Saints Around the World: Lisbon, Portugal

There are delicacies in this world that you cannot find at home. The only way to experience them is to step outside of your comfort zone... and grab a fork.

Nina Rhatigan '28 grew up in Oceanside, NY, and despite the literal presence of "ocean" in the name of her hometown, the Long Island native doesn't eat seafood. Well, usually. But when in Rome, or in this case, Portugal...

"We were on a program sponsored field trip to a coastal town and had a dinner at this really nice seafood restaurant. There were other options on the menu, but I decided, 'Why not?' Seafood seems to be an important part of their culture."

At this point, Nina figured there was no point in playing in the shallow end, so she went for it: octopus with a side of cuttlefish.

"It was an actual octopus, tentacles and all. I was a little freaked out, but it was good! But I wouldn't recommend the cuttlefish."

Earlier this summer, Nina spent four weeks studying abroad at the Catholic University of Portugal in Lisbon. She wanted the study abroad experience, but wasn't ready to commit to a full semester. Nina found the one-month program, which featured a course on the history of Portugal, to be perfect.

"I was doing my study abroad research, and I had never considered Portugal. When I came across it, I realized I knew nothing about it."

Like ordering octopus spontaneously off the menu, Nina figured, 'Why not?' And the communications-marketing major found the experience to be...

"Amazing. I had been to Europe twice before, but this was my first time traveling solo. I was definitely nervous going through the airport alone, especially abroad not speaking the language, but the experience made me even more confident. I feel like I can do anything now."

Nina believes that willingness to grow beyond what's comfortable will serve anyone well when it comes to the job search.

"Traveling abroad gives anyone such a great sense of independence. Employers want to hire people who are well-rounded and have a connection with the world outside of the U.S. I think it looks good to show other people that you've experienced other cultures and learned from from it."

Nina's Portuguese immersion included football. She happened to be in Lisbon during the World Cup and watched a Portugal match with a few thousand of her newest friends (below, left). But no Portuguese experience, not even the wine, compared to the pastel de nata (below, middle). The iconic Portuguese pastry, featuring an egg custard tart, is ubiquitous throughout the country.

"Everyone said I had to try it. They were incredible. After I ate my first one, I had two per day, every day, the rest of my trip. I actually found the best spot for them. It's Pastéis de Belém. That's actually where they were first made."

Nina's biggest bummer about coming home was breaking her two-a-day pastel de nata habit. Plus, she's leery of trying octopus stateside. But Nina has a solution for both problems:

"I'll just have to go back."