In 2021, we decided what we wanted in our next country. Then on July 4th, 2021, the Scribbles Family boarded a plane bound for Europe! For context, the summer of 2021 was during the Delta wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, I know that we didn’t experience the “real” versions of either country. Most places were very quiet.
Our goal, decide if Portugal or Spain was the right place for our family to live for the next two or more years.
First Stop: Valencia, Spain.
Valencia is the third-largest city in Spain. It’s rich with Spanish culture and history, but also has a lot of modern features. Our family of four, including a 5-year-old and 9-month-old, spent two weeks exploring this beautiful city.
We stayed in a two-bedroom AirBnb between the Russafa and La Gran Villa neighborhoods. We had easy access to multiple bus lines, metro, markets, pharmacies, fruit and vegetable shops, and many restaurant options.
I’m writing this post nearly two years after our visit. However, the reasons we didn’t move to Spain still hold true and have been supported by recent events in tax policy changes and an increase in racist behaviors.
We didn’t move to Spain because:
- Racism – Here’s just one example from a few days ago.
- Lack of Diversity – It’s just less diverse than Lisbon, Portugal. Full stop.
- Taxes – Considering we will always have to pay taxes to the United States, no matter what, Spain’s taxation structure didn’t make sense for us.
- Unwelcoming – Before we visited, I joined several Facebook groups for immigrants to Spain and specifically Valencia. When compared to the Lisbon and Portugal groups, the Spanish groups were far less helpful, less welcoming, and sometimes rude.
Because I want to be fair, here’s what we liked about Valencia:
- Language– We already knew some Latin American Spanish before our trip and our language skills got much better after a week of being immersed and conducting daily activities in Spanish. Our 5yo picked up the language quickly, which gave me hope that he’d do well long-term.
- Environment – Cities, mountains, beaches, to arid deserts. Spain really does have every type of natural beauty.
- Cleanliness– The Valencianos take care of their city. Dirty streets at night are clean by morning. The thing that shocked us is how clean their highways are. No trash, weeds, or anything really.
- The Mediterranean Sea – Full stop. I would be happy for the rest of my life just living by the sea, going for swims every day, and grabbing some paella along the promenade.
- Cost of Living – When compared to other European cities of similar size, Valencia has a lot to offer. Real estate was far more approachable than Lisbon. Restaurants and markets were also much less expensive.
Last Stop: Lisbon, Portugal.
Lisbon is the capital and largest city in Portugal. We spent two and a half weeks in a two-bedroom two-bath flat in the Avenidas Novas neighborhood. We also rented a car and drove west, north, and south to explore smaller towns and dip our toes in the Atlantic Ocean.
Some differences between Valencia and Lisbon emerged after only a few days in Portugal. Here are all the reasons why we chose Lisbon:
- Diversity – It started at the Lisbon airport and continued everywhere we looked around Portugal. People of all shapes, sizes, colors, ages, religions, and nationalities. Interracial families, immigrant-owned businesses, and multiple generations utilizing the same public spaces together, in harmony.
- Friendliness – The Portuguese people are incredibly kind. This has been further confirmed after living in Lisbon for one year. They really do go out of their way to help.
- Immigrant Community – There’s no comparison. When we arrived in Lisbon, we were taken into the fold of fantastic immigrant families from all over. We had playdates, attended birthday parties, and got to speak with people from all walks of life who chose Portugal as their new home. Spain was, nothing.
- Family Friendly – The Portuguese value family time and connection. By law, families with young children are supposed to receive expedited service, in most cases. Parks and playgrounds are situated with ample seating, secure play areas, and kiosks that serve food and drink and even have decent bathrooms.
- Safety – We had a few late nights with new friends and we felt safe everywhere we went. Whether we were walking or riding the bus, there wasn’t a single time were we felt unsafe. The top story from our time in Lisbon was about a French man who punched and decapitated a pigeon for eating his french fires.
- English – I know that this isn’t to be expected, we are immigrants, but it has been really helpful that so many Portuguese people speak English. In Spain, people would laugh in our faces when we asked, “¿Habla inglés?”
- Taxes – While this is somewhat controversial now, Portugal has tax schemes that are very attractive, especially to people who are living off of their investments (retirement). And if you want to get a job and have an in-demand skill set, you can qualify for a flat income tax rate that is half the highest tax rate.
- English – I’m not sure why, but everyone in Lisbon speaks at least a little English if not really really good English. While this wasn’t a requirement for our new country, I can’t deny that it has been helpful. It’s stressful enough establishing a life in a new country, so being able to transact in English while we learned the language was incredibly helpful.
The only thing that was challenging about Portugal was the language. Spanish really didn’t help us in learning Portuguese. In some ways, knowing a little Spanish made learning Portuguese harder. That said, we’re doing pretty well. Mr. Scribbles and I have taken some in-person lessons and spend time each week studying in our textbooks and online. The boys are doing great, learning at school.
Once we returned to Seattle, it didn’t feel like home anymore. Within a month of being back in the US, we decided to move our family to Portugal. The decision felt easy. What came next was harder. Getting our Portuguese visas and figuring out what to do with our life and stuff in the US.
If you’re interested in Portugal and want to chat, send me a message here.
