My grandmother was Portuguese. She brought that heritage with her everywhere she went. She cooked Portuguese recipes, was crazy superstitious, and carried herself like she was from somewhere else entirely. Even in the middle of Idaho, with her tan skin and turquoise jewelry, she radiated. I wanted to be like her for as long as I can remember.
I have other heritages in my blood, like English and German-Russian, but I have always felt Portuguese. Never was this more true than when I finally went to Portugal. It was like my entire composition melted into the place. Everything I had ever loved in life made sense there. I felt like I was home.
Everywhere I looked, people looked like me and felt like me. If you have never been to the country of your heritage, you should go. It showed me that I had been missing something without even realizing it, and suddenly there it was, right before my eyes.
From that moment on, I knew one day I would have a house in Portugal. At first, I imagined this would be a retirement plan. But the more I thought about it, the more I knew I did not want to spend half my life longing for something I could claim now. In Portugal, they call this feeling saudade — a deep longing for something you never truly had.
I do not want to carry saudade for the rest of my life. I want to shorten the distance between the dream and the reality. Portugal is not only where I want to live. It is where I feel like myself.
About the Author
I am Summer, a nurse and mom of three, building the next chapter of life in Idaho while planning for a future in Portugal. This blog is where I share my story, my heritage, and the steps I am taking to create the life I have always dreamed of.
Next Steps
- Continue learning about the D7 and D8 visa pathways
- Explore sustainable ways to create online income
- Set small milestones that bring the Portugal dream closer
- Use this blog as a place to track progress and share the journey
