What special requirements are there for joining the Portugal InterAction Team?

Visas: Visas are required for those from non-European Union countries only. It is easiest to travel as a tourist but to be ready to leave Portugal every three months if necessary.

Health: InterAction workers from European Union countries should obtain the three-month health insurance document E111 before travelling. Some medical care is available for team members after that period if necessary. Additional health insurance is advisable.

Language: Portuguese is not essential but is useful. Most Portuguese and international students will speak some English. Basic Portuguese can be learnt while on the team.

What is the present state of the work?

The national student movement, GBU Portugal, started in the early 1970s. The GBU is small but it has good foundations and clear vision, and is growing. There is a lively evangelistic and missionary interest, and a core of several hundred good students. The first IFES InterAction Team in Coimbra was in 1994/95; work has been small but with huge potential, supporting the 25 or so students in the GBU group and reaching out to the 20,000 students in the city (of whom 150 are on the Socrates scheme, and another 120 studying Portuguese on the nine-month course). At the moment there is unfortunately no InterAction Team in Portugal.

What about accommodation, living costs, courses, jobs?

Team members are expected to live in student houses near the university with either Christian or non-Christian Portuguese students. It could also be with international students. If preferred this can be arranged before arrival. Monthly rent for a room, including bills, is about €250. It is estimated that financial support of about €8000 for the year should be adequate, with monthly rent of about €200, monthly food bills of €150, two conferences costing about €300 each, a language course costing at least €550, and travel to and from the home country.

InterAction co-workers without Portuguese are expected to take a university language course. Previous co-workers have done a four-week intensive Socrates course (about €150 for four weeks), followed up by personal study. There is also a longer nine-month course which is possible. Although good for friendship-building, it requires a commitment of 18 hours a week. Possibilities for teaching English may exist, but there is as yet no experience of this.