The unidentifiable beauty of the days we could help ourselves.. (Yellow Pages)
I really can’t remember anything about the days my mother was pushing me around the village in a stroller. From what I’ve been told I must have been an inquisitive child, wondering about almost anything I saw for the first time. I do remember the punishment I got at the age of 4, when I took some wooden blocks home from nursery school, to saw them in half because they wouldn’t fit in the castle I was building. It didn’t get any better when I took our little organ apart just because I was curious how it worked, although I had some fun with the one-meter long “mouth harps” that came out of it. As soon as I went to primary school, learned how to read and write, she, my mother, bought a (too) expensive encyclopedia and referred to the big books whenever a question came up. My parents weren’t highly educated, didn’t waste time, didn’t have time to read literature. They were just hard-working middle-class people, both having a job next to a little antique shop. Next, to the 26 books of knowledge, the shelves were mainly filled with reference books about antique furniture and auction catalogues. I’ve learned that almost anything broken can be fixed, to respect the work of others and to see the beauty in the old, often hidden behind a layer of historical usage.
“I Was wondering if anyone knows any good home insurance companies in Lisbon?”
At the age of 10, I became the “man of the house”, inherited all my fathers' tools, grew up quickly and made my first “deals” at the age of 12. In an era without internet, mobile phones and credit cards it turned out possible to find answers to all your questions. I remember looking for some parts, with “the yellow pages” in my bicycle bag, going from one shop to the other, to finally find what I was looking for. It didn’t take long to get known as “the kid with questions” walking into woodyards, carpenters workshops and antique stores. It turned out much easier than you would think to get answers, free advice and sometimes even a complete solution explained by an experienced stranger. I was sure that going to school was just an obligation that reduced the time in which I could learn important skills. As a young kid I learned how to ask for help, find the places and people that would have solutions and answers. I guess most of my generation found their way thru daily life without a GPS, smartphone and internet. When we wanted directions we used a map or asked a policeman or taxi driver, when we needed more information on a subject we went to a library and borrowed some books. Carpenters, plumbers, lawyers, hairdressers and even insurance agents were all in the “yellow pages” and answered their phones.
“Has anyone transported a guinea pig to Portugal?!!”
Newer generations got a beautiful gift, a tool that can answer almost any question. The internet and it’s search engines. It’s like having shelves full of encyclopedia, a complete library, all the maps, phone books and yellow pages of the world, on just one screen. There are a few downsides to this digital enhancement of our possibilities to find what we are looking for. Some people forgot how to search for answers in the “old fashioned way”, some seem scared to ask for advice in a shop or even their neighbours. The phonebook and Yellow pages that used to be laying next to the telephone are now, behind a few clicks, on the world wide web. Walking around in a town, asking people for directions has become somewhat of a scary adventure it seems. If answers aren’t to be found easily lots of people give up and just use social media to ask others to do their search for them. Maybe it’s because they need a course in using the new ways of searching, maybe it’s just laziness.
“What do people do about car insurance when moving to Portugal?”
Ten years ago we moved to the beautiful vicinity of Central Portugal. Not knowing the language, not knowing much of anything to be hounest. Bought a derelict cottage and started with a long-term project. Yes, it was difficult in the first few months to find answers to questions, find materials and solutions while restoring the property. The first thing we did was getting to know the neighbourhood, asked around where we could find building materials, walked around in the nearest town to see what kind of shops were there. The “Sunday’s out” would be visiting industrial plants to see what kind of companies were “hiding” there and made a list with the names and addresses of suppliers. It didn’t take long to figure out where to get the materials we needed, even though it meant realizing that some things are just done differently in other countries.
“Does anybody know of a company that will hire cars for 3 - 5 months at a reasonable cost?”
Of course, we did the necessary research before we left our home country, added up the pro’s and con’s and came with a plan. That some of the foreseen outcomes didn’t become reality was partly because we miscalculated certain processes and for a big part because suddenly the pension age was put five years further into the uncertain future by our gouvernment “back home”. It didn’t, however, keep us from executing the plan we had. We got our house restored and turned the ruin next to it into a workshop. Although some plans were adapted to the new reality – crisis – at least we did have plans to hold on to. Nowadays it seems to be fashionable to just pack your bags and do the research afterwards, resulting in utterly naive questions on social media platforms.
“Moving to Portugal and Homesteading starting February. I need a way of making a living”
“We are hoping to move out to the Coimbra district in May and would like to buy some land. Not a lot, a half acre would do. We are bringing our six year old with us and don't mind living off grid for a while, while we set up our dream retreat. If anybody knows of anything with water and lec if possible for around the 8k mark please let me know. Thank you and God bless”
“Hello beautiful people, In the early spring 2018 we want to move to area São Luis. We have a 9 year old daughter and we are looking for a school or homeschooling initiative in that area... do you know a nice inspiring place?”
“We have children in school age and like to know where we find schools and a good life in Portugal. We have no NEED to be next to the ocean but love easy access to a good size city and beautiful countryside”
“I move to Portugal with my wife and two kids. Can you suggest a place to settle which is good for family with amenities preferably in cities. Our Portuguese is very limited so are there areas where English is spoken and understood”
“Hello. I am establishing a home in the south of portugal with a small budget. I welcome all suggestions on what is possible for me. Thinking between buying a ruin and rebuilding or a mobile type home pitched in land I would buy or rent”
I wonder what the reason behind all these strange questions is. There’s nothing wrong with obtaining information from people who already have experience in doing what you are planning to do. But it seems the decision is already made. There’s no plan, no research done and in lots of cases not even a budget so it seems. We, the ones made that adventures step, could explain over and over again that Portugal is the same as any other country. There are laws, rules and bureaucracy like in any other country, you need to have an income – a pension is a good option – so you’ll need to have a plan and a budget to start with. The problem is that all answers to the advice asked to come a bit too late when you’re already landed in this beautiful country with your kids, animals, caravan, camper or tent thinking it will “all work out”. Research should be done before chasing dreams and the new digital means are there to do so. “We are going to live off the land” is such a naive interpretation of a plan, especially when you don’t have a clue where that piece of land will be or how you are going to find the finance to obtain it. Still, I do think it’s brave to search for that dream, only realizing that reality has something to say about it is one of the first things to expect.
“Any recommendations for a reliable and reasonably priced painter?”
Nevertheless, there are worse questions asked on social media platforms. Where you can have sympathy for naive questions from all kinds of people searching for their dream, it’s only explainable as a lack of “digital” awareness and skills, a reluctant scariness for going out there and ask directions, or in worse cases just plain laziness to ask for others to find answers to simple questions. Maybe it’s because there’s a whole new generation who just didn’t learn to interact the “analogue” way, maybe for some, the world out there became a scary place.
“Hi, does any know of any natural health and organic food stores in central Portugal please?”
“Can someone please recommend a good plumber in Penela /Miranda do corvo /Coimbra area?”
“Ola, where do you all buy your natural, toxin-free bodycare and supplement products from?”
“I was wondering what is a reasonable cost for a one to one lesson per hour in Portugal?”
“Can anyone recommend an English speaking vet in Silves or Albufeira please?”
“Looking to buy a car for up to 3000 euro. I'm in the alentejo erea”
“I am looking for recommendations on where to buy a decent poly-tunnel and also a chicken coop”
All questions could be simply answered by Google or other search engines, ask in local shops, even your neighbour could have some answers, the Portuguese Yellow Pages online, go stroll thru town, ask around it’s really not as scary as you think, people are friendly.
“I Was wondering if anyone knows any good home insurance companies in Lisbon?”
At the age of 10, I became the “man of the house”, inherited all my fathers' tools, grew up quickly and made my first “deals” at the age of 12. In an era without internet, mobile phones and credit cards it turned out possible to find answers to all your questions. I remember looking for some parts, with “the yellow pages” in my bicycle bag, going from one shop to the other, to finally find what I was looking for. It didn’t take long to get known as “the kid with questions” walking into woodyards, carpenters workshops and antique stores. It turned out much easier than you would think to get answers, free advice and sometimes even a complete solution explained by an experienced stranger. I was sure that going to school was just an obligation that reduced the time in which I could learn important skills. As a young kid I learned how to ask for help, find the places and people that would have solutions and answers. I guess most of my generation found their way thru daily life without a GPS, smartphone and internet. When we wanted directions we used a map or asked a policeman or taxi driver, when we needed more information on a subject we went to a library and borrowed some books. Carpenters, plumbers, lawyers, hairdressers and even insurance agents were all in the “yellow pages” and answered their phones.
“Has anyone transported a guinea pig to Portugal?!!”
Newer generations got a beautiful gift, a tool that can answer almost any question. The internet and it’s search engines. It’s like having shelves full of encyclopedia, a complete library, all the maps, phone books and yellow pages of the world, on just one screen. There are a few downsides to this digital enhancement of our possibilities to find what we are looking for. Some people forgot how to search for answers in the “old fashioned way”, some seem scared to ask for advice in a shop or even their neighbours. The phonebook and Yellow pages that used to be laying next to the telephone are now, behind a few clicks, on the world wide web. Walking around in a town, asking people for directions has become somewhat of a scary adventure it seems. If answers aren’t to be found easily lots of people give up and just use social media to ask others to do their search for them. Maybe it’s because they need a course in using the new ways of searching, maybe it’s just laziness.
“What do people do about car insurance when moving to Portugal?”
Ten years ago we moved to the beautiful vicinity of Central Portugal. Not knowing the language, not knowing much of anything to be hounest. Bought a derelict cottage and started with a long-term project. Yes, it was difficult in the first few months to find answers to questions, find materials and solutions while restoring the property. The first thing we did was getting to know the neighbourhood, asked around where we could find building materials, walked around in the nearest town to see what kind of shops were there. The “Sunday’s out” would be visiting industrial plants to see what kind of companies were “hiding” there and made a list with the names and addresses of suppliers. It didn’t take long to figure out where to get the materials we needed, even though it meant realizing that some things are just done differently in other countries.
“Does anybody know of a company that will hire cars for 3 - 5 months at a reasonable cost?”
Of course, we did the necessary research before we left our home country, added up the pro’s and con’s and came with a plan. That some of the foreseen outcomes didn’t become reality was partly because we miscalculated certain processes and for a big part because suddenly the pension age was put five years further into the uncertain future by our gouvernment “back home”. It didn’t, however, keep us from executing the plan we had. We got our house restored and turned the ruin next to it into a workshop. Although some plans were adapted to the new reality – crisis – at least we did have plans to hold on to. Nowadays it seems to be fashionable to just pack your bags and do the research afterwards, resulting in utterly naive questions on social media platforms.
“Moving to Portugal and Homesteading starting February. I need a way of making a living”
“We are hoping to move out to the Coimbra district in May and would like to buy some land. Not a lot, a half acre would do. We are bringing our six year old with us and don't mind living off grid for a while, while we set up our dream retreat. If anybody knows of anything with water and lec if possible for around the 8k mark please let me know. Thank you and God bless”
“Hello beautiful people, In the early spring 2018 we want to move to area São Luis. We have a 9 year old daughter and we are looking for a school or homeschooling initiative in that area... do you know a nice inspiring place?”
“We have children in school age and like to know where we find schools and a good life in Portugal. We have no NEED to be next to the ocean but love easy access to a good size city and beautiful countryside”
“I move to Portugal with my wife and two kids. Can you suggest a place to settle which is good for family with amenities preferably in cities. Our Portuguese is very limited so are there areas where English is spoken and understood”
“Hello. I am establishing a home in the south of portugal with a small budget. I welcome all suggestions on what is possible for me. Thinking between buying a ruin and rebuilding or a mobile type home pitched in land I would buy or rent”
I wonder what the reason behind all these strange questions is. There’s nothing wrong with obtaining information from people who already have experience in doing what you are planning to do. But it seems the decision is already made. There’s no plan, no research done and in lots of cases not even a budget so it seems. We, the ones made that adventures step, could explain over and over again that Portugal is the same as any other country. There are laws, rules and bureaucracy like in any other country, you need to have an income – a pension is a good option – so you’ll need to have a plan and a budget to start with. The problem is that all answers to the advice asked to come a bit too late when you’re already landed in this beautiful country with your kids, animals, caravan, camper or tent thinking it will “all work out”. Research should be done before chasing dreams and the new digital means are there to do so. “We are going to live off the land” is such a naive interpretation of a plan, especially when you don’t have a clue where that piece of land will be or how you are going to find the finance to obtain it. Still, I do think it’s brave to search for that dream, only realizing that reality has something to say about it is one of the first things to expect.
“Any recommendations for a reliable and reasonably priced painter?”
Nevertheless, there are worse questions asked on social media platforms. Where you can have sympathy for naive questions from all kinds of people searching for their dream, it’s only explainable as a lack of “digital” awareness and skills, a reluctant scariness for going out there and ask directions, or in worse cases just plain laziness to ask for others to find answers to simple questions. Maybe it’s because there’s a whole new generation who just didn’t learn to interact the “analogue” way, maybe for some, the world out there became a scary place.
“Hi, does any know of any natural health and organic food stores in central Portugal please?”
“Can someone please recommend a good plumber in Penela /Miranda do corvo /Coimbra area?”
“Ola, where do you all buy your natural, toxin-free bodycare and supplement products from?”
“I was wondering what is a reasonable cost for a one to one lesson per hour in Portugal?”
“Can anyone recommend an English speaking vet in Silves or Albufeira please?”
“Looking to buy a car for up to 3000 euro. I'm in the alentejo erea”
“I am looking for recommendations on where to buy a decent poly-tunnel and also a chicken coop”
All questions could be simply answered by Google or other search engines, ask in local shops, even your neighbour could have some answers, the Portuguese Yellow Pages online, go stroll thru town, ask around it’s really not as scary as you think, people are friendly.
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