What A New Yorker Living In Portugal Misses Most

Some of the things this expat abroad yearns for from afar may not have occurred to you.

And some of what I miss may be obvious, because I can, a thousand times over, tell you unequivocally that I miss pizza and loved ones the most.

When I was back in New York in the fall, I believe I managed to acquire pizza 9 days out of a 10-day trip.

The crust is like being on another planet, the cheese stretches and runs away from you like stretched spaghetti made of mozzarella, and the myriad different sauces from each pizza place all offer up their own amazing signature slice.

If there was not a time difference of five hours, or there were transporters readily available – The Jetsons was so ahead of its time – the whole living on another continent thing would not be an issue at all.

Living in Portugal in the digital age with crystal clear video calls, screen shares, and Google Meet-ups keeps me in touch with and feeling close to New Yoawwwk (there’s nothing like hearing that accent; my grandfather was born in Brooklyn) every day.

I was wise enough to bring with me when I flew over a 220v capable router with my VPN all set to allow me to stream my favorite American TV shows and sports live...Let’s Go METS!

But man, oh man, do I miss my Roku.

That little hockey puck has been a part of the family for a decade, easily, and the interface for streaming apps could not be better for the price.

And I really miss its cheap price haha. I will get to the cost of electronics in Portugal in a second.

My family and I lucked out and arrived at our new home in Portugal a year ago and one of the biggest Worten sales of the year was going on.

So we snagged a nearly identical Samsung 4K 55” TV for the same as we had paid in the US.

But it needs a smart TV box – TV software (even more expensive models) does not work well for streaming, especially with a VPN.

Alas, Roku does not make smart TV boxes for Europe or any region with a 220 volt power setup, which means using a 220v/110v plug adapter on a Roku here would just start a small fire and fry it**(see more on this below).

What other smart TV choices were there in Portugal?

A bunch of clunky Android boxes for far too much money (the scrolling is soooooo slow) and an Apple TV for far too much money (4-5 times what I wanted to spend). Man, I miss that Roku.

And I never thought I would utter this aloud, but I miss Best Buy.

Worten in Portugal is not bad, but it is usually the only viable option, making your electronics choices limited.

If you need a new computer monitor, that is straightforward, but a decent one will cost you sooooo much more than in the US.

If you can buy your Switch 2 or flatscreen stateside and bring it over on the plane, making sure it can run on 220v, you will get a taste of the states back with you and save some green.

Fire up that ballgame!

And, yes, I do really miss going to a live baseball game at Citi Field; there is nothing like it.

In Porto, there is nearly every kind of food you can think of, though some things are harder to find.

Off the top of my head, I am thinking of burrito shops, and boy, do I miss Miguel’s, my old local hole-in-the-wall heaven in New York.

The steaming hot chips from the oven and that steak wrap - woo!

Tex-Mex and Mexican food is harder to find abroad, and for good or ill, I do not consider Taco Bell a source either; Portugal has lots of Taco Bells, though, if that is your bag.

There are also things I thought for sure I would miss living abroad but I do not:

Amazon Prime next-day delivery, anyone?

Please do not yell at me!

I get it. I do.

Ordering anything - aside from Jimmy Hoffa - with a touch of the thumb, instantaneously, on your phone screen does feel like a superpower.

But I repeat: I do not miss it.

Aside from not being a fan of the small business Destructor of Worlds, or its carbon footprint, I have been pleasantly surprised to enjoy a plethora of small businesses, “Mom and Pop” shops, and the incredibly awesome European tradition of night markets in Portugal.

Living in Portugal, there is no Amazon, so the small businesses get foot and online traffic here.

Amazon Spain and Amazon Germany can deliver to you for a cost, plus VAT, and get to you in a few days or weeks (which is just not the same, eh).

I will admit, when I first got to Porto and knew almost nothing of the language, I felt a bit like a headless chicken for a while trying to get certain homegoods.

I just needed to learn the lay of the land, as they say.

Now, I get what I need right in my town. In my community. I love this.

Believe it or not, I do not miss the renowned beaches of the Hamptons or Fire Island at all.

I grew up minutes from the water in New York, and I still live minutes from the water in Portugal today.

Along the majestic Portuguese coast, there are some of the world’s most beautiful and breathtaking beaches (check out some good ones in Josh and Kalie’s video: Comparing LAGOS & TAVIRA | The TOP TWO Expat Destinations in The Algarve, Portugal).

Love Portugal as I do, I still miss the people and the New York City pizza and bagels!

And I always will.

**P.S. I have it on good authority that the newest model of Roku Ultra 4850R shows on its board that it is capable of handling a 220v connection and so with an adapter for your region (Europe, etc.) you should be able to safely run it - though it is one of the most expensive Rokus and sits at $75 and up. If I can get one for that price, I will! And I will update you here when I have it running - I still miss the ones I left back in the US.

Thinking of moving to Portugal?

Kalie is available for one-on-one consultations, or you can bundle a course and a consult.