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Eileen Vicente

@Eileen Vicente

Active member

American expat in Portugal

Forum posts

59

Contacts

3

American

Lives in Oporto

Speaks Portuguese, English

Registration: 12 February 2015

My name is Carol. Really, a place to live is a place to live with all its problems, and there are always problems no matter where you live. I have lived in Oporto, Portugal for the past 9 years, and I want to change my address to Barcelona. Frankly, I have run out of schools I can feel comfortable studying anything at, and I won't even dare try another gym. I have a degree in English and a Master's in Special Education, and yet, I haven't been able to last at any of the schools here longer than 3 months, because of the total lack of tolerance for foreign students, especially non-traditional older ones such as myself that this country is fraught with. Wow! The gyms have been even worse than the schools! Despite my age and my marital status, I have been harrassed sexually by gym personnel. In addition, at one gym a mantenance man walked into the ladies room at 11:30 in the morning while I was totally naked, and it was just fine with the owner. In another gym, a whole troup of repair men came into a ladies room and broke the locks off of our lockers, and dumped our belongings, Money and all, on dressing room benches. Oh, how about the literal crap that used to appear in the steam room at Virgin Active Health club in the city, and how about the time I saved a woman's life because she swallowed water in their very pool like jacuzzi. Of course, when I made a stink about all of this, I was the bad guy, so I was the one thrown out of the gym despite the fact that I saved the woman from dying because she was choking and I was the only one there to save her life. She was the only one in the bunch who thanked me. I am hoping the people in Bercelona will be a little more user friendly, and inteligente than the very narrow minded, irresponsible, crude rude Portugues I have experience over the years I have had the unfortunate curse of living with such garbage I can't believe it. I'm hoping things can't be worse than they have been here. By the way, I was born in the USA in New York, but since 9/11 it has become a police state like hell there which is why my husband and I left. My husband is Portuguese.

Interests: art, music, languages

I am Self-employed.

Portugal

USA

Activity

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Eileen Vicente replied to a thread

8 years ago

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Retiring in Portugal by Priscilla

Hello everyone, Why did you choose to retire in Portugal? What are the advantages compared with your home country? What were your main considerations when deciding to move? For example, taxes, ease of transferring your pension, etc.. Are ...

I tried living in Portugal for 12 miserable years. The portuguese don't want foreigners in THEIR country. In addition, the medical is horrible, and the Portuguese are the worst drivers ever and it's easy to become a cripple there as a ... Read More

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Eileen Vicente replied to a thread

9 years ago

Expat loneliness - Does it get any better? by PamDakan

Posted from my blog: papillon-pam.blogspot.pt/2014/11/expat-lonelinessdoes-it-get-any-better.html#more The rains have started here in Portugal. It's funny, when I first moved here two years ago, all I kept reading about was how good the ...

No, it gets worse!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have had the same experience as you, but mine got even worse, because a truck driver almost killed us one sunny morning. We were the only two cars on the road, and the truck tried to go into us as we legally ... Read More

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Eileen Vicente replied to a thread

9 years ago

Expat loneliness - Does it get any better? by PamDakan

Posted from my blog: papillon-pam.blogspot.pt/2014/11/expat-lonelinessdoes-it-get-any-better.html#more The rains have started here in Portugal. It's funny, when I first moved here two years ago, all I kept reading about was how good the ...

Hi! Sorry, I have lived here for 11 years of lonliness, and every year I hope it will get better, but it just gets worse! Go home ASAP, before it's too late. Good luck! Eileen Vicente Read More

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Eileen Vicente replied to a thread

10 years ago

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Essentials to live in Portugal by Christine

Hi, As an expat living in Portugal, what would you advise the ones about to pack to bring along? What are the items you can easily find in Portugal? On the other hand, what is less common or quite expensive? Share with us what you would ...

Skippy, I'm so glad that life in Portugal is good for you. We are all diferent! For me it has been a horrible experience. Part of the problem is that I live in Oporto where the people are generally rude, and very friendly as long as they know ... Read More

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Eileen Vicente replied to a thread

10 years ago

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Essentials to live in Portugal by Christine

Hi, As an expat living in Portugal, what would you advise the ones about to pack to bring along? What are the items you can easily find in Portugal? On the other hand, what is less common or quite expensive? Share with us what you would ...

If you are under 35 it is easier to live here. If you are older, you need to live in a place with a lot of expats. Lisbon, Caldish Da Rainha (not too far from Lisbon, has lots of culture, and rents are cheaper) or Algarve are the best for us. If you ... Read More

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Eileen Vicente replied to a thread

10 years ago

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Best cities to live in Portugal by Julien

Hi, Its not always easy to decide in which area to settle in when moving to Portugal. According to you, what are the best cites to live in? Which regions offer most of the job opportunities, a good quality of life, an affordable cost of ...

It depends what you're looking for. If you are looking for culture, variety and acitivitie then Lisbon is it! Read More

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Eileen Vicente replied to a thread

10 years ago

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What do you like the most in Portugal? by Christine

Hi, Living abroad, expats discover and enjoy a new environment. What do you like the most in Portugal? What seduced you when settling and living here? Share with us your favorite part of living in Portugal and the reason why you enjoy ...

Sadly, not from my experience in Oporto. I find the Portuguese to be rude and at time surface friendly, and that's all. I'm married to a Portuguese man, and I have lived here for 10 miserable years! Read More

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Eileen Vicente replied to a thread

10 years ago

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What do you like the most in Portugal? by Christine

Hi, Living abroad, expats discover and enjoy a new environment. What do you like the most in Portugal? What seduced you when settling and living here? Share with us your favorite part of living in Portugal and the reason why you enjoy ...

I so disagree with you to the max!!!!!! Read More

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Eileen Vicente replied to a thread

10 years ago

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What do you like the most in Portugal? by Christine

Hi, Living abroad, expats discover and enjoy a new environment. What do you like the most in Portugal? What seduced you when settling and living here? Share with us your favorite part of living in Portugal and the reason why you enjoy ...

In my estimation, the Portuguese think they are the best. I'm a spoiled ex-pat native New Yorker. When I grew up it WAS so great to live there. I don't like Portugal. In my experience the people are only surface friendly, and they are ... Read More

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Eileen Vicente replied to a thread

10 years ago

Where is it safe to buy a property not far from the Coast? by beverleyjane

hello please could people send me some sugestions of where would be great to buy a property in portugal we have donw lots of research but would be great to hear from expats living there we aare a family of 3 with a little boy of 6 we know we want to ...

By all means RENT FOR AT LEAST A YEAR, before you make a big guying decision! It is definitely very difficult to resell propertty. If you purchase na older property, it could cost a bundle to get the house in shape. Think before you buy, and look ... Read More

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Eileen Vicente replied to a thread

10 years ago

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What do you like the most in Portugal? by Christine

Hi, Living abroad, expats discover and enjoy a new environment. What do you like the most in Portugal? What seduced you when settling and living here? Share with us your favorite part of living in Portugal and the reason why you enjoy ...

I like the fact that it is fairly cheap to live here. Read More

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Eileen Vicente replied to a thread

10 years ago

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What do you like the most in Portugal? by Christine

Hi, Living abroad, expats discover and enjoy a new environment. What do you like the most in Portugal? What seduced you when settling and living here? Share with us your favorite part of living in Portugal and the reason why you enjoy ...

It's peaceful so far, but just wait for the 5,000 immigrants that are coming. Things will change for sure! Read More

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Eileen Vicente replied to a thread

10 years ago

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What do you like the most in Portugal? by Christine

Hi, Living abroad, expats discover and enjoy a new environment. What do you like the most in Portugal? What seduced you when settling and living here? Share with us your favorite part of living in Portugal and the reason why you enjoy ...

I agree!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Read More

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Eileen Vicente replied to a thread

10 years ago

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Driving in Portugal by Maximilien

Hi, What do you think of the way people drive in Portugal? How different is it from your home country? Respecting the road safety rules, driving etiquette such as general courtesy, speed excess what are the characteristics of the driving ...

From what I hear, Italy and France are pretty bad, but compared to ever state in the USA Portugal is horrible. It is supposed to be the worst for accidents and fatalities in Europe statistically. Read More

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Eileen Vicente replied to a thread

10 years ago

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Driving in Portugal by Maximilien

Hi, What do you think of the way people drive in Portugal? How different is it from your home country? Respecting the road safety rules, driving etiquette such as general courtesy, speed excess what are the characteristics of the driving ...

You are misinformed, and I'm being polite. Please read this and get educated: Portuguese roads are Europe's most dangerous - Europe ... - independent.co.uk › News › World › Europe Traduzir esta página22/08/2002 ... Read More