Moving abroad is a big decision, and a woman who lives in Portugal has shared some useful advice.
She addressed the “first things” people get wrong when living in Portugal, naming four main misconceptions, including mistaking the Portuguese for the Spanish.
One of the core things that people do is get the basics of the language wrong, @AlexandraVictoriaBonte said on YouTube.
She explained the mistake is often “assuming ‘obrigado’ works for everyone.”
Portugal is popular with tourists and expats PA This is the Portuguese word for “thanks”, but the expat explained it is gender specific, so expats should watch out for this – “it’s ‘obrigado’ for male and ‘obrigada’ for female”.
The second point she raised is foreigners often “think Portuguese food is just about bacalao”.
Alexandra continued: “Expats often think that bacalao is the only dish – it’s codfish. No, here we have amazing fresh seafood, and that’s what [we’re] known for.”
Portugal has stunning beaches and boasts warm and sunny conditions for much of the year. However, the conditions may not be as idyllic as some visitors expect.
The travel pro added the next mistake people make before moving to the country is “believing that all beaches are tropical paradises”.
She explained: “The Algarve has pretty beaches but get ready to have a bit of a cold plunge because that Atlantic ocean is pretty chilly.”
Finally, Alexandra said one of the most common misconceptions is “assuming Portugal is just like Spain”, which she described as a “big mistake”.
They are both extremely popular destinations among British holidaymakers and expats alike, but that doesn’t mean locals want to be thought of as the same.
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