Offside
Limelight

"Right at the beginning of my career I decided to give back my country’s investment in my education. And the way to do that was not giving in to the temptation of leaving the country", Francisco Araújo

Free Nonsense

"Pointing at my passport, I kept replying in Portuguese, emphasizing that I was Brazilian and, therefore, I spoke Portuguese. However, every time I answered a question, the police officer repeated: «I see», «I understand», «I see»”, Diego Issicaba

Gallery of the Uncommon

INESC Porto has recently reached a new media attention height. Go figure… We were hired by Barack Obama! For us, the sky is the limit!

Have your say

"...my first victory: being awarded with a research grant to come work at the great institution that is INESC Porto", Ana Silva

Jobs 4 the Boys & Girls

In this section, the reader may find reference to public announcements made by INESC Porto offering grants, contracts and other opportunities of the same kind.

Biptoon

More scenes of how life goes merrily on...

 
 

Free Nonsense

Free Nonsense

Monolingual Policeman

*By Diego Issicaba

 

Speaking of nonsense let me tell you about my first day here in Porto.

I was cruising around, familiarising with the city when I stopped next to the Praça da Liberdade to relax for a bit. I was immediately excited by the fact that there were a considerable number of bakeries and coffee shops around, and so it was impossible for me to resist to some of the local delicacies. Looking back, I believe I left the bakery shop under the perfect stereotype of what a tourist is. I was wearing a considerable number of pieces of clothing and accessories on a perfectly sunny day and covering my face [while walking] with a map I had gotten at the airport.

I was feeling a bit lost when a police officer came up to me and asked where I was from and why I was staying in Porto. I spontaneously took my passport out of my pocket, while explaining that I was from Brazil and that I was in Porto as a PhD student. Strangely enough, the police officer replied in English, saying “I see”, while thoroughly examining my passport. Intrigued by the situation, I started looking for other documents in my backpack. Immediately the police officer hurled a series of 3 questions at me in English. Pointing at my passport [green], I kept replying in Portuguese, emphasizing that I was Brazilian and, therefore, I spoke Portuguese. However, every time I answered a question, the police officer repeated: “I see”, “I understand”, “I see”.

While I was looking to both sizes to check if someone was listening to the conversation [that is, the police interrogation], the police officer fired another series of questions back at me in English. I continued replying in Portuguese and that situation lasted for more than 15 minutes. That was very confusing, and yet amusing to me.

In time, I realized that similar situations kept happening frequently. The other day, I was outside INESC Porto’s building talking [in Portuguese] to my friends from USE when a guy asked me for directions in English. In my PhD classes, there was a professor who kept forgetting my nationality and insisted on speaking to me in English.

I’m happy that my co-workers from USE speak to me in Portuguese. I’m really pleased with the city of Porto and with the working environment at INESC Porto. For those who wish to speak to me, don’t be afraid to do it in good old Portuguese. See you!

 

* Grant Holder, Researcher in Power Systems (USE)