Delightful to read such a similar process as the one we followed when deciding on where to flee to. Initially we thought Isle of Skye in Scotland, but Brexit pretty much made that impossible for us and the winters would be very hard on me. In the end we narrowed it down to Malta, France, or Portugal. After very similar research and list making processes, Portugal won easily, even though I already speak a decent amount of French and am ancestrally tied to Normandy. We moved to Porto sight unseen, having never set foot in the country, and it was the best decision we've ever made.
I bought a renovation property near Porto in 2021 under the GV program. It is still a year from being finished, but in 2024 I will be moving as a single person and bringing my dogs. Animal welfare is still a big sticking point for me although I realize it is the same issue across southern Europe. Just two examples - Portugal has a law against chaining dogs, and no one enforces it. A short drive into the countryside will take you past one chained dog after another. Imagine spending your entire life without any agency, any ability to enjoy what is around you. At the same time there are many stray animals including cats, which are sometimes fed by sympathetic people - only to find that their food is being poisoned. I really hope to rally some of the expats to help fund animal welfare nonprofits so that Portugal can be a better place for all.
We also moved away from the US for the same reasons, with the addition of lack of gun legislation and increasing costs of living and healthcare.
Our last home was in an area where we didn't dare talk about who we supported in the last two elections. We seriously felt it would endanger our lives! (And it also had many different kinds of rattlesnakes and poisonous toads that killed one of my dogs!)
We were disheartened by the increasingly entitled, yet uninformed or educated citizens. After all, it seems (to me) that the majority of the American population has decided that it's easier to be opinionated and racist and selfishly motivated than to educate oneself and consider how altruism, empathy, and teamwork could enhance our lives and communities. (Sorry for the soapbox rant.)
As a last ditch effort to be comfortable and happy in "the greatest country in the world", what we as Americans have been indoctrinated to believe, we moved to an area closer to our children and grandchildren which also had a more liberal mindset (California). We lasted 8 months before realizing we couldn't afford to live there , nor could we adjust to the stressful city life of aggressive drivers, gunshots and sirens, and lack of a supportive social community.
I was asked why we didn't stay and fight to better the American society... Frankly, we're just physically and emotionally worn out. We CHOOSE to live our remaining years in peace, with a temperate environmental and social climate and where we're not worried about getting murdered, or suffering natural or nuclear disasters.
After 2 months of weighing the pros and cons of other countries (and before we had to sign a new rental lease), we chose Madeira, and sight unseen leased a wonderful apartment here. We arrived with 5 suitcases, 2 carry-ons and hearts full of hope. We haven't been disappointed in the least and have made more friends here than we've ever had and we are experiencing tremendously better emotional and physical health.
I came here to first inquire, “what about the other two?!” (But the chart is in the footnotes :)
We jumped to Denmark thanks to an employer, but it’s…not a lot of things. We were looking to leave the US For many of the same reasons (person who was looking at Vancouver, BC, have you seen the house prices?) I look forward to reading The Chart because we’ve been waddling on Portugal as an option largely due to the language issues and…maybe we shouldn’t.
Your MEO saga was helpful to another poor soul wondering wth was going on, btw.
We’re retirees who thought we’d found our perfect place in the US and did live there 5 years until it just got to be too negative to live in the states. We tell people it was a push/pull process, we’d been to PT and loved it and felt like from a mental health standpoint it was time to leave the US. We thought about Vancouver, BC ( we talked about the language thing a lot) and have good friends there but the expense and the weather put the nix on it. We’ve settled in the Eastern Algarve where it’s practically rural and find that suits us for day to day life. We figure it’s an easy drive/flight/ train ride to visit the rest of this wonderful country!
We were positive we were moving to the coast north of Sintra (which quickly became Ericeira specifically), but, we made the error of visiting our American friends who had settled a year earlier in Madeira, sight unseen during COVID, and that visit was all we needed! Fortunately, we did not have to move sight unseen! Glad you are so happy with where you landed.
It’s so funny how similar our thinking and journey has been! I applied for an entrepreneurial visa in New Zealand first because a friend was a winner of it (the Edmund Hillary Fellowship). Sadly, I wasn’t accepted into it and they ended the program when Covid started but my friend and her husband moved last fall and love it. They have housing through his work and she is an artist. I’m glad though that Portugal ended up being our choice. Community is very important to me too and the people I have met so far (even from the U.S.) are wonderful. Including you two!
Delightful to read such a similar process as the one we followed when deciding on where to flee to. Initially we thought Isle of Skye in Scotland, but Brexit pretty much made that impossible for us and the winters would be very hard on me. In the end we narrowed it down to Malta, France, or Portugal. After very similar research and list making processes, Portugal won easily, even though I already speak a decent amount of French and am ancestrally tied to Normandy. We moved to Porto sight unseen, having never set foot in the country, and it was the best decision we've ever made.
I bought a renovation property near Porto in 2021 under the GV program. It is still a year from being finished, but in 2024 I will be moving as a single person and bringing my dogs. Animal welfare is still a big sticking point for me although I realize it is the same issue across southern Europe. Just two examples - Portugal has a law against chaining dogs, and no one enforces it. A short drive into the countryside will take you past one chained dog after another. Imagine spending your entire life without any agency, any ability to enjoy what is around you. At the same time there are many stray animals including cats, which are sometimes fed by sympathetic people - only to find that their food is being poisoned. I really hope to rally some of the expats to help fund animal welfare nonprofits so that Portugal can be a better place for all.
We also moved away from the US for the same reasons, with the addition of lack of gun legislation and increasing costs of living and healthcare.
Our last home was in an area where we didn't dare talk about who we supported in the last two elections. We seriously felt it would endanger our lives! (And it also had many different kinds of rattlesnakes and poisonous toads that killed one of my dogs!)
We were disheartened by the increasingly entitled, yet uninformed or educated citizens. After all, it seems (to me) that the majority of the American population has decided that it's easier to be opinionated and racist and selfishly motivated than to educate oneself and consider how altruism, empathy, and teamwork could enhance our lives and communities. (Sorry for the soapbox rant.)
As a last ditch effort to be comfortable and happy in "the greatest country in the world", what we as Americans have been indoctrinated to believe, we moved to an area closer to our children and grandchildren which also had a more liberal mindset (California). We lasted 8 months before realizing we couldn't afford to live there , nor could we adjust to the stressful city life of aggressive drivers, gunshots and sirens, and lack of a supportive social community.
I was asked why we didn't stay and fight to better the American society... Frankly, we're just physically and emotionally worn out. We CHOOSE to live our remaining years in peace, with a temperate environmental and social climate and where we're not worried about getting murdered, or suffering natural or nuclear disasters.
After 2 months of weighing the pros and cons of other countries (and before we had to sign a new rental lease), we chose Madeira, and sight unseen leased a wonderful apartment here. We arrived with 5 suitcases, 2 carry-ons and hearts full of hope. We haven't been disappointed in the least and have made more friends here than we've ever had and we are experiencing tremendously better emotional and physical health.
I came here to first inquire, “what about the other two?!” (But the chart is in the footnotes :)
We jumped to Denmark thanks to an employer, but it’s…not a lot of things. We were looking to leave the US For many of the same reasons (person who was looking at Vancouver, BC, have you seen the house prices?) I look forward to reading The Chart because we’ve been waddling on Portugal as an option largely due to the language issues and…maybe we shouldn’t.
Your MEO saga was helpful to another poor soul wondering wth was going on, btw.
We’re retirees who thought we’d found our perfect place in the US and did live there 5 years until it just got to be too negative to live in the states. We tell people it was a push/pull process, we’d been to PT and loved it and felt like from a mental health standpoint it was time to leave the US. We thought about Vancouver, BC ( we talked about the language thing a lot) and have good friends there but the expense and the weather put the nix on it. We’ve settled in the Eastern Algarve where it’s practically rural and find that suits us for day to day life. We figure it’s an easy drive/flight/ train ride to visit the rest of this wonderful country!
I hope one day you can visit New Zealand. It really is one of the most beautiful places I've visited.
We were positive we were moving to the coast north of Sintra (which quickly became Ericeira specifically), but, we made the error of visiting our American friends who had settled a year earlier in Madeira, sight unseen during COVID, and that visit was all we needed! Fortunately, we did not have to move sight unseen! Glad you are so happy with where you landed.
Footnote 3, Mesoamerican? Mesopotamia would be a long trip ☺️
Would you mind sharing the chart?
It’s so funny how similar our thinking and journey has been! I applied for an entrepreneurial visa in New Zealand first because a friend was a winner of it (the Edmund Hillary Fellowship). Sadly, I wasn’t accepted into it and they ended the program when Covid started but my friend and her husband moved last fall and love it. They have housing through his work and she is an artist. I’m glad though that Portugal ended up being our choice. Community is very important to me too and the people I have met so far (even from the U.S.) are wonderful. Including you two!
Curious, what were the other top countries on the list?
Indeed!