Welcome back to my series on my first trip back to America since moving abroad! As I mentioned in my earlier post, I planned my visit to coincide with one of my cousins’ weddings so that I could catch up with more of my family members. My cousin chose to…
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Reverse Culture Shock: My Experience Returning to the U.S. from Portugal
Returning to the U.S. after living abroad felt strange, like I was experiencing culture shock in a place I’d called home for 35 years. Is that even possible? It was difficult to explain, but many things that used to be normal now seemed different. Here’s a glimpse into my experience…
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Flying from Europe to the US and the Amsterdam Schiphol Airport
Flying from Europe to the US can be a long journey! It often means connecting through Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. I did an overnight layover on my way home and learned a few useful things about the airport, sleep options, food, and how to make the whole journey less chaotic. Read…
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Carvoeiro Black and White Night: The 10th Anniversary
Every year, the town of Carvoeiro hosts its Black and White Night to kick off the summer season for the Algarve. Carvoeiro Black and White Night is a huge event in the Algarve that takes over the town with music stages, DJs, street performers, fireworks, and a ton of people…
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An Ayamonte Travel Guide and the Beautiful Casa Verde Apartments
Ayamonte is a charming Spanish town on the Guadiana River just across the border from Portugal. It makes an easy weekend getaway from the Algarve with walkable streets, lively plazas, fresh seafood, and beaches nearby. We stayed at Casa Verde Apartments, which put us within minutes of the river, restaurants,…
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Setecentista Festival Vila Real de Santo António
Vila Real de Santo Antonia Vila Real de Santo Antonio is a small town on the easternmost part of the Algarve, right before the Spanish border. It is a small town, but what it lacks in size, it makes up for in culture. There are many events in Vila Real…
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Buying an Apartment in Portugal Part 3: How It Finally Worked Out
Quick Recap In Part 1, we shared how buying an apartment in Portugal started with excitement and big dreams, then quickly became more complicated than expected. After falling in love with Tavira, we made an offer and moved into the promissory contract stage, only to realise how unfamiliar and stressful…
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Buying an Apartment in Portugal Part 2: Navigating Mortgages, Delays, and Deadlines
Here is part 2 of 3 of our experience buying an apartment in Tavira; read part 1 here. Book your trip to Portugal here Quick Recap In Part 1, we shared how buying an apartment in Portugal went from an exciting dream to something much more complicated. After falling in…
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Buying a Place in Portugal Part 1: Dreams, Nightmares, and the Reality of Buying Abroad
We Decided to Purchase a Property! After living in Portugal for about 8 months, we decided it was time to start looking at buying a property. We had originally signed a 1-year lease, so we had a few months to find something before having to renew. Book your trip to Portugal here…
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I tried a New Workout Called EMS and This is What I Thought of It.
I’ve always loved working out, even though I wasn’t athletic growing up. In my 20s, I completely changed my lifestyle, and fitness became a huge priority. Over the years, I’ve tried just about every workout you can think of, but for the past decade, my focus has been weight training.…