Adventures of two expats

25/10/2023

Day five is about to start. Every place we stay includes breakfast. It’s 100% carbs. Kinda freaking me out but we are walking a lot and you work with what you got right? Lol when we get home we have a little over three weeks before the cruise. I’ll be in the corner nibbling on lettuce.

13/10/2023

I recently saw a word that has totally caught my attention and seems to be stuck smack in the middle of my brain.

The word is "Coddiwompling"

The word coddiwomple is English slang, defined as “to travel in a purposeful manner towards a vague destination”.

I think this describes our last two years in a nutshell. When we decided to make the move to Portugal it was not so much the desire to live in Portugal but more the desire to leave California and discover new life. Do not get me wrong there are a lot of things that we did not want to leave ( family, our house, the food etc) but there were A LOT of things that we were not aligned with anymore as well. We had a deep down gut feeling it was time to move on. We both knew that there was something out there waiting for us. I can with 100% honesty say, we are chipping away at that feeling everyday. Each day Mike and I discover something big or small within us that has made us smile more or has enriched our minds.

We love to talk about new destinations all the time. We love Portugal but we also love the idea of taking this journey of life where it leads us. We do not have the desire for roots anymore. Our desires lay within our hearts and our adventerous soles. We no longer feel the need for material things but instead want to trust the power of yes.

I am sure that some of our coddiwompling will be filled with bad choices but I can promise you this, it is purposeful.

Now that was some deep s**t for 5:30am in the morning lol

May your day ahead be filled with laughter and love

10/10/2023

Today Mike and I had a small adventure, a beautiful hike and a beach picnic. When we first moved to Portugal it seems we were doing this weekly but then we got so involved with other activities we forget about the simple activities that gave us so much joy.

Next week we leave for our first ever Camino walk so we knew it was time to get back on the trail. The hike was breathtaking. I can not believe we live in this amazing country with views like this 10 minutes away.

Todays adventure was a reminder to both of us not to forget the simple things that bring you joy.

PS Lol what do you think of my big ass brim hat? i feel like I could fit another body under it.

29/09/2023

Today Mike and I were at the market and for some reason I just stopped and people watched for a moment. Here is what struck me as different. In America almost every person you see has a cup of take away coffee they are sipping on while shopping. In Portugal I have yet to see this even one time. Instead what we have here is little kiosks outside the stores that serve little shots of coffee and pastries. People stop all the time by themselves or with friends and family to enjoy a tiny sip of coffee inside a ceramic cup. Im not saying one is right or wrong, it’s just so different. The pace of life here is VERY slow in everything they do. They truly are taking in the moment at their own speed. This in general really suits Mike and I as we embrace retired life UNTIL you drive on the highways. Omg I could do my nails while driving they drive so slow. Just a little hmmmmmmoment today I wanted to share.

26/09/2023

You know how I posted yesterday about just begin? This is the result. These are my desktop countdown reminders. None of them would have ever been booked had we stayed stuck in that "it's not the right time" mode.
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All of these adventures come with some sort of sacrifice but in our experience every adventure always has. For those of you that know Mike, you know he is a research king. OMG he does not do anything without over the top research. Not to say we did not research these before pulling the trigger but we did not stay stuck there, we took leaps, we made sacrifices, and we said YES.
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I can not wait to walk the Camino next month with my sister. It is a first for all of us and I am over the moon that we will have 7 days to walk, talk and share.
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The transatlantic is a Mike bucket list. I am excited to spend the time on the ocean and reflex on all our blessings.
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The world cruise is just one of those things I never imagined I would do. I am nervous, excited, overwhelmed and darn right numb over this latest booked adventure. I am not a world traveler and never dreamed of being one. I am into the word Yes though as it has treated me right so far. Some might think we are crazy and maybe we are------stay tuned :-)

25/09/2023

Today was a day of reflection for me. I do not spend a lot of time thinking about the past but sometimes it really calls to me, so I just go where my thoughts take me.The last few years have dramatically changed all of our lives. I think the Covid Pandemic shifted a lot of our stale patterns of thinking. Most of us saw how fragile life can be and how things can shift quickly.
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Mike and I began to open our eyes and focus. We did not want to waste one minute being stuck. If you are like most of us, there is a dream deep down inside of you that you tend to push down because the time is not right. What we realized was that it was not so much that the timing was not right, it was more that we were afraid. What a waste of time
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Don't wait, just begin and take advantage of every moment and every breath. Dreams do not magically happen, they happen when you begin. Try your best to get out of your own head and take a step and begin to see what is in front of you.
It feels good to begin again and again each day :-)

14/09/2023

It is time to announce our next adventure :-)

In November we will be leaving for our first ever Transatlantic Cruise onboard the Oceania Marina.

We will sail from Lisbon to Miami for 13 nights. This is a bucket list item for Mike and we are so excited to be able to take this opportunity to cross it off.

Our first cruise with Oceania was earlier this year in Europe and we fell in love with the line. When we saw that Oceania was doing a Transatlantic leaving from Lisbon we knew we had to find a way to get onboard.

Our earlier Europe cruise was delightful in every way but it was also port heavy and we never had a chance to enjoy our very loved sea days. This cruise is almost ALL sea days and just four ports of call.

The four ports are:

Funchal (Madeira), Portugal- We are so excited to visit this island in our home country

Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands- We have friends that live on this island and we can't wait to have the day to visit their home town

St. John's, Antigua- We are doing a farm excursion here and can't wait to learn how they live here

San Juan, Puerto Rico- We have been here and we were not interested in seeing the rainforest again so we picked a food and rum tour.

Before everyone jumps down my throat lol and asks why we are not heading to the west coast to see family just stay tuned, another BIG adventure is heading our way :-)

We are for sure going travel heavy in 2023 and 2024. We will not keep up this pace, in 2025 as much as I love to travel, we also love our hometown and all of our friends here. We are just taking the opportunities placed in front of us and saying YES.

The power of YES has changed our lives. We have learned to give up things so we can enjoy other things if that makes sense. I truly believe life is meant to be reinvented all the time. Staying stuck in a lifestyle or way of thinking was not serving us. Don't stay stuck if you are in a place that feels wrong. Open those eyes and say YES. You will be surprised what adventures lie ahead.

PS What has been your favorite adventure in your life time? I would love to hear about it.

03/09/2023

Hi everyone, I hope you are all doing well and have had a fantastic Summer. Over here in Portugal life has been swell. We are keeping busy and anxiously awaiting Fall to hit our homestead.

It is time to announce another adventure. This one is near and dear to my heart because my sister, Sandy will be taking part in it. In October we will be walking our very first Camino.

What is a Camino you ask right? This is something that is hard to explain as it has many meanings and is answered differently by many. In a nutshell the Camino is a pilgrimage trail to Santiago de Compostela. There are many different routes you can take to end at Santiago de Compostela. Walking the Camino is very popular in Europe and from what I understand it is gaining popularity in the US as well.

You might have seen the movie "The Way" with Martin Sheen :-) The movie was originally produced many years ago but with the recent popularity of the Camino's they have remastered the movie and it is now in the theatres. I think you can watch it on Amazon Prime. It is a FAB movie and a very good example of what walking a Camino is like.

We have picked the Camino Ingles to walk. We picked this route for two reasons. 1: My sister and her boyfriend are still working so they had limited time in Europe to do the trek and 2: We are new to this whole Camino thing and do not want to bite off too much for our first Camino. If you are curious what our walk looks like you can see more about the Ingles route here. https://stingynomads.com/english-way-camino-de-santiago-stages/

That is it for now but please stay tuned. We cant wait to share this experience with you. I am SO EXCITED that my sister and her boyfriend are joining us for this experience!!!!!!!!!

PS We have another adventure lined up for right after the Camino, we will keep you posted.

Do not forget to look up and to take hold of that dream you are holding in tight. Take advantage of each day and try saying YES more often. The magic is out there just waiting for you to grasp it.

Camino Inglés (the English Way of St.James) - a detailed guide & walking stages. Free PDF guides, distances, cost, maps

18/08/2023

Another first for the Malone's. Last night we had the pleasure of being invited to a dinner party at one of our neighbors homes. Not only was the food amazing and the wine out of this world but the best thing about the evening was being surrounded by people from all over the world. It is not uncommon for Mike and I to be the only Americans in the room. Last night the majority of people were Italian and they were some of the nicest people we have met.

I never really knew how sheltered I was while living back in the states.

Since moving to Portugal I have learned so much about different countries, languages, cultures and so many other tidbits that have enriched my life in so many ways. We are so blessed to be living in a neighborhood that is truly international.

Our life really is one big adventure and I am so grateful for every day.

16/08/2023

Hi friends, how the heck are you? Comment below and tell me what has been happening in your life.

Mike and I have been busy trying to defy our age lol. We are enjoying getting to know our neighbors and feeling very settled here in Portugal. We play padel tennis a few times a week, Mah Jong a couple times a month, try to visit at least one new cafe every month and sit on our patio in between. Sometimes I cant believe how fast a day goes when you are retired. I still struggle with letting go of my business All in the Balance but am trying to find a happy medium of pushing myself to keep learning and engaging in things that are dear to my heart. We are TRYING to learn Portuguese but its a bitch I just have to say. It is a very hard language. Mike is much more dedicated and it pi**es me off. I need to get my arse in gear so I can communicate with the locals better.

Stay tuned for some news of our next adventure. We have TWO things planned and we are so excited.

If you are on Instagram please follow us there. We post a little more often there in our stories.

Please comment and let me know how you are doing. I hope you are feeling healthy, laughing lots and living life to its fullest.

Cheers

PS I still get giddy when I see the sheep everywhere

29/07/2023

This week has been one heck of a hard week. I always post about the awesome, fun, adventurous stuff but sometimes it is just flipping HARD. This week has been one of them. For starters my mom has been going through some health challenges as she had a shoulder replacement and its so hard to help her from here. It is hard not being able to hug her when she is down and it sucks when you cant run over & just chat w/ her & put her mind at ease. Thank goodness my sister is there and is truly a queen. Speaking of my sister, we use to visit each other every 3-4 months. I cant put in words how much I MISS this time w/her It is so hard. My daughter Kellie moved into a new home & I would like nothing more then to be there helping her organize her shelves, decorate her room and just go through this experience with her. I miss having a coffee with her, I miss chatting over a glass of wine with her, I hate that I have never met her boyfriend face to face & I even miss walking her dog. My older daughter Kristen & I played mahjong online together & we were able to chat & that made me super happy 🙂 I love being able to hear her voice & hear her giggle but I would freaking like to feel it live & see her smile in person.
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We knew that all of this was part of the deal. When you decide to move out of the country there are bound to be some s**tty moments but damn sometimes they hurt more than others.

We are thriving here in Portugal. We are truly living our best lives. Our days are filled w/long walks in the AM, being on the padle court 3/w, mahjong games w/neighbors, wine on our patio, dinner w/friends, hours of reading, I could go on & on
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BUT missing family has its moments & this week is filled with them. If you are a follower of ours & you know my mom, either of our daughters or my queen sister Sandy, please take time to give them a hug & tell them their family in Portugal never stops thinking of them & we miss them greatly.

23/07/2023

And yet another piece of magic paradise in my now HOME country

Thank you Portugal for being full of beauty and never ending adventure.

21/07/2023

https://www.portugalresident.com/europes-heatwave-why-portugal-has-escaped/?fbclid=IwAR21Wg5ihRokX1ntomTaNbrKy9mh9HKHfEM1AMTdryGHuyb_NIUnYqCWGx4

I guess we should be thankful but I am still melting lol

Europe’s heatwave: why Portugal has escaped; Mainland territory protected by Azores anticyclone and likely to remain so

10/07/2023

https://open.substack.com/pub/expatinportugal/p/why-isnt-portugal-dopesick?r=qe3fl&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email

This is an interesting article. When asked about our move to Portugal healthcare is a topic that always comes up. This is an example of the healthcare here. As I see it there are pros and cons. Without making this a big post about healthcare I will just say two things and at another time go into it further. 1- It is more affordable here 2- It is not apples to apples.

i would pick Portugals way ALL DAY LONG but there are limitations, hurdles and adjustments that will have to be made.

PS: Currently going through HELL trying to manage my Hashimotosm here. Another post, another day.

Surgery, painkillers and Portugal...

25/06/2023

Man oh man preach it David. However I am not sure I would read this so literally. When I read who you SHOULD be it kinda makes me cringe as my immediate thought is who the world THINKS I should be but I get his drift and dig it.
This whole retirement process has been a journey of self discovery for me. I wont get all self helpey on you but I really do believe that in my 50's I have done more reflection about life than ever before. I think this is why they say that people in their 50's often start living their best life at this stage.
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I am a very social, outgoing person but I still hide behind many insecurities and with my reflection I realize that these filters stopped me from an abundance of experiences and successes. But I also realize now that maybe I was not ready for them at the time but instead it was a training period.
Moving to Portugal was a big bold move for me for many reasons yet one day it just felt right. Is that the aging process and the training period of life coming together? I think so.
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We are committing to going on a Camino next year. In my younger adult period I would not have considered this even if you paid me but now we are doing it. Did I learn in my younger adult life that if you dont take chances and say yes more often then you don't grow? I say yes. I could go on and on but my point is, aging really is not only a gift of living another day on this planet but it is a gift of having a chance for your true authentic self to come out of your cocoon and spread your wings so you can fly. Each day there is a message to be discovered. Being an expat in a new country has been a gift of a lifetime and presented me with a canvas to paint my story where I put all the dots together finally.
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Never stop believing in YOU. You are in there and the discovery process is not to be forced but experienced.

06/06/2023

Just wanted to share with everyone a great resource that I use often, lol maybe too often.

www.iherb.com is a fantastic place to purchase bath and beauty and even some food items from home that you can not get here.

They ship to Portugal and have some magic agreement with customs so we do not have to pay extra and things arrive right to your door. They have free shipping if you purchase a certain amount, you did have to limit the order to I think 140 euros. This is a custom thing. I have purchased two orders the same day when I need more than the limit and never had a problem. In addition there are a few items that can not be shipped to Portugal, tea is one example.

We buy most of our supplements from iHerb. We have our regime dialed in so I was not keen on recreating it here at the Portugal pharmacies.

The orders usually arrive within 10-20 days and they are very easy to track.

They run sales and have coupons all the time as well.

Hope this helps!

30,000+ top-rated healthy products; with discount shipping, incredible values and customer rewards.

31/05/2023

If you know me well, you know I am all about the animals! On our latest grand adventure I took as many pictures as I could have all the dogs we encountered , because let's be honest- dogs make the world a better place. Occasionally I took a picture of a cute horse, cate, sheep etc but the main theme is DOGS! I also threw in a few from our trip to America and of course I had to put a few of my VERY special and CUTE grand dog BREWER. I hope you like all of these adorable four legged beauties. Videos are in the comments section.

16/05/2023

Fun night at the resort. Quiz night is always so exciting. Jane’s focusing hard lol

12/05/2023

Part two of our grand adventure. I apologize that I was not able to post part one and two here. They are on Instagram

During this 7.5 week adventure I took gobs of pictures but posting them all would not only bore you lol but social media will not allow me. Next adventure I am going to find a more efficient way. For now here are a few from part three.

Part two started when we landed in Lisbon from the US ( Part two)

it was a fantastic leg of our trip. Our intent was to see different parts of Portugal and Spain that we had not traveled yet. We went into it with no hotel plans and wanted to just explore. Kind of stupid looking back lol but it was an adventure for sure.

We visited Obidos Portugal, Foz De Alhero Portugal Praia D'EL Rey Portugal Caceres Spain Toledo Spain Zaragoza Spain and Barcelona Spain.

We were surprised at how much we loved the northern part of Portugal, we have so much more to explore in this area and will for sure be back soon.

We loved Spain so much. We picked up our car in Lisbon so Mike had the pleasure of driving through Spain. ( NOT!!) OMG driving in Spain is CRAY CRAY. My husband did an amazing job. I can not even explain the narrow streets he navigated and the thousands of people he almost hit. We drove up the narrow corridors towards castles not even knowing if the road was drivable. I literally almost jumped out of my car 10 times. His cup will be forever full with hubby points for what he had to handle driving in Spain.

Eating gluten free in Spain was much easier than in Portugal. We tried to stay at as many VRBO's as we could so we could cook but that was not always possible.

Part three started in Barcelona when we met our friends Scott and Peter from the US and boarded the Oceania Riviera for our 10 night cruise.

More of that soon.

PS thanks for following our adventures, we love sharing what it is like to take a leap of faith and go for

14/04/2023

Hi everyone, long time no post.

Mike and I are on our big adventure and honestly I am having too much fun and too dog tired to put together thoughts lol.

Part one was America
Part two is Northern Portugal and Spain ( currently in part two )
Part three is Mediterranean Cruise with our buds from America

Part four is DETOX at home lol

Eventually I will make a post about each part with pictures and stories but for now I am posting random pictures on my stories in Instagram . We hope everyone is having a wonderful Spring wherever you are living.

Dont forget that your next adventure is on the other side of you saying YES

Chat soon and follow us on Insta if you want

29/03/2023

Chris and Melissa continue to nail things about Portugal and in a fun fun way. We have lived in Portugal almost a year now and I learned so many things from them. I am with you Chris, where are those pickles? I too have bought those 7 euros a jar somewhat "dill like" pickles at Apolonia and they only come close to the states. AND be aware the jar says eat them ALL in 5 days once the jar is opened.

As American ex-pats living in Portugal, we’ve noticed a number of differences between what we’re used to in the Un...

13/03/2023

As always Chris + Melissa share a fantastic video on living in Portugal. Follow their channel, they have some great travel nuggets for a lot of countries. Get out and see the world, magic is waiting. ( and maybe some frustration as well but you gotta take the good with the bad sometimes )

is it like to live in Albufeira, Portugal during the off-season? In case you didn’t know, Albufeira is a city in...

12/03/2023

This is a great explanation of milk here in Portugal. All milk products here in Portugal are in the grocery aisle NOT refrigerated. It is no easy task navigating this aisle. I can not tell you how many desserts have been tossed because I purchased the wrong product. The frustrating thing is the translating apps we use are not always correct. Just another fun thing to learn in a life as an expat. We could not love it more.

17 Likes, 1 Comments - Heidi D (.in.portugal) on Instagram: "Here is a tutorial on the different milk selections in Portugal. Please ignore my horrible pronun..."

23/02/2023

Today Mike and I went out to lunch, we have not gone out in awhile. We do not go out as much anymore, mostly because it is hard to determine if they have gluten free dishes and I get tired of doing the research. I think eating out is the hardest part about this celiacs thing in Portugal.

HOWEVER

Today I was able to find a great place and it was so worth it. It is a place called Haweli and it was Indian food. It was located in an adorable town called Carvoeiro. We love this town but gosh it was crowded. It is a very popular tourist town. (Portugal Peeps are we entering high season already? It seems everywhere is more crowded all of a sudden )

Every time we go out to eat it is a different experience. This was no exception. The very kind waiter did not understand Portuguese or English. Duh we are at an Indian cafe right? When I asked what was gluten free on the menu he looked at me cross eyed. I asked again in a different way and he looked even more confused. He politely excused himself and left. We were like WTF? He came right back with his phone and told me to talk to his mother. LOL it was awesome and she was able to guide me to what was safe to eat.

We each ordered a Biryani. Mine was vegetable and Mikes Lamb. The food was amazing. The flavors of the rice were so beautifully put together. He also brought us some tomato soup looking thing that we did not order. Silly me asked if it was gluten free, lol, why cant I learn? I THINK this sauce was suppose to go on the rice. I stayed clear but Mike added it to his rice. Mike enjoyed the cracker looking things with all of the sauces. I just glared at him with jealousy.

After dinner they brought us this adorable gold pot with what looked like fennel seeds and colorful candies. I did not dare ask any questions and politely declined. If I remember right this is something they serve for digestion.

I am still trying to find some Portuguese food that I enjoy but in the mean time I think I can confidently say that I like the Italian, Indian and American food in Portugal.

If you are in this area, I would check out this cafe, we will be back. ( AKA with google translate ready )

16/02/2023

My friend Todd Jones sent this to me today. I thought you would all enjoy it.

I truly do believe this idea. I have always been a happy gal but I have also been a very content girl. Contentment of course is not bad but there is something that has stirred inside of me now that we are wanderers.

As I grew older and my responsibilities changed and became less and less I became a tad bored. I think moving out of the country is a bit extreme to counteract boredom but I think you get my point.

I do agree with the author in regards to his comments about teenagers. I saw this with my own kids and as well as when I was a school counselor. It is a fine line between being overprotective and letting loose without boundaries. I think it is a subject that deserves attention.

There is a certain liberating feeling you get when you roam. Whether it is to another country, hiking a mountain range on your own or just that feeling of the first time your parents let you walk to the store yourself. For those of you that follow me on Instagram you might have seen my story about driving to the store by myself. It was not really far but it was about breaking out on my own and pushing through a fear.

As the author states psychological richness is huge and can create big feelings. We experience this on a daily basis and I cant get enough.

Damn I think I rambled a bit. Read the article and give me your thoughts if you will.

https://www.inc.com/jessica-stillman/the-further-you-wander-happier-you-will-be-new-study-says.html?fbclid=iwar2pspcp8lfly-fl2jdn-msklfefygcpgu6t3b0ij3umcxpmehu5agvf6em

Need inspiration to get out and explore more? Science says the more new places you visit, the happier you'll be.

04/02/2023

Yes you all know it, we love Portugal right? I hope I am not a broken record. However the one thing I have not been able to grasp is the cuisine. I can not even blame my Celiacs on this topic either. I just cant get into it.
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A typical Portuguese meal usually starts with a cream soup. The main dishes include a protein of fish ( heads on, need I say more ) pork, chicken and sometimes chorizo. They usually have rice or boiled potatoes and sometimes a vegetable. The veggies are usually pretty bland and not served with a lot of seasoning.
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I really want to like it but I just have not been able to get into yet. When we eat out we usually look for a cafe that serves Italian lol. I know I know this is an area I need to work on. I really want to get into it. I have eaten a LOT more animal protein since I have arrived in this beautiful country and I think my body is trying to adjust to it. The one thing that I LOVE LOVE about the dining experience in Portugal is the way the table brings friends and families together. Eating is an experience and not to be rushed. When you sit down you are not only being served food and wine but you are enjoying an evening of togetherness. It is not to be rushed. I think 100% of the time Mike and I have eaten out we have had to ask for the check, they want you to sit, enjoy, talk and stay forever.
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Today I made an appetizer with a little of Portugal and a little of home lol.
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In Portugal sardines or as the Portuguese say sardinha are a very common fish. They can come fresh but those usually have heads so I went for the canned or as the Portuguese say tinned. The tin I purchased had sardinhas in tomato sauce. I blended the Portuguese fish with some American gluten free cornflakes and Philadelphia cream cheese then put it in the frying pan. They were out of this world.
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It is a start right :-)

03/02/2023

Hi friends,

I just wanted to share an experience Mike and I had here in Portugal.

My glasses that I purchased in the states were needing to be replaced. Our health insurance here in Portugal covers dental, vision and health ( 3400 euros a YEAR for BOTH of us ) Insane right?

I made an appointment at a local optometry store and was a tad nervous as what to expect. (Late last year I lost my prescription sun glasses but basically just went to a quick stop place here in Portugal so it was a different experience )

I walked into the building and was immediately at ease. In Portugal for almost all medical appointments when you walk in you see a ticket machine ( see picture ) and this is how you check in. It is different where in America you go up to a desk to check in. Neither is better but if you dont know about the ticket machine like we did not the first time we had a medical appointment you can sure sit and wait a long time lol.

The optometrist came and got me and asked me about my eyes. It was like we were old friends sitting at a cafe talking about our family lol. I cant explain it but it was just the most casual conversation that seemed so sincere. I did not even get stressed out over the "A or B" eye test that always makes me nervous. The exam was a lot less technical than all the things you get in the states but it gave me what I needed, a reading of my eyes. The eye exams are free here too :-)

After the exam a gentleman walked around with Mike and I looking for the perfect pair of frames. I was like "Oh please dont worry, you can keep working I can just look" He said " It is my pleasure and my job to assist you" He said it with a smile. Once again immediately Mike and I felt like this guy was someone we wanted to sit and have a coffee or glass of wine with. He spoke enough English that we were able to communicate well together. He laughed with us and was SUPER patient as I said I had to take a picture and get my daughters opinion too lol. All the frames were placed so nicely on the wall and the lenses were so clean. It was so damn organized. Not the same experience I normally get at the Costco Optical Department.

I could not decide on a frame, Mike, the eye store employee and Kellie all liked a specific frame on me but I felt it was too Harry Potterish. The employee said let me get another opinion for you. He went and got another employee to help. Like for real, I was blown away with all the attention I was getting for a frame that was under 100 euros.

I caved and bought the Harry Potter glasses, what the heck right? I figured the glasses would go with my new sassy haircut. Both of the employees took us over to talk about the sizing and the payment. Somehow we got on the topic of cars. We literally chatted with these boys for an hour. Mind you the store is not empty but there were not people waiting. The Portuguese people just do not believe in rushing. We got on the topic of reading. They shared that in general the Portuguese dont read a lot. They prefer to sit and talk with friends at the caffe or the park.

OK I really rambled on this point but I wanted to share what a freaking incredible experience we are having here in Portugal. We could not love the people and our surroundings more. This was just one experience of many.

I know you are following me to learn about the adventures so I want to share with you every aspect I can, and I will share the frustrating as well. ( LOL we had to go to two ATMS today to get cash to pay for our screens because they were out of money )