WakeUp Projects

Sun, learning and cultural exchange in Portimão!

Different schools. Different languages. Same curiosity. 🇷🇴 🇵🇹

Over the past weeks, we had the pleasure of welcoming a group of students and teachers from Romania 🇷🇴 for a mobility programme combining school exchange and job shadowing activities 📚🌍

From classroom observations and workshops to school visits and cultural experiences, the programme offered participants the opportunity to discover new educational environments, exchange ideas and gain fresh perspectives.

A big thank you to everyone involved for their enthusiasm, openness and participation throughout the mobility 😊

We hope this experience will remain a valuable part of their educational journey and that Portugal will always have a special place in their memories ☀️🇵🇹

“Mamá, no todo fue playa…” 🇪🇸☀️🇵🇹

…although Faro certainly tried its best 😄

Between sunny days and good weather, this group of more than 30 Spanish students discovered that an internship abroad is about much more than changing countries. It is about stepping into a workplace for the first time, learning new routines and gaining real experience from day one.

From supporting elderly care and nursing environments, to administration, telecommunications, computer hardware and even gardening, this group experienced very different sectors and realities 🌱💻📡

For students at the beginning of their professional journey, opportunities like this matter. A first experience in a real workplace can help build confidence, develop practical skills and better understand what the future might look like.

And yes… there was still time to enjoy Faro, the sunshine and everything that makes this corner of Portugal such an easy place to enjoy ☀️

Today is their final day of the programme, and we would like to thank every company and mentor who welcomed this fantastic group and helped make this experience possible.

¡Buena suerte en todo lo que viene y no olvidéis Portugal! 🇵🇹 😉

First weekend in Faro = surf mode activated 🏄‍♂️☀️

Before starting their internships, our French group spent the weekend trying one of the Algarve’s favourite activities and, judging by the smiles, Faro seems to be making a good first impression already 😄

For the next 3 weeks, they will combine work experience with new places, good weather and, of course, some time by the sea 🇵🇹

A big thank you to Clube Surf de Faro for welcoming the group and making their first weekend in Faro even better 🤙

A month surrounded by technology, new routines and different experiences 🇵🇹🇵🇱

For four weeks, Figueira da Foz became the base for 25 Polish students stepping into professional environments connected to IT, programming and telecommunications 🖥️🔧📡

From working with computer hardware and digital systems to exploring telecommunications, students had the chance to experience technology beyond the classroom and better understand how these fast-changing sectors operate in real environments.

Beyond their placements, there was also time to discover new places and enjoy memorable moments together 🌍 Surfing 🏄, kayaking 🚣 and visits to Lisbon, Porto, Coimbra and Aveiro added another dimension to this month abroad.

A big thank you to every company, mentor and partner who helped make this opportunity possible 🤝

We wish the group all the best for the future! 👏

A Month of Early Alarms and Big Lessons 🇵🇹 🇮🇹

18 students from Italy are closing out their Erasmus+ internship this week and the photos say it all 📸

For four weeks they have been right in the middle of it: fixing engines, wiring circuits, perfecting lenses and keeping guests happy in some of Faro's best hospitality spaces. Real work, real pressure, real results 💪

And here is the thing about these sectors in Faro: they are not just jobs, they are the backbone of a city that runs on tourism, craftsmanship and people who actually know what they are doing. These students did not just observe, they contributed 💡

To every company that opened their doors and trusted this group with real responsibilities: thank you. That kind of opportunity is where professionals are actually made 🫶

The finish line is close… but there is still time for a few more lessons, laughs and good memories 🇮🇹 🇵🇹

After 7 weeks of learning, care and new experiences in Portimão 🇵🇹, this journey has come to an end for these Spanish nursing students 🇪🇸, and what an important experience it has been 💙

Long-term mobility programmes make a real difference. Over seven weeks, students have the time to adapt, build confidence, become part of the team and truly understand the reality of their future profession. In fields such as nursing, this matters even more 🩺 Caring for people, understanding routines, communication, empathy and responsibility are things that grow through daily experience.

A special thank you to DomusVi Al-Vita for welcoming the students and helping create an experience that will stay with them at the beginning of their professional journey. Collaborations like this show how international partnerships can create meaningful opportunities for young people stepping into the world of work through the Erasmus+ programme.

We wish all the students the very best for what comes next 🇵🇹

Four weeks may feel short… but some experiences stay with us for much longer 🇵🇹 🇪🇸

During their time in Faro, this group of Spanish students showed dedication, motivation and a real commitment to every professional challenge they faced.

From providing daily care and support to elderly people in nursing homes, in a sector where kindness and human connection matter deeply, to gaining experience in pharmacies, an essential field for the health and well-being of the community, and developing practical skills in electrical work, where precision, responsibility and technical knowledge play an important role every day, each participant contributed in a meaningful way. ⚡💊👵

More than an internship, this experience was about growth, learning and becoming part of Portuguese teams in a real working environment.

We are very proud of the fantastic work this group carried out during these 4 weeks. Faro will certainly remember your energy, effort and positive spirit. We wish you all the best for the future and hope you take a little piece of Faro with you 💙

If someone had said two weeks ago that one group would spend their days between computer parts, office desks, fields and horses… it might have sounded like the beginning of a strange joke 🐎💻🌱📋

But here in Faro, that became everyday life for these 16 Spanish students. 🇪🇸🇵🇹

While some learned the patience required to solve IT problems (and that technology somehow always decides to misbehave at the worst possible moment 😅), others discovered what keeps an office moving behind the scenes. A few swapped city sounds for open spaces in agriculture, and some quickly realised that working with horses is equal parts routine, responsibility and trust.

Same city, completely different worlds.

For two weeks, alarms rang early, Portuguese words started sounding more familiar, lunch breaks became more international and workplaces turned into spaces full of new faces, new habits and stories to take home.

Now, with the experience nearly finished, one question remains: which sector would you choose for yourself? 👀

🇵🇱 24 Polish students, 4 weeks in Faro… and yes, we can confirm: they survived the Portuguese sun 😎☀️

As this amazing group enters the final week of their mobility experience, one thing is clear: these weeks have been much more than internships. From surveying and landscape architecture to construction and finishing works, our students have been busy learning by doing, gaining hands-on experience and becoming part of local teams, side by side with Portuguese colleagues

Of course, no experience in the Algarve would be complete without a little adventure along the way. Between workdays and new routines, there was still time to discover stunning places, enjoy kayak lessons under blue skies, explore Benagil, Albufeira, Lagos and Silves, test their mini golf skills (with very serious competition 👀), cool off at a water park and even learn some Portuguese. We are still waiting to hear who already dares to order lunch in Portuguese without panic 😄🇵🇹

Above all, it has been great to see friendships grow, cultures mix and students slowly feeling more and more at home here in Faro.

One final week to go, so let’s make it count. We wish you all an unforgettable ending to this journey, plenty of good memories and maybe just enough Portuguese saudade to make you want to come back someday 💙

🇷🇴 ➡️ 🇵🇹 What happens when educators from different countries spend a week together?

A lot of ideas, real conversations and the kind of energy that reminds you why education matters 💡

This past week, Faro welcomed a group of representatives from educational institutions in Romania for a week built around something simple but powerful: learning from each other.

From classroom visits to open conversations with Portuguese peers, the week grew into much more than a programme. It became a space to observe different educational realities, discover new approaches and reflect together on a shared mission that crosses any border: shaping the future through education 🌍📚

But beyond methodologies and institutions, what stood out most was the connection. The kind that happens naturally when curious people sit together, ask honest questions and realise that despite the distance, the goals are not that different after all 💛

To every institution that opened its doors this week: thank you. Your generosity and openness turned this into something truly special 🙏