[All good]

Hello all, I am planning on moving to Portugal in the not too distant future and was wondering if anybody has any experiences they want to share?

I have stayed in Portugal with my wife's family and really loved it. Coming from Melbourne I am not expecting to have the same excitement or luxuries as I get here but I am not moving for that, I am moving so I can live closer to Europe and experience another culture.

I am also planning on moving to Porto, as it's closer to my wifes family and also I prefer Porto to Lisboa or The Algarve. I speak quite a bit of Portuguese but do you think it is neccessary to be fluent if I am going to work there? How many expats on this forum speak Portuguese??

Anyway, just thought I would see what others have thought of the move, it's always good to hear different stories.

Cheers

 

[nelinha]

Bureaucracy, bureaucracy, bureaucracy. If you bspeak to the locals regularly, you will pick up the lingo quite quickly. Culture is definitely not like yours or mine (SAFA) but we adjust and hopefully we will integrate. Porto is beautiful and the countryside is very varied. The traffic is horrible though, they are worse than SA drivers. Good luck for the SUPER 14.

 

[-mia-]

Hello all, I am planning on moving to Portugal in the not too distant future and was wondering if anybody has any experiences they want to share?

I have stayed in Portugal with my wife's family and really loved it. Coming from Melbourne I am not expecting to have the same excitement or luxuries as I get here but I am not moving for that, I am moving so I can live closer to Europe and experience another culture.

I am also planning on moving to Porto, as it's closer to my wifes family and also I prefer Porto to Lisboa or The Algarve. I speak quite a bit of Portuguese but do you think it is neccessary to be fluent if I am going to work there? How many expats on this forum speak Portuguese??

Anyway, just thought I would see what others have thought of the move, it's always good to hear different stories.

Cheers

I wonder what "luxuries" and "excitement" you get in Melborne that you won't find in Lisbon or Porto?

 

[Lauren85]

I lived in Lisboa last year and am moving back in June.

There is as much 'excitement' and 'luxury' in the big cities as what you get in Melbourne so I don't think that would be a problem.

Being able to speak Portuguese is a big help, I found that a lot of people who can speak English don't actually want to speak English, and fair enough.

What are you doing regarding visas etc? Last year I had a HUGE run around with the Consulates in Sydney and Melbourne, so this time I am doing all the documentation once I arrive in Portugal.

And if you have driven in Sydney, Portuguese drivers are harmless

 

[Lauren85]

The adjustments I struggled with the most was grocery shopping. A lot of products that we take for granted in Australian supermarkets are just impossible to find.

 

[All good]

....

The adjustments I struggled with the most was grocery shopping. A lot of products that we take for granted in Australian supermarkets are just impossible to find.

Actually I loved the shopping in Portugal. I really get a kick out of trying new foods, I used to wonder around looking for stuff I haven't had before. I can't say I appreciated the piglet heads as much as the locals would, and the baccalau wasn't to my taste but I never ate better in Europe than in Portugal.

What are you doing regarding visas etc? Last year I had a HUGE run around with the Consulates in Sydney and Melbourne, so this time I am doing all the documentation once I arrive in Portugal.

I'm very lucky in that I have three nationalities, one of them is British so I have an EU passport. Also my wife is half Portuguese so she will be applying through lineage.

So your going back??? Can't be all that bad then.

Also I didn't mean any offence about Melbourne, I have travelled to many cities around the world but I find Melbourne to be the best, I was born in NZ and grew up in Perth so I am not be biased.

 

[silvers]

The adjustments I struggled with the most was grocery shopping. A lot of products that we take for granted in Australian supermarkets are just impossible to find.

There are specialist shops that will try to get you any foodstuffs you miss, not too far from Lisboa either.

 

[Lauren85]

Yes I will have to have a look at the specialist shops when I move back, and try and expand my cooking skills to Portuguese food