Written by Ana Lúcia Trincão Tomaz Serrano (ISH Resident 2014-15)
Despite already working at the time, I took a leap of faith and applied for a one-year master’s program. To my surprise, less than a month later, I received the news: I’d been accepted to my university of choice—but I had just two weeks to get to London. With no accommodation lined up, I packed my bags and boarded a plane. On a whim, I walked into International Students House (ISH), hoping for a miracle. By some incredible twist of fate, a couple of room cancellations had just come through. The very next day, I received an email confirming I had a place.
Living at ISH was nothing short of transformative. It was the first time I’d lived away from home in such a vibrant, multicultural environment. Sharing a space with people from every corner of the globe not only expanded my worldview but also gave me friendships that will stay with me forever. ISH truly felt like home—a warm, welcoming, and fun refuge in the heart of a vast city that might otherwise have felt overwhelming.
It wasn’t just a residence—it was a place of personal growth. I shed many misconceptions I didn’t even realize I held, and I embraced a new openness and appreciation for people and cultures far different from my own. Even now, years later, the impact of ISH remains strong. I’ve been lucky to host friends from ISH here in Lisbon, and thanks to social media, it’s easy to keep in touch and feel connected across continents. More than anything, I carry with me a sense of openness, sociability, and warmth that ISH helped nurture.