After Living in Portugal for 2 Years, I Had to Decide…

[@Alfablue227]

Great interview ! As a Portuguese lucky enough to have visited Hawaii 3 times, I am thrilled to pieces that this fabulous couple/family decided to stay with us here in Portugal, in Vila do Conde of all places! ❤Such a great choice, an amazing transition and a great coffee shop; I have to visit😊 This family is what Portugal needs. I love it because just as they learn new things, ways of seeing and living in Portugal, we also learn, taste and feel much from them! A huge aloha to this family. May they continue to thrive, be successful, and happy here in Portugal. ❤😊

[@juliemaizels442]

I Love this comment. Thank you!

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Thanks for the love! This is such a lovely comment. We hope to highlight more stories like this one. - Josh & Kalie

[@tryagainnoob101]

Absolutely agreed on all counts of this comment. Fantastic interview and amazing and lovely couple. Welcome to Portugal! Love from Lisbon!

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

:-) Thank you. - Josh & Kalie

[@girlonfire25]

I don't even have 5 people to call here, so what do I have to lose? Now that the US is a dystopian nightmare, I feel like I have to get out while I can

[@paulogarciadesousa]

Interestingly enough, there’s a good deal of Portuguese ancestry in Hawai’i, mostly Madeirans that moved there to work in the sugar cane plantations, and their influence can still be seen in the culture, such as the cavaquinho (a.k.a. ukelele) and massa sovada.

[@lost_porkchop]

I was surprised that that was completely ignored here

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

That's really interesting! Thanks for sharing that. - Josh & Kalie

[@LeanneAtwell]

One of your best interviews! Really touching story and very applicable.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Thank you, Leanne. It's actually Josh's new favorite. We love the story arch here. - Josh & Kalie

[@MirandaHorger]

I totally agree! One of the best interviews you've done. Loved it!

[@wendylmorris3872]

Kalie, that was a great interview with an honest expat who has adjusted. It was great for me to listen to at this point in my transition. 😊👍 Thanks! ❤

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for listening, Wendy and we hope to see you soon. Are you in Portugal right now? - Josh & Kalie

[@wendylmorris3872]

@@ExpatsEverywhere On my way to your meetup this afternoon. 😘

[@amyyates8273]

What a fantastic interview and a great family! I wish them the best of luck!

[@terrisokolow7796]

Another great interview, Kalie! Really enjoyed his perspective!

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Glad you enjoyed it! Arbab is such a nice guy. - Josh & Kalie

[@jonathansargent6224]

I will be doing the Portuguese Camino soon so I'll be sure to check out Humble Anchor Coffee Roasters when I'm passing through town. Great interview! ❤

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Thank you! Nice. Please tell them we said hello. - Josh & Kalie

[@lga908]

Great interview Kalie! Glad Arbab and his family are settling well here, Porto and the Greater areas are awesome! We will be moving here early next year, Matosinhos was the first place we landed so it was first choice, but we did explore Vila do Conde and Mindelo a bit and it's tranquility is so good it actually made us rethink. So thanks again to you and Arbab for giving more insight to us. I agree with Arbab especially on the point about loneliness, community support really is the key. Hope to meet the community soon, take care and love to the North!

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Thank you very much! Love to the North for sure. - Josh & Kalie

[@lesleysmith8300]

Good video and very useful advice. Thanks for sharing. 😊

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching. - Josh & Kalie

[@RThirkill]

The pork sandwiches at Humble Anchor are insanely delicious! Like borderline transcendent experience. So damn good. Also, the coffee is quite tasty. Worth a dedicated trip to Vila do Conde just for this place.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Agreed! Thanks for the vote of confidence. - Josh & Kalie

[@baltasarbarbosa6890]

Happy for you I was just there in Vila de Conde Didn't know about you guys' Next time Wish you lots of lucky

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Thank you very much. We hope you are able to make a visit there. Enjoy. - Josh & Kalie

[@teodoro1007]

I liked Vila do Conde cause it¨s not so touristy as Porto. Also it´s cheaper. I think I´ll definitely visit Vila do Conde

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

It's true. Thanks for sharing, Teodoro! - Josh & Kalie

[@HoneymoonAlways]

Great video and perspective, I can especially relate as a former pro chef. We'll stop by if we are ever in Vila do Conde.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Y'all would like the laid back vibe of Humble Anchor. When you visit, let us know. ;-) - Josh & Kalie

[@LtW00dy]

Great interview! I'm happy for Arbab and his family. I've been considering Portugal myself. Although the language isn't a problem for me since I'm originally from Brazil, I've been living in Australia for several years now. I wonder how the transition would go

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Everyone's transition seems to be different or to varying degrees of difficulty. We've talked to some that haven't had really any problems while others have had every thing imaginable all happen to them from lost luggage on arrival, to terrible landlords, medical emergencies, SEF/AIMI immigration issues, deaths in the family back in their home country. It's been wild. Thank you for the message and all the best to you. - Josh & Kalie

[@cassidottir]

Great interview! He pointed so many interesting points, particularly for young couples with kids.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Thank you. - Josh & Kalie

[@amc2510]

I love this story and we'll visit your shop. I can relate to a lot to the experience coming from the states living near Coimbra. Congrats on all the good positive movements.

[@amazingsylvia]

Thank you Arbab, loved your openness, about the paradigm shift. I love it. My mom and I are planning to visit Portugal for vacation and to look also apartment to buy. Great advice for sure. Thank you for this great interview. Btw I notice Arbab shoes, they are different😁

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Thanks for watching, Sylvia! We appreciate the comment. - Josh & Kalie

[@nesitbotica5919]

Another great interview, Kalie. I'm so happy for this young family. And how everything just sort of fell into place once he started just letting himself live and be in the community rather than in 'decision making' mode. The collaboration aspect of this business is wonderful.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Thank you very much. It's interesting how that happens, isn't it? Let us know if you get to check out his cafe. - Josh & Kalie

[@dickielarue1451]

Greetings from Estoril...Originally from Texas...Been a legal resident here since 2016...I have traveled all over the country and have not been to Vila Do Conde yet...This fall I will pay you guys a visit...Love creative folks that do that things outside of the box in smaller communities...Blessings and Positive Energy on the Journey! 😉🤟🤠

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Thanks for the positive message! We hope you enjoy the cafe when you visit. - Josh & Kalie

[@mariacorreia8362]

Love meet Americans in Portugal 😀

[@carlosalbuquerque5672]

Have to try that cheesecake. Best desert ever made. Next time I am in the north region going to make a special trip to your Humble Anchor. 😋

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Please do, Carlos! Tell Arbab that we said hello. - Josh & Kalie

[@bellaluce7088]

14:19 The story about the gym owner was so touching! < : - ) 💖 Thank you Arbab, for sharing your experiences, ExpatsEverywhere for posting it, and the Portuguese people for being so kind and inspiring! 😃

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

We agree. That was a really sweet moment. We hope that you get to check out Arbab's cafe and try his food at some point. Thanks for watching and commenting. - Josh & Kalie

[@milanvelasevic867]

Wonderful story! Hope to visit your cafe one day when visiting the North.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

We hope so too! Thanks for watching. - Josh & Kalie

[@Stopit77]

Great interview Kalie! Thank you for these interviews you do!

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Our pleasure! We're glad that you enjoy them. - Josh & Kalie

[@kevinandmerrandaalbert2026]

Love the link to Arbab's cafe! Awesome editing... especially at the beginning to grab our attention. Thanks for a second video about Vila de Conde. We're very curious about checking out this city.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Our pleasure! Thanks for watching and for the feedback. We love Arbab's story and how the video came together. - Josh & Kalie

[@tamaramadelin4831]

Very interesting interview! Killin' it Kalie!!!😘

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Thanks so much, Tamara!! We appreciate the support. - Josh & Kalie

[@pedropereira2211]

thank you for contributing to the portuguese society in a very positive way. Obrigado.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Thank you for the nice comment. Pedro! - Josh & Kalie

[@milotighfield]

I'm a random portuguese guy that stumbled onto this video but enjoyed the entire conversation. Best wishes to you both

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the message. We hope you randomly watch more of our stuff. ;-) It's great to have more and more Portuguese viewers. - Josh & Kalie

[@evap745]

great video, thank you

[@berean700]

Great interview and practical info.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Thank you very much, Berean. We're glad that you found the content useful! - Josh & Kalie

[@NunoFerreiraX]

❤❤❤❤ lovely story. Thank you for sharing.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Thanks for listening - Josh & Kalie

[@globalretirementus]

This sounds like a deeply personal and insightful experience! 🇵🇹 What were some of the biggest challenges and rewards of living in Portugal for two years? Did the lifestyle, culture, or cost of living play a big role in your decision? I'd love to hear more about what ultimately influenced your choice and any advice you have for someone considering moving to Portugal!

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Thanks for watching and commenting. You'd have to go to Arbab's cafe and ask him this stuff. We doubt that he'll see your questions. - Josh & Kalie

[@PortuguesePlayandLearn]

Thanks for this video. You are great 😁

[@dinissampaio-pires]

Amazing Experience! Things might get much easier if you get involved in your kids life and with other parents! Consider putting them in with the Scouts :)

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Thanks for the comment. - Josh & Kalie

[@CGsYTChannel]

Another great interview! Love that he became a business owner in Portugal. I would be interested in learning more about how starting a business in Portugal compares to America. Also, the tax implications. I'm sure there isn't nearly as many tax advantages there as in the USA.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Thank you very much! We're still searching for a good interview about starting a business in Portugal. We know it's a small demographic that it'll hit so we can do too many videos like that but we're always interested in hearing from entrepreneurs. - Josh & Kalie

[@nelsonoliveira1007]

Cool story. I hope to visit next year and visit family. Definitely will come by for a coffee and food.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Thanks, Nelson. We were really happy to be able to hear Arbab's story and share it with everyone. Enjoy the coffee and food. It's delicious. - Josh & Kalie

[@LezzaBaker]

There are about 50 expats here in Vila do Conde! Does Lisa do any yarn or embroidery type crafts? We meet once a week on Thursdays if she wants an hour to herself!

[@LezzaBaker]

We also meet generally at Bilhros every Saturday at the Mercado.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

We're not sure if Lisa is isn't yarn but maybe you can chat with her at the cafe and maybe they'd be down to host events with you ladies. - Josh & Kalie

[@jaimecosta2966]

I am glad it’s working out well ... wish you well

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Thanks for the message, Jaime. - Josh & Kalie

[@lost_porkchop]

It's funny that he mentions not drawing attention to legalities so that you can fly under the radar and avoid being punished for your honesty. After my grandfather died, my father wasn't sure what to do with his hunting rifles. He thought asking the police would be a good solution as he hadn't broken any law and they were registered. Instead they threatened to arrest him for possessing them. Being no pushover, he told them to go ahead, which somehow calmed them down. Unfortunately, in typical Portuguese fashion they were of no use and unable to offer any advice. Eight years later, they're still sitting there.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Thanks for sharing that story! That's wild. - Josh & Kalie

[@teddydavis2339]

What a great story! Katie, you never disappoint. I see you have a lot of views, but a lot of likes. I sure they forget. Maybe you can remind your audience to hit the like button.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Thanks, Teddy! We really, really enjoyed Arbab's story too. We think this is one of our bests despite the construction noise happening a few buildings away HAHA. Regarding the like button, we're not too bothered. What really helps us if people click and watch, watch for a long time, and feel compelled enough to share it with others. Our best performing videos are all higher in those metrics well above the like ratio. What the like ratio does tell us is that people engaged with the content more for some reason but we don't know what that reason is sometimes. The old algorithm rewarded videos for that but now, not so much. :-) Thank you very much for your consideration though. - Josh & Kalie

[@lurdesdiniz]

Bem-vindo em Portugal ❤❤❤❤❤

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Thank you! - Josh & Kalie

[@nigelsmith3719]

Another great interview, Kalie. To Arbab, congrats for sticking around and making a success of it. I was born in Northen Portugal - way North - a dozen kilometres from Spain. I left at the age of 9 to make a go of it on this side of the big pond, to the great white north called Canada. After many years in Canada, and many visits to Portugal in the beautiful summer time, I decided to make a winter trip back to the home town village, as per usual. You would think I was used to cold weather. Let me tell you, the first night I slept in our old house, in the very bed I was born in, the humidity made it feel like I was sandwiched between two sheets of ice. The second night I went to sleep at a cousin's house equipped with central heating. How did I survive 9 winters of my life here, I asked myself. Family obligations do not permit me to visit Portugal at the present time, but I will keep Vila do Conde in mind, and I will certainly pay you a visit.

[@lost_porkchop]

I'm Lisbon born, Canadian raised and you're correct that the cold is just not the same. I could never live without heating in Portugal.

[@nigelsmith3719]

@@lost_porkchop You're a lucky man. Traditional Portuguese housing was built to keep houses cool in summer, not to keep houses warm in winter. People could not afford to insulate houses, so things were kept simple, no heating in winter, no airconditioning in summer. For winter, in her Lisboa apartment, my madrinha simply had a couple of space heaters.Our mass stone house in the north kept us cool in summer. In the winter we would congregate by the lareira (fire place) to keep warm. We also had a braseira (brasier) filled with hot coals from the fireplace which we carried to the bedroom at bed time. I was very young, it was magic time.

[@lost_porkchop]

@@nigelsmith3719 Yes, I've only been in Portugal a few times during winter when I was a child and it was miserable. Here in Canada, it can be -30C outside and I'll be walking around naked in my house.

[@Staronqueen]

@@lost_porkchop🤣🤣🤣 In the good old days when the cost of natural gas was more reasonable back then, I remember having to cracked a window open because landlords blasted the heating system to roasting temperatures.🇨🇦

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Thanks, Nigel. On those cold, cold nights maybe a coffee from Arbab can warm you up in the morning. ;-) Seriously though, thanks for the comment and telling us your perspective. - Josh & Kalie

[@mannylsworld4172]

Great interview

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Thanks, Manny. - Josh & Kalie

[@chillwavevibes-lofi351]

I lived in Hawaii before I came here to Portugal 🤙🏻 I am a Filipina married to a Brazilian who works here. :))

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Very nice! Thanks for sharing. - Josh & Kalie

[@nicks6813]

I missed how did they legally open a cafe? What sort of visa are they leveraging?

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

We're not sure if it was them or their partners that actually went through the registration process for the cafe. We believe it was their partners though, which is why it didn't come up in the interview. - Josh & Kalie

[@femiolaoye-i4w]

I want to move to portugal, I'm considering studying

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Go for it! :-) - Josh & Kalie

[@Frankygoestohull1]

@Frankygoestohull1 0 seconds ago this guy is very brazilian-looking so if he's from Hawaii he's more than likely part portuguese since up to a quarter of Hawaiians have portuguese heritage. Mostly Azoreans like Glenn Medeiros' family and also some Madeirans. Strange he didn't mention that.

[@romangerardo7068]

Love

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Love back! - Josh & Kalie

[@qwqwlex]

It is tough to adapt from the US to Portugal. You need a total reset and small towns like Vila do Conde help a lot. The guy did great by staying away from expat communities. They are toxic. Instead, you need to hang out with locals. The guy still moans and complains like most Americans do, but I think he passed the test. Well done and enjoy Portugal.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Arbab has a blend of foreign and local friends. His business partners are Canadian, remember? - Josh & Kalie

[@qwqwlex]

@@ExpatsEverywhere That is good. I guess he has little time for expat communities which is good too.

[@foto21]

Where is the cafe?

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Humble Anchor Rua do Lidador N°225 4480-791 Vila do Conde - Josh & Kalie

[@PaulaDreyfuss]

Year one was easy, year two was brutal, year three much better. I have some great Portuguese friends who have helped me a LOT to acclimate.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Thanks for sharing!! - Josh & Kalie

[@catym2443]

Vila do Conde is a great place to live.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Yup! We enjoyed highlighting it in last week's video. Now if only we could get more people to watch it. :-) We gotta spread the love. - Josh & Kalie

[@konraddobson]

Oh there's a medical bill alright ... What do you think the higher taxes are for? ;)

[@kappa2ou3]

There is no medical bills and the tax are not high. I bet that you pay more than me.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Yes, indirectly. - Josh & Kalie

[@isabelandrademourarodrigue3891]

Falamos outras linguas para acolhimento do outro, por uma certa falta de autoestima e porque somos muito inteligentes!

[@thenarrowpathoftruth9443]

I have never seen a better or more informative expat channel than ExpatsEverywhere.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Thanks for the love! We appreciate that. - Josh & Kalie

[@qwqwlex]

It is pretty much impossible the food in Portugal is worse than that in the US.

[@marklee1960]

Why should the taxes of hardworking Portuguese pay for people like this?! Very unfair.

[@saragomes6242]

Mas todos pagam taxas e taxinhas, os impostos não são só IRS, são também os impostos indirectos, como o IMI, IVA, IUC

[@saragomes6242]

Mesmo os emigrantes portugueses pagam impostos,porque a maioria tem casa em Portugal, tem conta bancária, outros até são senhorios portanto pagam impostos, as minhas irmãs estão emigradas e como têm casa em Portugal pagam o IMI, iva da electricidade, da água

[@saragomes6242]

Em Portugal temos uma certa etnia que não paga impostos directos e tem direito a tudo grátis e a maioria dessa etnia vive de subsídios

[@Solrac-Siul]

pay what for him? having a kid? that was born in Portugal and therefore has the right to be a portuguese citizen? because outside the birth there is no indication of anything else being paid. Maybe you are not aware but people in portugal would be ashamed if someone was pregnant and had a public hospital refuse assistance in regards a birth because the person was a foreigner, Does not matter if it is a russian, a chinese, an american or even a martian. That is not how Portugal - a catholic country that traditionally celebrates births, all births as a gift from God, is. We do not want people to be born in the middle of the street or in some back alley because maybe the parents do not have money. Besides that he is working and has a business so he is being taxed anyway. not to mention subject to vat, municipal tax and so on.

[@carlosalbuquerque5672]

Sou português e não estou a perceber qual é o seu problema com o negócio destes senhores. Parece-me que ou está muito male informado(a) sobre este assunto ou então tem inveja do sucesso dos outros.

[@pkmuhammedhisan]

Oh my Goodness !! Isn't that Arbab Khan !!???? 😮