Shelley5

Hello all of you, it's nice to be here. I'm Shelley.
We haven't moved yet but we're in the process of doing that. Our aim is to move to Gois in Coimbra. Even tho we won't live there permanently at first, I'm sure we will eventually?
I have to be honest after reading plenty - I'm finding it a bit nerve wracking because it doesn't sound like a particularly good move currently, going by the amount of British expats trying to get home?
It sounds to me like the cost of living has risen too much out there, but then Britain isn't much better these days?
I am nursing elderly parents, one who has breathing difficulties and the other with early Altzheimers , so I will be very interested to hear about healthcare. I am interested in gardening, am a florist and my husband is about to sell up his business and retire a little early @ 63.
We're looking for some peace, which looks perfect, warmth during the winter months and during summer we would probably go back home because we are keeping our British home as well. That's when family will take lengthy holidays over there, ensuring the house will never be empty. We will be taking our dogs. Which is where I would like to know the easiest way of taking pets abroad? Not sure if anyone can help out there at all?
It is certainly beautiful there & I know we'll all enjoy that.
The U.K. Referendum outcome will probably play a big part in living out there or not and I can't help thinking that maybe we should've left the buying until after then - I'm not sure?
We will only be renting to begin with out there but it's on the house we endeavour to buy at a later date and we're due to go out to sign a promissory contract in about a months time.
Thank you in advance for any answers, scare stories or whatever, I'm open to hearing it all. 😆 Shelley.

christmasoompa

Hi, and welcome to BE.

I'm sorry, but I'm not familiar with where you're hoping to move to - which country is it in? You might be better off posting in the country forum that's relevant to you, and hopefully the good folks there will be able to help.

Best of luck with the move.

Shelley5

Thank you, thought I had to introduce myself first - I will do as you say.
It's in Central Portugal. Thank you for the welcome.

bakedbean

Hello and welcome to the forum Coimbra is lovely, have driven through there though that was donkeys years ago. I take it you must be fluent in Portuguese? I found it a difficult language but, then, I am totally hopeless at languages.

Your best bet is to talk through everything with the good Portugal residents in the Portugal section of the forum here:
Portugal - British Expats

Certainly at retirement age, you need to be thinking more about health issues for the future, and how that will work out.

all the best with your plans

Shelley5

Thank you for the welcome and for the link.
It's my parents who need the healthcare, my husband us retiring early. ;0)
I do t know Portuguise at all but we do have a handful of Portuguese language cd's - I'm rather hoping the Portuguese can speak English 😄 But I daresay we'll get there with the language after awhile? Well I hope we will?

Shirtback

I wouldn't bank on that at all!

christmasoompa

No problem at all, the Welcome Inn is definitely the place to say hi, but any questions or advice needed would be best placed in the Portugal forum (now I know where you're moving to!).

So do ask in that part of the forum for info on healthcare of your parents, and the need to speak the language etc, and I'm sure you'll get great info.

I'm sure Portugal will be lovely, best of luck with it.

Hetnoa

Hello! I am new here too. Nice to meet you all

Shelley5

Hi nice to make your acquaintance ;0)

dmu

Hi, and welcome to the Forum! I actually live in France, but the problems are the same concerning elderly expats and their children who don't speak the language. I have known several such parents who have returned to the UK as they couldn't cope with the language and different culture, even those living with their children who could. They missed their TV programmes, newspapers, friends, the life they'd been used to for so long. My widowed father was one, he was completely lost here and returned to the UK after a few months, and didn't have the health problems that the others I know of had. The latter were completely bewildered and lost when in hospital, as the medical staff (except one or two Doctors) didn't speak English and they couldn't communicate. Even if your plans aren't permanent yet, I would think really carefully about the upheaval that moving back and forth will cause in their minds. In addition, if you have professional support in the UK, it would probably be a problem to find it in a foreign country. But post again in the Portugal forum where those on the spot can advise better. I'm just generalising on taking elderly parents to live short- or long-term abroad....
Bringing your pets would be the least of your problems!
Good luck with your decision!

Shelley5

Thank you very much, DMU this is what I wanted to hear, I had that feeling and have been worried about all of those factors.
Bless your heart for being so honest.
We'll have a re-thinK. ;0)
THANK YOU TO OTHERS HO HAVE POSTED.

dmu

Thank you for your thanks! I've often been admonished for being a wet blanket, but it would be unfair not to share unpleasant facts based on experience or observation. As I always say, "fore-warned is fore-armed", and the potential expats can decide for themselves.
I wish you all the best, whatever you decide!

Shelley5

Ahh that's a shame! I meant what I said -
I really wanted to hear warts n all ;0)
Otherwise it wouldn't be truthful would it & nobody can help the facts? ;0) You're alright by me. Sounds like it rains too much there, it's hard to get to & tax is becoming more & more expensive for expats ie; - lots of warts 😖 And as sad as it is, I needed to hear it?! I feel really bad for the vendor now, but I won't be able to go ahead with it now? So a massive thanks to you for your help.