Ever wondered how Portugal reduced their drug abuse problem without sending even more of its citizens to jail? Here's a video that explains exactly how this all works. 

www.facebook.com/SBSVICELAND/videos/619214538412256/

And to answer the question we occasionally receive "Are you smoking up over there?" that would be "Ah, no." Because we're here on temporary residence permits, subject to the good will of the immigration authorities, we behave ourselves. That doesn't mean that occasionally we don't encounter a cloud of pot smoke when we're out and about and take a deep inhalation.

​But then that's not illegal (wink).

It seems a number of our friends are headed on adventures overseas and one of the big issues they face is "What do I bring with me?" This list is quite comprehensive and covers a lot of things you'd never think of. 

The Ultimate Packing List
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And yes, we did bring the duct tape. It's proven to be useful already. 

Beginning May 25th, new rules regarding online privacy rules will be in place. Companies will be required to acquire users' permission before they gather or share personal data. Given recent revelations in the Unites States regarding Facebook's sharing of personal data, this is a solid step forward.