Nazare, Portugal, August 2021

I am enjoying the late summer in Portugal immensely. It is such a nice country and welcoming place, and I feel so privileged to be able to call it home!

Today is my first day of holidays, and I will be able to get out a bit more and visit some new places, which I may not know yet. I am very lucky, as despite travelling to Portugal from Americas (2 weeks ago), I was exempted from the undergoing the quarantine, due to my up-to-date COVID-19 vaccination status. That meant that I was able to enjoy the daily pleasures of Portuguese life, outside of working time, including weekends, which has been brilliant.

This weekend I am spending with friends north of Obidos, in a town called Figueira da Foz. It is a city on the coast, popular with beach-lovers and very near to the magnificent city of Coimbra. It should be lots of fun to visit some of the surroundings and enjoy the company of friends.

Next week, on Monday, I will be visiting the Immigration Services of Portugal to deal with my permanent residency status. I am a bit nervous of the prospect… I just dislike dealing with immigration, but then I am also hopeful that the process of getting my permits should be smooth, and I would soon be getting my papers sorted for a longer period of time. Keep your fingers crossed! I shall certainly let you know the outcomes of it all!