We've just passed the "we've been here 11 months" mark and that's rather astounding, actually. In many ways we've settled in and others, not so much. So this post is going to discuss what's giving us trouble, because living in a foreign country is never like the guidebooks suggest. The big clue: it's all about The Language
While I was out researching a nearby city (Vila do Conde), I found this way cool site that offers 360 degree views of famous locations throughout Portugal. In this case, various sites in Porto.
I highly recommend you take some time to just browse through these links. Enjoy! porto.360portugal.com/Concelho/Porto/index.php The Camara Muncipal (city government) of Port has made a insightful video on what it means to live (or visit) here. Enjoy.
https://www.facebook.com/CamaraMunicipaldoPorto/videos/10155677955084066/ If you’re planning to become a resident of Portugal, one of the first things on your To Do list is to obtain a Número de Identificação Fiscal or NIF (nēf). Almost any activity that has taxes associated with it will require this nine-digit number: opening a bank account, renting an apartment, purchasing property, establishing utilities, taking out a loan, obtaining a residency permit, or even making everyday purchases. 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 And yes, we did bring the duct tape. It's proven to be useful already. This explains a lot. Every time we pay for purchases the vendors are desperate for coins, not just the one and two cents. They will shake us down. It seems Portugal is so short of one and two cent coins they're buying them from Ireland.
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.
Originally a Roman town, then one inhabited by the Moors, Tomar is a city layered with history. There many sites to visit here, including the Convento de Cristo. It was originally associated with the Knights Templar, until their order was dissolved by the pope in the early 1300s, and at that point it came under the jurisdiction of the Order of Christ. Over the centuries, various Portuguese kings have added their own touch to this architectural masterpiece. A few weeks back we presented ourselves at the local SEF (Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras) immigration office, our lawyer in tow, and handed over the documentation required to permit us to remain in the country until January 2019. Here’s how that process worked.
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Your HostsHarold is a former software engineer. Jana is an author. Together they're exploring their new life in Portugal. Archives
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