After a wonderful week of interacting with companies in Portugal, it was time to head home. While a 3am bus to the airport meant many odd naps were taken throughout the day, the long day gave us time to reflect over our trip. Also, our connection in Frankfurt allowed met to frolic through the airport terminal to find all of the chocolate, drinks, and food I missed dearly from studying abroad in Germany! Key Takeaways:1. We cannot become a slave to quarterly results that we do not see the bigger picture. This was something mentioned during our meeting with Amorim. It was a shocking sentence to hear, as I feel in American culture we are so focused on immediate earnings that at times it seems silly to delay such earnings for a greater return in the future. However, it does help put grander plans into perspective. 2. Enjoy the journey and make the friendships that matter! We all got split across the globe, but we all persevered and created memories that will last a lifetime. I'm walking away from this trip with a greater understanding of not only the world, but my peers as well. For both, I am thankful! 3. Sustainability is educational, financial, and environmental! There are three pillars. Visiting the agricultural production in Portugal and learning how they bring in bird nests and bat houses to not only lower their pests but study and encourage natural species is the prime example of all three pillars. Their work bringing in international students to learn such a method highlights their commitment to education even more. It was refreshing to see sustainability presented in a new light. As our tour guide said "if we can do it, why wouldn't other companies be able to as well!" 4. Being kind is the first step towards collaboration. Portugal is a small country, but they encourage and invite international collaboration. From our visit, it is evident that Portugal is a very friendly country, and this kindness is one step towards inviting such collaboration.
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