I agree about access. There isn't as much choice in grocery stores and shops but we were looking for a simpler life so that's ok. However, the grocery store in our town now has a section that has some British items, different seasonings, soy sauce and the like that they didn't have 6 months ago and that was a nice surprise. The biggest adjustment may be acquiring some patience. In the US everything is instantly available. Depending on where you live in Portugal it may take many weeks or months to have repairs or renovations done. Our house is in a village and good tradesmen are harder to come by and you work with their schedule. Learning to have some patience and discarding the need for instant gratification goes a long way to adjusting to a new life in Portugal.
Excellent information. It took a while for us to adjust, but we knew we were coming to a different place, and we needed to be open-minded about the process.
Great post. Appreciate the information. I think I’m okay with limited choices. Here on a scouting trip and have found the basics of what i need, so far, in the markets. The season fruit thing is interesting though.
If you settle in Lisbon, El Corte Ingles does have year round produce, but they can be pricey. The Pingo Doce near us has a limited produce and seasonal.
Great Info! On the flip, access to even basic healthcare in the US is so bureaucratic and frustrating, especially to see a specialist can take weeks or months, access seems so much easier across the pond.
We spent 2 months in Portugal this winter, 1 month the Algarve and 1 month in Lisbon. We had a rental car in the Algarve but not in Lisbon. Shopping at the intermarche and similar large grocery stores in the Algarve was very comparable to US grocery shopping. The difference was the greater amount and variety of seafood available in PT. Also, the best oranges we have ever had were in the Algarve - and we used to live in Florida, which is known for oranges. The breads, wines, coffees and most other items were all very good. You are not going to find a Home Depot or Costco in PT, but then you are buying into a different lifestyle when you move to PT. I decided that if you wanted to have a more American lifestyle in a European setting, then the Algarve was likely a better place to settle then in Lisbon. Have others reached a similar conclusion?
Great insight and I think you hit the nail on the head. In speaking to many, it sounds like they want the convenience and comforts of home, at Portuguese prices. We all moved to a new country and I think we should expect to work to understand how that country operates. To your point, which lifestyle works best for you. If it is an American lifestyle, don't move. If you like the Euro lifestyle, make the move and make the most of it!
I always enjoy your videos. You don't sugarcoat or try to make Portugal out as some kind of paradise. I lived in Portugal some years ago. If I'm honest, I really didn't like it that much. I don't know how much its changed in 20 years, but I'm curious to know how different things would be if these Americans spoke the language. I learned Portuguese fairly quickly, but I believed that most are not learning the language, which stops one from enjoying the whole experience.
I agree with you. Convenience and access come up often when people talk about Portugal, or say it is the main reason why they left but I would guess they did not make an effort regarding the language. I passed the A2 test, and I feel ok reading Portuguese, and writing some, but boy do I still butcher the language. But the locals have been gracious when correcting me. I think making the effort to learn the language goes a long way to getting a full experience here. I don't want to make a negative video, but so many expats, (not just Americans), talk about the cup half-empty mindset, or the pessimism that does run through society here. For me, that is the most interesting aspect of living here, the lack of smiles and optimism.
Do you really need banks to be open on Saturday? And do you really need drive-thru banking? I do almost all my banking on the Internet, rarely going to a brick-and-mortar bank. I have no complaints. With MB Way we can transfer money in an instant. I can also live very well without having certain fruits all year round. Supermarkets in Portugal have a large choice. People who get frustrated because there is not enough choice should not leave their country. We do get much more choice in politics than in the U.S. On a ballot, you can choose from over ten political parties, ranging from the extreme right to the extreme left. In the U.S. you basically have only two political parties. When we are faced with a septuagenarian or an octogenarian for President, what choice do we have?
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I agree about access. There isn't as much choice in grocery stores and shops but we were looking for a simpler life so that's ok. However, the grocery store in our town now has a section that has some British items, different seasonings, soy sauce and the like that they didn't have 6 months ago and that was a nice surprise.
The biggest adjustment may be acquiring some patience. In the US everything is instantly available. Depending on where you live in Portugal it may take many weeks or months to have repairs or renovations done. Our house is in a village and good tradesmen are harder to come by and you work with their schedule. Learning to have some patience and discarding the need for instant gratification goes a long way to adjusting to a new life in Portugal.
Excellent information. It took a while for us to adjust, but we knew we were coming to a different place, and we needed to be open-minded about the process.
Great post. Appreciate the information. I think I’m okay with limited choices. Here on a scouting trip and have found the basics of what i need, so far, in the markets. The season fruit thing is interesting though.
If you settle in Lisbon, El Corte Ingles does have year round produce, but they can be pricey. The Pingo Doce near us has a limited produce and seasonal.
Great Info! On the flip, access to even basic healthcare in the US is so bureaucratic and frustrating, especially to see a specialist can take weeks or months, access seems so much easier across the pond.
Great point!
We spent 2 months in Portugal this winter, 1 month the Algarve and 1 month in Lisbon. We had a rental car in the Algarve but not in Lisbon. Shopping at the intermarche and similar large grocery stores in the Algarve was very comparable to US grocery shopping. The difference was the greater amount and variety of seafood available in PT. Also, the best oranges we have ever had were in the Algarve - and we used to live in Florida, which is known for oranges. The breads, wines, coffees and most other items were all very good. You are not going to find a Home Depot or Costco in PT, but then you are buying into a different lifestyle when you move to PT. I decided that if you wanted to have a more American lifestyle in a European setting, then the Algarve was likely a better place to settle then in Lisbon. Have others reached a similar conclusion?
Great insight and I think you hit the nail on the head. In speaking to many, it sounds like they want the convenience and comforts of home, at Portuguese prices. We all moved to a new country and I think we should expect to work to understand how that country operates. To your point, which lifestyle works best for you. If it is an American lifestyle, don't move. If you like the Euro lifestyle, make the move and make the most of it!
I always enjoy your videos. You don't sugarcoat or try to make Portugal out as some kind of paradise. I lived in Portugal some years ago. If I'm honest, I really didn't like it that much. I don't know how much its changed in 20 years, but I'm curious to know how different things would be if these Americans spoke the language. I learned Portuguese fairly quickly, but I believed that most are not learning the language, which stops one from enjoying the whole experience.
I agree with you. Convenience and access come up often when people talk about Portugal, or say it is the main reason why they left but I would guess they did not make an effort regarding the language. I passed the A2 test, and I feel ok reading Portuguese, and writing some, but boy do I still butcher the language. But the locals have been gracious when correcting me. I think making the effort to learn the language goes a long way to getting a full experience here. I don't want to make a negative video, but so many expats, (not just Americans), talk about the cup half-empty mindset, or the pessimism that does run through society here. For me, that is the most interesting aspect of living here, the lack of smiles and optimism.
Do you really need banks to be open on Saturday? And do you really need drive-thru banking? I do almost all my banking on the Internet, rarely going to a brick-and-mortar bank. I have no complaints. With MB Way we can transfer money in an instant. I can also live very well without having certain fruits all year round. Supermarkets in Portugal have a large choice. People who get frustrated because there is not enough choice should not leave their country. We do get much more choice in politics than in the U.S. On a ballot, you can choose from over ten political parties, ranging from the extreme right to the extreme left. In the U.S. you basically have only two political parties. When we are faced with a septuagenarian or an octogenarian for President, what choice do we have?
Great insight!