Expat Life Two Years In

We have been here in Portugal for just over 25 months. Most of my blog posts have focused on our travels. I thought it was about time to provide an update on expat life here in Cascais.

In summary, we love living here. Almost every day, one of us mentions that we live in a postcard. We are grateful every day to be having this remarkable experience. Here are some random thoughts about life here:

• When we first came, we were not planning to buy a car. After three months, we changed our minds. It was a really good decision. We love our 2016 Renault Clio (aka Big Bidness). I love driving with the manual transmission and wish we could bring it back home with us whenever that happens.

• When we first arrived, grocery shopping was (surprisingly) challenging and stressful. While this has improved quite a bit, it is still not easy. A few months ago, a new grocery store opened near where we live. So now I use three different stores. It reminds me of playing the old game show Concentration. I have to match up what I need with the store that carries it. Then I have to remember where to find in within the store. These things take time. The fresh produce in the stores is outstanding and I particularly enjoy the varieties of melon that are available. Now...which store had the brown sugar?

• It is satisfying to know my way around. The familiarity creeps up on you and then all of a sudden you know the fastest way to get to any of three grocery stores. That makes it feel like home.

• The roundabouts can be chaotic and intimidating at first. We had guests this summer who were amazed that we were even brave enough to drive into the town of Cascais. We love our roundabouts and wish the USA would embrace them and eliminate left turns altogether. No traffic jams either.

• Part of becoming comfortable has been finding our way around the hospital here (which is where all the doctors' offices are). We now know which floor is parking, which is reception, and how to find the correct waiting room. This may not seem like a big thing but it is.

• We have a beautiful -- stunning really -- swimming pool at our condo but it is never warm enough to swim in.

• We still do not actually speak Portuguese. My ability to understand written communication improves all the time. We know a few common terms and polite greetings. Will now says "obrigato" (thank you) in every country we visit. I have learned many nouns. but only a few verbs. For example:

  • No = On

  • Nao = No

  • Polvo = Octopus

  • Cenoura = Carrot

  • Corcunda = Hunchback

  • Unhas = Fingernails

  • Galao = Latte

• I have found the Portuguese people to be almost invariably friendly and helpful. I have noticed that there is a very low level of snark here and I appreciate it. I did have a doctor express frustration with me because I was sitting in the wrong waiting room. Learned my lesson!

• Public transportation is plentiful and either free or cheap. However, they have fairly frequent strikes so it is often a crap shoot whether you can go where you want to go. This includes buses, trains, metro, and planes. However, the unions are ever so civilized and announce the dates of the strikes a few weeks in advance to allow people to make alternate plans.

• Our town has changed dramatically since the days of the pandemic. This past summer seemed crazy to me. Much more crowded and necessary to book a restaurant several days in advance. Many stores and restaurants have been spruced up and come back to life. It is wonderful to see even if it makes it basically impossible to find a parking space. The Portuguese people love expats and tourists.

• Speaking of sprucing up, there are building cranes in every town and city we have visited in Europe. So much building.

• We love living by the cliffs. It never gets old.

If you have any questions about our life here, please send me an email (winnie.graybard@gmail.com). This blog platform is wonky and I don't always seem comments.