Write to Your Truth: A Weekend Writing Salon in Lisbon May 18 and 19, 2019 Lisbon, Portugal Register now for this two-day writing salon in which you will explore the power of story, narrative and writing to help navigate to your inner truth. **Early Bird — Book by 15th March** Your story has power in …
The Portuguese default paper size is called A4. It measures 210 × 297 millimeters or 8.27 × 11.69 inches. It’s barely different from the US standard, the so-called “letter size,” which is 216 mm x 279mm, or 8.5 x 11 inches. You only notice the difference when you try to place an A4 piece of paper into an American …
Traditional holidays tend to evoke a sense of nostalgia. You remember the loved ones who are no longer with you. You long for the familiar — friends, foods and traditions. You seek a sense of home and belonging. As we head into our first holiday season away from “home,” we find ourselves navigating questions of tradition, …
We have moved into our new apartment. At long last, we can unpack our luggage and settle into being residents of this city. The apartment is in the heart of old Lisbon, in one of the oldest neighborhoods. The neighborhood was established around 1559. We are within stumbling distance of a dizzying array of restaurants, …
There are a few milestones in the life of an expat that move you further away from being a “visitor” to being a “resident” of a new country. Examples might include opening a local bank account, seeing a new physician, or getting a local driver’s license. High on the list is finding a new hairdresser. …
One of my favorite things to do in a new country is to visit the grocery store. You can learn a lot about a culture there. The most mundane errand becomes an anthropological study. We have visited a variety of types of grocery stores, from the corner green grocer to the big, bustling supermarket. Even …
Today makes two weeks that I’ve been here, but I’ve been upright for only about half of it. I still have a lingering cough that is manageable as long as I stay hydrated. Despite the generous use of 50 SPF sunscreen every day, I’m getting a nice toasty tan. The slightly humid weather is fabulous …
How else to spend your first full day of “vacation” than to wait at the Civil Registry Office, the purgatory of all things government in Portugal? We had set aside today to take care of some critical paperwork to get ourselves situated in Portugal. G needs to establish his residency, and we both need national …
Is this forever? No. We plan to return. This is still home for both of us. Are you selling your place(s)? No. See above. When are you leaving? G leaves in May. I’ll be wrapping up the rest here, including client projects, and will be heading out mid-summer. So G has a job; what will …
