It's Our 4th Nomadversary, and we're returning to the first place we visited - Lisbon - but this time, as residents!

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Paul & I set out the third week of January, 2022, for a life of full-time travel. Since then, we have been all over the world, staying 1-3 months in different cities across the globe. We've visited 17 countries, stayed at least overnight in about 75 cities, spent time in 24 states in the U.S. & 3 provinces in Canada, and visited 9 national parks (U.S.). We've been to UNESCO world heritage sites, castles, jungles, beaches, and mountains. We have yet to visit South America or Africa - not because we don't want to, but because the wind has not blown us that way yet. We've learned a lot, and changed a lot, and wouldn't trade a minute for any other lifestyle. But, after four years on the road, we're ready to put our things down in one place for a while. And the place we've chosen to reside happens to the be first place we visited in January, 2022 - Lisbon, Portugal. A few days ago, we learned that our Portuguese residence visas were approved, and we expect to receive them in the next few days. In several days, we expect to head back to Lisbon, where started this journey. But this time, a leased, semi-detached house awaits us in central Lisbon, where we intend to reside for at least two years, perhaps more. We'll still travel, but we're likely to focus more on travel within Portugal and Europe, with more occasional visits to other parts of the globe.

In this post, I'll talk about what we've learned from four years on the road, what has moved us to seek residence visas, and why we chose Portugal.

1. What have we learned from 4 years of full-time travel?

   There are wonderful people all over the world. We have made friends every place we have visited. The world is full of kind, helpful, people with fascinating life stories. It has beeneasier for us to meet people in some cultures more than others. But we view these efforts through our own cultural expectations. I don't think it is possible to visit New Zealand, Fiji, or Malaysia without engaging in frequent animated and interesting conversations with perfect strangers. By contrast, locales such as London and Helsinki are less likely to result in heartfelt conversations with bystanders. Fortunately, we knew people in both of those places, so we still had many great conversations. The U.S. tends towards the more open (one might say nosey) kind of interactions with folks you don't know. This has its upsides (meeting people will come naturally to many of us) and downsides (we can be perceived as a bit pushy and oversharing). But, we have learned, each of these cultures has something to teach us about how the world can work, if we open our minds and our hearts. This, we have tried to do.

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   
   
   

   We have learned that we would never run out of interesting places to visit. We have gravitated toward living in cities large enough to support a robust public transit, many good restaurants, some natural beauty, and cultural heritage sites such as museums & historic centers. We have tended to approach each city like an onion - peeling back layers at a time. First, we explore our immediate neighborhood - where are the groceries, parks, and amenities of everyday life? Then, we slowly venture out and explore other areas nearby. We choose a few tourist sites to visit. Occasionally, we take day or weekend trips outside the city. Even after 3 months in one place, there are many untapped neighborhoods, restaurants, and sites. We've returned to several cities and discovered the joy of revisiting some places, and finding new aspects we did not see the first time. These are quiet and slow explorations, and we have opportunities to engage in many conversations with local residents. We have come to have some understanding of a variety of places. The opportunites for enjoying the world are truly endless.

   
   

   

   Map representing our travel routes 2022-2026

   Although we've learned a lot about other people and other ways of living, we've learned even more about ourselves. We have been changed by travel. We are not the same people we were 4 years ago. First you learn how things are done. Then, you begin to try some of these different ways of being. At some point, you find yourself thinking more like locals about certain things than you thought before you left. What used to be "other" ways of thinking are now your own ways of thinking. For example, in New Zealand, Fiji, & Malaysia, it has become natural to think of the world as consisting of multiple cultures living side by side, each the stronger for being enriched by the others. The Japanese way of awareness of the group becomes a gold standard for living. On the other hand, things you took for granted in your "before" life can become outsized wants: an oven to cook one's favorite meals, for example, or the easy access to great American breakfasts.

   

   

   

   
   
   

   We've also learned some practical things about how we want to live, during the past 4 years. Long gone are the days when we want to live in a big house, regularly drive a car, or accumulate many possessions. We can live perfectly in an apartment or home with 3 bedrooms (1 for us to sleep in, a study for each of us, and a guest bedroom (which could double in one of our studies, or we can carve a study out of another space). We need at least 2 toilets (possibly a consequence of our age). We want a washing machine but don't need a dryer or a dishwasher. We are extremely picky about our coffee - finally settling on a Chemex and bean grinder, but also desiring nearby (walkable) coffee shops of a certain quality. We like a lifestyle where people are encouraged to sit and talk, or sit and read, at said coffee shops. I don't mind ironing, but I have come to hate those tiny little ironing boards. So - note to Airbnb & VRBO hosts - get a full-size ironing board - they're not that expensive and when folded don't take up that much room! Paul craves fast wi-fi. And, we've learned that a decent mattress can make or break a visit. Unfortunately, we've also learned that different cultures have vastly different ideas about what a decent mattress feels like.

   
   

2. What has moved us to seek residence visas and hang our hats in one place?

   At some point, we tired of constantly moving from one place to the next. When we set out on this journey, we both knew we wanted full-time slow travel, but we agreed that if either of us wanted to stop, we would. Remarkably, we both reached that conclusion at the same time. In mid-2024, we had decided that after completing a year of North American travel, we would visit Porto, Portugal and Toulouse, France, to see if either of those cities felt like they could make an amenable home for us. At that point, having a home seemed still far away. But, we knew we loved Lisbon, and had heard good things about Porto and Toulouse. I had been lurking on expat Facebook groups for both France and Portugal to get a sense of how folks felt after moving there. However, by late 2024 Paul's psoriasis had gotten so bad - and our insurance company refused treatment - so we traveled to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia instead. There, we were able to afford to buy the excellent medical care Paul needed. In February, after 3 months in KL, as we prepared to leave for a month in Singapore, neither of us was excited about moving to a new place. This was a first for both of us. After we got to Singapore, I remember Paul getting really frustrated that he couldn't find something, thinking it had to be in the desk drawer, but then saying that perhaps it had been in the last desk drawer. We just hit a limit to the disorganization of not knowing where things were. The place in Singapore was also really small, a little moldy, and expensive. It seemed clear to both of us we needed to find a place to land. Paul suggested that instead of trying out various options, which would take months, we should just land in Lisbon, since we had lived there and loved it. And I immediately agreed. Later that same week, we refreshed our research, contacted Portugal the Place (which I had seen recommended on a FB expat group in Portugal), and started the process.

   
   

   Part of our ongoing feeling of disorganization stemmed from having some things in storage in our home base of Lansing, Michigan. We have downsized our stuff a few times, but we never can remember what we have where. Mostly, we've loved living a less materialistic life. But as we've packed items to take to Lisbon these last few months, we've come to realize that we are looking forward to having a tiny bit of luxury back. Paul has collected favorite books he's had in storage, knowing our new place will have plenty of bookshelves. I keep visualizing the luxury of having my own office, with a balcony view of the street, and some additional sentimental items that sat on my desk for years. We both are looking forward to hanging some family photos. We will bring our big pot we use to make sukiyaki, and our favorite mugs. We're going to try really hard not to go overboard, and we're still undecided about a few pieces of furniture we kept, along with Paul's tools and old radios. We'll figure that out in September.

   

   

   As it stands, we will have 10 checked pieces of luggage (suitcases, duffels, and boxes).

   
   

   Another reason we are ready to settle in one place for a while is that we have found it difficult to develop our own activities when we are together 24/7 and moving all the time. I love to swim laps in a pool, and sometimes I have found a pool that works for me, but not always. Just as I get into a routine, it seems that we are moving again. Paul would like to join a group or two of people with similar interests to his. He craves conversation at a higher level about programming, the development of AI, investment strategies, and other topics. I'd love to sing in a choir again - something I've not done for years. We've spent the vast majority of our time with only each other for the past four years -and while we enjoy each other's company, a lot, it can be hard to sustain. So we're looking forward to building some community in Lisbon.

   
   

3. Why did we choose Lisbon, Portugal, to live?

   We have loved a lot of places these past four years. Despite everyone asking us, we do not have a "favorite" place. Every place has given us something of value. We would return to many happily. We would love to live in several. But only some of them offer us a chance to obtain residence visas. A lot of countries we have loved - such as Australia, New Zealand, and Japan, flat out do not offer residence visas to retirees over 55. Malaysia requires the purchase of real estate, which we do not want to do, at least not now. Portugal (along with Spain, France, Italy and other EU countries) offers a relatively easy process for retirees with passive income and a modest amount of savings. We have applied for D6 and D7 visas (passive income/dependent spouse), and for that, we needed to document the following at an interview in NYC (location depends on where you reside): valid passports, proof of USA residence, proof of passive income (e.g., Social Security), proof of a Portuguese bank account containing at least €15,600 for a couple, one-year signed lease or purchased house or affadavit of residence in Portugal, aspostilled FBI criminal background check, apostilled marriage license, visa photos, & one year emergency travel medical insurance. You can find official details of the program by clicking on this link. Portugal does require folks on the D7 visa to stay in Portugal 6 consecutive months, or 8 non-consecutive months, each year. This requirement does not bother us, because we want to make a home. And, we think there's a lot to explore within Portugal itself. Although we could have navigated this on our own, we preferred the peace of mind of hiring an immigration firm to help us, and we hired Moviinn. Because we were planning to live in Osaka, Japan all summer (2025), we hired a company - Portugal the Place - to help us locate housing, review our Portuguese lease, and set up our home before we arrive. We've been very pleased with both companies (special shout-out to Pedro, Alexandra, Tiego, Henrique & Marta!)

We're looking for a city that has robust public transit, restaurants, and culture, but that is small enouch to be walkable. We'd like the weather to fall in the mid-range of temperatures - not too hot, not too cold. We're looking for a decently low cost of living, stable government, a warm, friendly society, and that European lifestyle we love so much. We want access to affordable, high quality health care. And, we'd like to be in a place that values research, education, science, technology, and the arts. We'd like to live in a country where human rights are recognized - rights such as same-gender marriage, access to safe abortions, accommodations for people with disabilities, and laws that protect against racial, ethnic, gender and other discrimination and that protect consumers. Lisbon, Portugal checks all the boxes. And Lisbon, as a smaller capital city, offers wonderful food (Portuguese & international), entertainment (Fado music!), and cultural attractions (Castelo Sao Jorge, visually stunning tiles). Lisbon is often likened to San Francisco for its hills, vistas, and culture. Because so many people have asked us about these issues in comparison to the U.S., we have compiled a chart with hyperlinks to data.

	Portugal	United States
Cost of living (lower is cheaper, Numbeo)	48.82	68.77
Crime (lower is less crime Numbeo)	33	49.2
Safety (higher is safer, per research & crime data, Travel-safe Abroad	92 Lisbon 85	68 Lansing, MI 41
Health care rank/index (surveys: lower number is higher rank/higher number is better factoring overall quality, doctors, staff, costs, infrastructure, services, Numbeo)	Rank: 23 Index: 72.03	Rank: 40 Index: 67
Health of citizens (higher is better, Bloomberg Global Health Index)	83.10	73.02
Education (PISA, 2022 scores, higher is better)	Math: 472 Science: 484 Reading: 477	Math: 465 Science: 499 Reading: 504
Climate (CCPI, rank in world, lower number means better climate change amelioration)	12 (high performance)	65 (very low performance)
Weather, average temperatures in winter & summer, and number of sunny days per year	Lisbon: 8-15°C (46-59°F) in winter and 18-28°C (64-82°F) in summer 250 sunny days per year	Lansing, MI: minus 6 – minus 1°C (21-30°F) in winter and 16-28°C (61-82°F) in summer 175 sunny days per year
Pollution (lower is better, Numbeo)	29.88	37.21
Food prices per month per person (Numbeo)	$309.10 (Lisbon)	$390.71 (Lansing, MI) $608.12 (San Francisco, comparable population)
Global Peace Index (lower rank is more peaceful)	7	128
Political stability (100 being most stable per World Population Review)	75.07	64.27

Of course, different ranking systems use different criteria. For example, the World Population Review ranks the U.S. slightly higher in health care than Portugal (U.S. #15, Portugal #20), by examining infrastructure and overall availability of medicines, but shows the U.S. is a fair bit lower when examining access to health care and overall health. Access is going to get worse in the U.S. because of recent policy changes such as skyrocketing health care insurance and cuts to the Medicaid program. The top 5 countries for health care include Taiwan, South Korea, Australia, Canada, & Sweden. The Numbeo numbers are based on surveys of residents, and are generally seen as pretty reliable in the cities where a large number of people have responded. Measures such as health of citizens and education scores are based on pretty hard data. The most interesting measure, for me, is the Global Peace Index. Founded 18 years ago by an Australian technology entrepreneur and philanthropist, The Global Peace Initiative employs a panel of international experts to create statistical measures of internal and external conflict, harmony or discord, militarization, and participation in global peace-keeping initiatives. The U.S.'s low rank reflects my own observations about how discordant U.S. society has become. Paul has been researching for the last couple of years to ensure that where we land is stable, peaceful, and secure. None of this is to say that a place is better or worse for everyone - rather, we are saying that we are confident Portgual is a good place for us. There are many wonderful places to live in the world, and we are pretty sure Portugal is one of them.

So after four years of travel, we will hand our hats. We'll still explore, but closer to our new home. We'll still return to the U.S. to visit people we love. If you're in Lisbon, let us know. Maybe we can get together.