Emigrant column "It's amazing, now I actually live in Portugal"

In February 2022, the columnist emigrated to Portugal with her family. Now, three years later, she looks back, reflects on the present and even ventures a glimpse into the future.

At the beginning of our life in Portugal, it happened almost daily, then only weekly and now rarely. That I stop in the middle of a move and think:

Wow, now I'm actually living in Portugal.

After three years, life here feels more normal and logical, and I now often think: Yes, of course I live in Portugal.

At this point, I realize the relativity of time. We feel so at home here that it's sometimes hard to imagine that we haven't always lived here.

About the person: Michelle de Oliveira

Bild: Privat

Michelle de Oliveira is a journalist, yogini, mother and always in search of balance - and not just on the yoga mat. She also has a soft spot for all things spiritual. In her column, she reports on her experiences with the incomprehensible, but also from her very real life with all its joys and challenges. She lives with her family in Portugal.

The children started school here. My husband has opened his clothes store in Santa Cruz. And I do my work as before - just from here. Just normal everyday life.

But there are also moments when I remember the uncertainty of three years ago: the fear of having made the wrong decision by emigrating.

The radical decluttering and yet endless packing of boxes. The painful goodbyes. And the flight from Zurich to Lisbon without a return ticket.

It still feels so close that I think: What, that was three years ago?

Speaking of time: I was already one of the most punctual people in Switzerland. I'd rather be ten minutes early than three minutes late. Here, however, even a delay of half an hour is still considered punctual.

So to avoid waiting everywhere all the time, I have to make an extra effort and also arrive late - or be punctual in Portuguese.

Like at a children's birthday party recently: it started at 3.30 pm. It would almost be over by this time in Switzerland. Although I could barely keep my children under control, we only managed to get there at four o'clock.

But surprise surprise: we were the first guests. At four o'clock in the afternoon! When we still hadn't sung "Happy Birthday" and eaten cake by 6 pm, I became restless.

The hostess assured me that we were just waiting for the last guests. At 7 p.m., there was cake and then dinner for my children.

Our family has grown by one member in these three years, one with four paws. Phoebe came to us from the animal shelter and we could hardly imagine life without her. I have always wanted a dog and finally one fitted into our lives.

Phoebe loves long walks by the sea and in the woods just as much as I do. And she likes to escape and explore the endless nature on her own just as much - because of course she's much faster without me.

It's annoying, but it always leads to unexpected adventures.

I hear this sentence from time to time because people are surprised that I speak Portuguese. And I'm happy about it every time. I can now communicate well, even if I'm far from perfect.

I'm still struggling with the grammar because I simply don't have the discipline to sit down and force the theory into my head. I simply continue to learn in everyday life.

Like arguing in Portuguese - for example with the neighbor whose dog bit our dog and he thinks it's my fault. But that's material for another column. More importantly, I can supposedly swear without an accent - what more could I want?

I recently realized that our five-year-old daughter has spent more than half of her life in Portugal. She was two when we moved and has few memories of life in Switzerland.

She mainly knows the country from her vacations. Funnily enough, she is the only one of us who regularly claims that she would rather live in Switzerland. Which brings me to the next point.

I'm often asked that. "Are you coming back?" My answer is always the same: "We're not ruling it out, but there are no plans at the moment." I have the impression that the critical initial phase is behind us.

If we weren't comfortable here, if we knew that by now, life wouldn't work at all, anyway. Perhaps the longer you are away, the less likely you are to return.

But maybe it's the other way around: after many years, you've suddenly seen it, had enough of life here, the longing for Switzerland is greater than ever and the decision to return is made.

I think it's nice and exciting not to know how it will turn out. Maybe it will be completely different and we'll move to Madagascar?

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