Student Corner

How time flies! I cannot believe that I have just been to Portugal and stayed there for 2 months. It was like a dream, and I wish it could have been a longer one.

I had never thought of what it might be like living with a foreigner before I went to Portugal. However, I did it, and incredibly for 2 months! Although we didn’t know each other’s languages we could still communicate via ‘Google Translate’. I think this was one of my most valuable experiences during this trip. On the other hand, I didn’t use to cook meals when I was in Macao, but obviously I had to do it here. At first I had no idea about cooking, and my products really tasted bad. However, the quality improved gradually with my ‘cooking ability’ and I really had great fun during that time.

During the clinical practicum in the University Hospital of Coimbra, the nursing care model there surprised me; not only did the nurses focus on the skills they were practicing, but they also paid attention to the communication process with the patients. I realized that this is the real ‘patient care’ rather than ‘paper care’. That’s what we should learn.

I also took part in some ‘community care’, working in a health centre. Joining in with the activities and having fun with the children, making friends with the Portuguese nursing students and learning how to speak Portuguese, all of these are my remarkable memories!