Don't Move To Portugal (Residents Tell Us The Truth)

[@TravelBeans]

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[@carlosalbuquerque5672]

One thing I never understood was the fear/reluctance and lack of drive that the English speaking natives have about learning other languages. In Portugal learning a second language is the ambition of everyone, specially if it is English. My advice is never reject an opportunity to learn another language. Do your kids a favor and put them in a local school, when the time comes. I am sure they will thank you later.

[@lagringa7518]

I agree completely! You chose to live somewhere different from where you're from... so dive in and embrace it! Your children definitely will, because kids are infinitely flexible... it's always the parents who aren't. 😉

[@Elizabeth-rq1vi]

I was kind of confused about that bit, of course one would learn the language of the country you live in! I’ve met people in Canada who have been here for 50yrs and still don’t know more than a barely fundamental level of English! How on earth do you communicate with authorities and heck, your neighbours!?? Of course Noah would go to the local school because that is where he’ll learn the language and meet his friends! If you want to move to a foreign country, learning the language ensures that you get to know the people and life there.

[@patriciaobrien2775]

Yes, exactly!! Toronto has a large Portuguese community. Many do not speak English!

[@cjnge6828]

e não precisam de porém os filhos em escola privada o ensino público é gratuito aprende línguas, aqui o inglês é obrigatório como não precisam do inglês podem optar por outras línguas...

[@amc2510]

We know ppl who currently live and have retired and returned to 🇵🇹. They live in Portuguese communities in US and UK speak none to basic after living there decades. Their children, speak Eng. So my thought is if they work for a 🇵🇹 employer or boss. They have support for anything English then why would they unless it as a personal desire. Plus if you're around ppl speaking your language, friends family, employers, Co workers, shop owners, ppl at bank etc it's really not needed to do their lives.

[@krisburke1712]

I moved from Canada to Portugal in 2021.. I have never been happier.. I live in a traditional fishing village where the elder ladies wear the 7 skirts, colourful knee high socks and kerchief..having had a horse farm in Canada, I was looking at farms but fell in love with the village where I stayed while house hunting..the waves lull me to sleep and the roosters wake me.. I live in a portuguese neighbourhood with fabulous neighbours

[@Carolinapetroska]

I did the same thing and it was the best decision ever. Canada has become a big dump, thanks to the government. Expensive as hell for not much in exchange except a bad quality of life, drug addicts everywhere destroying the peace, noise, robberies, shootings and so on.... Portugal is so much better and you can have a good quality of life at 1/5 of the price. i AM paying 97 euros a year in Lisbon for municipal taxes. I couldn't believe it. In Toronto 1800 for a ridiculously small studio downtown.

[@krisburke1712]

@@Carolinapetroska we are living our best lives..

[@nancythompson523]

@@krisburke1712You must be in or near Nazare, great area. But also the only time I’ve ever been pan-handled & harassed when I did not cough up cash. Best to you!

[@krisburke1712]

@@nancythompson523 in tourist season the pan handlers travel here ..there is one old man pan-handler fixture in Nazare year round..he is not aggressive and doesn't ask..head down dish out sometimes classical music on old boombox-he will be the first to offer assistance with directions or where to find free parking without asking for anything in return- the other, usually one guy with 3 docile dogs, can be aggressive for sure! I am sorry for your bad experience..Nazare is magical..Cheers,Kris

[@JonThePortuguese]

@@Carolinapetroska I am hoping to move to Portugal from Toronto also. Any advice? I am already a citizen. I am most concerned about finding a job there.

[@RomanTommy]

I'm 54 and my wife and I are VERY worried about our future, gas and food prices rising daily. We have had our savings dwindle with the cost of living into the stratosphere, and we are finding it impossible to replace them. We can get by, but can't seem to get ahead. My condolences to anyone retiring in this crisis, 30 years nonstop just for a crooked system to take all you worked for.

[@FlorentGulliver]

I feel your pain mate, as a fellow retiree, I’d suggest you look into passive index fund investing and learn some more. For me, I had my share of ups and downs when I first started looking for a consistent passive income so I hired an expert advisor for aid, and following her advice, I poured $30k in value stocks and digital assets, Up to 200k so far and pretty sure I'm ready for whatever comes.

[@RomanTommy]

@@FlorentGulliver That's actually quite impressive, I could use some Info on your FA, I am looking to make a change on my finances this year as well

[@FlorentGulliver]

@@RomanTommy My advisor is VICTORIA CARMEN SANTAELLA;

[@FlorentGulliver]

You can look her up online

[@FlorentGulliver]

Nah I Can't say I can relate, VICTORIA CARMEN SANTAELLA charge is one-off and pretty reasonable when compared to what I benefit in returns.

[@cristinagirao1072]

I am portuguese, lived in 6 different countries and I came back to Portugal for good. Nothing compares to the safety, the sun, the health system. Learn the language and respect the culture.

[@Fefe19743]

Stop doing good ad to Portugal !! All those Brits and Americans are coming here and that's why housing price is increasing so crazy ! Our people can't find a house because of those Brits.

[@CanuckTony]

@@Fefe19743lol, everyone has their opinion

[@tonyhussey3610]

​@Fefe19743 many portuguese in uk and USA... shall we ask them to return home ....?

[@davidsousa7176]

I am portuguese and I think the portugal you live in is different than mine, here the health system in is shambles and it is getting more dangerous year after year with more and more people getting attacked and robbed in major cities.

[@deliciouscolours]

The health system? Where did you live? Cause we are in Luxemburg and the health system here is a million times better!

[@kimmancha4314]

totally agree with the immigrant vs expat comments by the American couple. I'm an American living as an immigrant in France for 15 years and this was totally my approach. Immersion in my village, improving my language skills and participating in French life have been key to my wonderful experience. Expats stick tend to stick together and isolate, benefiting from the location (lower pricing, etc.) but replicating their home country life with other expats (language, relationships, business, etc.). Learning a new language is good for your brain!

[@markdonovan1540]

So true. I live in Spain, having moved from the UK, and the "ex-pat" culture here is exactly as you say. Obviously, there are exceptions, but the majority live in enclaves in gated communities etc. The same applies to other immigrants from different countries. As far as I know, it's only the British and Americans, or perhaps other English speaking countries too, that use the term "expat". People can use what term they wish, but they should understand that the locals will consider them as "foreigners", much in the same way many UK people consider non-Brits living in the UK, and that is putting it politely.

[@celsocosta880]

Expat just another word to describe oneself any attitude of superiority complex!The truth of the matter is that there's no difference between expat and immigrant!!!😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@appstratum9747]

@@celsocosta880 🙂. Well, yes... BUT... although you're right that many of the people to whom you refer couldn't bare to think of themselves as immigrants... the lion's share of them are, in fact, correct: they're expats rather than immigrants because for those most part they seem themselves as anchored somewhere else (such as the UK) and are merely long term residents enjoying an expat lifestyle in another country (usually hot and sunny!). I don't know how much a sense of superiority really has to do with it because within the UK, for example, "expats" are often regarded as just a little bit grubby. They often get looked down upon themselves. Actually there's a significant difference between an expatriate and an immigrant. An expatriate, literally (according to the meaning of the word) lives permanently in another country (the country of origin, for the most part) but will be resident in a new country for a limited period of time. They're merely visiting for a limited period of time (for work, project, holiday or whatever). Whereas an immigrant is somebody who intends to stay and make their future life (permanently) in a new country. The terms are like chalk and cheese and they're only confused by people who don't understand (or have never bothered to look up or learn) the difference between these two words. A dictionary is a good start! 😀 An "Expat" is in a country temporarily (or only intends to be so). An immigrant intends to have a permanent presence. Therein lies the fundamental difference. This isn't a "personal interpretation", by the way. Both words can indeed be found in a dictionary with an explanation of the term. I've been an expatriate in several countries: in particular the United States, France, India and Portugal (at least initially). I've only been an immigrant in one country: Portugal. It's possible to start off as an expatriate (not intending to stay, as was the case when I first worked and lived in Portugal) yet become an immigrant (when one decides to settle down and make one's primary home permanently in the country). If you go through that process, you're left in no doubt about whether you're an expatriate or immigrant. There are things that you really have to do as an immigrant (like planning for your retirement in your new country or making arrangements for you and your children to have the security and rights granted by having the nationality of that country) that you simply don't have to do if you are going to be based in your country of origin. As an immigrant, unless you're an EU national with most of the rights of a native Portuguese, for example, without needing to get Portuguese nationality, you'd normally think about getting Portuguese nationality (and the right to vote in national general elections and get freedom of movement within the EU) so you can fully participate in Portugal as a citizen rather than as a long term resident.

[@bernardofabrica]

@@appstratum9747 as a portuguese person, all the immigrants i know of tend to return to Portugal either when they retire or when they feel they gathered enough capital. but we were always a people without any class, of course we didn't feel the need to feel superior using words like expatriado (which's only used for people who fled for political reasons). this to say, the new use of expat clearly comes from US culture where immigrant as become synonimous to being one of 'those people', so when USers migrate they need to pretend they are different in some way to the filthy migrants they have in their heads.

[@Frpar123]

Never heard such a stupid concept as "expat". They're immigrants like the others, but ashamed of their status. So they give themselves that fancy BS name. Funny, nobody talks about algerian or lebanese expats. Don't they change countries too?

[@graememedley2506]

My tip as an older Aussie Father & grandfather, would be rent for 6 months and test yourselves during the heat of summer. It’s always far different & exciting visiting and holidaying in a new place compared to beginning a whole new life with no support network.

[@francesherati8195]

I agree rent for awhile

[@craftbrewer4032]

Or in the heart of winter, where in most of Portugal it's gray, cool(if not out right cold) and rainy. Portugal is NOT southern California where it's a constant 80F/27C and sunny

[@donrainesoh]

100% agree

[@Mrdogface12]

Totally correct.We rented in Spain for 3 months, liked it. That was six years ago.

[@Fegga1955]

Perfect advice

[@JasonBrownafewmomentsl8er]

I feel like what you're talking about is the truth of living on a rural farm and not the truth of living in Portugal, the issues you're discussing could be any rural farm in any part of the world.

[@lesleyhughes3174]

Do you live there? Doubt it, so you really shouldn't think that you know better

[@the_mum]

@@lesleyhughes3174 wow...a tad touchy, aren't you? His reply makes perfect sense.

[@JasonBrownafewmomentsl8er]

​​​​​@@lesleyhughes3174I don't think I know any better I'm just making an observation that all of the negatives they mentioned apply to pretty much any rural farm and I don't have to live there to know that. maybe "if" they do have issues (which it doesn't seem they do) those issues aren't with Portugal they're with rural farm life. That's all

[@costasworldofmusicmemories5792]

Amen! Harriet and Jim

[@odettec1]

Just "Preposterous!"

[@mariaterezadosanjosferreir4703]

I was born in Mozambique. Moved to Portugal in 1962 and emigrated to South Africa in 1966. Lived there for 45 years. Moved back to Portugal in 2011 to take full time care of my elderly patents who retired here end of 1993. Life is what you make of it. By the age of 8 I spoke Afrikaans, English and Portuguese. The more languages you learn, the more advantageous it is. I can communicate with many people from different walks of life from across the planet

[@lottie2525]

My main advice, as a parent who's gone through all the stages (just dropped off youngest at uni) is travel NOW while you can with Noah. Once he hits school age, of course, you CAN keep travelling and home school on the way for a while, but eventually you'll realise he's missing out on building long-term childhood friendships and a home base is fairer for him, if maybe limiting your aspirations for being on the move and travelling all the time. Also, having family and friends around you cannot be underestimated when you have little ones. Good luck with your decision making.

[@trish_b]

This is exactly what I have heard from many of my friends who have traveled full-time. Great when they are little, but when they are in school it is nice to have a community.

[@annievlachos7880]

My opinion too , when children are growing up . parent's life is changing , life is going on !!!...

[@ThiKu]

ExCtlt what I have been wondering about this couple and an Aussie one that are travelling with kids. Sure you can continue on and home school but what happens when the 7-10 yr old or whatever says “ya I hate this. I want friends.”???

[@TsunamiKitten56]

..But remember not all friendships last past highschool, so missing some school in exchange for life experiences is okay. I have one good friend from before my highschool years and that's it 😂❤

[@robc8593]

totally agree, if kids can grow up (especially school years) in a community they make friends that can last a life time, they have better social lives and parents form all kinds of support networks from lift shares to parties to sleepovers to just having them over for the day and giving the parents a moments break. Also the justification of giving children life experiences is not really valid, its usually more about the parents in truth, can anyone remember many experiences from when they were 5? I bet barely a handful.

[@sarahdeshay1394]

If you are living in Portugal then Portuguese is not “a foreign language”.

[@quintaoitava756]

All languages other than English are foregin languages 😬

[@Nandyfull1987]

Yah but they think ,the portugueses people have to learn the Inglish ,they dont learn the Portuguese . They ocupied the South and now the Noth. Why they dont by a farm on UK .

[@karllux-d6g]

@@Nandyfull1987 It's now quite understandable that people want to flee the UK. But it's useless because it's also happening here.

[@artkryss496]

it should be a matter of course to learn the language of the country you decide to live in

[@Fefe19743]

@@quintaoitava756 I am portuguese and in Portugal the official language is the portugues... Learn it or f*uck off !

[@Lucy-ie8qw]

My family travelled all over the world as we were growing up in the 70's and 80's. Dad worked as an engineer and we went to school in Borneo, Oman, Saudi Arabia, New Zealand, Brunei, France, Italy, Egypt, Australia, London. There are english speaking schools everywhere. We came home with so much knowledge and lived experience. I had the best childhood in nature and roaming the world.

[@heide-raquelfuss5580]

Me too. I allways hoped to find someone with similar background. Borneo...that is special. The only dificulty is... I feel that i feel homesick, but i do not know where i belong. I miss nature, the simplicity of the countries i was emerged in. Live in Belgium for years and i feel not belonging, like in a prison. I miss the old days, the streetdogs. Oman. Saudi. The desert. Iran, Syria, Jordania and so much more. But i am scared to go there again. I know how it was for us. I was traumatized also many times. But the solitude in nature was so beautiful. I am glad i found your post.

[@Fefe19743]

There is english, french colleges in Portugal, they are private and obviously pretty expensive but if you're riche what matter ?!

[@ash3rr]

@@heide-raquelfuss5580 i have read about this from other people who've had similar situations, feeling that one has no home, displaced, not having roots. in some ways it causes a constant roaming and search for the place you belong, maybe you never really find it. I think about this, about how my mother raised me impacts my constant moving around as I work, and how it impacts my own daughter. She asks me 'where she comes from' and I tell her she comes from my country and her mothers, we lived in Poland and Finland for her whole life (shes 6 now)... Moving around with kids does impact them. If she had a choice, well, she always tells me, she wants to live in Budapest, she loves the playgrounds.

[@cleoburrows]

I envy you. I would have loved to have had that type of experience growing up but have only been able to afford travel when I retired. I would have looked at it that my home is this planet, not one country or city.

[@jameshaddan8538]

I’d say Bill and Marcus gave you some great advice about tackling big acreage. I grew up on a “small” horse ranch with 25 acres, and my family owned other ranches and farms, ranging from 400 acres to 5,000 acres. Having land is wonderful, but it’s A LOT of work and you are definitely tied to it. We were never away from the horse ranch more than a week at any one time…maybe a couple of times a year…and that’s with friends and neighbors that could help look after things. The bigger places required people (extended family) 24/7, 365 days a year. The romance of living on a larger self-sustainable property is alluring…but be prepared for it to be an all consuming priority. That is, unless you’re extraordinarily wealthy and can hire full time live-in teams (and good ones are hard to find).

[@joanofarcxxi]

"Hey sailor, going my way?" I loved that. Okay, right from the beginning of this video, the first thing that came to mind was how privileged people have such extremely high expectations. The hubby was worried he'd be bored because he has a need for new things all the time. Here is my advice as a professional Portuguese country girl: don't get a place in rural anywhere. Portugal is slow in general, which is one of the most frustrating things for expats, but in rural areas, it's another level of slow. Just think about how exciting it would be to see the same woods every day and to hear your neighbors' roosters every morning at 5am. Think about cutting that grass, trimming the bushes, and cleaning the big yard, often. Then think about having to leave your place unattended if you want to go to Bali for a month. Think about how slow Portugal is, and how anything official takes forever. The Portuguese have their own pace and they don't like to be rushed. It's a small country with few people as compared to the UK or the USA. Think about that too. Things are different in Portugal, and that's the beauty of it To me, it's heaven, but I love the slow life, and I speak Portuguese. :) Plus, I love yard work, I love growing things, I love the comfort of sameness and routine, and I speak 5 languages. If you are in a foreign country to live, it's your obligation to learn its language and to integrate. I know, because I have lived in other European countries, and in the USA for years! I lived in LA several years, in Fresno several years, and I am now in Santa Barbara. But my heart always has been at home in Portugal, and it's where I want to go back to asap. Good luck.

[@leito1257]

Absolutely agree with you. I am in the same situation. Living and working in different countries, speaking 4 languages and still the best country in the world to live in every way is Portugal. Sad I have my children and my grandchildren spread in two different countries. The neighbor country and the Middle East. If I move to Portugal is sacrificing to see my closest family. Often I spend time in Portugal with other part of family as well. My heart is in Portugal 💝🇵🇹

[@rhonaanderson3820]

My heart is in Portugal too. I'm from Scotland and have lived here since 2007. I have land that needs to be taken care of all the time, but I love my bit of land, especially once I got it cleared a bit, so I could actually see it and get to know it. I love growing plants to eat and flowers too. And boy do they grow here, when you get it right. A learning curve for me coming from cold wet Scotland. I adore hearing my chickens and cockerals noises and listen to the calling back and forward from my neighbour's and mine. I adore the slower pace of life here and how there's always a cafe nearby. Even in the countryside. The slowness of beaurocracy here is very hard for British people to come to terms with, but I just think, that everything is slower here, so why not the beaurocracy too, and just accept it. I knew I wanted to live here after holidaying here for a few years so spent the 3 years before making the move learning the language. I'm not perfect at it by any means, but usually I get by just fine, even on the phone. I adore the Portuguese people and their beautiful country. ❤

[@japanjt]

We're American expats living in Tokyo and raising our son here. Don't underestimate how good being raised in a bilingual/bicultural environment is for a kid's development.

[@rebeccarendle3706]

As a Brit living abroad (in Germany) with two kids.. one now 11yrs starting senior school and one 18yrs starting Uni. I made sure they went to German kindergartens and schools so they were fully emersed and had no language barrier. (I learnt to speak Germany before kids, within 1.5yrs and was 100% fluent after 3 yrs). Just from the covid pandemic it was really easy to see how isolation from other kids/their friends and not being able to go home and visit family in the UK for 3 years really negatively affected our mental health. Usually we get home to the UK in summer holidays and every other xmas, which also isn't much. Also running kids around to play dates, doctors appointments, sports clubs, music lessons, on top of school is a lot of work. The number of times my kids (but they are boys) ended at hospital for health issues, I am so glad I have a childrens hospital and pediatric GPs 15-20min drive from where we live. It is hard bringing up kids with no support net eg grandparents, family nearby. Also dealing with all this and the paperwork involved in raising kids would have been 10x worse if I wasn't already fluent in the German language. As your friend said.. don't see it as a "forever home"... there is not really such as thing! ..I have moved 17x including lived in 8 places in 3 cities since moving to Germany age 24. Life is constantly changing, then throw in a couple more lives to consider ie. your kids, and it becomes even crazier. Life is constantly changing and we need to adapt to accommodate everyones needs. Ps. The older you get, the older you miss home, family and friends. I am SO homesick to move back to the UK (I am now 50yrs old). But with kids still in school, I can't (legal prisoner of German family and divorce law) and I wouldn't at present anyway because it would be to much of an upheaval for my son now in seniors. My oldest has also decided to live at home while studying, at least for now, to reduce possible debts. I would advise you to enjoy travelling now as much as you can until Noah has to go to school. Then settle. Remember different countries, different rules. You are not allowed to homeschool in Germany. Children must attend a proper school. So be sure to check these types of things out before moving somewhere.

[@JoseFerreira-vj3lq]

For immigrants complaining about Portugal in this hard time for Portugal, you are doing quite well! Amazing! PS: if Portugal was like the things you like in UK or USA, it wouldn't be Portugal! It would be another thing, probably more efficient, more expensive, more polluted, more violent, less peaceful, with worse food, weather and culture.

[@luckeelaydee57]

I never understood people going to a new country and not immersing themselves. Every place has good things to see and enjoy. I have been trying to learn Portuguese just for the fact I want to visit some day. If I don't even attempt to learn a little Portuguese before I visit, I feel like I'm going to someone else's home and being rude!

[@marja914]

I think speaking the Portugese language is priority. You will always stay ‘strangers’ if you don’t speak the language of the country.

[@beatrixk.6723]

yes and no. It depends. I lived in Ireland and although I speak English I was always considered a "blow in". I could have lived there for 30 years and still be a stranger. Speaking the language does make your life in another country certainly easier if you want to work there and make friends with locals. When I travelled in Portugal i could talk with locals in English or Spanish. Most of the young Portuguese do speak English very well. But if you make the effort to just speak a basic Portuguese they appreciate that.

[@appstratum9747]

@@beatrixk.6723 Speaking Portuguese permits you to really *live* in the country as opposed to *visit* it on an extended basis. Not speaking the language excludes you from a large chunk of the things that make living in Portugal so pleasurable. Relying on the Portuguese speaking English - which they're very happy to do, particularly young people - will have you missing out on so much.

[@PedroSabido122]

@@beatrixk.6723 yeah well speak Spanish to a Portuguese and we will not like. We don’t hate Spaniards… but a non Spanish expecting us to speak Spanish is considered to be disrespectful. Just speak English or try Portuguese. You can always use a translator. Believe me I’m Portuguese.

[@edstar83]

​@PedroSabido122 I'm Spaniard of Galician heritage. Today I'm Christian and speak Castilian aka Spanish instead of Arabic praying to Allah 20 times a day thanks to Visigothic Nobleman Don Pelayo. Valiant warrior King of the North. King of Asturias. Crowned KIng by the loyal men who fought alongside him. Seeder of the Reconquista and their descendants, who continued forming small Christian Kingdoms in the North, fighting and resisting for 700 years. Generation to generation ( instead of running away into France) slowly expanding until the whole of Iberia was free of the peaceful messengers of islam in 1492AD when the remaining Christian Kingdoms united to become Spain. (Except for the Kingdom of Portugal because they're special but I still love them. ) Today the gates of Toledo have once again been opened into Europa and the West.. *Reconquista II Intensifies*

[@beatrixk.6723]

@@PedroSabido122 Why is English accepted but Spanish not? Doesn't make sense at all. I had no problems speaking both and as a tourist visiting for short time I wouldn't learn a whole language. Do you learn Japanese when visiting Japan? As I already mentioned learning a few phrases and words is fine when visiting a country but learning a language of the country you live long term is necessary for connection to the locals. In Berlin where I live many foreigners only speak English, but not German and they live here for years. They live in their own bubble with no connection to the country they live in. I find that quite sad.

[@davelee-00]

I totally agree with the American couple about the amount of land. I wanted 3 or 4000 sq mtrs but the house we found and decided to buy only had 1000. Before I retired and could spend longer here, we would arrive and spend a couple of days clearing weeds and generally tidying up the place. We soon appreciated that 1000sq mtrs was plenty. We had fruit trees and olive trees and enough room to not feel hemmed in. Next to our property is miles of tracks through forests that we can enjoy without having to buy it or look after it.

[@cyo439]

I do live in Portugal and I do enjoy living here. but I would be very cautious of buying a property with a lot of land or that needs a lot of work. They will both be a lot of work and always cost more than you think. For you, right now, as you still want to travel I would probably look for a small village house in a good state of repair or an apartment as usually there is a condominium who will maintain the grounds and any pools etc. There are even developments which will manage holiday lets for you while you are away. 30 minutes down a dirt track is not fun if you forget something from the shop or are waiting for an ambulance. Being on mains water, electric and sewerage is also a lot easier.

[@appstratum9747]

Getting too much land can be a problem. But how much work it becomes depends upon where it is. To avoid work, get animals (yours or somebody else's) on the land. They do 99% of the work for you. But if they're yours then they come with obligations (like their welfare, fencing, etc.). You can't leave them for long. If they're somebody else's, that somebody else takes this burden (and costs) from your shoulders. For most people, as you say, living in a village house (at least to begin with) makes the most sense and is certainly what I would recommend as a means of rapidly integrating into the community, learning Portuguese, making friends, etc. If you're going to live elsewhere out in the sticks then you need to make a lot more effort to integrate. I've lived in and around Lisbon (primarily central Lisbon and Margem Sul) in apartments, in a village house in Alentejo (which we restored and still have - that's on mains services) and out on a farm, again in Alentejo, with 51 hectares / 126 acres of trees and pasture land: silvopasture, that we've connected to the national electricity grid (for about 20,000 euros) but that is independent for water and sewage. That's a fair cross-section of Portuguese property types. I totally agree with you that unless you're dead set on farming (either for income or as a hobby) you should think very carefully about getting too much land. If you just want to feed yourself with mostly your own produce then 1000 m2 to half an acre is more than good enough. And you're much more likely to find that close to a village and a community in which you can integrate. I'd just add that if you're unsure whether that's what you really want, just rent a place for 6 months (spanning a couple of seasons) in a cheap part of the country (such as the middle of Alentejo away from the coast) or the interior a little further north (not too far from Castelo Branco or Viseu, for example).

[@oliverstuart]

My wife and I moved from the UK to Mallorca 20 years ago, I know you have also been here, that's how I found your channel. Our kid was born here and went to the local nursery and schools so learned Spanish, and Catalan from birth. It turns out more by luck than judgement that for us it is the perfect mix. We live in a little Spanish village in the mountains, but if you want to have a busier life it's only a short drive to tourist places, the capital city Palma is gorgeous and with a resident population of over 1 million it's still thriving in the winter. The sea is turquoise and warm for 8 months, and in the winter the hiking caving, cycling in the mountain range here means winter is totally different, but just as good. The tourism here is avoidable if you stay in the countryside, but it provides an economy that means that it is easy to find work, and business opportunities. You can be in a marina with billionaires superyachts, and 10 minutes in the car and you are in sleepy villages in the mountains. The airport is so well connected that you can get to most European and Spanish cities when the mood takes you, especially in the summer and there is a very diverse population that makes life interesting. We chose well, albeit probably not on purpose. We love it...... but...... you won't find a 30 grand house to fix up. There are cheaper, parts of the island in the rural centre but not many bargains to be had. You are doing the right thing researching and thinking, but don't overthink it as you might end up talking yourself out of it. Give us a shout if you ever return here. I'll be happy to show you around.

[@lagringa7518]

👏👍🌻

[@Fegga1955]

Perfect

[@sergiomaroco4408]

You can do the same in Portugal😊

[@paulawaters6142]

Perhaps it is worth considering buying in a village a property with a walled garden that you can lock and leave. Then you can travel but have an easy care place to relax between adventures. Country living is a big commitment and a lot of work. You can always buy a more rural place later if you find that’s what you want. Also nice for Noah to have some play friends in a village.

[@MARA-bc4qz]

THE TWO AMERICAN GUYS HAVE A WONDERFUL HOUSE AND LAND. I LOVE IT !!

[@calmitchell85]

As far as education is concerned sending your child to a local nursery and school enables them to make friends and most importantly learn the language

[@PortugalCarp]

As a Brit who has lived here in Portugal since 1978 I would suggest you take a good hard look further South (not the Algarve) in the Alentejo region. It's Portugal's biggest region but at the same time the least populated and it has loads of lakes and a fantastic coast line. It has loads of lovely sprawling plains along with some great hillier areas. The 4 major towns are (North to South) Portalegre, Elvas, Evora and Beja, it is also the home of Europe's largest "lake" (reservoir) called Alqueva.

[@saintsaens21]

Climate change is increasingly an issue there though.

[@PortugalCarp]

@@saintsaens21 I think that climate change is increasingly an issue everywhere these days.

[@connieb.6061]

@@saintsaens21 what are you talking about? no such thing; spain, portugal, italy, greece and france have always been dry

[@ZONEPRESSLLC]

@@PortugalCarpDon't think. lol.

[@sluggo3slug]

@@saintsaens21No it is NOT

[@casitacindy461]

the fact that there are abandoned property everywhere should tell you something. its a ton of work and, like you are doing, you really have to examine all the details and know yourself before committing to this way of life.

[@cleoburrows]

Everyone keeps posting that having land is a lot of work, but never explain why. Can't you just leave the land to grow naturally?

[@casitacindy461]

@@cleoburrows if you can afford to pay high taxes yes, you can leave it alone. if the land is not used for cattle, or some other farm use then you are taxed at the highest sell rate of any acres around you. the county just assessed us at over 100kl am acre. we have 9 acres of non developed land. the county did this based on the one acre selling close to us for 123k. our land does not sell as high because we are over an acre. our taxes will be based on 9 acres at 100 k an acre

[@adriannavanderpoll4745]

Small village, small garden, walking distance from river beach, lock up and go, close to bigger city would be my choice.

[@sharilynmiller9364]

After watching your channel for over a year now, I believe that you would be much happier in a house in a small town or village rather than a farm in the middle of nowhere. It’s a lot of hard work and stress trying to tame the wilderness and maintain a home in an isolated environment. And you’ve got Noah to consider-you want to be near good health facilities and eventually a school. Personally, I’m looking for a low-maintenance flat in the Braga area so that I can lock-and-leave it for my travels. But I’m retired, in a different age group! Whatever you decide, I’m sure that it will be an adventure and I’ll be following you on your KZbin channel. ❤️

[@TheShauNanigans]

They also won't be home long enough to continue maintenance.

[@lesleyhughes3174]

Personal preferences, personal choices, common sense.

[@annboehler627]

Plus you need experience in fixing stuff

[@JuneParris-hm7lu]

I agree

[@veronicabalfourpaul2288]

With nearly 30 years of experience living in Alentejo, I would say, unless you are homesteader types, the village life would be more suitable. The nursery schools are free and a great way to start learning the language. My children were fluent after about 6 months. Choose somewhere with good schools. Here in the south there is a huge shortage of teachers and doctors and accomodation. Big problems. The freedom that children (and adults) have is fab.

[@coffeeandsomewine]

How wonderful that you've been able to spend time with the Newbys as well as with Bill & Marcus. It's a great way to see how you can live in Portugal in different locations and in different ways. I know you'll find your 'level' whether it's in Portugal or elsewhere. We have just moved from Canada to Montemor-o-Novo in Portugal into a one year rental which will give us time to find our perfect location in this amazing country.

[@johnsexton3841]

With your name, you definitely chose a great location to plop down as some of the best wines in the world are being produced within 10 km of your door.

[@Gracenaestrada]

Bem vindo a Portugal e sinta-se em casa ❤

[@Gracenaestrada]

Bem vindo a Portugal e sinta-se em casa ❤

[@antoniocruz8083]

When you find paradise please let me know. So you would like a place where the services are as good as in the US but at a fraction of the cost and always done by smiling people. You would like civil services as efficient as in Canada but done by people who earn €800/month and should be friendly all day long. You would like cheap houses but with the comforts of Sweden. You would like friendly neighbours and to integrate in society without learning a new language. Finally you would like to keep your cultural habits and expect the locals to understand them, you even question if they don't, but do little to adapt to the local culture. Don't forget to tell me when you find such a place.

[@danielnascimento9961]

Portugal is a great country with lots of diversity, and with Explorers like your selves, you are in the right place. Portugal has a door open to the whole of Europe. Madeira and the Azores islands are breathtaking. I'm Portuguese from the island of Madeira, I live in the uk for over 25 years. I would love to see your family thrive in Portugal 🇵🇹 I follow thenewbys, they are a fantastic family and the right people to offer you the best advice. Good luck 👍

[@ghassanjneinaty4421]

Love Portugal from Lebanon. Hope to visit the beautiful jewel of Europe which is Portugal

[@TheWanderlees]

This is probably my most favourite, most insightful episode of yours so far. My husband, Erik, and I recently chose a couple months ago to buy a property in a remote area in Canada. A lot of our thought process has been the same as yours. Thank you for such a great video.❤

[@jaanaprall9961]

I would say one of the biggest negatives for me has been the lack of build quality and the mold/damp issues. I knew it was an issue, but it has been much worse than I anticipated. Difficult to find a house to buy where the management of this issue feels doable.

[@sandrap6321]

Old woman here. Lived super independent all my adult life...even lived outside the country for a couple of years. I can look back & see where I went wrong. I lived away from my birth family & childhood friends. I lost the connection to people who would have my back in good times & bad. If you have a child, i think having a solid family network day in & day out would be ideal. I know you can face time & text 24/7 but its not the same as living close by. So do travel, but always work at staying physically close to a strong family network.

[@anuhjarpe1812]

So fun to see the Newbys on your channel ❤ i love to watch you both on KZbin ❤❤❤

[@ateliersarahanahoryvapaos]

Wonderful to see an american couple wanting to make friends with the portuguese, integrate and stay. Curious about where they are based for it is absolutely stunning. 🤩

[@annekeolivier9646]

It was wonderful to see my 2 absolute favourite KZbin families together 🤩 So glad to see you doing your homework...it's making me think and explore different options for our retirement in 8 years😊

[@cdh2328]

My husband unexpectedly got sick at 64. Now disabled. I retired at 65, 6 years ago now. You don’t know what life has in store for you. Certainly moving and travelling is not in our plans.

[@SettleinSpain]

Some great advice from everyone there. One other thing you could try renting for a while before you commit. We had to do that due to covid and ended up in a very different location and property to the one we thought we wanted. I thought we would buy a place in the middle of nowhere, but it turns out being walking distance to a community with resources, yet in the countryside with neighbours is more important for us.

[@chrisdickinson3168]

I would be taking the village option ever time over the rural option. Rural although idilic will come with at least a few major draw backs like sespits, water filtration, land up keep, and lack of neighbours and as we all know 'everybody needs good neighbours' 🎼

[@LoremIpsum1970]

I'd prioritise close enough proximity to healthcare services, especially with either kids or if you're retired.

[@mysoulrambles]

I bought a village house in Central Portugal and then bought a plot of land separate. Best of both worlds and I don't have to worry about the legalities about the whole habitation licence thing!

[@susanlewis1875]

What I find interesting is that all the elements you find charming about Portugal are things that I envision in the UK. History, nature, a new culture, a language I barely understand (LOL).

[@lagringa7518]

You probably wouldn't like the endless gray days 😶‍🌫

[@susanlewis1875]

@@lagringa7518 I live in the Pac NW. I know grey! LOL

[@lagringa7518]

Ahh... 😄 What is nice about the UK though, is how many well organized classes, groups, volunteering and hobbies you can pursue even in small communities if you have the time... I really liked that as well as all the beautiful areas to discover... but sadly many of those picture perfect cottages you see cost a fortune now unless you want to completely isolate yourself in the back of beyond. There are always pros and cons to anywhere. 🫤

[@paddyreck2818]

Brilliant video I follow the Newbys and also the Scotters and I love the idea of moving to Portugal myself and have all the same worries and questions you just asked in this video. Thank you and Noah is getting so big❤

[@aramis6507]

Yes, as a Portuguese, I can confirm the paradisiacal living conditions in Portugal. However, I grew up and live in Switzerland, not in Portugal. Why? As long as you have no health issues in Portugal and are not dependent on the authorities, everything goes well. But woe if you are health-impaired or in need of assistance from the authorities, then you realize how bureaucratic Portugal is. This is also why Portugal is still lagging behind in many respects compared to Europe, because the country stands in its own way through its bureaucracy. As an example, I can share my own experience from my family. My parents got married in Switzerland and although we have translated and authenticated all documents, the marriage has not been properly registered by Portugal to this day. After years of back and forth, we gave up. When my father was diagnosed with cancer and returned to Portugal in the final stage of his illness to die in his homeland, he was accompanied by my mother. After 3 years, after my father had died, my mother returned to Switzerland. When I picked her up at Zurich Airport, I was shocked at her health condition. My mother couldn't disembark from the plane on her own, had been experiencing balance disorders for over a year, and was handed over to me in a wheelchair at the airport. Several doctors and clinics in Portugal had misdiagnosed and mistreated my mother for years. Still in the same week, when I picked up my mother at Zurich Airport, I had my mother medically examined here in Switzerland. When the doctors examined my mother, they were equally shocked about her condition and the treatments from Portugal. Considering that my mother simply suffers from age-related high blood pressure (hence the balance disorders) and hypothyroidism, which are easy to treat with medication today, the medical treatments from Portugal shock me even more. Since my parents' marriage was not accepted in Portugal for bureaucratic and illogical reasons, my mother has not received a widow's pension from Portugal for 12 years, even though she is entitled to it. Here too, we have given up because it makes no sense to argue with Portuguese authorities (they are more stubborn than a mule). Another example concerns myself. When I got divorced from my first marriage in 2001, I promptly reported my divorce to the Portuguese consulate in Zurich with all necessary documents. Today, in 2023, I am still married to my ex-wife in Portugal because the Portuguese authorities also fail to properly register my divorce. The Portuguese consulate in Zurich informed me that I would have to travel to Portugal, hire a lawyer to handle the process there in order to make my divorce legally binding. Just imagine this legally: a divorce that is legally valid internationally is not considered legally valid in Portugal, and I would have to hire a lawyer on site to handle the process. Here too, I have given up because Portuguese bureaucracy has no end. Such bureaucratic processes are harassment. Fortunately, I have a Swiss passport and live happily here, where my papers are properly, correctly, and unbureaucratically managed by the Swiss authorities. My children from my second marriage are now 16 and 20. I, my wife, my children, and the Swiss authorities cannot understand this bureaucracy from Portugal against my family. Next, I might renounce my Portuguese citizenship to finally get some peace from this bureaucracy. Portugal is undoubtedly a very beautiful country, for us only for vacation - nothing more. I wish your families the best and enjoy the magnificent Portuguese sunny days. Greetings from Switzerland.

[@jerryharanczyk]

Thanks for sharing , yea the moral of your story is , you just can't fix stupid, and it's something to consider as well.

[@jeanjacqueslundi3502]

@@jerryharanczyk How stupid are 'you' from 0 to 10?

[@adelesr4965]

Quantos anos a sua mãe e seu pai descontou para a segurança social em Portugal,para ter direito a uma reforma,lamento o erro dos médicos do hospital com a sua mãe,por um ou dois médicos errar,não pode meter todos os médicos no mesmo saco.a Suíssa tem muitos imigrantes portuguêsesa,gora me diga são todos bons com as suas profissões nunca tiveram falhas nas suas profissões. É muito fácil de dizer que Portugal é um país atrazado,Portugal não é um país atrazado como tu dizes,o mais correcto é dizeres os portuguêses são governados por politicos incompetentes desde 25 Abril de 1974 Portugal não é um país atrazado,os mandões de Portugal é que são atrazados há 50 anos. Tu aqui pode ter um salário minimo 860 euros na Suissa podes ter mais 4 ou 5 vezes maior do que o português. O problema todos aqueles imigrantes que estão na Suissa ou outro país da Europa não fazem a vida como fazem em Portugal - Aqui é café trabalho despego do trabalho vai ao café depois vai jantar a casa depois sai par ir ao café,tenho a certeza que tu e todos os imigrantes não fazem isso,se tu comprares 1 maço de cigarros por dia e beberes 4 ou 5 cafés por dia e beberes 5 ou 6 cervejas por dia mais de metado do teu ordenado aí na Suissa é para os teus gastos. 1 café aqui custa 80 a 90 centimos uma super bock custa 1.10 euros ou 1,20 euro 1 maço de cigarros 5.00 euros -me diz quanto custa ái na Suissa.Portugal é um país rico em cultura monumentos gratronomia história em Mar etc. etc. Sim tens razão as sardinhas da Suissa são melhores do que as portuguêsas.

[@quifix1]

Deve ser por isso que vêem buscar médicos e enfermeiros portugueses para vários países, é também por isso que temos o sistema de saúde frágil, porque muitos vão embora. Pelo seu pensamento só ficam cá os maus médicos!? Deve ter azar em portugal tudo lhe corre mal, só pode...

[@ronaldroemer2423]

Learning the language is the most important thing you can do

[@albertdias5630]

If you move to any country my friend u need to accept their culture, roll up your sleeves and work.

[@edwardgoodridge714]

That IS critical. Because if you do not, you would always feel like an outsider. I have seen some of the persons who live in gated communities like Westmoreland and Apes Hill in Barbados, just stay in their bubble. Then there are those who frequent the local bars and restaurants, where the atmosphere is more welcoming. And you experience and Savour the local cuisine and culture.

[@anadasilva7964]

I would highly recommend first renting (if possible) in the area you think you would like to live, before considering buying anything. This way you can get a feel for the area and see if you like it.

[@wendyoregan2848]

We are back in the U.K after living in the Algarve for 10 years with are four children , we had a wonderful life, but as the children got older there wasn't much for them to do throughout the winter months, if I could go back 10 years I would opt for the Holiday home and live and school the children in England, I do miss Portugal and it's easy slow pace of life, but the children have more opportunities at home in the U.K hope this helps.

[@wendyoregan2848]

No we would have stayed, but as everything in life priorities change, even only being 2 hours flight from home, parents grow old and in my case both got sick, which would have bought me back eventually.

[@connieb.6061]

politics aside, the uk countryside is really beautiful and would love to live anywhere there

[@marinasandecaeiro5528]

What was missing during Winter months?

[@Mel.H_]

Bill and Marcus were amazing. What a gorgeous property!! Good luck with your decision, Beans 😁❤💐

[@wmm4602]

Thanks!

[@deniseiozzo8821]

@@wmm4602 I saw the Cape Cod tee shirt.... Are you from MA?

[@wmm4602]

@@deniseiozzo8821 no, Jim Thorpe, PA … but we used to go to the Cape every summer.

[@yolandescheepers7262]

We live on a rural farm in South-Africa and a lot of your stuggels is the same here..we have borehole (well) water, that you have to manage with loadshedsing....officials also come and go as they like, it's just one of those things. We just have a high crime rate to facture in as well. But I must say rural life is not for everybody, it takes dedication. 😊

[@MissKnibbu]

What a lovely subscribers! Beautiful home, and a cute village. After seeing this (I follow the Indie Projects, van lifers who bought a off grind property and later a homestead in Portugal) I would prefer living in a village with a bit of land just like Marcus said.

[@pippilongstocking-qs7fm]

I was going to mention The Indie Projects with Theo & Bee❤ as well as Mr. And Mrs Adventure. They also traveled in an RV & have now bought home/land in Portugal

[@RocketDog73]

Wow - that bio pool is awesome.

[@sunnyskies4628]

Excellent vlog…smart! That village life with a pool and community, the side roads. Loved it!!!

[@christinawentzel9624]

So from someone who has lived in two countries that are vastly different and separate from my home country here is my take and I think Emma would agree since she’s spent some time living in the United States. This may be long so bare with me. Over the summer we were going back to the United States for a visit (something we haven’t done in 5 years) from Italy which is where we currently live. In the airport, we met a couple that was flying back from their vacation. We got to talking and someone said something to the effect of like wow, you’re so lucky to live here, everything is beautiful, the food is great, etc. and just romanticizing the whole thing. Then they asked well how do you like it? And I was honest and said, I mean it’s alright. I said you have to understand that living in a different country doesn’t make a vacation anymore. We have work, kids have school, appointments, cleaning, cooking etc. All the daily things that you do in your home country, everyone also does them in their home country. It’s not a vacation when it’s somewhere you live. It’s just everyday. We probably spend maybe 2% of our time traveling. My advice would be look into buying a vacation home, with a little yard. Get a grounds keeper and friends to look after it when you’re not there and possibly rent it out as an Airbnb.

[@costasworldofmusicmemories5792]

We think that when it's all set and done you will make the right decision. It sounds like there are more pluses than minuses . It looks like the video sparked a lively debate between rural life versus city life. The main thing is that the decision you make feels right and you truly understand what you're getting into. As for travel with Noah, finding the right balance between home base and travel are very doable. And certainly, your families will be a big part of it. Love you Guys❤❤❤ from the Love Beans, Harriet , Jim and Yuki Richmond, Va.

[@EnglishBulldogMom]

Absolutely beautiful…I love their home with that natural pool…how lovely both families are…go for it …

[@blkmaverick03]

Bill and Marcus!!! It's great to see those guys again!

[@Adam-7_7_7]

Im loving these collabs with the Newbies !!! , Just remember, its the fear of the unknown holding you guys back. ❤🇦🇺

[@neutonrenda2303]

Bill and Marcus have such a wonderful home, love the landscape and views.❤

[@wmm4602]

Thank you! Obrigado!

[@alexandral6273]

What a great and smart idea to spend time to talk to many people ! I’m French and I lived 10 years in the US from my 19th to my 29th birthday. I ABSOLUTELY LOVED living there !!! However, it was extremely difficult to know who I was … Deeply inside, was I French ? Was I American ? After living there 10 years, I came back to France and again, for MANY YEARS I still didn’t know if I felt French or American … This personal crisis was even more difficult when I came back to France. I hope you understand what I mean … 😊 I came back to France 23 years ago and I lost some of my English along the way … 🤪😁 In my opinion, if you really want to get a place in Portugal, maybe you should get a small place for holidays … Rent it for the rest of the year. Good luck for your decisions making. 🥰

[@lagringa7518]

When you live anywhere different from where you were brought up you will always be torn between many worlds, I've lived in 5 different countries and each one is a part of me and I feel nostalgic about each and every one of them. You simply have to make peace with the fact that your world is much larger than many peoples and a whiff of something in the air will carry you back to another place you learned to love... that's the price you pay for having wanderlust. But I haven't regretted a moment of it. 😉

[@arhamid08]

Homestead is more than enough for your content creation, with the boys around, the explore channel is a bonus to keep your adventure selves flourish

[@elebelle51]

You can move but it doesn't have to be a farm or large property requiring permanent presence. You could get a house in a village or town. Homeschooling is not always an option. In France, for example, there are strict rules on who can homeschool. Plus, wherever you go, you will want to learn the language and you will want your children to speak the language, so going to the local school will be part of that.

[@quifix1]

In Portugal, public education is free, books are free, transport is free. They learn English from the 1st cycle. We have some of the best higher education courses! Do you want to integrate or not? Or just spend a long holiday?

[@MichaelKilby]

I traveled to Portugal last year. Loved it! What a wonderful opportunity to be able to live anywhere in the world. Go for it!

[@paulocelsomoura2026]

Penso ser muito importante vocês considerarem o quanto têm disposição de se integrar à comunidade portuguesa. Sim, há muitas diferenças culturais - sou brasileiro, neto de portugueses e agora português também, e mesmo com essa proximidade reconheço modos de vida muito diferentes. Se seu projeto não é um "projeto de férias", penso ser fundamental refletirem sobre essas questões.

[@thevigarfeeling]

Hey guys great video. With lots of amazing information. It was really enjoyable to watch. Glad you got to know the locals and all the information they have told you about. Great work Chelsea and Mike

[@cesbi]

As a person whose family lives spread across different continents, my main advice to people moving abroad is: Take into consideration how hard it is to be this far away from your loved ones. Traveling is one thing but putting down roots somewhere is a whole different ballgame. We learned that the very hard way during covid when we couldn't see our family for almost three years and some of my family members didn't know if they would ever see their parents again. Of course that was exceptional circumstances but even without the world shutting down, there will come a time when your parents won't be able to travel much anymore and you will want to spend as much time with them as you can. A friend of mine just had this problem: She had lived in this country for the last thirty years but now her mother had a stroke and she had to make the impossible decision to leave her husband, children, grandchildren, and job behind and go back to her home country to care for her mother. I'm not saying don't do it. It's just something you need to think about. We didn't and it's causing us a lot of heartbreak.

[@Wiola-zr9qy]

Some people do not have a family any more it's not for all people the same situation.

[@cesbi]

@@Wiola-zr9qy Of course. I'm sorry if my comment caused you pain, my friend.

[@JohnandCaraRetiredTravellers]

Love The Newbys and you guys together just made our day! You’ll find your “place” just take your time. Wishing you the best…lots of love from Florida ~Cara ❤

[@pamelarw58]

Very interesting & informative Vlog loved it! Those American guys had a beautiful property just like the Newbys, really liked the bio pool so kind to the environment! Noah is growing fast & very alert as well as cute! ❤️🍻🇦🇺

[@marionchanson5479]

A family of 5, we live in London and bought a house in Grasse (South of France). Our garden is about 500 m2 and it's perfect. We tend to come every 3 months and 500 m2 is manageable. Over 600m2 it becomes really tricky and time consuming. And as said the others, when your child will start school you'll loose the flexibility. Plane tickets and accommodations are expensive during the school holidays.

[@beachbunnyajc3771]

This makes me want to move there!! Much Love to all of you!

[@Freeformax]

I’ve been here for a couple of months, staying at a Brazilian friends house. This country is awesome; the people are chill, they have their needs met and so will you; safety, affordable food and healthcare ( I paid 85 euros private for a specialist and a fraction of what I’d pay in the states for the meds) the people may seem miserable but offer them a smile and a positive vibe and they’ll love you instantly. Porto is a city with so many lovely surprises.

[@lesleyhughes3174]

This is most definitely a Bean x 2 decision. People will throw their thoughts at you, invited AND uninvited, sadly, but this is your life . This Kiwi wishes you well. Always 💌💌💌

[@ghassanjneinaty4421]

I am from Lebanon. If the whole world hared Portugal, i Will keep on loving it. God bless Portugal to become the jewel of Europe

[@margaretanglade5293]

It's good that you're looking at the whole picture. Because ...he doesn't seem to be a very hands on, physical labor kind of guy..and living on a big open piece of land is endless manual labor. I suppose you could hire other people for some of it. But in the winter, when a tree falls down and blocks your road, you are the one who has to cut it apart and haul it off the road. Think about things like that

[@TheShauNanigans]

Yeah. I really don't think the farm life would be for them at all. A small town or city would he perfect. Noah can easily socialize, upkeep on the property isn't so much, and the cost of living is likely lower than a larger city.

[@alisong2328]

Re: the comment about the company cutting trees - In the US, the electric company would routinely show up to cut tree branches that were touching the lines. They did not send a notice, but everyone was used to it. That said, construction projects and repairs in many European countries can take 3 times as long as in the US or the UK.

[@FrethKindheart]

I would pick a place where I had no doubt my family would be safest. While I understand the romanticism of living in Portugal, I think you would be just as happy in a remote location in the UK or the US. Take the time to vet more places along your travels, and find a place where it feels like home and checks all of the boxes. As an example, there are plenty of places in my home state that would be perfect.

[@tobirates916]

I’m curious, do you think the US is safer than Portugal? Portugal rates as one of the safest countries in the world while the US is way down the list.

[@appstratum9747]

Portugal is very safe. That's not to say that theft isn't a problem out in the sticks. There are petty criminals here in Portugal just like everywhere else. But violence is not an issue. Portugal is, indeed, one of the safest countries in the world on that front. It's a very peaceful place. I can think of many places in the US where people really worry about their personal safety - even for simple things like sleeping in a car by the side of a public road overnight - whereas in Portugal it wouldn't even occur to you that you might be at risk. Living in a remote location in the UK is neither as safe (not even close) nor as pleasurable as living in Portugal. Crime (including rural crime) in the UK is more violent without any doubt at all and more rampant. The cost of living is considerably higher by comparison. And if you want to start a business, while Portugal has bureaucracy issues of its own, the financial risks of doing so in the UK (particularly if you want to do that on a piece of land that you're going to purchase) are substantially higher. Local business taxes are far less here than business rates in the UK. Furthermore, there is an enormous range of rural properties in Portugal available at very reasonable prices that simply don't exist in the UK that provide a far greater range of available opportunities. Society in the UK, for the most part, has been changed so much by movement of people from one part of the country to another that communities tend to be somewhat weaker and less cohesive than here in Portugal. People in a rural areas in Portugal are much more likely to be related to one another and have been friends since primary school. This, and the organisation of local government in Portugal (which pushes significant political power and decision making down to local municipalities) means that rural communities are much more self-sufficient, resilient and in many cases more responsive than those in the UK. They retain a strong sense of local identity from community to community whereas in the UK it's become very homogenous. The effect of the above is that while in Portugal - say the Alentejo region where I live - you may be living in an area with far lower population density than anywhere in the UK other than the Scottish Highlands and Islands - you don't really feel that way. There are only 4 villages and small towns on the national roads (not motorways, but what the British would call single carriageway 'A' roads) between where I live and the Spanish border (100km to the East) and similarly only 6 villages/small towns between here and Lisbon (about 150km to the West). Yet it's just an hour by road to Spain (and the city of Badajoz with 150,000 people) and 90 minutes to Lisbon. These are laughably small distances by American standards. Yet local amenities (such as health centres, cottage hospitals, etc.) are all very close. The thing is that you really don't *feel* as if you're particularly remote from anywhere. Whereas in mid-Wales or the Scottish Highlands you really do feel a lot more remote. Portugal is very easy to feel at home in. People are very welcoming and friendly. Something that isn't always the case in the UK where you can live somewhere for ten years and not know your next-door neighbours' first and last names. And indeed you'll probably have 2 or 3 sets of next-door neighbours during that time. In Portugal things move a little slower when it comes to who owns what and, as a result, there is more continuity and you get to know people better. What you get in Portugal that you don't get anywhere near as much in the UK are generally very good weather (in which to socialise), plenty of very inexpensive places to sit down (to drink, eat and chat) and more people who are happy (and interested) to talk to you in your local community. None of these things are particularly "romantic", as you put it, but are essential to feeling at home and "belonging". In a sense, living in Portugal is like living in an idealised version of Britain in the 1950s, where family and relationships, community and regional distinctiveness were much more important. Albeit that even out in the sticks you have gigabit broadband (for most of the last decade, by the way - whereas in the UK this has been pretty much of unheard of in similar communities), access to plenty of English language TV (if you so wish), supermarkets that are every bit as good as anything you'll find in the US or UK and reasonably priced restaurants that simply shatter anything you'll find in the US or UK (both of which are very expensive) when it comes to quality vs price. Finally, I'll just say that one of the huge advantages of living in Portugal (or any other country where English isn't the first language) is that if you have children then they'll be enriched (in so many ways) for life by becoming bilingual. Not only does this make learning 3rd or 4th languages much easier but it also changes and improves your capacity to think. This is backed up by many academic studies, incidentally. As long as you can make it economically - and have sufficient income - Portugal (and particularly rural Portugal) offers you an incredibly high quality of life where all the basics (housing yourself, feeding yourself, clothing yourself, education and healthcare) are pretty cheap and where being happy with what you've got is quite a bit easier than in many other countries.

[@gb4939]

If you look at datas you can see that Portugal is a MUCH safer country than US (and safer than UK also if I remember correctly).

[@jackeppington6488]

This was a brilliant move, hanging out with locals and getting "a more rounded view" as you said. That first couple (Newbys)...are you just friends... or family? I swear that blonde woman could be Emma's sister. And I very much agree with something she said...about taking care of your relationship after having a new baby. This can be such a dangerous period, and while you Beans seem solid, there can be wobbles, be careful... I'm just an American watching KZbin so what do I know? But I want you to be happy and succesful. Good luck!

[@BigHeinen]

I haven't been in your position but it seems that Noah might have an advantage if he attended a local school and became fluent in Portuguese, Spanish, and Catalan as well as English. Being multi-lingual is a big plus today.

[@JoanneSpencerThomas]

I have lived in Portugal since 1998. Kids go to Portuguese schools and I work in a Portuguese environment. There are British people about, although it’s not really my thing. Their kids go to international schools and play with British/American kids and only the most privileged Portuguese families. Country living, is a good option, but it’s also isolating. Then you have the possibility of forest fires too, cold winters and damp. Many Portuguese people are leaving the bigger cities now and opting for the smaller villages, so with that comes land, but with an authentic community too. If you guys are here when your kids start school, if you don’t homeschool- definitely put them into a local school. They’ll be fluent after a week. Good luck with it all, and make Portuguese friends. 👋

[@andil6784]

What a lovely American couple and such a beautiful property. I hope this dispels your fears on your subscribers. I would bet 99% of us are really good people.

[@GoJolli]

Love the content; I look forward to more segments! 👏💐

[@itscarolinemary]

Wow, the subscribers you met have a lovely home! I love their bio pool. ☺️ The Newby’s land is also soo nice.

[@aliwattsmalaga]

On the Costa del Sol you have the best climate in Europe. I've lived in Malaga for 33 years. I'm a BIG fan of your channel and just think it would be perfect here for your family xx

[@satanishangover]

Canaries way better weather

[@Phiyedough]

I also had a bad experience with the local electricity company but in my case it was in Hungary. I had been away for a few weeks and returned to find no electricity and the cable from the pole had been cut. They claimed the supply was unsafe but it was the same as all the other houses. I had to pay loads of money for a new underground supply complete with new meter box in the middle of the front lawn.

[@quifix1]

Not what happened with the electricity company, but they simply cannot cut down trees at their leisure, they have to have authorization. They can only do so in areas where the network passes through to avoid damage and causing fires.

[@soxrox2574]

With any move to anywhere there are always going to be positives and negatives. I think it comes down to your desire to keep traveling and what you can handle when you are not there. I've seen the Newbys but I enjoyed Bill and Marcus' place.

[@LoremIpsum1970]

My parents have been in the same house for 45 years. Not everyone has the urge to move, some put down roots in a community they want to belong in. Wherever you go, prioritize living 'near' good healthcare services, especially an ER. I don't think I'd live in the middle of nowhere over a (golden) hour away from an emergency room no matter how Instagrammable it is.

[@ruipedro4424]

It was great to see this video. The american couple.... they are a must! I´m a portuguese man, who lives in lisboa and i own a piece of property, kinda similar to the ones you show. It´s near Castelo Branco, and i can relate to the issues you presented . I´m over there half year, but thinking to move in all year long. I wish you the very best, for sure you will pick the best decision ;)

[@myitaliantherapyginafiore4414]

I look forward to seeing where you go. SO many options so little time. Love this. Gina in Upstate New York USA moving to Portugal

[@adelesr4965]

António Olá Gina bem vinda a Portugal seja muito feliz em Portugal

[@myitaliantherapyginafiore4414]

@@adelesr4965 Ola ciao. Si amore Portugal...

[@adelesr4965]

@@myitaliantherapyginafiore4414 António Olá Sim Amor Itália Gianni Morandi meu cantor preferido eu amo a musica itáliana

[@jj-if6it]

Love what he said; it doesn't have to be permanent and you can always change your mind!

[@i.m1981]

My parents have a house in salema portugal, its amazing right on beach. No tourist place. Really nice, they spemd a couple.of months at a time there. They also have a house in essex with 2 actrs of land. The electric conpany came onto theor land to chop tress hanging over the electric cables that rin across their garden. Without notice. So its no different here. Ita a safety issue.

[@sheilajoseph9953]

Village life for the busy beans. You will have good neighbours and plenty of events. You can spend some of your days touring all around portugal. ❤

[@MrJayscinema]

I’m sure you’ve already thought about this but why don’t you guys live there at your friends house when they go away :) that would be a really tester to see if you like it

[@suzisharp132]

Wonderful vlog! You two are being so wise in taking your time to decide where you really want to live. Good luck in your search. xoxoxoxo

[@jml4774]

Why not start with a holiday home and see how it goes, eventually staying longer and longer if you feel it is the right move for you.

[@monicamestas7566]

Such a romantic notion. But I think the renovation of some of these ruins with large acreage would be daunting and require lots of hands on and DIY know-how. And may really test your relationship. Moving, renovation, children, money... all big stressors.

[@jxph7]

the village looks just about right . Rural looks too much isolation👊

[@kimmancha4314]

Smaller parcels can still feel huge, depending on location. You might be surrounded by someone else's land or public lands (not yours to maintain, just yours to enjoy), your smaller parcel may have wooded boundaries, etc. You can consider these factors in addition to just the size.

[@TheSnowman518]

Do the 2 American men Bill and Marcus have a youtube channel does anyone know . Love the positivity of these 2 alot .

[@ptcountrybear7813]

We do not, as we are much more boring than people think. I can’t fathom that people might watch us. 😂

[@TheSnowman518]

@@ptcountrybear7813 No not boring at all , loved both of you and your outlook on life . Embracing what Portugal has to offer and going with the flow . Seems by reading the comments you have quite a fan base .

[@999carlosjorge]

@@ptcountrybear7813 I have been to that river beach wou went to,The rio Ceira actually starts in my village, closer to the Serra da Estrela,and my aunt lives in Vila Nova do Ceira,I loved your place and you both are wonderful people,very realistic,I wish you well,good luck!!

[@buguibangui]

Wow you guys really nail it. Brilliant video. So much information. Im also glad you guys learn what is a rural area. I got specially amazed by the fact that you have to speak portuguese in Portugal, its an hazard that you will not find anywhere in Europe. Again you guys nail it.

[@SallySparks]

Kudos to Bill and Marcus on their attitude and choices. Yes on immigrant vs expat! We came from the land and ATVs in the US and being older we were ready for downsizing, so we chose an apartment in Madeira. We're done with all that work. But I love their land and what they are doing with it. Yay.