Piglet in Portugal

Since Portugal accepted the bailout package from the EU harsh austerity measures have been implemented to reduce the national debt to pay off the loan. There have been drastic cuts to healthcare, education and some public sector workers even will

I know it’s impolite to eavesdrop on other people’s conversations; however, on a recent flight to the UK I was prompted to tune in to a discussion between a couple of golfing tourists and local residents. The conversation turned from

As more people either work or retire abroad I often wonder how expats managed to survive in a pre-internet world. How did they communicate with family and friends back home, or research different aspects of life in their new country?

For me Christmas means many things; the birth of Christ and Christmas carols, quality time with family and friends, Christmassy food & decorations and of course snow on Christmas day. But as I pause to review preparations for this year’s

I have a memory like a sieve and the patience of a gnat so my attempts to learn the Portuguese language, as you can imagine, are an uphill struggle to say the least. If I’m brutally honest with myself I’d

I was recently asked by a friend living in the UK: “Do expats still take holidays and if so where?” What a strange question and one I’d never considered! So what’s the deal with expats and holidays? Do you return

Observing the standard of driving in Portugal as a passenger was stressful enough, but once behind the steering wheel the word stress took on a whole new meaning. My first driving experience was almost my last as I gripped the

Our daughter, who lives in France, recently gave birth to her first child and our first grandchild. On the morning she went into labour we hurriedly threw some clothes into a suitcase along with some useless sundry items (as you

I cried when yet another of my close friends, who had taken early retirement, announced she was selling up and returning to the UK. The reason for her change of heart and even direction was due to disillusionment and boredom.

Is it just the British who yearn for their favorite foods and familiar products or do other nationalities suffer from similar cravings? Before you leap from your chair in denial I realize this may be a generalization and food-from-home cravings