You know you're in Aveiro, Portugal when...

1.) SILENCE IS FORBIDDEN! It's noisy everywhere on campus (see pic); the computer labs, the library, the cafes, and even the bathroom stalls. Forget concentrating on campus because silence is forbidden! You will be thrown in the canal if you dare "shhhhhhhh" anybody (which I've never done yet...but I've seen the victimization of another poor soul). The Portuguese culture is social and that means wherever you go...there will the melody of the Portuguese language. They aren't loud talkers, but they are talkers.

2.) I AM NOW A SMOKER! Every good viben, tea-sippin', melody-mixin' cafe has ash-trays on the tables. You know what that means...smoking is the cornerstone to the Portuguese culture. If you are a non-smoker, let it go...you are now a second-hand smoker. Smoking is allowed everywhere you want to be.

3.) BACALHAU is on every menu in town! Bacalhau is the traditional fish dish of Portugal and the funny side of this story is that they don't even catch it here in Portugal. The fishermen go all the way up to Norway to catch fresh cod just so they can bring it home and dry it with salt and the sun.

4.) WHAT'S THAT FUNK SMELL? This leads me to the smelly supermercado (grocery store). These scary looking dried fish are sold in the supermercado, unpackaged, uncovered, just raw with the funky smell permeating your nostril membranes as you walk through the beautiful pastry section. I kinda like the funk!

5.) BIDET! Almost every bathroom (or casa de banho) has a bidet. A bidet is a smaller toilet with a spray nozzle that people would sit on and clean there private parts with. No one uses it now (or at least I hope they don't), so I've decided to wash my face in it. It's the perfect size!

6.) DIRTY LAUNDRY! You know it is Friday on campus when all the students have rollers (luggage) that they roll to and from class, the library, the cafes. At first, I thought I was missing out on some fabulous weekend getaway, but to find out their luggage is filled with dirty laundry, as they spend their weekends at home with their families. That is also why Aveiro becomes a ghost town on the weekends. That is also why you want to avoid the train on Friday afternoon/evening and Sunday evening. That is also why you see students carrying dishes of food wrapped and sealed with a kiss from their mom on Sunday evenings. I love this place!

7.) NO CENTRAL HEATING! Sure, Portugal is surrounded by beautiful beaches and ocean, however it only sits on the 37 to 41 latitude lines north of the equator which means it is similar weather to New York (40N), and Washington DC (38N) in the winter. Luckily, it is close to sea-level, so it rarely freezes or snows. BUT...it is cold, especially inside the houses, as most houses don't have central heating. Therefore, space heaters ROCK!! They not only warm you up but they dry your clothes too.

8.) NO MONEY! No worries! If you forgot your wallet...more than likely the shop-keeper will say, "Amanha" (meaning tomorrow.) And the incredible part of this situation is that the shop-keeper will send you home with your goods, even though you haven't paid. I was running errands on the FREE bikes you can rent for the day and I only had a few euro notes in my pocket. When I got there I went on a little shopping spree and spent more than what I had in my pocket. Uh-oh. I tried to explain in broken Portuguese, that I was sorry and I would come back tomorrow to pick up the tea but she insisted I take the bag and pay later. Incredible! The same thing happened at the copy center, when I forgot my wallet. I wanted to make it up to the nice guy so I came back with the money and a big Belgium chocolate bar, I think the copy guy likes me now. Have I told you that I love this country?!

9.) DON'T BE IN A RUSH WHEN YOU GO TO THE SUPERMERCADO! The Portuguese believe that life should be relaxing and not rushed, especially when standing in line at the supermercado. Be prepared to spend at least 5 minutes in line at the Supermercado. There is always a line and no one gets upset. In fact, I think the Portuguese like the line...it's a time to relax and reflect on the day.