I moved to Portugal without telling most of my friends I was leaving. Not because I didn’t love them, but because I knew that saying goodbye would make the decision feel real. One year ago, I left Brazil and started a completely different chapter in Porto — a new country, a new city, a new Master’s degree, no professional network and no idea how much I would have to rebuild. Looking back, living in Porto has taught me far more than I expected about starting over, independence and what it really means to build a life abroad.
Some parts of moving abroad were exciting; others were much harder than I imagined. I lived in a student residence surrounded by people much younger than me, learned to adapt to a completely different rhythm of daily life, and discovered that making friends as an adult in a new country takes time. Professionally, I had to start almost from zero because I arrived without work connections in Portugal. And while I was here waiting for documents, my dog became seriously ill back home — one of those moments when being so far away makes the reality of life abroad particularly difficult.
Then there is saudade. I miss my dogs, my mother, my home and so many small things I once took for granted. I also learned that living in Porto is much more than beautiful streets, cafés, architecture and sunsets over the Douro. It is rebuilding routines, relationships and confidence somewhere unfamiliar. It is figuring out who you are when your usual support system isn't around — and deciding which parts of your old life you want to bring with you.
One year later, I’m still figuring it out. And that’s exactly what I want to share here: the real side of moving abroad, not just the pretty version. If you’re thinking about moving to Portugal, already living in Porto, or dreaming about starting over somewhere else, subscribe to my newsletter for practical tips, places I discover, lessons I’m learning and honest notes on building a life abroad — straight to your inbox.
Photo took by my mother at the Dom Luís I Bridge with the city of Porto behind me.
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