Hello Cold Canadian,

you are planning really a big change from Canada to Portugal. You will certainly enjoy Portugal, the variety of landscapes, beaches and so on. But do not think it is easy.

If you are planning to move to Santo Tirso you will be in the northern part, close to the Spnish border. The Porto area has most of the Portuguese industry but income for employed is very low and it is a very rainy zone.

The Algarve has a different reality, as it is very touristic and has the best climate. There are striking differences between the areas of Portugal.

As regards to the languages of Spanish and Portuguese, the written words are similar, but the pronouciation is very different. Portuguese usually anderstand Spanish, but the Spanish have Problems to understand Portuguese.

You have public schools and privat schools in Portugal. The privat have better quality, more disciplin and cost money.

I think it is a good idea, first to rend a place and to look at the country.

What surprises me, is that many Portuguese would like to emigrate to Canada, because of the lack of fair opportunities in Portugal. Once a Britisch man said to me: "In Portugal is more important whom you know, than what you know". I think, he was right.

But it is alway an interesting experience and a big challenge to live and work in another country. The best could be to come to Portugal with a Canadian contract and paid by a Canadian company.