In this episode we talk about our experiences with moving to another country, building a new life and the challenges we faced. We’ll tell what we needed in order to move to Portugal as an EU and US citizen – and how’s that different. We share what we didn’t expect about living in Lisbon, how we created a new daily routine (and how different that is from daily life in our home country), things we still didn’t figure out (although we already live in Lisbon for quite some time, oops) and much more.
Enjoy listening and don’t forget to follow us on your favorite podcast app (we’re on Spotify, Amazon Music & Apple Podcasts) and subscribe to our channel on YouTube – we have video episodes as well!
With love, April Betts & Anna Jirina.
About From Lisbon With Love
Welcome to From Lisbon With Love! A podcast about real stories of love, laughter, and life in Lisbon — from women who have left it all behind. We share real stories about moving to Lisbon, starting over and figuring life out along the way. We talk love, dating, friendships, breakups, healing, growing, all of it. Basically, the stuff we usually talk about over coffee ☕️ or vinho 🍷. If you’re thinking about moving abroad, already here or just love honest conversations with heart: you’re in the right place! Learn more about our story here.
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Do you enjoy our podcast? Become a part of our Patreon family to get access to extra content, such as bonus episodes, blooper and behind the scenes content, Lisbon vlogs (where we take you to the coolest events and give you an insight in what life in Lisbon looks like), Lisbon tips, Q&’A and much more! You can sign up here to become a Patreon member and get direct access to all extra content. It’s also a great way to support us and help us continue with From Lisbon With Love!
The reality of moving to another country
A lot of people dream about starting a new life in a new country, but very few actually do it. Moving to another country is a big step, especially if you’re in it for the long run. There’s a lot to figure out beforehand, like finding a place to stay and dealing with things like visas, which can be a dreading (and sometimes difficult) process.
But there’s even more challenges to face when you actually move, like dealing with cultural adjustments, feeling homesick, isolation, making new friends and creating a new daily routine. Despite all that, moving to another country offers amazing opportunities for personal growth, building a career and of course experience new cultures and broaden your worldview.
It’s all about embracing the process of change and self discovery, so you can make the most of your life abroad – whether you’re only staying for a short period or you plan on settling down in your new homecountry.
Moving abroad alone: how we did it
Unfortunately, there’s no guide for moving abroad, since every country has different rules and restrictions. In this episode we share our experiences with moving abroad alone – which made this adventure even more challenging. We discuss what we needed in order to move to Portugal as an American and European citizen – and how that’s different.
We talk about the differences with our homecountry and what was the most challenging about settling in into a new place in another country. We share how we experienced our first few days in Lisbon. Spoiler: it was’t all rainbows and butterflies ;-).
Last but not least we share some advice for people that want to move to Lisbon as well. We share what you really need to know about daily life here when it comes to practical things. Do you want to hear all about our story and our advice? Listen our episode on your favorite podcast app (we’re on Spotify, Amazon Music and Apple Podcasts) or use the audio player above.
