Portugal Junkies Podcast
Episodes
Renovating A Home In Portugal - Part 2 (30:12)
09 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
We continue our chat with Nancy about their home renovation process in Portugal…Enjoy Part 2 of Nancy + Denise’s Move Abroad Story!Connect with Na...
Renovating A Home In Portugal - Part 1 (30:59)
02 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Meet our friend Nancy, fellow Substacker and now our immigrant friend!She and her wife, Denise, moved to Portugal about 5 years ago and live near us i...
Bob's Move Abroad Story (48:22)
12 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Meet our lovely friend Bob Tapper, former California realtor turned digital nomad.After spending 40 years in California, Bob yearned for the European ...
Jazz + Eric's Move Abroad Story (56:09)
05 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Meet our friends Jazz + Eric.They said goodbye to active shooter drills + bulletproof backpacks in Ohio and said hello to the 7th safest country in th...
Genie's Move Abroad Story (40:10)
28 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
One day I was having a coffee alone at a cafe in Tavira and a woman approached me and said…”Meredith?”👀👀👀That’s how I met Genie. She...
Episode 53: Catching You Up [Part 3]
21 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We are thrilled to return from our longer-than-intended break with a new Portugal Junkies Podcast episode, where Mark + I recap all the things we’ve...
Episode 52: Catching You Up [Part 2]
14 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We are thrilled to return from our longer-than-intended break with a new Portugal Junkies Podcast episode, where Mark + I recap all the things we’ve...
Episode 51: Catching You Up [Part 1]
07 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We are thrilled to return from our longer-than-intended break with a new Portugal Junkies Podcast episode, where Mark + I recap all the things we’ve...
See You Soon (6:50)
11 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Can you believe we have published our 50th episode?! We are so thankful for your support, for listening, for every note of thanks. August is vacatio...
Should You Hire An Immigration Attorney For Help Getting Your Visa?
17 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
So here’s the thing.Two years ago, when we were preparing for our visa interview + appointment, we did DIY. The process is doable, albeit frustrati...
Portugal Immigration Misinformation Debunked (28:16)
11 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Friends, don’t let the misinformation on the “interwebs” kill your Portugal dream before it starts.The amount of inaccuracies we’ve seen writt...
You Asked, We Answered (36:58)
04 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
New episode is live! 🎙️🎙️We answer these questions from our listeners ⬇️* What are the pros and cons of living in the Algarve?* Do you s...
Women deserve to know the details about my personal healthcare experiences in Portugal...
30 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Women deserve to know the details, so I gave them up on the podcast today. After 47 episodes, I think we’ve proven that Mark + I are VERY real when ...
So I Interviewed My Husband Today...
22 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week’s podcast episode is totally off the cuff.I ask “the hubs” a bunch of questions about our move abroad to Portugal with zero prep to ge...
Top 5 MUST HAVE Resources For Moving To Portugal (32:28)
13 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Are you getting closer + closer to really leaving the USA + moving to Portugal?Given what we are seeing, many people are + we get it. We moved in Dece...
Not Quite Routine...yet (31:14)
06 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We are approaching 18 months in Portugal and there are still a few things that are not quite routine for us… yet.We chat about it in this week’s p...
What Still Blows Our Mind in Portugal 16 Months Later - Part 2 (26:20)
30 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Can’t stop, won’t stop talking about what still blows our mind in Portugal after living here for the past 16 months.We talk about the things that ...
What Still Blows Our Mind in Portugal 16 Months Later - Part 1 (25:04)
23 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Can’t stop, won’t stop talking about what still blows our mind in Portugal after living here for the past 16 months.We talk about the things that ...
Life Abroad: Things We Thought We'd Miss But Don't (25:59)
16 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week’s podcast episode had us discussing things we thought we would miss when we moved abroad but surprisingly we don’t miss much at all!When...
Five Easy Steps To Pinpoint Your Perfect Place In Portugal (24:45)
10 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
After 40 episodes (yay!) of this podcast documenting our move from the US to Portugal in late 2023, we get one question the most often.How do I know W...
Does Work Define Our Worth (even in Portugal)? (30:19)
02 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Moving abroad from the US to Portugal has taught us a LOT about ourselves but one thing we are both struggling with after taking a mini break from tra...
PortuGOALS: How We Bankrolled Our Move Abroad (29:11)
25 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How much did we save to move abroad? How much does it actually cost to move to Portugal? What if your situation doesn’t look like ours?We finally t...
The Pros + Cons Of Living In The Algarve (30:11)
18 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
If you’re trying to decide if moving to Portugal’s Algarve region is the right place for you, tune in to our most recent podcast episode! We talk...
Born In The U.S. of OMG (31:23)
11 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How are Americans perceived now in Europe? We talk about this through some specific experiences we’ve had meeting people from all over the world wh...
What the "healthcare"?! (41:02)
04 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Mark + I have a “healthy” conversation about:* Parents and medical emergencies* Establishing medical care here in Portugal + our experiences so fa...
Episode 34: Culture Shocks in The USA - Part 2 (37:15)
28 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Mark + I continue our conversation and download of the big culture shocks we experienced over the break in the USA and what life looks like 15 months ...
Episode 33: Culture Shocks In The USA - Part 1 (45:53)
21 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Mark + I talk through the big culture shocks we experienced over the break in the USA and what life looks like 15 months after moving abroad to Portug...
Believe You Can: Your Moving Abroad Resources for 2025 (39:16)
13 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In our last episode of 2024, we celebrate some big milestones with the podcast + leave listeners with key resources to tune into during the holidays t...
Reality Bites: Going Home For The Holidays (25:03)
06 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We are heading to the UK + USA for the holidays in a few short days and are both feeling a lot of feelings. We talk through our emotions around this, ...
You Asked, We Answered FAQs (34:47)
29 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
You all had so many questions over the past couple of weeks, so this episode is dedicated to answering a few of them!Here's a few we talk about in thi...
An Inside Look At Our Actual Budget in Portugal (33:07)
22 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
So how much does it really cost to live in Portugal, you ask?We share everything here! We walk through our current budget line by line to give a reali...
Start Your Move Abroad In Five Steps (49:10)
15 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Did that "pipe dream" idea of moving abroad + leaving the USA get a lot more serious in the past week, post-election?We get it. We talk through the fi...
A Message From Portugal Junkies Post-Election (9:32)
08 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Like many people around the world this week, we are grieving the results of the 2024 election. This is a quick message from us in lieu of a full episo...
Your NHR Update with Rui Borges, CPA (38:06)
01 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Our local tax advisor, Rui Borges, joins us again on the podcast this week to provide updates on the latest and greatest about Portugal's NHR (Non Hab...
From Van Life To Portugal: Meet Taylor + Mike (1:01:25)
25 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Meet our friends Taylor + Mike, who moved to Portugal from the US on the D8 Digital Nomad Visa this past year. We chat with them about why they chose ...
Next Stop - Friendships (38:31)
18 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Episode TranscriptWe've been so social here in Tavira compared to our time in Porto. We talk about why that may be + what it takes to make meaningful ...
You Asked Us About Our Move To Tavira... (35:35)
11 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Episode TranscriptIn this episode, we do some fielding of listener questions about our recent move to Tavira, including how we like our new apartment ...
Introducing Our New Home...Tavira, Portugal! (33:29)
04 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Episode TranscriptionWe bring you our first episode from our new home in the Algarve in Tavira, Portugal - home of some of the most beautiful beaches ...
What Porto Has Taught Us (Before We Leave Her) (30:23)
27 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In our last podcast from Porto before we move to Tavira, Mark + I talk about the most important lessons that Porto has taught us and what we will take...
Our Peaks + Pits Of Porto (41:54)
20 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
As our final days in Porto arrive before we move to Tavira in the Algarve, Mark + I take the time to reflect on the highs and lows (or peaks and pits)...
Trust Us - You WILL Adapt When You Move Abroad (38:15)
13 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In our last couple of weeks in Porto before we move to Tavira, Mark + I reflect on the ways we have adapted in the 10 months we've been in Portuga...
You Asked, We Answered Q+A (43:31)
06 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we address the following listener questions...⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️ How do grocery items differ? Are therenon-dairy alternatives...
Moving Abroad Without Your Adult Kids: Struggle Bus or Nah? (47:40)
30 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Want to move to Portugal but hesitant to leave your adult children in the USA?In this episode, we chat with our friend Heather about her move to Portu...
Goodbye Porto, Hello Tavira (31:54)
23 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Mark + I talk through why we are leaving Porto and moving to Tavira in a few short weeks, hoping that others who have aspirations of living in or movi...
Get Your Furbabies To Portugal - Part 2: Logistics (42:40)
16 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In Part 2 of this big topic for all of us who are parents to furbabies, Mark + I talk more about the LOGISTICS of getting your pet to Portugal. We out...
Get Your Furbabies to Portugal - Part 1 (30:43)
09 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this first episode of a two-part series, we dive into the three main requirements in order to get your dog or cat to Portugal - microchip, rabies v...
Announcing…Portugal Junkies Community (2:06)
07 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
There’s a Portuguese word I adore… SAUDADE. There’s not a true + equal translation in English but the closest is what we call LONGING. A sta...
Taxes With Rui Borges - Part 1 (32:49)
02 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Our personal tax advisor, Rui Borges, joins us for the first in a series of podcasts we will dedicate to the exciting topic of...TAXES.Rui is a Portug...
You Asked, We Answered Q+A (28:29)
26 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Mark + I field questions from YOU ⬇️✔️Are there work opportunities there in Portugal and what do those look like?✔️What has been your expe...
Within Earshot (39:17)
19 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
After the recent events at Trump's rally in Pennsylvania, Mark + I discuss the impact of the American political turmoil on us after we have moved ...
But WHERE to move in Portugal? (38:56)
12 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
So you think you may want to move to or retire in Portugal? The next question is likely.... BUT WHERE?!In this episode, Mark + I walk through our top ...
Are YOU Ready To Move Abroad? (39:35)
05 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It's becoming our mission to help our Portugal Junkies community figure out two things.... Are you ready to move abroad? And if so, is Portugal th...
Love + Loss (32:01)
28 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We experience our first loss while abroad and needed a great therapy session via this episode. The truth is, moving abroad comes with certain sacrific...
D7 Visa Documents Deep Dive - Part 1 (45:06)
24 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
***NEW UPDATE AS OF DEC 2024*** FBI background checks need to be apostilled going forward.If you're looking to move to Portugal + need to know more ab...
D7 Visa Documents Deep Dive - Part 2 (26:24)
24 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
***NEW UPDATE AS OF DEC 2024*** FBI background checks need to be apostilled going forward.If you're looking to move to Portugal + need to know more ab...
D7 Visa Process Overview (34:11)
21 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
***NEW UPDATE AS OF DEC 2024*** FBI background checks need to be apostilled going forward.If you're looking to move to Portugal + need to know more ab...
Our Biggest Mistake Since Moving to Portugal (33:06)
14 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We humbly share our biggest financial mistake since we moved abroad from Charlotte to Porto, Portugal. Hint: we are in our second apartment in less th...
You Asked, We Answered Q+A (27:56)
07 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It's our first Q+A episode - where we answer questions crowd-sourced from our listeners! In this episode we touch on our biggest highs and lows, t...
The Year of Consideration aka WTF Are We Doing?! (25:33)
31 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It took us almost an entire year to REALLY decide to move abroad from Charlotte, NC to Porto, Portugal. In this episode, we talk through what that yea...
We moved to freakin' Portugal! (39:46)
24 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In Portugal Junkies Podcast's inaugural episode, Mark + Meredith have a candid conversation about their move from Charlotte, NC to Porto, Portugal...
Welcome to Portugal Junkies Podcast! (0:57)
08 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Hi! We are Meredith + Mark and we just said goodbye to the traditional “American dream” in Charlotte, NC to instead experience a life of adventure...