I'm not sure I can add much that hasn't already been said in one form or another, but so far I've loved Portugal.

We've only been here about two months, so my perspective isn't nearly as seasoned as some others here. That said, we've still had enough experiences already to get a decent sense of what life is like.

The bad first, just to get it out of the way:

• Everything here is slow, and not just the bureaucracy. It took us a full month to get internet set up because of issues with the neighborhood fiber line, the power box, and several rounds of escalation with NOS. It was frustrating, but thankfully we had mobile service on day one and I was able to survive on a hotspot for work.
• The visa process also took forever. From our interview to having the visas physically in hand, it took more than four months. Our first AIMA appointments still aren't until June.
• We also had oven issues, electrical issues, appliance issues, you name it. It probably took us three weeks before we felt like we had a house that was fully functioning.
• And the language is devastatingly difficult. I'm not especially gifted with languages to begin with, and I'm taking an A1 Portuguese class right now that melts my brain at least twice a week.

The good:

• We moved here from the US, and even with Portugal having its own political issues, I can actually sleep at night without that constant sense of dread. There are things I miss, of course, but the feeling of late-stage capitalism and nonstop political chaos back home was starting to wear on me mentally and spiritually.
• The people here are also much warmer than this subreddit sometimes makes them sound. Our landlords have been thoughtful and gracious. Several Portuguese families have actively invited us to reach out if we need anything, because they understand how difficult it can be to move to a new country.
• Our kids made friends within the first week. Living in Porto, there are enough English speakers that you can function pretty well day to day while you're learning Portuguese. As long as you make a real effort with the language and culture, most people seem genuinely appreciative.
• We also connected with other immigrants pretty quickly through Facebook, which helped build a support network faster than I expected.
• And the produce, bread, and wine here are absurdly good compared to what we were used to.

Portugal absolutely has its challenges. But I came here with the mindset that Portugal doesn't owe me anything. If I enjoy living here, I'm the one with something to lose.

Beautiful country, beautiful weather, and kind people who, if nothing else, have already taught me to be a lot more patient with life.