She Traded Her 9-5 for a Life of Adventure in Portugal
Meet Cheryl
Also known as @adventuresinportugal on Instagram and TikTok, she’s famous for giving outsiders a glimpse of life in Portugal.
After deciding the corporate world was not what she wanted to do for the rest of her life, she quit and moved to Lisbon, Portugal with her husband and two daughters in early 2021.
Keep reading to see what else she has to say about her new life in Portugal.
“I think it’s so important for kids to live outside of their comfort zones and see how life is lived all over the world.”
Tell us about you and your family
We are a family of four who decided we needed a change from our routine life. I decided the corporate world was not what I wanted to do for the rest of my life so I quit my job earlier this year and decided to work for myself. Husband already owns an online business. We have two daughters, ages nine and six, who are our world and whom we want to show the world.
Where are you currently living?
We are currently in Lisbon. We moved here without ever visiting Portugal before, and we felt that Lisbon would be the perfect starting point as we figured out where we ultimately wanted to settle. With our two littles, we also wanted access to a wide range of international schools.
What inspired you to pursue expat life?
My husband and I talked about living abroad right after we started dating. We would be those couples who would always say “One day, we will live [insert country name here], and enjoy life.” But life got in the way, as it does. We focused on our careers and businesses, we got married, had kids, and bought a house in the burbs. Because isn't that what society tells us we are supposed to do?
A couple of years ago, after watching some youtube videos of families traveling around the world, we looked at each other and said “we need to do this; we need to figure out how to make that happen.” And we did. We were all set to travel around the world in March 2020, living in various countries 2-3 months at a time. Welp, you know what happened next. Covid.
Covid completely halted our plans to do that, so instead, we lived a nomadic life and lived in different places around California and Nevada for all of 2020. It was during the summer of 2020, that my husband and I explored the idea of living in Portugal. It would give us residency in Europe and allow us to travel freely from there. When you live in Europe, accessing other parts of the world is a lot easier. We watched every YouTube video you could imagine about living in Portugal, and we decided it was what we needed to do.
“Six months after making the decision, we moved here and have now been living here for almost five months.
Life is extraordinary.”
How has expat life changed you for the better?
So far, to be more patient. I was so used to getting things done so quickly in the US but I had to completely shift my mindset while living here. We are so rushed over there in the states but here, I found myself just being more patient with myself. Anytime we put ourselves outside of our comfort zones, we change for the better. We grow in ways we never thought we could.
As a mom of two young girls, I have thoroughly enjoyed watching them thrive in a new environment with a new culture, language, people and it just warms my heart.
What’s the hardest part about being an expat?
Definitely the language. Moving to a country where the first spoken language is not English can be challenging. Fortunately, in Lisbon, you can get by with English. But communicating and understanding cultural norms and expectations, I think is the hardest part of being an expat.
How did you choose Portugal as your current location?
LOL. YouTube made us do it. But in all seriousness, we wanted to be IN Europe for ease of traveling, we wanted something with a “low-ish” cost of living (although, I will note that Lisbon is not CHEAP). We wanted a country that had tax benefits for expats since we still had businesses we operated in the US. We are originally from California so living in a climate that was similar to what we were used to was key (and on that same note, Beaches. We need access to the beach/body of water). We wanted to live in a country that was safe. And a country that had a good education system in place for our daughters.
Vasco da Gama Bridge, Lisbon, Portugal
What are some interesting things you’ve learned during your time in Portugal?
There is so much history in this country and understanding the history Portugal played in world exploration has been so interesting to learn. I have learned that they have one of the most advanced banking/ATM systems in the world with Multibanco. The Portuguese people really really value family, and anytime we are out with our kids, they get so much attention (in a really adorable way).
What have been some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced while living in Portugal?
Even though you can get by in English, knowing the language is key. Portuguese is the first language here in Portugal (not English) and being able to communicate in Portuguese is of utmost importance if you plan on living here. I don’t think the big YouTube channels about living in Portugal discuss this point as much as I think they should be.
What has been the most rewarding thing about living in Portugal?
Mindset shift to live life slow and appreciate the small everyday moments.
What do you know now that you wish you’d known before moving to Portugal?
When people say things take time here in Portugal, they really mean it. In the US we are so used to everything happening yesterday. Here, things just take time. And you have to just accept it for what it is.
Is there anything else people should know who are thinking of moving to Portugal?
Portugal, in my opinion, has one of the “easiest” residency visa options. As long as you are organized in your paperwork and have a realistic timeline, you can make the move. We live in a world where information is at our fingertips. You can find hundreds of videos on YouTube of people talking about their moves. There are many, many Facebook groups you could also join where you can engage with others like yourself who are planning or have already made the move to Portugal.
What is the coolest or craziest thing you’ve seen or that has happened to you since moving to Portugal?
People here don’t stare at you or care about what you’re doing. People are so present in their own conversations and their own thing that you don’t get the “lookey looks” that you see in the US. To me, that is pretty crazy (and cool).
Praça do Comércio, Lisbon, Portugal
Tell us some of your favorite things in Portugal
Beach
Carcavelos
Easy access from Lisbon. Super clean. Water so blue. Mild waves.
Restaurant
Boa-Bao
Located in the Chiado neighborhood of Lisbon, it’s a chic, vegan-friendly Asian restaurant.
Must-See
Rua Verde (Green Street)
Located in Bairro Alto, Lisbon, this street is like a garden in the city.
Bucket List
Porto
Portugal’s second city, it’s no wonder why this destination is on so many bucket lists!
Interested in Moving to Portugal?
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