18 Months in the Making

We began toying with the idea of moving to a foreign country in August 2020 in the midst of the pandemic and our self-imposed isolation in our Airstream trailer while volunteering with the US Forest Service at Mesa Falls in eastern Idaho.  

Volunteering at Mesa Falls Idaho 2020

 

We participated in two full days of online training conference offered by International Living on moving to Panama.  We heard from lawyers, Medicare experts, accounts, retirees, relocation specialists-- all who were experts in helping people understand that we can do this!  While this was a great soft landing to the idea of moving, we decided we wanted to be in Europe rather than Central America.  So began the journey "down the rabbit hole" (Def.:  transporting someone into a wonderfully (or troublingly) surreal state or situation-Dictionary.com).  

 

This process just 10 years ago would have been very different without the numerous online groups, websites, podcasts and simply the ease of global communication.  By far the most resourceful community group we have found is Americans & Friends in Portugal with 18,000 members all interested in Portugal.  

 This group give accurate and current information, advise, links, chat groups, and sample documents for obtaining a Resident Visa for Portugal.  Who would think there could be so many topics: drivers license exchange, where-to-live, D7 visa, shipping personal effects, pets to Portugal, mail forwarding, phones & internet, expat holiday blues, and even hiking/biking and food/wine.  The reading was never ending.  

 

 

Pastel de Nata - Portuguese popular custard tart

When we finally understood enough we got started on the D7 Residence Visa back in May 2021.  In a nutshell, on August 27th we over-nighted two applications (maximum of 50 pages each) to the Portuguese Embassy/Consulate in Washington D.C. and began the long wait for approval.  It is an extensive process requiring consulting and paying for Portuguese legal and financial help, opening a Portuguese bank account, finding and committing to a year-long lease on an apartment (sight-unseen) and of course packing.  We thought we had "down-sized" when we sold our house 11 years ago and began full-time RVing!  We now have all our worldly possessions in 4 large checked suitcases, a golf bag and two carry-on bags.  

So now the big day is arriving.  We will fly from Portland, Oregon with plane changes in Texas, Amsterdam and London before arriving the following evening in Faro, Portugal. To make the entire 30-some hour journey a little more palatable we are using air miles and booked business class seats.

Next time: Our first look at the Algarve in Portugal