From Montana to Portugal: Journey with Us – Details, episodes & analysis

Dear Reader,

So, how’s your summer going?

Has it been hot?

It’s … not … that hot … here.

Well, not hot like it was in Montana in July.

By July in Montana, I was doing my religious summer routine.

Wake up. Close the windows. Close the blinds. Keep the house cool.

After struggling to keep two thoughts together in the afternoon, I’d sit on our shaded patio and wait for the temperature to drop so that I could go back inside and open up all the windows, turn the fans on and think about frozen margaritas and Montana windchill in February.

Then, repeat.

Here, on the Silver Coast of Portugal, I think I’ve only mumbled something like, “It’s pretty humid today, isn’t it?”

It helps that we’re near the ocean.

We get a cool breeze coming in from the Atlantic almost every day. The mornings start cool and overcast, and the afternoons are sunny and sometimes windy.

So far our highs have gotten into the mid-70s, and lows in the 60s (Fahrenheit of course).

I went to Lisbon to shop on Thursday (gasp!) with a new friend, and I would say it was “sticky” in the dressing rooms and I gulped water, but I wasn’t miserably hot.

People with experience here tell me that it’s an unusually cold summer.

I don’t know, but it’s very temperate and I feel like I’ve slid from January into July with mild surprise, the way you might feel when the bathwater reaches the point where it’s too cool to stay in it.

But, there are other things to talk about besides the weather.

My days here are sometimes surreal.

On Friday morning there was a fine mist of rain in the air.

I got on my bike and dropped down to sea level to go to Obidos.

Took the paved road down to the lagoon path.

A blue heron flew over my head to the ocean. A snake whistled past on the trail.

Flamingos stretched their necks to groom their feathers in the blue water.

Two men walking with sticks across their shoulders balanced 4 giant jugs of water each as they made their way to the lagoon to fish.

Fishing boats sat still in the water, anchored to find their next catch.

My bike flew out to the highway to get to the back side of the Obidos Castle, which loomed large over valleys of pear and apple orchards.

The castle was festooned in purple tapestries to celebrate the Medieval Festival that started there this week.

I wasn’t going there to festa (the Portuguese word for party), but to get my European Union health number at the social security office so that I can travel to other European countries with health coverage.

Can you believe that sentence? I really can’t.

It feels crazy to me to go to a government office inside a Medieval walled city let alone to have health coverage in Europe!

I mean, what?!? How did I get here?

Meanwhile, in Portuguese culture news, I took a taxi in Lisbon to get to the bus. Arriving with just one minute to spare before my bus took off the driver asked me if I knew the 3 Fs of Portugal.

“What are they?” I asked, nervous about the time and scanning for my bus.

“Fátima. Football. Fado,” he said.

Fátima, if you’re not familiar (and I wasn’t before I moved here), refers to the miracle of the Virgin Mary appearing to three young girls not far from where I live and sharing with them visions of the future while they guarded their sheep.

When I visited Fátima, it was at the end of a long day of visiting monasteries and the idea of going into another church with a lot of steps (this was before I started getting fit) felt like too much, so we lit a candle in the barbecue of candles area and listened to some of the outside mass. I will go back.

Football, if you’re not familiar, is soccer in the United States. “American football” is the NFL. Let’s just get that clear. Portugal nearly beat France in the European Cup this year to advance and we were all rooting for them, but it didn’t quite work out. Lots of Spain jerseys were seen on the streets here when they won.

Fado, if you’re not familiar, is a type of sorrowful music with guitars and vocalists specific to Portugal that will make you cry if you know the words. You’ll find different types of Fado in every region here. I’ve only heard one performance so far, Coimbra Fado, and thoroughly enjoyed it. People cried in the row behind me.

What else can I tell you about this week? Here are a few bullet points:

* At Happy Hour, I met a man from Holland who spent all of Covid in his yacht with his girlfriend in French Polynesia. Didn’t we all? He told me that he is a traveler and we discussed the difference between traveling vs. tourism. More on that in a future essay.

* The Obidos pool is absolutely gorgeous. Clean. Well-lit. Perfect temperature. Not overcrowded. I’m excited to start swimming on the masters swim team in September at the start of their next season.

* I’m blonde. Seriously blonde. It was a bit shocking actually. I went to the salon in Caldas da Rainha and asked for highlights and three hours later ended up as blonde as Madonna on the Bedtime Stories album cover. I’m trying to adjust. It’s not easy. Good motivation to learn more Portuguese!

That’s all for now.

Love,JanelleP.S. As a perk for paid subscribers, I’m hosting a monthly Portuguese language class on Thursday at 12 p.m. Pacific/ 3 p.m. Eastern/ 8 p.m. Lisbon time via Zoom. Our tutor, Marta Cancela, lives in Lisbon and will be leading the class! We’ll be practicing scenarios and pronunciation. If you’d like to join us, click on the button below to upgrade for $5 and you’ll get all of the details.

From Montana to Portugal: Journey with Us is a reader-supported publication.

Dear Listener, In this episode of the From Montana to Portugal Podcast I share highlights, tips, and hot takes after spending nearly 10 days being a tourist in central Portugal with my friend Maria who was visiting us from … where else but … Montana! We were so lucky to get to see her. I haven’t done a catch up podcast in a while, so you’ll also get the latest news on our residency and where things are at with us after we moved with our dog Loki to Portugal earlier this year. You can listen to this podcast on your favorite podcast app or right here on Substack. I’m now on Spotify as well! I leave you with a few more photos from beautiful Portugal. Hope you enjoy this one!

Listen in as I interview Kayb Joseph, who moved from Chattanooga, Tennessee to New Zealand with her husband and two children in 2022. Kayb is a dear friend of over 25 years, a renowned artist and teacher, and she holds a masters degree in intercultural studies. She has lived in China, and traveled extensively around the world. You can learn more about Kayb here: https://kaybjoseph.com/

Resources for intercultural learning that Kayb shared in our episode together: 1. Hofstede Insights Country Comparison Tool: https://www.hofstede-insights.com/country-comparison-tool2. The Dance of Life: The Other Dimension of Time by Edward T. Hall3. The Art of Crossing Cultures by Craig Storti

You can subscribe to Janelle Holden's Substack at: https://janelleholden.substack.com for additional essays and commentary.

In this episode, you'll meet Montana poet Susannah Cragwick and her husband, Samuel and hear their unique love story. Susannah and Samuel were married in May of 2023 in Finland where they both now reside. Samuel is from Finland. Listen in as they share words of wisdom navigating cultural differences and language differences and still sharing love. You can find Susannah's poetry on Substack @: https://susannahcragwick.substack.com. As a bonus, Susannah also shared a few tips for European expats that weren't in the episode. I've copied them below for you. Thank you Susannah! "Bring a set of measuring cups with you that use the Imperial system. That way you can make your favorite recipes without feeling stressed about converting measurements. I have both types of measuring cups. It's been great allowing myself those options. In Finland and maybe other parts of Europe, standard paper sizes, folder sizes, and hole punches are different from the US. For instance, the papers Samuel printed out for me here are a little too tall for my American folders. Our hole punch is with 2 holes and not 3. Again, I don't know about Portugal, but in Finland, according to Samuel, Sharpies and legal pads are not easy to find. So, when he visited the US, he was piling up on those things."Thank you for listening! If you'd like more of my work, please consider subscribing to my writing on Substack where you'll receive original essays: https://janelleholden.substack.com.

Listen in as Janelle reads her latest essay on Substack about moving to Portugal. You can subscribe to her substack by clicking here: https://janelleholden.substack.com. There are free and paid options. Thank you for your support.

Listen in as Janelle interviews Lisbon-based Portuguese editor, writer, and teacher Marta Cancela. Marta shares so many interesting and valuable tidbits about Portuguese life, culture, and language that you'll love. If you like what Marta has to say and want more lessons from her, there will be more to come! Come over and subscribe at Substack at: https://janelleholden.substack.com to get updates on upcoming educational projects with Marta on Portuguese Language and Culture.

Listen in as Janelle reads her latest essay on what it's like to have house showings while you live in the house. You can subscribe to her substack at: https://janelleholden.substack.com.

In this episode, Janelle interviews Frank Moore, who lives in California. Listen in as Frank shares about his wife's Portugal connection through Macau and how he started learning about the country and what he loves about it.

You'll also find out: * Why you can't find Portuguese wines in American stores very easily

* How Frank applied for a Golden Visa and where he purchased property in Portugal

* Which company helped Frank apply for his Golden Visa and why he loves working with them

* Why investing in Portugal could be a good Plan B

* Wine tours in Portugal with https://www.fortheloveofport.com/ in the Alto Douro Wine Region: https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1046/

* What the Alentejo is really like (and why it's so special)

* How to say Sagres like a Portuguese (and you can watch this video about Sagres as well)Other resources Frank wanted to share:

* Turquel is where he picked up his wine. Alcobaca is close. 

"20 Beautiful Places to Visit in Portugal -- From Fairy-tale Castles to Charming Beach Towns"

If you'd like to subscribe to Janelle's Substack, From Montana to Portugal, and receive weekly essays in addition to fresh podcast interviews, then click here. You can become a free or paid subscriber and receive invitations to Portuguese culture lessons and get access to a new, free email course Janelle is creating for would-be American immigrants to Portugal. Click here to subscribe!

Listen in as Janelle interviews Carol Wilcox, the author of the popular Substack newsletter, Our Portugal Journey on how she and her husband moved from Arizona to Portugal and what it's been like ever since. You can find Carol's substack at: https://www.ourportugaljourney.com/

In this episode you'll meet Stephanie Wasylysk a business coach and friend who lived for 3.5 years in Australia and moved to Quebec with her family even though French is not her first language. Stephanie is a business coach who helps business owners who defy convention do business on their own terms (and succeed at it). After listening to this you'll throw out your guidebook and travel and live your own way! Mentions in this episode: The song "Little Boxes" The book Tracks by Robyn DavidsonA Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky ChambersComplimentary Coaching Call with Stephanie (no strings attached): https://giftcoaching.youcanbook.me/Stephanie's website: https://stephaniewasylyk.com/coaching/