Embracing the Portuguese Way of Life: Cynthia Wilson’s Retirement Adventure in Affordable and Healthy Portugal

Cynthia Wilson and her husband Craig Bjork retired to Portugal during the COVID-19 pandemic and chose the country after researching its affordability and quality of healthcare. They settled on a small town called Marinha Grande, which has a population of around 40,000 people, and initially stayed in an Airbnb before purchasing a property. Wilson struggled with having so much free time in retirement, but she and her husband are learning Portuguese and attending language classes provided by the government. Wilson is an “over-achiever” and found learning Portuguese challenging due to its complexity, but she enjoys the Portuguese way of life, which focuses on personal relationships rather than work and achievement. Wilson and Bjork have adopted two rescue cats, and they regularly host dinner parties and attend local events. They have also made many Portuguese friends, who have helped them throughout the relocation process. Wilson has warmly embraced the Portuguese culture, particularly its focus on food, and spends a lot of time with Portuguese women learning Portuguese cuisine. Wilson and Bjork have found Portugal to be more affordable than the US, although what seems cheap to them may not be so for Portuguese workers earning minimum wage. They have not returned to the US since moving to Portugal and have no plans to do so. They have had zero problems since relocating and cannot speak highly enough of their experience. Wilson’s children, who are grown-up adults, expected nothing less than her leaving the US in this way due to her adventurous nature. Some people have expressed skepticism about Wilson’s positive experiences in Portugal, but she maintains that things have unfolded without any problems for them. The couple has a wealth of Portuguese friends who have helped them throughout the relocation process, and they have adopted a more leisurely lifestyle in Portugal compared to their previous fast-paced lives in the US.