Hey everyone,
I’m currently doing an IT internship in Portugal, and I need a reality check. Back home in Croatia, if your hours are 09:00–17:00, the office is a ghost town by 17:01. We work hard while we are there, take our designated break, and then our free time is ours.
Here, I’ve noticed a pattern that feels honestly ridiculous to me:
The "Flexible" Start: People stroll in late, but then stay until 18:00 or 19:00.
The Eternal Lunch: My contract says a one-hour break. I take exactly one hour. My colleagues, however, disappear for two hours or more, and then "compensate" by staying late into the evening.
The 19:00 Finish: It seems like the whole city only stops working at 19:00.
I feel like I’m sacrificing my entire day to the office. I don't want a two-hour break; I want to do my work, take my 60 minutes, and leave at 17:00 to enjoy the sunlight and my life.
Is this normal for Portugal? Am I going to look like the "lazy" intern if I leave exactly at 17:00, even though I’ve finished my hours and didn't waste time on a long lunch? I value my free time immensely, and this "stay late" culture is driving me nuts.
In Croatia, 17:00 means home time. In Portugal, everyone stays until 19:00 because of long breaks and late starts. Am I crazy for hating this?