First world problems in a first world country I am amazed by the people who move to another country (or even another state in the US) and then spend their time complaining that “That’s not the way we do it back home!” No kidding. You ain’t in Kansas anymore, Scooter. I fully expected things to…
My morning routine — coffee, figure out my day. The croissant is long gone. I am frequently asked how I spend a typical day as a working expat. It’s the second most frequently asked question after how much I spend on groceries. I’m a single person who doesn’t like to cook. My grocery bill will…
When you discover you need some cover(s). I am book naked. I have so few books here with me in Portugal that it’s embarrassing. Image Credit: John Richardson I moved with one large and one small suitcase, plus my computer bag and a Nantucket bag, which held the stuff I accumulated during my week long…
I hit my anniversary this past week, my first year in Portugal. There are times I think “Whatever possessed me?” but those times are few and far between. There were things I knew and expected going in, like I would need to buy private health insurance, but it would be much cheaper than in the…
Accumulation sneaks up on you. I am slowly accumulating THINGS. They have been creeping in since I moved to Portugal. At first, they were just things I needed: sharp knives for an Airbnb that had none, hangers, storage bowls. Once I moved into my permanent apartment, I needed more things. Like a printer for my…
This is the third of my three part series on exploring Italy with two friends. Milan was on my list of “must-see places before I die” and while I’m not quite ready to die, I will die happier for having seen it. (How’s that for a convoluted sentence?) In hindsight, I realize that somewhere in…
This is the second of my three part series on exploring Italy with two friends. I was pretty sure that our taxi driver had brought us to the wrong place when we pulled up outside our next Airbnb. A plaque on the building said “Embassy of Bangladesh” and I was very sure we didn’t have…
For most of my life, I dreamed of living in and exploring Italy. My father’s family is Italian; his parents came from a town—village really—about 90 miles east of Rome. The first neighborhood I lived in had a strong mix of Italian immigrants. Many of my father’s relatives lived within a half mile area. My…
I stumbled upon my new home town by pure chance. And it’s perfect. For me. People like to say that everything happens for a reason (and the voice in my head responds, ‘yes and sometimes that reason is that you are stupid and make bad decisions’). I ended up in Portugal partly because Italy made…
I’ve been traveling through Italy for the past week and I feel a bit disoriented and disconnected. I’ve been living in Portugal for almost a year and during that time have not traveled very much due to lockdowns and residency requirements. This trip to Italy is my first opportunity to take advantage of living in…