Saints Around the World: Lisbon, Portugal

Katelyn Clifford '27 got a full education on the Mediterranean Diet, one class and one bite at a time.

Katelyn has an older cousin who backpacked around the world for two years. There's little he didn't see or experience over 24 months of non-stop globe-trotting, and of all the places across most of the continents, what was his favorite?

"He said I have to go to Portugal. And while he was over there, my brother Jimmy joined him for a little bit. Jimmy's been abroad quite a bit, too. He said the same thing. Portugal is his favorite place."

Those were the only two endorsements Katelyn needed, and then the prospect of a month in Portugal got even sweeter. Nearly a dozen friends from Siena had the same idea (above).

"I have friends on the dance team and the lacrosse team. We all decided to do the same four-week program in Lisbon."

The Saints took on Lisbon together, but they weren't all in the same class, or even studying at the same university. At night and on weekends, they were together, but Katelyn was in the minority at the University of Lisbon, School of Agriculture. The psychology major and three other Saints took a course on the Mediterranean diet, where they learned about its cultural, nutritional, and public health significance. Each day, they had a different professor with a different expertise.

"One day would be fruits and vegetables, and we would sample juices. The next day, an expert on cheeses would explain the differences between sheep, goat, cow cheese. I was definitely full after that class. We did a wine tasting and got to explore the wine cellar at the university. We also took field trips to a vineyard and a cork museum."

The lessons, and ample tastings, all helped to make sense of the Mediterranean diet pyramid, a nutritional guide that summarizes a pattern of eating that's adopted by most Portuguese.

"They eat fruits and vegetables all day, every day. They also eat way more fish than red meat, and olive oil is part of every meal. They also have a glass of wine almost every night."

Home in New Jersey, Katelyn has tried to maintain some tenets of the diet, though it's easy to fall back on some very American habits. But for a psychology major, the bigger takeaway had nothing to do with what she eats.

"I got to experience different traditions and explore historic cities, which gave me the opportunity to understand how different backgrounds shape a person's psychological behaviors. It all reinforced the impact culture has on behavior, health, communication, and overall well-being."

So, is Portugal the greatest place in the world as promised?

"I went to Greece and that was like being in a movie. But right underneath that, I'd put Portugal. I absolutely loved it. The people were so nice. The food was amazing. It was an awesome experience."