Hi Shanna . . . your write ups are terrific 👍🛥️⚓⛵ . . . i'm really keen on relocating to Portugal in an years time . . . how n what should i be worried about ? ? ? my place of choice is Vila Nova de Cerviera
I’ve been very disappointed by some of what I see in Americans moving here. I think some of them would prefer a less expensive San Diego or Miami. Adapability and tolerance skills are sadly lacking.
Most of this is gleaned from recent comments on Facebook and online forums. Someone thought a company should be started to bring US locks to Portugal. The Portuguese know how to use their doors, Americans can learn, but not, apparently, some that are here can't. Small sinks, small refrigerators, hanging clothes outside, expensive petrol. While all these things are true, some people don’t seem to want to think about how the Portuguese survive.
I have spent time in towns inthe last week that Americans don’t choose to live in or visit and it felt very different. The Portuguese generally seem to accept things they can’t change or have lived with for a hundred years. They figure it out. It's not really that difficult.
Great article and I relate to all of it! I've been here almost 9 months (!can't believe it!) and I'm still acclimating - but getting there. Probably the biggest struggle for me now is the language barrier fatigue. Thanks for turning me on to Carla's language program. Now I just need to dig in to it. ❤️
I like my verb charts........I am moving there just so I can go out for coffee, again and again and again.......I can only accomplish one thing a day in the U.S. so I should be right in step........I'd rather wait in line/queue for hours in Portugal than minutes in this boring part of America......I might just join the ranks of the Grandma neighborhood watch......and finally......I thank my lucky stars that I was fluent in Portuguese long before I dreamed of moving to Portugal.
Thank you for your post- my husband and I have been dreaming about moving to either Spain or Portugal when we retire - which is coming up fast (2022). Your tips are helpful!
We are down to Spain and Portugal, too! We traveled in Spain (finally) in 2019, and are planning to go to Portugal at the end of October if we can still travel there safely by then.
We have been to Spain twice and are (fingers crossed) going to Portugal and to a few places in Spain that we’ve not been to yet in late September/early October. We hope to be able to identify where we want to land during that trip and then focus on how to make it happen…
If you don't mind my asking, where are you planning to visit? We were planning to visit Spain again in May, but obviously couldn't go due to Covid. For our fall trip to Portugal we are spending a few days in Lisbon, and a week each in the Algarve region and in Cascais. Starter expat locales, but you've got to start somewhere. ;)
For Portugal, we are interested in the greater Lisbon area and Porto (we are not big beach people). For Spain, we want to dive deeper into the area around Barcelona, and check out Valencia for the first time.
While we loved Granada, we think it crosses over into being a little too hot for us, but since you mentioned the Algarve, if you like it hot, we would suggest that you take a look at it and Andalucía in general.
Sounds like we have a lot in common! We were supposed to visit Valencia on our trip in May that we had to cancel. It seems to have a lot to offer in terms of what we are looking for, although maybe at a higher cost than most places in Portugal. We absolutely love Barcelona, but again the expense is not ideal, and a city that large might be too much after a while. But you can't beat it for convenience in traveling back to the US and into the rest of Europe.
For me, Porto sounds absolutely lovely, but my husband likes the sun and heat, so we figured it might not be as ideal for him. On the other hand, the Algarve might be too hot for me, although it seems like the climate there is still not as baking hot as just a bit farther east in Southern Spain.
Checking them all out will certainly be the fun part!
This seems to be a theme! We too are looking at Spain and Portugal. We have narrowed it down to Gijon in Asturias for Spain but are a bit lost about Portugal (we just got back from 10 days there today). We hoped we would love Porto but just didn't (but the North appeals for weather).
We speak decent Spanish but not Portuguese (yet), but we are vegan and the food in Portugal is a thousand times better. And the people in Portugal are SO nice (same in Spain, but Portugal is a little easier for making connections). And Lisbon is a great hub for travel anywhere!
So many things to consider. :)
We also loved Valencia a lot, but ended up rejecting it because of the heat.
Good one Shanna! You speak absolute truth. We have been incredibly lucky in the bureaucracy dept. (once we got here. Getting here was the hardest part!) I have read a lot of stories about expats, some make it and some do not. I think an independent spirit to begin with helps a lot. Having the mentality of The Fool (tarot card) also makes thing easier. 2.5 years in and I don't even want to go back to the states to visit. Being all in helps too. Like the line in Under the Tuscan Sun, I can't go back. And it helps if you don't even want to! Hoo-ray for us! ;)
We bought a house near Torres Vedras in January. We need to change the address on our resident cards. Easy peasy....not a chance! Adventures await! 1st available appointment is in September, in Portimao over 300 km away. We are making a weekend out of it!! Keep on rolling and always stop for coffee 💜
Thank you for the small list Shanna. I realize while the number is low each tip is complex and important. My biggest fear is being lonely. Leaving a large network of friends to move within the States three years ago really knocked me out and then you layer Covid on top and it turns out that I miss my friends. I hope that the friendliness of locals and the strong expat community will help soften the landing. We are shooting to arrive in June 2022.
Hi Shanna! Even though Grand Cayman in the Cayman Islands is a lot like the US, it has it's differences too! It took a lot of work to get a bank account here. Then learning how to pay for things through bank transfers instead of PayPal. The cell service and plans here, I still don't understand them and am at the nearby Digicel office every few weeks for some reason. The people here are really nice and very helpful, so I'm figuring things out as I need to. I've done so many new things in the two months I've been here. Scuba diving, Stand Up Paddleboarding and even YOGA! Being curious and wanting to get out and do things helps no matter where you are. As I'm telling people back home about my many activities, they have said they are inspired to start doing more locally. Getting out and stumbling around has its rewards! It makes you enjoy and thrive where you are. Thanks!!
Poor elderly women! They must feel so alone with nobody to talk to. Wonder if that is the reason they sit at the windows. Maybe husbands died or sons are abroad or university's.
Hi Shanna . . . your write ups are terrific 👍🛥️⚓⛵ . . . i'm really keen on relocating to Portugal in an years time . . . how n what should i be worried about ? ? ? my place of choice is Vila Nova de Cerviera
I’ve been very disappointed by some of what I see in Americans moving here. I think some of them would prefer a less expensive San Diego or Miami. Adapability and tolerance skills are sadly lacking.
Most of this is gleaned from recent comments on Facebook and online forums. Someone thought a company should be started to bring US locks to Portugal. The Portuguese know how to use their doors, Americans can learn, but not, apparently, some that are here can't. Small sinks, small refrigerators, hanging clothes outside, expensive petrol. While all these things are true, some people don’t seem to want to think about how the Portuguese survive.
I have spent time in towns inthe last week that Americans don’t choose to live in or visit and it felt very different. The Portuguese generally seem to accept things they can’t change or have lived with for a hundred years. They figure it out. It's not really that difficult.
Great article and I relate to all of it! I've been here almost 9 months (!can't believe it!) and I'm still acclimating - but getting there. Probably the biggest struggle for me now is the language barrier fatigue. Thanks for turning me on to Carla's language program. Now I just need to dig in to it. ❤️
I like my verb charts........I am moving there just so I can go out for coffee, again and again and again.......I can only accomplish one thing a day in the U.S. so I should be right in step........I'd rather wait in line/queue for hours in Portugal than minutes in this boring part of America......I might just join the ranks of the Grandma neighborhood watch......and finally......I thank my lucky stars that I was fluent in Portuguese long before I dreamed of moving to Portugal.
But what if I don't like coffee? LoL
You can have tea?
Thank you for your post- my husband and I have been dreaming about moving to either Spain or Portugal when we retire - which is coming up fast (2022). Your tips are helpful!
Spain is sick . . .
We are down to Spain and Portugal, too! We traveled in Spain (finally) in 2019, and are planning to go to Portugal at the end of October if we can still travel there safely by then.
We have been to Spain twice and are (fingers crossed) going to Portugal and to a few places in Spain that we’ve not been to yet in late September/early October. We hope to be able to identify where we want to land during that trip and then focus on how to make it happen…
If you don't mind my asking, where are you planning to visit? We were planning to visit Spain again in May, but obviously couldn't go due to Covid. For our fall trip to Portugal we are spending a few days in Lisbon, and a week each in the Algarve region and in Cascais. Starter expat locales, but you've got to start somewhere. ;)
For Portugal, we are interested in the greater Lisbon area and Porto (we are not big beach people). For Spain, we want to dive deeper into the area around Barcelona, and check out Valencia for the first time.
While we loved Granada, we think it crosses over into being a little too hot for us, but since you mentioned the Algarve, if you like it hot, we would suggest that you take a look at it and Andalucía in general.
Sounds like we have a lot in common! We were supposed to visit Valencia on our trip in May that we had to cancel. It seems to have a lot to offer in terms of what we are looking for, although maybe at a higher cost than most places in Portugal. We absolutely love Barcelona, but again the expense is not ideal, and a city that large might be too much after a while. But you can't beat it for convenience in traveling back to the US and into the rest of Europe.
For me, Porto sounds absolutely lovely, but my husband likes the sun and heat, so we figured it might not be as ideal for him. On the other hand, the Algarve might be too hot for me, although it seems like the climate there is still not as baking hot as just a bit farther east in Southern Spain.
Checking them all out will certainly be the fun part!
This seems to be a theme! We too are looking at Spain and Portugal. We have narrowed it down to Gijon in Asturias for Spain but are a bit lost about Portugal (we just got back from 10 days there today). We hoped we would love Porto but just didn't (but the North appeals for weather).
We speak decent Spanish but not Portuguese (yet), but we are vegan and the food in Portugal is a thousand times better. And the people in Portugal are SO nice (same in Spain, but Portugal is a little easier for making connections). And Lisbon is a great hub for travel anywhere!
So many things to consider. :)
We also loved Valencia a lot, but ended up rejecting it because of the heat.
Good one Shanna! You speak absolute truth. We have been incredibly lucky in the bureaucracy dept. (once we got here. Getting here was the hardest part!) I have read a lot of stories about expats, some make it and some do not. I think an independent spirit to begin with helps a lot. Having the mentality of The Fool (tarot card) also makes thing easier. 2.5 years in and I don't even want to go back to the states to visit. Being all in helps too. Like the line in Under the Tuscan Sun, I can't go back. And it helps if you don't even want to! Hoo-ray for us! ;)
We bought a house near Torres Vedras in January. We need to change the address on our resident cards. Easy peasy....not a chance! Adventures await! 1st available appointment is in September, in Portimao over 300 km away. We are making a weekend out of it!! Keep on rolling and always stop for coffee 💜
Thank you for the small list Shanna. I realize while the number is low each tip is complex and important. My biggest fear is being lonely. Leaving a large network of friends to move within the States three years ago really knocked me out and then you layer Covid on top and it turns out that I miss my friends. I hope that the friendliness of locals and the strong expat community will help soften the landing. We are shooting to arrive in June 2022.
Hi Shanna! Even though Grand Cayman in the Cayman Islands is a lot like the US, it has it's differences too! It took a lot of work to get a bank account here. Then learning how to pay for things through bank transfers instead of PayPal. The cell service and plans here, I still don't understand them and am at the nearby Digicel office every few weeks for some reason. The people here are really nice and very helpful, so I'm figuring things out as I need to. I've done so many new things in the two months I've been here. Scuba diving, Stand Up Paddleboarding and even YOGA! Being curious and wanting to get out and do things helps no matter where you are. As I'm telling people back home about my many activities, they have said they are inspired to start doing more locally. Getting out and stumbling around has its rewards! It makes you enjoy and thrive where you are. Thanks!!
Poor elderly women! They must feel so alone with nobody to talk to. Wonder if that is the reason they sit at the windows. Maybe husbands died or sons are abroad or university's.