Welcome to Our Life in Portugal!

Hi! ​We’re Harold and Jana and we'll be chronicling our move from Georgia (USA) to Portugal later this year. The decision to move from our native country to an entirely new one was not made lightly. There were many factors involved, and we'd like to take a minute to give you an idea of a few of those just in case you're considering something similar.

​First, we are childless, so we won't be living far away from any kids or grandkids. Our parents have all shuffled off this mortal coil, so there are no elder care issues. And finally, we needed to REBOOT, as we put it.

​Reboot? What does that mean? When our parents retired they did a bit of traveling (in the U.S.) but didn't expand their horizons. Instead, they kept to their usual routine which did not take advantage of their freedom from the 9-5. Both Jana and I felt that it would be good to shake things up, start over. One of the best (and probably the most stressful) ways to do that is to sell your house, get rid of most of your earthly possessions, and move somewhere completely new.

Both of us have traveled extensively, and as retirement age approaches we want to do some exploration of Europe. During our last several vacations to the UK and Ireland, one of our largest trip expenses was airfare. If we want to wander around Europe, what better way to do that than live there and benefit from their low cost transportation options?

Why Portugal? Because it's a beautiful country with a welcoming culture, and a sensible program for establishing residency. Their healthy lifestyle and lower cost of living is highly attractive. And there's a wealth of history to explore. Throw in a moderate, yet diverse climate, genuinely nice people, it is the ideal choice.

The aim of our website and blog is to give our readers information on the immigration process and what it's like to live in a foreign culture. And to allow you to share in our successes. Don't worry--we'll be sure to share the things that didn't go right, as well, so that hopefully others do not need to make the same mistakes we will.

So welcome to Our Life in Portugal. 

Next in the Queue: Visa application