In a time when Portugal is facing a severe recession, with several country men moving abroad to greener pastures link, I decided to endeavor myself on the pros and cons of living abroad even thought for a very brief period of time. Under the scope of the CMU-Portugal program, I spent July and August in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. During this time I was a visiting professor at the ECE department at Carnegie Melon University and got the chance to be part of the research activities taking place at the Parallel Data Lab.
Although short, it was a very enriching experience. Living abroad you miss important things such as family but you also get to realize your self professionally in a away you cannot in your home country (at least not at this time).
The economic crisis is driving all the skilled people abroad, family, friends, everyone is leaving for greener pastures in the hope of a future. I didn’t want to make this post too negative, but the truth is that Portugal at this time and date, cannot offer much of the things you want for yourself and your family.
I deeply hope to be part of a solution for the problems we face, by doing my best at teaching to undergraduate and graduate level, shaping good engineers able to do anything in their life’s. But several times I wonder, if I shouldn’t be the one buying the ticket out…