The View from Portugal

By JORIC MCLEAN

Slowly, I sip the last of my espresso and bite into a pastel de nata. These gooey egg custard tarts have become a morning staple and always make for fun conversation with my cardiologist. I look up and watch the boats cruising up and down the Tagus River. My eyes glance to the right, offering clear views of the April 25th Bridge and Christ the King statue. Not a bad spot to grab a light breakfast and contemplate the day ahead. Welcome to my home in Lisbon, Portugal.

How did I end up in Portugal? This is the most common question asked by friends and family. The answer is simple. My wife and I share a love for European culture, history, and food. Most of our big trips were to cities like Dublin, Paris, London, Rome, and Athens. As luck would have it, my wife received a transfer opportunity from her employer to move across the pond. The opportunity to live in Europe and be so much closer to the travel destinations we love was a no-brainer. Goodbye USA, hello Europe.

The move has not come without challenges. We left our family and friends back in the States, and we miss them dearly. Thankfully, international flights operate daily from Lisbon, meaning we can see those we love easily. Six months after landing in Lisbon, the pandemic rocked us and the world. Through that trying time, we learned how different the political and social climate is in Portugal. My wife and I accepted these challenges head-on. We knew some of what we were getting into, and with the rest, we crossed those bridges as we came to them.

What is life like in Portugal? The pace is slow. Imagine everyone, and I mean everyone, is on vacation time. It is relaxing and less stressful than being back home, except when you need something done in a hurry. Hurry and fast are two words rarely spoken here. What I appreciate most about living abroad is the lack of “noise.” By noise, I mean the politics, the movements, the selective outrage intended to divide people instead of bringing us together. It is good to live in a place where I don’t get sucked into those black hole discussions.

What is our future in Portugal? Well, if the last six months are any indicator, our future will involve more travel! We have been blessed to visit Malta, Italy, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and the UK, in recent months. Croatia, Greece, Poland, and Turkey are in our sights for the next six months. We are going to keep boarding planes, trains, and buses, as long as our bank account stays in the black.

I want to wrap up this article by making a plea to the reader. On many occasions, our family, our job, or our finances throw a monkey wrench into our dreams of travel. Life gets in the way. It becomes easy to sit back and say, “Someday, I will get there.” I want to be gentle with my next sentence. Someday may never come, and by the way, the clock is ticking. So, book that trip. Hit the road for a week to explore parts unknown. Start knocking off your bucket list of places to visit. Go, see, and do while your mind and body are able.