Living In Portugal

Hello there!

My name is Carol. I immigrated to the UK - the land of my birth – in 2006, after spending a lifetime in South Africa. I had a serious health scare and it’s funny how something like makes you reassess your priorities isn’t it? It took me a very short time to realise that I wanted to be nearer both my children and their families in London and so I packed my bags, left behind me a wonderful job and many close friends to move here.

Needless to say, the first thing on my list was to get a job. Looking back, I sometimes wonder at my blind faith that everything would turn out fine – and – do you know what? It really has. Unbelievably, a friend of my daughter’s bore my CV off to her child’s school where it was picked up by my present boss’s wife…and here I have happily beavered away at The Overseas Guides Company ever since! My friends in SA were disbelieving at first: could it be true that I had a job that entailed writing about and endlessly discussing countries that I really adore – and that includes Portugal? And they call that WORK?

Part of my job has been to travel abroad, to have a look at various property options and to meet all the property professionals that many of the OGC readers have come to use and rely upon. I know Portugal well. Years ago now I paid my first visit: taking a guide book with me, I flew into Lisbon, planning my route on a map as I flew there!

I discuss the trip in detail in the Portugal Property Buying Guide – you may want to get a copy at www.portugalbuyingguide.com. I have talked to literally hundreds of people who have decided that they want a home in Portugal. I have also contributed to the Portugal Property Buying Guide and it struck me that it may just be useful for me to share with you what I have learnt, both from my own personal experiences and from what I have picked up from listening to the many concerns, experiences and tales shared with me on a daily basis by OGC readers.

So do join me weekly as I chat about various aspects of visiting Portugal with a view to buying property or indeed just to share a few thoughts on the country that I have been visiting for well over twenty years. You never know, there may just be something that will help you, inspire you or just plain bring a smile to your face!