As 2025 begins, I’m focusing on three personal goals that reflect my journey as an expat:

1. Understanding and managing the guilt of leaving friends and family behind when I moved abroad.
2. Learning Portuguese more deeply to connect better with the culture and community in Portugal.
3. Launching a new podcast, Expats Unfiltered, with a friend, where we dive into the challenges and joys of moving abroad as solo women. If you want to be the first to know when the podcast launches sign up here

In this episode, I share my thoughts on these goals, why they’re important to me, and how I plan to achieve them. Whether you're an expat, a language learner, or someone curious about life abroad, this episode is for you!

Moving to Portugal has been a life-changing experience, filled with cultural surprises and exciting adjustments. In this episode, I compare life in Portugal to my life in the US, sharing insights into key differences like:

• Housing sizes and lifestyle adjustments
• Portugal's mild weather and how it shapes daily life
• The unique journey of building friendships abroad
• The ease and affordability of traveling to other countries in Europe

Whether you're dreaming of living abroad or just curious about the nuances of life in Portugal, this episode offers a personal perspective on navigating these contrasts.

Let's start in the middle - About 3 years ago I moved to Portugal and landed in Coimbra which is in the north of Portugal. And I thought it was going to be the perfect place. Listen to what happen during that first year and a half in Coimbra and where I ended up in the Lisbon area. If you want to read more from me check out my Substack. If you want to watch more of me follow me on TikTok and Youtube. And if you want to hear more of me then subscribe to this podcast.

This is from a Substack article I wrote and turned into an audio story with ambient sounds. The story is weaved between several groups of people at a well known Portuguese beach as I'm observing them. It's also about how the wonder of the world around us can fade into the background of our daily lives. And more importantly, how we can recapture that sense of awe and appreciation for the things we’ve come to take for granted.

A quick introduction to me, DD Cardinal and a little about my story from Michigan to Portugal. If you want to see the step by step of my move follow me on TikTok