With a growing number of our clients frequently inquiring about relocating to the picturesque shores of Portugal, we're thrilled to have Clyde Showalter from "Portugal The Place" join us as this month's guest blogger to give you an insider's look at expat life in this beautiful country.

Going into our fourth year as residents of Portugal has made me think that the international European life we collectively live is fantastic. At times, it feels ordinary, but in the simplest of ways, I realize that I am a foreigner in a land layered with unspoken traditions and words vocalized in a language I still struggle to understand. Yet, I love Portugal and feel that I belong here.

In conversations with those looking to relocate here, a frequently asked question is how the Portuguese feel about the uptick in Americans relocating to this part of the Iberian Peninsula. This blanket question is open to an individual experience, but my interaction with Portuguese culture has been incredible. If I extend my hand in friendship, the Portuguese open their arms in acceptance. I have been welcomed into homes and invited to events where we have been the only non-Portuguese present, and I am honored to have been there. I have many Portuguese friends, one of whom I have known since we moved here. He and I have gone to cafes together, visited one another's homes, and exchanged Christmas gifts. Yet, neither of us speaks the other's language ~ I am eternally grateful to the creator of Google Translator. Two nights ago, this same friend stopped by my home and left a bottle of two-year-old Blackberry liqueur that he made from the berries in his garden; the kindness resonates from the ground up. 

I am often asked if I speak Portuguese, and in truth, I answer no. I am embarrassed by this, and my reasons run the gamut from “I’m so busy” to “I’m so lazy.” Honestly, though, the Portuguese make it easy for someone like me. I can fuel up my car or go grocery shopping, and I never feel unable to communicate with those I interact with. With that being written, I have made a personal commitment to stop making excuses and learn the Portuguese language. I am proud to be a resident of Portugal, and I want to be more than a perpetual tourist. Next year, I will have the opportunity to become a citizen here, and part of the requirements include being able to pass the Portuguese language test for foreigners (an A2 level is required). I have a goal and the motivation to do this. It will be challenging, but nothing worth having comes easily, and to me, being a citizen of Portugal is worth it.

This buzz I get from being an international immigrant never gets old. Every day, I marvel at the wonder of living a world away from my childhood. The mish-mash of architectural styles is fascinating, and the way shabby, run-down ruins blend with modernism still captivates me. Portuguese food is healthy, the markets are authentic, the cost of living is affordable, and it’s safe. In the morning, while walking my dog, I watch the mist roll over the remnants of an ancient 5th-century castle and say bom dia to people whose names I don’t know. Dusk brings the swallows, and the vibrancy of outdoor cafes permeates daily life. As I write this, just doors from my office, a local resident and internationally renowned opera singer’s voice resonates off the walls of a monastery built around the year 1147. Most days, I feel like I am living on a movie set. 

This is my perspective; everyone has a different point of view on life in Portugal. Some people who have relocated here miss what they had in America. Some yearn for familiar holidays or family they left behind, and it's a fact that we all contend with. Portugal is not perfect; the bureaucracy can be frustrating. Grocery shopping can be an adventure. The canned fish aisle still surprises me, and the hot dogs are unlike back home. The celebrations that happen whenever Portugal wins a football match can be loud, and parking your car almost anywhere with your flashers on seems very acceptable. But the way I view it, these are small inconveniences that I easily contend with. Portuguese life is incredible, and I have fallen in love with this place I call home. 

Clyde Showalter, a seasoned global traveler, is the Co-Founder of Portugal The Place. With a four-year residency in Portugal, Clyde is dedicated to forging impactful partnerships and driving innovation within the local community. His leadership is marked by a passion for excellence and a deep appreciation for the nuances of Portuguese culture.