In Portugal, I got to appreciate the people in my backyard.”
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Porto's busy waterfront district.
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Porto from above
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Rooftops of Porto
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Porto at night
As the official, unofficial photographer for the group, I had the opportunity to see these students soaking in an experience of a lifetime, beaming behind the lens. Watching my own family create memories on the hills and riverbanks of Porto, growing and bonding in ways that will forever strengthen us, was priceless. My core memories of the trip revolve around the laid-back people of Porto whose kindness, manners, and hospitality rival that of any good Southerner. They revere family above all, centering their simple but vibrant lives around it. Although modest, they share great pride in their culture and are passionate about their deep history of exploration.
Travel sites recommend devoting 2 or 3 days to the city of Porto when traveling to Portugal. Our class shared two unforgettable weeks submerged in a culture that is caring and welcoming, so full of history and life, and all of our futures are brighter for it. Visiting other countries allows students to observe and absorb positive aspects of other communities and bring that home with them. Whether young or old, there is no age limit to studying abroad; I’ve tested that! In fact, if you’re 62 or older, you can attend CCGA classes tuition free. With USG Goes Global, you could study in Brunswick, GA, Scotland, France, Germany, Spain, Ireland, London, Jamaica, or even Portugal. Bright futures aren’t limited to traditional students; for lifetime learners, adventures await whenever and wherever you choose.
