Survival Tips in Portugal

[Mercury]

Since many of us visitors here intend to tour Portugal in the near future and quite a few more intend to settle down in the country, I guess it would be best to provide at least a few tips for living in Portugal.

Here’s one of mine. Do learn a few phrases from someone who knows the language. Language is not just saying the words, its about the pronunciation and the diction. This would avoid embarrassing situations for you when you try to speak Portuguese.

[Kevin Hill]

I have a teenage daughter and she was the one most severely affected when we moved to Alentejo. She felt so out of place during the first few weeks and she felt really sad. As we live near the tourist area, she did find a few friends that come over, but only for a few weeks.

One of my tips is to prepare the young ones for the move. If there are infants and toddlers, there is not much of an issue. The biggest impact affects the older ones and young adults.

[The Answer Man]

The cost of living in Portugal differs according to area. If you live in the city centers, such as Lisbon or in tourist areas such as Algarve, do expect to pay more for the same goods and services. The farther you move inland, or far off the beaten track, expect items to be a little more cheaper.

The cost of a house depends on location. Some can go as high as a thousand euros while some can be between three hundred to five hundred euros, inclusive of utilities monthly.

[Niña Bonita]

You need to find out basic services that are located nearby and their contact numbers.

These include hospitals, police emergency lines and fire personnel. Keep them on speed dial. If you are living in a hotel or a rented house, find out the fire escapes as well as the fire extinguishers.

I had the grim experience of being trapped in a vacation, so I am sharing this with all of you. Have a good one.

[Led Armstrong]

One thing about Pourtuguese is that they are very friendly and nice. During my tenure there as country manager for an elevator firm not once did I receive a racist remark as I am of African heritage. They are very tolerant and accommodating unlike other places I have visited.

I also found here the gateway of the slaves and it moved me to see the hardships my ancestors had to endure.