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Pack your bags, America. Portugal just became the number 1 place we all want to escape to

Other top-requested countries include Spain, Canada, and Italy.

Americans are seeking a new life abroad.

Have you been doom-scrolling through an endless news cycle, filled with rising housing prices, impossible-to-pay healthcare bills, and polarizing political upheaval lately? Is all that doom and gloom making you want to seek greener pastures—perhaps overseas? Well, you're not alone. Over 116,000 Americans have been feeling the exact same way, quietly researching their escape routes, and they're all leading to the same place: Portugal.

According to a survey conducted by Expatsi, a company that helps U.S. citizens move abroad, Portugal is officially the number one destination where Americans want to relocate. And why not? Although it may lack the name recognition and star power of other European countries like Spain, Italy, or France, Portugal has plenty to offer Americans seeking a different way of life.


 woman, portugal, expat, moving, abroad Portugal has an incredible wealth of opportunities for American expats. Photo credit: Canva

“Portugal rose to prominence by offering friendly programs for taxes and visas for foreigners, including allowing them to gain residency through buying homes,” explains Expatsi co-founder Jen Barnett. Even though many of these benefits are no longer offered, the exposure Portugal received was enough to turn heads. “People are now more aware of what else it has to offer,” Barnett continues. “Lower cost of living, better quality of life, more safety, and warm and welcoming people.”

 

What else the survey tells us

 

The numbers revealed by the Expatsi survey unmask a story that's equal parts relatable, fascinating, and slightly bone-chilling. Why do Americans want to leave the country in the first place? The number one reason is predictable: to find adventure, enrichment, and growth overseas. Beyond that, 56% of survey respondents said that the U.S. had become too conservative, and 53% cited political divisions as their primary motivation for wanting to leave. Roughly half of all respondents also claimed that they wanted to move away to avoid the threat of gun violence.


 portugal, expat, moving, abroad, beautiful Some Americans want to move as soon as six months. Photo credit: Canva

Some survey respondents said they were actively looking to move soon, with 12% hoping to relocate within the next six months. Then there were the cost of living statistics: 41% of survey respondents said they hoped to save money by living abroad, while 30% said they hoped to retire. While the average price to rent a one-bedroom apartment in New York City or San Francisco can set you back somewhere between $2,800 to $3,500 per month, a similar-sized place in Lisbon falls in the ballpark of $1,300 to $1,700. Let's compare monthly utilities: in the U.S., that'll be around $186 per month. In Portugal, around $35. Even a nice dinner can put things into perspective—in most major American cities, that can cost around $80, while in Portugal, it'll be a mere $40. Overall, the cost of living in Portugal is a whopping 36%–48% lower than the U.S., encompassing rent, groceries, dining, healthcare, transportation, and more.

 

A different pace of life

 

Elizabeth Burke from Washington, D.C., has been visiting Portugal annually since 2016 and plans to retire there within five years. “No matter where you go in Portugal, there's a sense of calm,” she tells reporters. “You land in Faro, and you feel like you can breathe. There's a feeling in the air of happiness and peace.”

That sense of peace isn't just something you feel—it's measurable. Portugal ranks as the 7th safest country in the world, while the U.S. sits at a sobering 132nd place. The healthcare situation is equally eye-opening. While Americans spend an average of $10,586 per person on healthcare, Portuguese residents spend just $2,785, thanks to universal coverage. Private health insurance is also more affordable, costing $50–$100 monthly in Portugal, compared to $600–$900 in America.



But perhaps the most compelling draw for many Americans is the promise of something they've long given up on: a real work-life balance. Within the last decade, Portugal has passed groundbreaking legislation to protect workers' mental health. Employers are legally banned from contacting employees outside of work hours, and companies must fully compensate remote workers for home office expenses like Wi-Fi, electricity, and technology. Imagine that! It's the kind of worker protection that many Americans can't even fathom, as we're accustomed to constantly checking emails and paying out-of-pocket for work expenses.

 

Next stop… Portugal?

 

It's no surprise that the American expat population in Portugal is exploding: since 2017, it's grown by 200% with nearly 10,000 Americans now calling Portugal their European home. And they're not all retirees or billionaires with summer vacation homes, either. Thanks to the country's Digital Nomad Visa, non-EU citizens can live and work remotely in Portugal as long as they have proof of employment with a non-Portuguese company and a minimum monthly income of about $2,750. Visa holders can apply for temporary or long-term residency under this program, which can lead to permanent residency or even citizenship. Portugal also offers attractive tax incentives for remote workers, like the Non-Habitual Resident (NHR) program, which can provide impressive tax benefits for up to 10 years.



The numbers don't lie: Americans are tired of the way things work here, and they're actively seeking escape routes. Many are questioning why they should wait for conditions to improve at home when Portugal offers greater affordability, safety, and quality of life. Increasingly, these same people are realizing their answer may lie abroad.

Thanksgiving is a time for family, friends, and gathering together in gratitude. And that doesn't have to change if you're an American living overseas.

As the unofficial kickoff of the "holiday season," Thanksgiving is a celebration of all things American: food, family, football, and colonialism. And the pull of cozy traditions and comfort food can be mighty this time of year — even for those who've left the United States behind to live abroad.

I wanted to find out how U.S. expats celebrate the most American holiday of them all, so I connected with a few women who live overseas with their families. They told me about some of the more, well, surprising challenges they've faced — including a potato embargo! — along with new customs they couldn't wait to try.


Whether you're living abroad or you're missing someone who is, here are five ways Americans are throwing an expat Thanksgiving in 2017.

Photo by John Moore/Getty Images.

1. It's hard not to get a little sentimental about Thanksgiving foods and flavors — but experimenting with ingredients from a new place is half the fun.

Ashley Lunde moved from Madison, Wisconsin, to her husband's home country of Oslo, Norway, two and a half years ago. At first, she insisted on bringing the spices and foods she was familiar with to Oslo. But now, she blends the traditions and flavor profiles she's learned from her Norwegian family into the typical American Thanksgiving dishes.

"The turkey is baked with celery, carrots, and onions (was our tradition at home), but [I] have added grapes, apples, and pears as well to the mix. Food in Norway tends to be sweeter, (mixing meat and berries for example, is very common)," she writes in an interview over Facebook Messenger. "We also use lingonberry instead of cranberry, and rømme (a Norwegian version of sour cream) on 'grove rundstykker,' which is whole grain Norwegian bread made into dinner rolls."

Lingonberry sauce. Photo by Helena Jacoba/Flickr

Rachel Watson lives with her husband and daughter on a Marine Corps Base in Iwakuni, Japan. While the base has many comforts of home, there's an embargo on certain types of American produce including potatoes and apples.

"So, we will be using Satsuma sweet potatoes, which have  purple-ish skin and whiter flesh than an American sweet potato," Watson writes via email. "There are no Granny Smith apples here either, so for apple pies and other apple dishes, I'll be experimenting with some Japanese apple varieties."

Rachel Watson with husband Zach and daughter Maeve. Photo via Rachel Watson, used with permission.

2. This holiday is all about family — and no matter how you feel about social media in your day-to-day life, it makes it easy to stay in touch with loved ones.

Shelley Strelluf and her husband, Chris, decided to look for opportunities overseas following the presidential election. Her husband accepted a position in Coventry, England, and the couple and their two young children arrived earlier this year from Kansas City, Missouri. Staying connected with friends and family literally an ocean away is challenging but doable.

"We video call via Messenger with my mom about three times a week (same difference as Skype, the app was just slightly easier for her to use)," Strelluf writes via e-mail. "Sometimes we talk, sometimes she just likes to watch the kids play for a little while... So it's not the same as having her around, but it could be a lot worse. I'm grateful for the technology."

Shelley's husband Chris, with their two children, William and Emily. Photo via Shelley Strelluf, used with permission.

3. It's hard to make friends when you're in a strange country — so play an active role in building your new community.

Making friends as an adult doesn't come as naturally as it used to. But making friends as an adult in a new country, where there can be different social norms along with a language barrier, is flat out tough.

For Watson, she's made a concerted effort to seek out new friends — especially important, as her husband is currently deployed with the Navy. He won't be back in Iwakuni for Thanksgiving, so she's celebrating with her infant daughter, Maeve, and a new community on-base.

Lunde is part of a group in Oslo called the American Women's Club, that hosts a traditional Thanksgiving meal. The women were invited to discuss their experiences living abroad as well as some of the traditional foods from their part of the states. The U.S. Ambassador to Norway even addressed the group.

"It was really nice to spend the evening with other Americans, sharing a home cooked meal."

Photo by Phil Denton/Flickr.

4. But continuing to celebrate holidays like Thanksgiving is about more than being homesick or missing turkey. It's about honoring cultural identity and tradition.

Lunde and her husband welcomed a son, Espen, last year. Raising him to know and appreciate the many facets of his heritage is of the utmost importance.

"We really want to bring him up incorporating traditions from both our home countries, regardless of where we may be living at the time," she writes. "I think weaving a few Norwegian details into Thanksgiving is a creative way to do that. Hopefully celebrating in this way is something he'll grow to appreciate and enjoy."

Ashley Lunde, holding Espen beside her husband Paal and her in-laws. Her mother-in-law is wearing her traditional Norwegian "bunad." Photo via Ashley Lunde, used with permission.

5. No matter where you are in the world, or how much you've decided to embrace your new home, nothing beats pumpkin pie. But be prepared to accept substitutes.

In the states, pumpkin pies and canned pumpkin are sold everywhere from gas stations to department stores this time of year, but good luck finding one in other parts of the world.

Says Strelluf, "Something that is NOT a thing is pumpkin pie, so I guess if I want that, I'll have to figure out how to make it." Here's one blogger's idea for making that happen (with sweet potatoes — as long as they aren't embargoed, too).

Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images.