Not Your Average Globetrotter

Is moving to Portugal the best choice to make when thinking about moving abroad to Europe? Europe may be small, but within a very small area you can find a wide variety of languages, cultures and people. So you may want to look at what each country provides and what life for expats is like in that country. Regardless of what reasons you may want to migrate, whether or not it's to retire abroad in Portugal, work abroad as a digital nomad in Portugal or any other motivating factor to live abroad, it's important to check things out and do your ‘homework’. One thing that many people look for is places that are good for English speaking expats. In this expat living abroad podcast episode of Not Your Average Globetrotter, we’ll talk about moving to Portugal from the USA, as well as other non-EU nations and the advantages that Portugal has over other countries when it comes to various factors including the cost of living and quality of life in Portugal and if Portugal is the best country to live in Europe.

Have you thought about making the big move to Europe from your country? Many people, especially after visiting, contemplate this possibility after falling in love with the different countries throughout Europe. I can say from my experience moving to Italy and then moving to Portugal, that these are locations that draw many people from other parts of the world who want to move abroad to Europe. But living in Europe can come along with some unexpected cultural differences. Even within Europe, you will see some major differences from country to country even in countries that border each other. Now that I am living in Portugal,  I can say that there is a major difference between life here and living in Italy, even with things that may seem so minute but make a big difference in day-to-day life. Life abroad comes with different aspects of day-to-day living that are important to consider. Some of these things will help you have a smoother transition into living abroad and help you to understand the experience and integrate better into the local society.

00:00 - Intro

When it comes to moving to Portugal, there are so many small details that can be easily overlooked that may make a huge difference in a person's day-to-day life not to mention the preparatory stages of planning a move. Having lived abroad for more than a decade, I can say there are consistent patterns in what I see people overlooking and among the individuals who move to Portugal, I can say I've seen some of the same. If you are looking to make a life in Portugal for yourself and to become an expat in Portugal, I'll go over some of the things I often see overlooked. Is expat life in Portugal worthwhile? Yes, but it's important to get started on the right foot, sometimes almost literally.. It's important so that you can spend as much time possible enjoying life abroad living in an amazing country. In this expat living abroad podcast episode of Not Your Average Globetrotter, we'll go over just some of the mistakes I've seen made by expats in Portugal, or rather expats moving to Portugal.

When considering a move to Portugal, having a good idea of what each location may offer is vital. Things that may be positive for one person could be negative for someone else who is looking at expat life in Portugal. When it comes to looking into moving to Braga, Portugal, you may also be comparing living in Braga vs Lisbon, or living in Braga vs Porto... or even living in Porto vs Lisbon. Each of these cities has something to offer those who are looking at living abroad in Portugal. For some people living in Lisbon may be the right choice while for others who are moving to Portugal may find that another city is best for them and their desired expat life abroad. In this expat podcast episode of Not Your Average Globetrotter, we'll talk about what expat life in Braga, Portugal has to offer in comparison to the two largest cities in Portugal.

For help with getting your NIF (Portuguese Tax Number) and Portuguese Bank Account, visit this episode's sponsor:

Moving to Portugal can come with many things that have to be taken into account. Choosing where to live in Portugal can be a difficult decision. However, if you've decided to consider a move to Braga, Portugal, it is important to understand the layout of the city and where to look for apartments on the map that may suit your needs. Due to the requirements of getting a D7 visa, it can be necessary to rent an apartment, and many people choose to rent an apartment in Braga, without seeing it in person. The hope is that this video can help serve as an overview of living in Braga and direct individuals who have never been to Braga as to what are the differences between the areas and what and where you may find them.  Choosing the appropriate area for you is one of the things that can help a person to have a successful transition into expat life in Portugal... but more specifically expat life in Braga, Portugal... In this episode of Not Your Average Globetrotter we'll take a look at the the map and look at the different parts of Braga Portugal and give you an overview  into what you can expect if you decide to move here.

For help with getting your NIF (Portuguese Tax Number) and Portuguese Bank Account, visit this episode's sponsor:

Website - https://www.bordr.io/nyag

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/bordrhq

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/bordrhq

Are you thinking about traveling around Portugal? In this expat living abroad travel podcast episode of Not Your Average Globetrotter, we'll go over some of the options and what to do when getting around. We'll also go over some of the options you have available to you domestically as well as how to travel to Portugal with some of the travel tips and tricks I've picked up. This week I had to go on a trip to Lisbon for some meetings and was realizing that trying to figure out how get around Portugal can be a little confusing before you have the basics under your belt. Depending on where you are in Portugal, you'll have various options to get around locations while you're traveling in Lisbon, traveling in Porto... the Algarve, and the North of Portugal. Even if you decide to move to Portugal, knowing the basics of how to get around can be quite important so you can take full advantage of what expat life in Portugal has to offer.

After I left the USA, I came to find there were many other people who weren't of the same mindset that I was regarding staying abroad. I couldn't even fathom why a person would want to move back to their country after living abroad. But as time has passed, I've come to understand what motivating factors would make a person want to consider another ‘move abroad’ back to their home country and racking up yet another international move.  Expat life can be fun but life abroad of course comes with many challenges and things that you need to become used to. Sometimes working abroad may not afford a person the same opportunities that they have for work back in their country of origin. Living abroad isn't for everyone, but definitely there are points to consider and also after years of living abroad, it's easier to approach the idea with a clear picture. Approaching the move to another country comes along with a lot to consider, even if it's back to the country that you're from. In this expat living abroad podcast episode of Not Your Average Globetrotter, well go over some of what you may want to take into consideration if you're thinking about repatriating back to your home country.

0:57 - Be prepared for the worst...

Whether you're going to live in Portugal or travel to Portugal, there are a few things you may want to avoid during your time in this country. If you are moving to Portugal, it can definitely help to take some of these things into consideration ahead of your move to Portugal in order to help your life in Portugal. It doesn't matter if you're an American in Portugal or you are from any other country, there are certain things you may want to keep in mind. Some of these things may come as second nature and others may seem so simple that they may be easy to overlook. In this living abroad expat podcast episode of Not Your Average Globetrotter, we'll go over some do's and don'ts for living in Portugal so you can enjoy expat life in Portugal to the fullest!

During my time living abroad I've found there are certain apps I use more than others that help with day-to-day life and help you to be able to accomplish what you need in your expat life. Having experienced life living in Portugal as well as living in Italy among other countries I can say that it's important to try and figure out how to optimize some of the simplest things as well to be able to connect with what happens where you are and link into what is going on in your location. These apps and categories of apps are some of the ones that I use the most or can recommend using. I would recommend if you haven't yet moved abroad to look out and get a feel for these so you're not, so to speak, trying to pat your head and rub your belly at the same time. Moving to another country already comes with so many things to think about, why ad a few extra things on top. 

These were some of the apps/services I mentioned in this episode that I have referral codes/links for:

Airalo - ESIMs for data packages in different countries

Rebtel - Make calls to landlines and mobile phones around the world

Wise - Transfer money around the world with Wise

It's crazy how quickly these 6 months have gone by since moving to Portugal. Day by day it feels more and more like home, I've always enjoyed Portugal, but since moving to Braga I can say that I really have developed a new appreciation for what this country has to offer. Living in Portugal comes with some hurdles to conquer, however once you have landed and gotten the ball rolling, life in Portugal really takes shape and shows you what it has to offer. Out of all of the countries that I could recommend to someone to live abroad, Portugal would be one of the top choices on that list.