When Portugal starts to feel like home

Olá a todos! Aqui é a Anita.

Many of my students tell me that the most complicated part of moving to Portugal is not understanding the culture or finding a place to live, but getting to feel Portugal as their new home. Portugal is a warm and welcoming country, but the truth is that moving to a new place can feel a bit overwhelming sometimes.

One of the most powerful tools we have in life is the people we connect with. Moving to another country can become much simpler when we find people who welcome us, who guide us. Making friends in Portugal is the perfect opportunity to explore the culture, the cafés, the beaches and the little towns that make this country so unique.

What I usually recommend is to start with small talk, just a “bom día”, introduce yourself to your new neighbours, talk with people in the local shops. Step by step, exposing yourself to these everyday events will help you slowly feel more at home in Portugal.

There is also a word we use a lot in Portuguese: saudade. It describes that mix of nostalgia and affection we feel when we miss people or places. When you live abroad, it’s natural to feel it sometimes, but little by little, with time, routines, connections, a new sense of home begins to grow.

As we say in Portugal, é com o tempo que se ganha o jeito.