From the U.S. to Portugal: Do I Regret It?
Portugal has changed, and so have I—here's why I'm still staying.
Stick with me. This letter has a happy ending. ❤️
📸: Listen to my friend’s new song as you read today’s letter.
What is happening in America?! That pretty much sums up the reaction from international news—and local Portuguese media—regarding U.S. current affairs. You already know this:
Republicans are getting hostility and boos from their own supporters.
Democrats have expressed little confidence in their party.
Canada appears to be aligning with Europe and preparing for war.
Meanwhile, the cost of living soars, mass shootings persist, and people are losing their jobs—right and left, literally and figuratively. None of this is new. It just seems worse. Maybe that’s why, more than ever, my fellow Americans (still living in the States) have started saying: “You’re lucky that you got out when you did.”
Yes, I Love It Here
In Portugal, I’ve found something different. A slower pace. Approximately 300 sunny days each year. Warmth. Kind people. A culture that cares about rest as much as—if not more than—work.
I walk more. Eat better. Breathe easier.
And, yet, I never really left the U.S. I still go back multiple times each year. I have family, friends, memories, and work there. It’s who I am. No matter where I live, the U.S. will always be part of me—its my history, my language, and my culture.
No place is perfect. Even here, I’ve noticed a little political instability creeping in.
Locals say fell down when the U.S. would say collapse. So, last year, when the government fell down, the far right put up billboards proclaiming, They’ve been failing [at democracy] for 50 years—give us a try! and Portugal needs a cleaning.
The result? They won nearly 20% of the vote—and Portugal moved from left to center right. Well, that government just fell down, too. In May, Portugal will have its third general election in just as many years. Not going to lie, it feels a little surreal. (I can’t vote here, by the way.)
When I chose Portugal many years ago, part of its appeal was the political stability. You see, I moved here from DC—the same year that rioters stormed the capitol. I wanted peace. Before recent upheavals, Portugal stably held elections in 2019, 2015, and 2011—basically, every four years, like in the U.S. Good news: even now, Portugal still ranks #7 on the Global Peace Index. The United States is #132—one spot above Iran.
But this isn’t just about Portugal. Nor, the U.S.
Far-right party lines echo throughout Europe, telling each country’s nationals: Your government has forgotten you. Blame immigrants. Don’t look at billionaires land owners. Instead, focus on your fears—about personal safety, economic insecurity—and, remember kids, blame people who don’t look like you or worship like you do.
For now, in Europe, I get the impression that people feel like what’s happening in the U.S. couldn’t happen here. Of course Americans said that, too, about 1940s Europe. What's happening there couldn't happen here.
Pay Attention to Patterns, Especially When They Repeat
When harmful narratives win, the problems people yelled about only seem to get worse. Hey, those eggs never got cheaper, did they? Psst, Europe, your housing isn’t going to get cheaper either.
Remember when you could rent a gorgeous place in Lisbon for the equivalent of $600? Same in Amsterdam. And London. And New York. I’ve lived in each of those cities. I’ve experienced it firsthand. Over the years, wealth from extremely well-off folks continued to grow and soar while everyday people felt like prices got higher (they did) and they earned less money (we do).
We’ve seen this playbook before, especially if we know history:
Pandemic:
Then: Spanish Flu
Now: COVID-19
Followed by:
Then: Global economic downturn. Everyday people struggling to keep up.
Now: Same.
Gave rise to:
Then: Fascism. “Strongmen” exploited economic fears by scapegoating immigrants.
Now: Germany’s AfD, France’s Rassemblement National, Italy’s Lega, etc.
Geo-politically:
Then: Germany invaded Poland. War spread across Europe.
Now: Russia has already invaded Ukraine. And the U.S. is provoking Canada, Panama, and Greenland.
A Friend’s Question
From as early as 1993 to as late as 2013, I never lived in the same place for more than two years. Then, for eight years straight, I stayed put—same city, same home. So, when I decided to uproot to Portugal, I wanted to put down roots. And I still do.
A fellow American expat here in Lisbon recently introduced me to a woman who is “country dating.” She moves from country to country, staying a few months at a time, searching for her perfect fit. Her hot list? Serbia, Canada, France, Costa Rica, Panama, Mexico—and, of course, Portugal!
She recently asked me: If you could do it all over again, would you still choose Portugal?
I laughed. “Ooooh, you’re asking the tough questions.”
But my truth is simple. Yes, I’d still choose Portugal. I love it here. And I plan to stay. I’m grateful for this beautiful country.
Wherever You Go, There You Are
Portugal has changed. So have I. If you missed the previous love letters, catch up on what I’ve been doing over the past few week, and how I’ve been growing.
No one knows the future.
Another friend, Hankie, and I were recently chatting about expat life. He’s in the U.S. now, but he previously lived in Budapest, Paris, and elsewhere. When I mentioned Portugal’s government fell down, he very wisely said it’s easier to stomach that kind of stuff when you’re the expat: “It might be the same bullshit, but it’s someone else’s bullshit.”
Exactly. It’s background noise—and it’s in a language that I still don’t fully understand and am still learning.
Around the entire globe, life unfolds in ways that we cannot predict. But I know this much is true: wherever we go, we bring our habits, mindset, and worldview with us. Right now, about 10,000 Americans live in Portugal—a 200% increase since 2017. Even still, we’re one of the tiniest groups.
Over a million internationals call this place home, about 10% of the population. They’re the Russians, Ukrainians, Belarusians, and Moldovans in my Portuguese language courses. It’s the Nepalese guy who owns the corner bodega. They’re the Chinese people who run the lojas. Brits down in the Algarve. Brazilians in the rua. Germans hiking in Monsanto.
I’ve never expected Portugal to “fix” anything for me. My life was fine before I came here. Likewise, I have no intention of “fixing” Portugal. It will be just fine, too. ❤️
I’m learning the language. Making new friends. Exploring different cities. Because, as the saying goes: Wherever you go, there you are.
And for me, I’m just peacefully living my life here—which is what I’ve always strived to do, no matter where I’ve lived. So, I’m staying. And I’m happy. Wherever you are in the world, I hope you already have (or will soon find) your happiness, too.
I want to live somewhere else outside of mainland America at some point in my life. Having skills that pay no matter where you live is definitely a plus. I don't know if Portugal is that spot, but it definitly sounds nice. Wishing you continued peace and happiness.
My mother is staging a family intervention to stop me from moving to Thailand. I said I would gladly come home to sit down with the family and talk things through (even though I've been talking to my siblings about it for quite a while). I also told her I am 100% determined to make this move. I know it's incredibly hard for most Americans to wrap their heads around the idea of leaving, but I've wanted to since the first Trump term.