Why This American Expat Left Portugal—Wendy’s Story

Video Description

In this conversation, Wendy Ericsen shares her experiences as an expat in Portugal, discussing the cultural immersion through football, the significance of food and drink, and the intentional journey of learning Portuguese. She reflects on the challenges of housing and visa requirements, the emotional dynamics of family connections, and the decision to return to the U.S. due to family needs. Wendy emphasizes the importance of relationships and personal growth gained through living abroad, while keeping the door open for future adventures. 🎙️ Welcome to the ExpatsEverywhere Podcast! Join us on the journey of learning about Portugal and expat life around the world. Each week, we bring you expert interviews, insightful commentary, and real-life stories to help you navigate your move abroad with confidence. 💼 Green Ocean Global | Financial Advisory for Expats Schedule a free 15-minute intro call with John, our trusted financial advisor: http://www.calendly.com/johnoceansgreen (Choose the ExpatsEverywhere Intro Call) 🎉 Love what we’re doing? Join the movement. Be a part of our community on Patreon and get early bonus content, behind-the-scenes updates, and connect with fellow expats moving to and living in Portugal: 👉 https://www.patreon.com/expatseverywhere 🌍 About Us We’re Josh and Kalie, and we’ve been living abroad since 2009. Our expat journey has taken us through Spain, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and now Portugal. We share what we’ve learned to help you move abroad smarter and live abroad better. 📌 Portugal Visa Help We created two step-by-step courses to help you DIY your D7 or Remote Worker visa for Portugal. Podcast listeners get $10 off any course with code: PODCAST 👉 D7 Visa Course: https://expatseverywhere.thinkific.com 👉 Remote Worker Visa Course: https://expatseverywhere.thinkific.com/courses/remote-worker-visa 🛠️ Useful Expat Resources Here are tools and services we use and recommend. Some links are affiliate links that support our work—thank you! 💸 Transfer Money Wise (formerly TransferWise): https://transferwise.prf.hn/click/camref:1011lfsFy/ar:channelwide/destination:https%3A%2F%2Ftransferwise.com%2Fc%2Fexpatseverywhere Spartan FX (speak to a specialist): https://www.spartanfx.co.uk/fx-partner.php?sfxtrack=expatseverywhere 📺 Watch Your Shows Abroad SurfShark VPN – Get 40% off: https://get.surfshark.net/aff_c?offer_id=6&aff_id=5969 🛡️ Digital Security Aura – 2-week free trial: https://aura.com/expatseverywhere 🏦 NIF & Bank Setup in Portugal Bordr – $10 off NIF and/or bank account: https://www.bordr.com/?via=expatseverywhere 🌐 Insurance Abroad SafetyWing – Travel & expat health insurance: https://tinyurl.com/ykt5e73w 🗣️ Learn Portuguese Ling App – Yearly subscription offer: https://ling-app.com/offer-yearly-subscription/?affiliateId=expatseverywhere Portuguese with Carla: https://journey.portuguesewithcarla.com/offer-collab/?ref=7 Mia Esmeriz Academy: https://school.learn-portuguese.org/courses?affcode=206686_p6olvjck 📬 Mail Forwarding World Post: https://worldpost.anytimemailbox.com/signup 💰 Taxes for Expats Taxes for Expats – Get $25 off: https://www.taxesforexpats.com/ref/239 📬 Get in Touch Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.expatseverywhere.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/expatseverywhere Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/expatseverywhere X: https://x.com/expert_expat #ExpatsEverywhere #MoveAbroad #PortugalPodcast Chapters 00:00 - Intro 00:36 - Weekly Welcome and What's Happening with Josh & Kalie Living in Portugal 13:08 - Dealing with Your Money and Moving Abroad 14:03 - Meeting Wendy and Setting the Stage for Her Move to Portugal 15:22 - Cultural Immersion and Community Engagement 20:43 - The Road to Portugal 28:52 - Navigating Language Barriers and Initial Adjustments 30:15 - Navigating New Beginnings 33:56 - Public Transportation Adventures 40:15 - Embracing Local Culture through Football 43:12 - Capturing Cultural Moments 45:21 - Learning the Language 50:31 - Adjusting to Life Changes 57:04 - Reflections on Family and Choices 01:03:00 - Transformative Experiences Abroad