One of the first projects I’ve worked with here in Portugal was Slowmed. This is also an ENPI CBCMED project about Food as a Means of Dialogue in Mediterranean Contexts, it counts with the partnership of 6 countries: Portugal, Spain, Italy, Egypt, Lebanon and Palestine.
I could talk about the project itself but that was not the most important thing to me the people were.
I met a lot of new people, and to get the chance to be with people from the country where I just came back from, was very good, somehow it was like relive memories of the CaBuReRa experience in Lebanon but with the upgrade that it was with more people.
It really was amazing to show my region (Algarve) our traditions, food and heritage to people that have never been here and really wanted to taste the food, to hear the stories, to see the places…
There were different types of people, ones more reserved, and others more outgoing talking with everyone (me included) and just wanting to live and experience everything.
It was a truly rewarding experience in different aspects. First I could solve one problem:
I wanted to send a present to Lebanon to my friends and, through Patricia, I’ve done that – she got in touch with Ahmad and everything was done! Amazing how the world is so small…
Second, I could taste again the flavours and the smells that I miss already so much!
Third, it was a learning experience, in every aspect… I remember that the group that was always laughing and joking was the group from Palestine. One of them told me (after I said to him that they were crazy) that they needed to distract their minds and live the moment every moment, be happy where the happiness was… No need to say anything!
Mónica Mendonça