How to be happy as an expat in Portugal

Cheryl · 2021-05-26T12:57:33+02:00

Explore tips for finding happiness as an expat in Portugal, including stress management, forming connections, and adapting habits for a fulfilled life.

Cheryl Moderator

Member since 15 October 2018

CherylModerator26 May 2021 10:57:33

13747

Hi everyone,

Being happy is surely our common goal, whether we are living in Portugal as an expat or somewhere else.
We would love to know your tips and tricks to be fully fulfilled and happy as an expat in your host country.

New environment may require new habits. Which habits did you have to implement to live a good life in Portugal?

How do you keep stress in check? Which activities or mantras help you in that regard?

How to form meaningful connections and create a support system in Portugal on which you can rely on?

How to track your goals and achieve them without feeling overwhelmed?

What did you learn from Portuguese about the notion of happiness and how does it inspire you?

Thanks for your contribution!

Cheryl,
玩偶姐姐 team

Lo茂s TOURET Active member

Member since 13 February 2020

Lo茂s TOURETActive member31 May 2021 17:02:52

Dans mon cas je suis au Portugal depuis 2 ans. J'ai constat茅 les nombreuses tracasseries administratives sur lesquelles j'ai du abandonner : homologation de ma voiture au Portugal, et vaccination contre le covid聽 (j'ai 66 ans et n'ai toujours pas 茅t茅 convoqu茅).
La couverture sociale n'est 茅galement pas claire. Le cout de la vie s'est tr猫s nettement rapproch茅 du cout de la vie Fran莽ais (en particulier les terrains 脿 construire, et l'immobilier en g茅n茅ral). Le b茅n茅fice li茅 au cout de la vie au Portugal compar茅脿 la France, est aujourd'hui bien moindre qu'il y a 10 ans. Seule l'alimentation et les tabacs sont聽 30% moins chers. Les restaurant 茅galement , 脿 condition de ne pas fr茅quenter des lieux touristiques qui sont proches des prix fran莽ais.
Les poissons au march茅 sont nettement moins chers tout comme les l茅gumes , tr猫s frais et savoureux (sauf les tomates).
Pour les relations sociales il est tr猫s dur de se faire des relations avec les portugais qui sont tr猫s famille, et qui n'invitent pratiquement jamais un 茅tranger 脿 domicile. La langue est bien sur une barri猫re tr猫s importante, mais l'apprentissage de cette langue est tr猫s complexe, surtout l'accent et peu d'expatri茅s s'y mettent.
La vraie diff茅rence est le climat dit m茅diterran茅en , moins froid l'hiver, plus r茅guli猫rement ensoleill茅 au printemps, le calme, le silence des lieux, la propret茅 , la qualit茅 de la nourriture, les bons vin portugais tr猫s 茅conomiques (moins de 3鈧�), les poissons 脿 des prix raisonnables..

JohnnyPT Portugal Expert

Member since 23 May 2020

JohnnyPTPortugal Expert31 May 2021 17:27:27

4868

Hello Lois, some of those topics you post here in an English forum, you have also posted them in the French forum, where there you have also gotten answers from some forum members (in French) ...

/forum/viewtopic.p 鈥� =2#5133856
(Posts #41 up to #49)

You can write here, but please in English.

Lo茂s TOURET Active member

Member since 13 February 2020

Lo茂s TOURETActive member31 May 2021 19:25:14

OK sorry, I did not realize.
Thanks .

JohnnyPT Portugal Expert

Member since 23 May 2020

JohnnyPTPortugal Expert31 May 2021 20:05:22

4868

You're Welcome聽

Regarding the vaccination, please send an email to:
arslvt@arslvt.min-saude.pt
or one of the emails below, with the following text:

Bom dia,
Sou cidad茫o franc锚s a residir em Portugal h谩 2 anos. Tenho 66 anos e ainda n茫o fui vacinado contra o Covid19.

N茫o tenho n煤mero de utente do Servi莽o Nacional de Sa煤de. J谩 tentei o agendamento na plataforma de auto-agendamento (na op莽茫o: sem n煤mero de utente) , por 6 vezes, sem ter obtido qualquer resposta.

Por favor, digam-me o que tenho de fazer.

O meu nome completo 茅: ............
Os meus contactos s茫o (email e telefone): ......

Muito obrigado

_____________________

Administra莽茫o Regional de Sa煤de Lisboa e Vale do Tejo, IP
arslvt@arslvt.min-saude.pt

ADR Comunidade Cascais
Telf.961093874

Unidade de Sa煤de Familiar Costa do Estoril / S茫o Jo茫o do Estoril
usf.cestoril@arslvt.min-saude.pt

Unidade de Sa煤de Familiar Carcavelos / Parede
usf.carcavelos@arslvt.min-saude.pt

Unidade de Sa煤de Familiar Fonte de 脕gua/ Alcabideche聽 (CS Cascais)
usf.fontedeagua@arslvt.min-saude.pt

Unidade de Sa煤de Familiar Marginal / S茫o Jo茫o do Estoril
usf.marginal@arslvt.min-saude.pt

_____________________

Distrito = Lisboa, Concelho = Cascais

Kind Regards

Lo茂s TOURET Active member

Member since 13 February 2020

Lo茂s TOURETActive member01 June 2021 09:57:32

Thanks for your details, but it is too late for us now to be vaccinated in Portugal as we plan to go back to France beginning of July, and I am convinced that even if I write this mail today , the answer will not arrive before .. many days, and that we would not be able to be vaccinated before end of june for the first vaccine. Also the astra zeneca vaccine is still used in Portugal while we would like Pfizer or Astra Zeneca.
Thanks anyway for all and help. I will come back to you with many other adminitrative problems we have here in Portugal. I wander why it is so difficult, as Portugal and France are in UE !! Europe is not real today !!!

almirantereis Active member

Member since 17 August 2016

almirantereisActive member30 June 2021 07:59:40

I kind of agree..............Things have got much much worse price wise for houses and flats, and not only in the obvious tourist swamped areas.聽 There is a knock on effect in surrounding areas.

I first knew Portugal 50 ( !! )聽 years ago, as a student..............Imagine............!聽 Lisbon was still more or less how it is described in Saramago's聽聽Ano da Morte de Ricardo Reis.......... Saudades indeed......... LOL