Eurospeak Language School

🇵🇹✨ 𝟏𝟎 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 – 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐠𝐚𝐥, 𝐂𝐚𝐦õ𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 ✨🇵🇹

10 June was established as Portugal Day to honour the iconic Portuguese poet Luís de Camões, who passed away on this day in 1580.

📖 Considered the greatest symbol of Portuguese literature and language, Camões is the author of the epic masterpiece Os Lusíadas.

🌍 On this special day, tribute is also paid to the millions of Portuguese emigrants and their descendants around the world, celebrating their enduring cultural connections with Portugal.

🎉 This national holiday celebrates Portugal’s rich history, culture, language, and citizenship, strengthening a shared sense of identity and belonging.

🏅 Official ceremonies, military parades, and honours presented by the President of the Republic are traditionally held across the country to mark the occasion.

❤️ Viva Portugal! 🇵🇹 Cultural Compass

🌍📚🇪🇺✨

🍊🇵🇹 Oranges are called "Portugals"! 🌍✨

Did you know that in some countries, oranges are actually called "Portugals"? 🤯🍊

This fascinating story dates back to the 15th century, when Portugal 🇵🇹 was exporting sweet oranges across Europe and the Middle East 🚢🌍.

The Portuguese originally acquired citrus varieties from North Africa through the Moors, which is why the Portuguese word for orange is "laranja" 🍊, derived from the Arabic word narenciye. Over time, Portuguese growers developed sweeter varieties and became famous traders of these delicious fruits. 😋✨

🍊⚓ Oranges were highly valued by sailors because their Vitamin C content helped prevent scurvy during long sea voyages. At the time, many regions only had bitter oranges used for cooking and marmalade.

As Portuguese traders introduced sweet oranges to new lands, many people began associating the fruit with Portugal itself! 🇵🇹❤️

🌍 Here's how "Portugal" lives on in the word for orange around the world:

🇦🇱 Albanian – portokall
🇸🇦 Arabic – burtugal / burtukal برتقال
🇧🇬 Bulgarian – portokal
🇬🇪 Georgian – portokhali
🇬🇷 Greek – portokáli
🇮🇹 Italian dialects – Portugal, purtigal, purtu'al
🇵🇸 Palestinian Arabic – portogal
🇮🇷 Persian – porteghāl
🇷🇴 Romanian – portocală
🇹🇹 Trinidad & Tobago – Portugal / Puttigal
🇹🇷 Turkish – portakal

💬 What about you?

🍊 Have you had your orange today?
🌎 What is the word for "orange" in your language?

👇 Share it in the comments!

Cultural Compass

☕🇵🇹 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲? 🤔✨

Even though it's common to say, "Let's meet up for a coffee!" in Portugal, coffee is usually served small and strong ⚡☕—perfect for a quick chat and a boost of energy! Cultural Compass

Did you know there are many different ways to order coffee in Portugal? 🇵🇹💛 Here's a quick guide:

🔹 SMALL, SHORT & STRONG COFFEES
☕ ITALIANA – Ultra-short and intense 💥
☕ BICA – Lisbon's espresso ("Beba Isto Com Açúcar") 🍬
☕ CIMBALINO – Porto's version of espresso 🌆
☕ CHEIO – Espresso with extra water 💧
☕ DUPLO – Double espresso 💪
☕ CARIOCA – A milder coffee made from reused grounds 🌱

🔹 COFFEE WITH MILK
🥛☕ PINGO/PINGADO – Espresso with a drop of milk
👦☕ GAROTO – More milk, often enjoyed by younger drinkers
🌅☕ MEIA DE LEITE – Half coffee, half hot milk
🥛✨ GALÃO – Portugal's answer to a latte, served in a tall glass
☕💧 ABATANADO – A longer, smoother coffee
🥃☕ CAFÉ COM CHEIRINHO – Espresso with a touch of brandy for extra warmth

😋 Which Portuguese coffee would you choose?

👇 Tell us in the comments!

✨ Craft2Success Workshops Successfully Completed in Ireland ✨

The Craft2Success workshops in Ireland have successfully concluded, supporting women artisans in strengthening their digital and entrepreneurial skills.

Through the programme “Create, Connect, Sell: Digital Skills for Women Artisans,” participants gained practical knowledge in digital marketing, branding, storytelling, social media, and e-commerce—helping them explore new ways to grow their creative businesses.
Beyond skills development, the workshops fostered a strong sense of collaboration, confidence, and knowledge-sharing among participants from diverse backgrounds.

This milestone reflects Craft2Success’s mission to empower women, promote digital inclusion, and preserve traditional crafts through innovation.

Although the workshops have ended, the learning journey continues as participants apply their new skills to expand their work and reach wider markets. 💛

Our Partners:
Adolescere - Associação de Apoio à Criança e ao Adolescente
Eurospeak Language School
Zone Femmes AISBL
Euroreach

🌾✨ Dia da Espiga (Corpus Christi) ✨🌾

🙏 According to Catholic tradition, on Ascension Thursday (this year, 14 May), Jesus Christ ascended into heaven 40 days after the Resurrection (Easter). In Portugal 🇵🇹, this day celebrates both this religious event and the arrival of spring 🌼🌿.

🌞 More than a religious celebration, it is an ancient ritual deeply connected to nature, the land, and the cycles of life 🌱🌍.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Families traditionally spend the day outdoors, enjoying walks through the countryside 🚶‍♀️🌳, sharing picnics 🧺, and creating the traditional Ear of Corn Bouquet 🌾💐.

✨ The bouquet is made of:
🌾 Ears of wheat
🌺 Poppies
🌼 Marigolds
🕊️ Olive branches
🌿 Rosemary
🍇 Vine leaves

🚪 It is placed behind the front door and kept for a year as a symbol of good luck, prosperity, health, and protection for the home 🏡✨.

🏛️ This tradition is believed to have roots in ancient Celtic and Roman harvest celebrations, where people gave thanks for the first crops of the year 🌾☀️. Later, Christianity incorporated the custom into the Feast of the Ascension ✝️.

📜 A traditional Portuguese saying reminds us:

🌾 "Whoever has Ascension wheat will have bread every year." 🍞

Each plant in the bouquet carries a special meaning:

🌾 Ears of corn – Bread, sustenance & fertility
🌺 Poppy – Love & life ❤️
🌼 Marigold – Wealth & prosperity 💰
🕊️ Olive tree – Peace & divine light ✨
🌿 Rosemary – Health, strength & resilience 💪
🍇 Vine – Wine & joy 🍷😊

💚 A beautiful Portuguese tradition where faith, culture, family, and nature come together.

📘 The BrightMind Training Course for Teachers is taking shape!

The course has two main parts.

Part 1 gives teachers the key foundations behind the BrightMind approach. It includes three chapters:
🧠 How learning works in practice
🔁 The core BrightMind methods: Active Recall, Peer Learning, Design Thinking, and Metacognition and Reflection
📝 How to adapt an existing lesson using the BrightMind methods

Part 2 turns this knowledge into classroom practice through 12 interdisciplinary lessons for students aged 9–14.
The aim is to give teachers both understanding and ready-to-use classroom ideas that support active learning, stronger recall, student participation and inclusion.

📢Stay tuned for latest updates!

📢 Meet One of Our Partners 🇧🇬

Professional Forum for Education (PFE)

Based in Sofia, Bulgaria, PFE is a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering young people and education professionals through innovative non-formal learning since 2002.

With a strong network of 100+ schools and 50+ NGOs in Bulgaria and abroad, PFE works on important topics such as:
🌱 Sustainable development
💻 Digital media literacy
🤝 Social inclusion
🗳️ Active citizenship
🌍 Intercultural dialogue

Through workshops, trainings, youth exchanges, festivals, and volunteering initiatives, PFE creates opportunities for young people to learn, connect, and actively participate in society.

PFE is also the creator of Eduspace, a youth-centered community hub in Sofia that hosts educational, cultural, and social activities for local communities and young changemakers.

Within the SUDRE - The Stories of Unity - Digital Resistance to Extremism project, PFE contributes valuable expertise in youth empowerment, digital education, and intercultural learning — helping young people develop the skills needed to create positive digital narratives and promote inclusion across Europe. ✨

🤝 Proud to collaborate with partners committed to education, participation, and social impact.