I love the honesty here, and seeing how fearlessly you share how you personally feel while remaining respectful to the people and culture in Portugal, where we as a family have had some really beautiful experiences and where I have a lot of wonderful memories. You've done a brave thing by taking a leap into the unknown, and with that comes a lot of bruised knees and elbows as you find your way. Moving abroad can be really hard, it will always teach you something about yourself. I think some of these struggles are part of the process but you're navigating it incredibly well. Can't wait to see what comes next… !!

So sorry for you, but you should have paid attention to this before settling in.

Great work. Very entertaining. We want to try the same. 50+ with kids flown from the nest. Despite the cons, the pros seem worth it.

This was a great video. As someone else said, I love your honesty and respect for Portugal in your sharing of your observations. Been an expat in Sweden for almost 30 years now and love was the reason. I think ‘home’ really is within each one of us, and you really don’t need to ‘search’ very far to find that…but it’s always FUN to travel and explore!

You are so funny. We leave in Switzerland and we haven’t had this problems If you ever want to come here let me know

I really think that you guys took the right decision: you need to keep exploring till you find the perfect spot! Summer is not really the perfect time to look for a home in Portugal, but I advice you guys to look at Encarnação (near Ericeira), maybe it’s going to be hard because a lot of people are trying to find a place there, but you’ve all the requisites that you guys want: close groceries, near the coast, AMAZING restaurants, a bit of the countryside life, and it makes me think about your place back in the states.

Of course it’s becoming a tourist area, but I think is worth a look.

Also keep in mind that during the summer we’ve a lot of parties at night! Every town have one 😂 but winter is coming …

Amazing content, keep sharing 🙌☺️

I love this, it's so true moving to a new country is overwhelming…I felt exactly this way 20 years ago when we first moved to Italy. But now I feel quite at home. Speaking the language is the most important thing! Living in the EU is more difficult than the US it is not built for convenience but so worth it. We love Italian countryside it's the best!

Sounds like Gus Fring from Breaking Bad

I expect you know that maxim that wherever you go,you take yourself with you,so the new place no matter how fantastic soon gets to be just like the place you came from for instance,you had horrible neighbours you loathed,funny that turns out your new neighbours are just as loathsome. I don't mean in your case,you're a lovely couple. That's just an example. Yes,there is a huge difference between holidaying in a place and living there,but it's not all bad. It's just a matter of adjusting which you both I can see are good at. I think you're very wise to leave USA,anyway I've heard things about Portland that make me think I would not want to live there. You are both attractive people and I can see where your sons get it from. I follow your son Nathaniel's channel and often post a sarky comment after the video. Just one of my charming attributes. It just comes out that way. Your a family with insight and wisdom. So it was rather cheering to see that lovely people get setbacks and annoyances too. Sorry but I found that reassuring. It's not just FATE having it in for me ALONE! I hope you've found your permanent home now,maybe you have,as you can I think you are wise to keep searching until it's just right.

Love love seeing your update s ,, would love to see more videos more often ☺️, a friend of mine just bought a place in Italy , property prices in Ireland meant they would never own a home here so just last week they bought a place in Italy that they will live full time in five years when their son finish s school here, , I v moved alot within my own country but moving abroad is a brave thing to do ,, all places have pros and cons , I hope you find your forever home soon 🙂

Euros may have difficulty in quickly hooking up Internet for new arrivals, but there is a lot of aged cheese available.

Nice explanations of the myriad things that going through the expat experience brings. How long have you been there at this point? What do you mean that you have to go back to the US to "process" your visa. Thanks for your videos.

Just discovered your channel.

Interesting story of you two.

I have seen the other video where you explain why you left Portland in the USA. At least from the images you have shown us, the house you had there was beautiful, and I can imagine you two were rather well off. I guess you must not have felt priviledged enough to continue appreciating such high quality of life.

But if you feel you are nomads and need to change your surroundings every X years, that is a totally different story. Though, as you said, it seems both your sons moving to Europe must have influenced a lot your decision to move to Europe.

About titling this video "The shocking reality of moving to Europe", I would not say that Portugal can be considered a general or the only reference of Europe. Like the USA, Europe is so diverse, and Portugal (and Spain!) are totally different from, say, Germany or France, in many different aspects.

Plus when you are a nomad you will definitely always feel like an outsider in general, as that song in Spanish from Argentinian singer Alberto Cortés, "No soy de aquí ni soy de allá" ("I am not from here or there/anywhere")..

But you have also said you were aware that things would not always be easy when making such a radical change, from the USA to Europe, so I guess you might stay in Portugal after all. Best of luck with everything.

Somebody did not do their homework before they moved in that location

I think you simply don’t feel home. I have a great experience in Europe.. Europe has so much to offer! I’ve never had internet problems.. in the contrary in the USA in a very expensive place like California I had a lot o problems with my internet. Many old stuff like tv where you need so many remote controls, dryer is either on gas.. never heard of.. I also had to accommodate a lot her in the USA.. San Francisco is like a zombie City ado many drug addicted people all over the place and crime.
You will always find problems no matter where.. and I think the older you are and move the harder it is to accommodate..
Good luck!

I just love your channel! Since starting my own channel I have been recommended some amazing channels! Best of luck 🫶🏽

🌺Thank you for this direct and poignant video. I’m going to do the same thing in the South of France from the Bay Area. Many similar issues and concerns.
🌺
I went looking for 3 months last winter and really didn’t find “the spot” of my heart. I was counting on my intuition and I just ended up with a lot of data, pros and cons and new things I’d never thought of before.
🌺
Now I just picked a place for an AirBNB for a month.
I am feeling a new feeling, fear/doubt that I will find my perfect place.
🌺
I am going to go deeper with exploring what really matters to my soul. Get out of my head and allow my self to be guided.

🌺 Remember this is a new phase of my life. Open as much as I can to that. Trust more. Allow more and yes, demand more. As in no “settling “ energy.
It’s one thing to hate the new inefficient process to get anything done, at least that has some life and juice to it. Compared with living with something shoddy that doesn’t align with one’s values.
🌺I feel for you and send you courage and heart and faith.
And I am going to grab some of it for myself too!

It’s an adventure, but yes I get it. I moved from Seattle to Hong Kong and lived there 9 years. I had to remind myself many times this isn’t America. And it was all okay. Experiences are good and good for you for doing this. If you didn’t try you wouldn’t know.

Awesome internal thoughts!

Oh, wow. Noise . It would be a dealbreaker for me a big time. Thank you for sharing.

The future seems clear – just being away from Portland must be a good feeling.

Fascinating story and i can relate so very much! Ive lived in the states now 13 years and we are also planing on moving to Europe for all the same reasons. New Subscriber to you and your sons channels ! Keep up the honest work. Love it!

in Spain they will ignore you for WEEKS… there is fraud everywhere there… for your money paid much much extra , and finally you will get services of a horrible quality… extremely low level of professional competency at everything, they are not able to manage the most elementary things possible – in banks, state and private entities, everywhere… the Mediterranean countries' syndrome – "the sun works instead of us, so get out as fast as possible, and good bye!"

My gosh..you are not settling anywhere being on your high horses.. are you German or something….lol

Sorry you got covid. When your partner said, “not too bad” and you agreed, I recalled feeling the same way. I had the privilege of a good partner, and a safe place to rest my body when it got me. Even with my throat on 🔥 (like so painful) I couldn’t help but be grateful for my general good health. Everyone deserves this!

I hope you heal quickly.

Mmmm…left with two things…wondering if you are considering (or already have?)
moving to France, instead of remaining in Portugal. Also, am very interested in what ways you felt like "fish out of water" when you lived in Portland? Some of us are fish out of water no matter where we go/are. On a third note, PLEASE do not wait another month before your next video. And thank you for sharing your journey with us, a very small part anyway…

Thanks for the very honest video and it is so true that immigrants are do not always find that the grass is greener. We have lived in Porto for a year after we made several trips to Portugal to find a location to settle. I agree that the noise is a factor in most towns as the Portuguese are a noisy group. It seems every life event is celebrated publicly and the young men are particularly attention seeking with noisy motorcycles or cars. But as our daughter states we live in a fairy tale and our lives are rich and joyful here in the Portugal. There is no perfection but there is bliss in finding acceptance in our lives compared with other places and options.