This is a beautiful article. Thanks for sharing your perspective and experience of current events and your walk toward freedom. I really appreciated your distinction. I'm considering emigration to Portugal and am asking/answering some of the same questions and exploring my own motivations for taking on this big step.
Thank you for staying engaged with the content Steve! What about Portugal attracts you? I too have considered Porto for its large Black expat community!
Porto is a great town! I'm not wanting to live there, but look forward to visiting again and spending more time there.
I fell in love with the country a few years ago. I'm returning in October for about 6 weeks to see whether this was just vacation infatuation. The main draw at this point is a 5-year path to citizenship. However, this is likely off the table as the new government has announced they will extend this to 10 years (mirroring much of the rest of the EU). The other main draw is access to quality, universal healthcare. As I age, I want to live in a culture that provides decent healthcare for its citizens and where I don't have to fear going bankrupt if I develop serious health concerns. So I guess it's about future-proofing (as much as that is possible) my life.
That said, if these proposals pass and are made law, I'll probably look more closely at Spain since I speak Spanish already and it would be a much easier transition (as I don't speak any Portuguese). Health outcomes and safety are pretty similar in to Portugal.
At this point, I'm remaining flexible and allowing life to flow and guide me. I know that I will be guided in the right way and to the right place.
I was also looking at Portugal due to the pathway to citizenship. This is very big for me as I’m looking to get away from America’s bigotry.
I plan on being moved to London in October, while I work on my dual citizenship to Ghana. I’ll be living in London for 2 years under the HPI (high potential individual) visa where my goal is to travel back and forth between Ghana since I’m here now starting a business. I hope our paths cross. Please keep me in the loop. I love meeting international friends and want any reason to travel to a new destination!
I understand your motivation to escape the US. Although our primary motivations are a bit different, the sentiment is the same. In the past few weeks, it's become even more clear the Portugal is going to extend pathway to citizenship to 10 years...equivalent with most of the EU. So if I decide to commit the next decade-plus to this process, I may decide to go with Spain instead as I already speak pretty good intermediate Spanish and that transition would be easier.
Either way, I'm going to have a grand adventure in October/November exploring Portugal. I will see Porto and Lisbon again, but will seriously tour Tomar, Leiria, Setubal, Santurem, and Coimbra as potential places to land. All of these have good access to either Porto or Lisbon via train and will be less crowded, less touristy and less expensive than Lisbon.
It's great that you have the opportunity to live in London on the "high potential" visa and that you can make money to live their and build the business in Ghana. Such a cool opportunity. What an adventure. You'll have so many stories I'm sure.
Yes! If we're ever in the same (or close) part of the world, let's connect. I enjoy meeting new people and that's one of my main goals in Portugal this fall is to get out into the community and meet new people and force myself to be uncomfortable with the new culture and language. :)
Hey Steve! Sorry for the late reply. I will be moving to London in the next month, so if you are able to trek over, please reach out and let me know! I would love to meet. PM me for my WhatsApp.
That's exciting. Good luck on your move. Hope you are able to settle in and find a place to live that's not exorbitant. Will DM you my WA info. Let's stay in touch.
This is a beautiful article. Thanks for sharing your perspective and experience of current events and your walk toward freedom. I really appreciated your distinction. I'm considering emigration to Portugal and am asking/answering some of the same questions and exploring my own motivations for taking on this big step.
Thank you for staying engaged with the content Steve! What about Portugal attracts you? I too have considered Porto for its large Black expat community!
Porto is a great town! I'm not wanting to live there, but look forward to visiting again and spending more time there.
I fell in love with the country a few years ago. I'm returning in October for about 6 weeks to see whether this was just vacation infatuation. The main draw at this point is a 5-year path to citizenship. However, this is likely off the table as the new government has announced they will extend this to 10 years (mirroring much of the rest of the EU). The other main draw is access to quality, universal healthcare. As I age, I want to live in a culture that provides decent healthcare for its citizens and where I don't have to fear going bankrupt if I develop serious health concerns. So I guess it's about future-proofing (as much as that is possible) my life.
That said, if these proposals pass and are made law, I'll probably look more closely at Spain since I speak Spanish already and it would be a much easier transition (as I don't speak any Portuguese). Health outcomes and safety are pretty similar in to Portugal.
At this point, I'm remaining flexible and allowing life to flow and guide me. I know that I will be guided in the right way and to the right place.
What town are you interested in?
I was also looking at Portugal due to the pathway to citizenship. This is very big for me as I’m looking to get away from America’s bigotry.
I plan on being moved to London in October, while I work on my dual citizenship to Ghana. I’ll be living in London for 2 years under the HPI (high potential individual) visa where my goal is to travel back and forth between Ghana since I’m here now starting a business. I hope our paths cross. Please keep me in the loop. I love meeting international friends and want any reason to travel to a new destination!
I understand your motivation to escape the US. Although our primary motivations are a bit different, the sentiment is the same. In the past few weeks, it's become even more clear the Portugal is going to extend pathway to citizenship to 10 years...equivalent with most of the EU. So if I decide to commit the next decade-plus to this process, I may decide to go with Spain instead as I already speak pretty good intermediate Spanish and that transition would be easier.
Either way, I'm going to have a grand adventure in October/November exploring Portugal. I will see Porto and Lisbon again, but will seriously tour Tomar, Leiria, Setubal, Santurem, and Coimbra as potential places to land. All of these have good access to either Porto or Lisbon via train and will be less crowded, less touristy and less expensive than Lisbon.
It's great that you have the opportunity to live in London on the "high potential" visa and that you can make money to live their and build the business in Ghana. Such a cool opportunity. What an adventure. You'll have so many stories I'm sure.
Yes! If we're ever in the same (or close) part of the world, let's connect. I enjoy meeting new people and that's one of my main goals in Portugal this fall is to get out into the community and meet new people and force myself to be uncomfortable with the new culture and language. :)
Hey Steve! Sorry for the late reply. I will be moving to London in the next month, so if you are able to trek over, please reach out and let me know! I would love to meet. PM me for my WhatsApp.
That's exciting. Good luck on your move. Hope you are able to settle in and find a place to live that's not exorbitant. Will DM you my WA info. Let's stay in touch.