Some things change, some things stay the same.

Well actually more man than mad. As in Manchester. Since Sunday I am in Manchester for my mandatory internship for my bachelors studies. I can’t believe it has already been 3 years since I went to Madeira. 

A lot has changed since then. But a lot of things also stayed the same. I am still trying to learn Portuguese. At least every now and then. 

Manchester has greeted me with typical English weather to which my body responded with getting a cold. What better way to start this experience than with being sick? 

It is March 1st 2016, which means it has now been exactly one year since I started my adventure. I’ve been back in Austria for 6 month now and a lot has changed in my life. I always wanted to write an ending for this blog but I forgot and then I didn’t know what to write and then I thought it was too late now anyway.

I’ve been thinking about my time in Madeira a lot lately. Now that I’m studying at university my life is much more stressful than it used to be back on the island.

I miss the sea right in front of my doorstep.

I miss all my friends I made there.

I miss the relaxed life I lived there.

This isn’t to say, that I’m not happy where I’m at now. I live in Vienna now and I study at a University for Applied Sciences with a lot of great new people. My life here is wonderful.

But every now and then, when I am very stressed, I think about the great time I had there. And for a moment I wish I was back on Madeira where my life was much simpler.

My time in Madeira was amazing even if it wasn’t always easy. But everything I experienced there helped me grow as a person and even though I am not in Madeira anymore Madeira will always be with me :)

In the middle of Lisbon, just opposite  of the Elevador de Santa Justa I saw a green heart that looked familiar. 

At closer inspection I realized that it was, indeed, a heart with the words 

Steiermark 

Das grüne Herz Österreichs

on it.

I spent two nights in Lisbon at the flat of a girl that I met in Braga. 

The first evening the roommates of the girls I knew took me to a small Jazz festival which was very cool.

Afterwards we went to get some pizza and then to the nightlife area of Lisbon. I had a great night seeing the ‘real’ Lisbon and not just the parts you will find in a guide book.

The next day I explored Lisbon on my own. I tried to see as much as possible in just one day.