Know the testimony of  Oksana Kolesnyk, one of the students from Italy who  chose the ISCAL to make their ERASMUS experience+.

Oksana Kolesnyk  lives in Italy and is one of the student who    chose the ISCAL to realize the dream of doing Erasmus+. It comes from the University of Milan-Biccoca and is in the last year of the International Management Master.  

In Portugal since the beginning of September 2020, it reveals that the initial plan was to stay only one semester, yet the experience was so enriching that it was now planning to extend the stay.

The young woman decided to "choose Lisbon because, although I had never been to Portugal, I heard about some experiences in the city, more specifically in the ISCAL and all the students were suggesting this Institute". "Candidatei me then to Lisbon as a first option and thankfully I was chosen by the college. Now I am very happy to be here", states.  

Oksana, who decided to come to Lisbon" when the pandemic situation in Portugal was good compared to Milan ",  assures that it felt very safe in our country and at the ISCAL. " The class was small and we had all the information from the teachers about what we should do and the constraints that would be to come. Even when some of us have been in contact with positive cases, it was suffice to send an email to the teachers to explain the situation. They were very prescient ".

The student confesses that the schedules at the ISCAL are managed in the best way so that Erasmus students   can keep up with all the classes they want. As for the teachers, the Italian says they provide all the material needed for the preparation of exams. "If we need help, teachers are always ready to better explain themed and offer more material if it is accurate. The exams are structured in such a way as to help us to study gradually. It doesn't happen all at the end (as in Italy, for example) ".  

" I think the management of the ISCAL is very good. The classrooms are well structured so that we can keep track of classes in the safest way possible, keeping distance and opening the windows frequently. I think, honestly, nothing else could have been done, "he reveals.

Oksana says he loved classes with the other erasmus students, because they all experienced" the same problems " and have more free time to get to know each other better than most of the students who have family nearby. " I loved all the English lessons. It was easy to keep up with the classes but at the same time I think the Portuguese course was very useful, at the beginning, to integrate me better in the city ", which it considers to be beautiful and replete with amazing venues to visit and meet. " The story is everywhere and there are many museums, but even the deambular found new places. It was an adventure ". Watching the sunset on the city's miradors, going to the beach with friends, learning how to surf, making picnics were your favorite hobbies. "It gives that Portuguese calm vibe I have never felt anywhere, " says.                                                                                                  

Despite the pandemic having withdrawn the option of getting to know better Lisbon, the young woman claims that it remains an amazing experience.    Oksana recommends all students to do Erasmus, because one finds a completely different teaching method and "force the adaptation of all", which it says is a skill that will certainly need in the future. " We explore the Portuguese culture but not only. We have heard the problems that some countries have lived in (for example, the protest of abortion in Poland) and this has given me the realization that we have to be more united and fight for the rights of all ".  

Thus,  Oksana Kolesnyk believes she has become a more independent, more secure person of herself and more courageous. "In addition, it is an important experience to add to your curriculum vitae".