Time to find a groove!!

I know it’s only day 4, but finding a disciplined manner and routine are key elements for me in order to find some level of success. Firstly I like to get up way before the family so I can have a quiet time, (I am on day 211 and my life is being changed and peace is my new friend due to this key time) It’s my time to prepare for the day and be in a ‘good space’ Some people do yoga, others pray, others just get on with it, but my mode is a ‘prayer journal’, this journal is very exciting as each prayer is answered I tick off the miracles of being faithful and disciplined with my time. Appreciating the beauty each morning brings and the stillness before the world starts gives one clarity and purpose. As a side note ” I must say though I have never heard seagulls be as noisy as the ones that live in our hood” and they start before sunrise.

The funny thing about our accommodation is that the geyser is by no means as big as ours in Cape Town, so we all try beat each other to the shower, as there is certainly not enough hot water for a family of 5 if we shower one after another. This will also take some planning and getting used to. I am always first, so I get a warm shower!!!!

Today the day requires, reading the script ‘once upon a kidnap’ – Troy doing his online schooling with CHIT CHAT run by Christa Durant, she charges R200,00 per hour and the tutor she has allocated to Troy is preparing him for the school system here in Portugal. This is another key element that one needs to think about before moving country.

It’s interesting, we think or I thought poverty was something I would not see in Portugal, but on each walk in the mornings we have been approached by people who live on the street. Perhaps the poverty has been created by Covid?

Cigarette smokers even have a solution, instead of throwing their dirty butts on the road there is an ashtray. Wonder what happens in the wind? Interesting that it says ‘hygiene’ – not sure how hygienic smoking is?, but I thought this was an interesting visual. Some words are easy to interpret, as like Higene.

Each day I need to learn a new word, todays word is “Bom dia!” (which is good-morning), learning a new language I think is going to be a challenge, but its a challenge I must overcome. I think Portuguese may be a difficult language to learn?

Finding a school will be challenging, as we need to find a school that teaches English, and thats not vastly expensive, there are so many choices and so many places to study, the curriculum is also so different, and the entrance exams and entrance requirements are something I need to get my head around, I can see this is going to be challenging.

So the plan needs to be find a school, and university, then find a house or apartment in the area, the adventure begins today. In the meantime, we are super happy with our current spot. LOCKDOWN means all schools are shut, so applications must be done online, and appointments need to be made. Wow!!!! (wish Covid would disappear) Those wishing to immigrate need to know that this is no holiday camp, it takes a huge adaption, planning and a change of mindset, especially if you don’t like change.

MISSION PHONE : After waiting for over an hour in the mobile shop, we have 1 gig of data each and 500 talk minutes (this for euro 15 per phone), this is renewed monthly. So the costs are (R270,00 per month which is substantially cheaper than what I was paying MTN in South Africa), to TOP up, you need a Portuguese bank account, or a contract, or do what we did, stand in a q at the MEO and buy with cash. It feels good to have this tick done in my diary.

Lets see what the new day brings, meantime here’s a sunset from Porto bridge (sunset is at 18h30)