Lisbon can seduce you at first glance. Bright light reflecting off the azulejos tiles, the sound of trams climbing the steep streets and the smell of coffee wafting from small, family-run cafes. But To truly understand Portugal, you need someone who knows it from the inside — not only from guides.
Read also: Lidl reveals how Poles' shopping is changing. Sales are growing and the chain is preparing for intensive expansion
Bożena Woźniczka is one of these people. A Polish guide who has been living in Portugal for years and – as she says – has found her “homeland of choice” here. Her story is more than just a story of emigration. This is a report about a country of contrasts: beautiful but difficult, calm but full of tension, delightful – and demanding.
Portugal: love at first sight and a decision that will last for years
— The first city I showed around in Portugal was Porto. And I remember exactly the moment when I saw its panorama, says Bożena. — Then I thought: I will live here someday.
It wasn't an impulsive decision. As she emphasizes, she has traveled all over the world and seen dozens of countries. And yet it was only here that this hard-to-define feeling of “being at home” appeared.
Portugal through the eyes of our heroine
|
Bożena Woźniczka
At this link you can see as our heroine talks to the owner of a local shop.
— This love matured for years – says. — Every time I came back to Portugal, I felt that this place attracts me.
What stopped her wasn't spectacular – quite the contrary. — Simplicity – he replies without hesitation. — This is a country where being together is still important. People know their neighbors, they have been going to the same cafes for years, they talk and eat together.
In a world that is accelerating every year, this is something that is increasingly difficult to find.
Working in Portugal: experience is more important than origin
Contrary to many emigration stories, its start was not a fight for survival. “I didn't start from scratch,” she emphasizes. — I came here as an experienced tour guide, with an established position and knowledge of languages.
She changed the country, but not her profession. She quickly decided to obtain local guide qualifications, and her experience in tourism – both mass and individual – turned out to be an advantage.
— I knew what I wanted to do from the very beginning. And it helps a lot, he emphasizes.
This does not mean, however, that there was no clash with reality. The biggest one came quickly – with the first paychecks. — Wages here are definitely lower than in Poland – he says directly. This is one of Portugal's paradoxes: the country delights with the quality of life, but it can be economically demanding.
The pandemic has only highlighted these problems. Tourism – the main branch of the economy – has practically come to a standstill. Bożena, like many in the industry, had to change industries.
Lisbon in full sun
|
Bożena Woźniczka
See also: ROD plots without secrets. How to buy, how much it costs and what to watch out for
— At that time I was working in Poland, in culture and media. Later, after returning to Portugal, I tried working in an international corporation, she says. — It was an interesting experience, but I knew I wanted to return to tourism.
Today he gives tours again. And – as he says – is exactly where he wants to be.
Life in Portugal: a slower pace and different definitions of happiness
– I don't like comparing countries – says Bożena. – But Portugal taught me something I didn't know how to do before: relax – he convinces. She lived fast in Poland. Intensively. – I slowed down here. And it was a huge change, he assures.
Paradoxically, this helped… lower earnings.
– I understood that you can have less and not live any worse – says. — I don't need the latest phone, fashionable clothes or Instagram restaurants.
Instead, there are small, family restaurants, local festivals and everyday life without the pressure of being “up to date”. – I love these street parties where the pipe music is played, people dance, sing and no one is ashamed – he laughs.
Local festivals and everyday life without pressure
|
Bożena Woźniczka
Read: The amount of pensions will decrease. The Central Statistical Office released key data
The Portuguese – as he emphasizes – have it in themselves naturalness that is becoming rare today. — You relax on the beach, not show it off. Nobody is faking it, he says.
At the same time, it does not idealize reality. — There are things I miss from Poland – he admits. He mentions digitization, efficiency of administration, and parcel machines. — There are many things going on here. And it can be frustrating.
Cost of living in Portugal: beautiful country, difficult everyday life
There is a story behind the romantic image of Portugal an increasingly serious economic problem. The minimum salary is approximately EUR 920 gross. Meanwhile, real estate prices – especially in Lisbon – are among the highest in Europe in relation to earnings.
— In Lisbon a square meter today costs between PLN 5,000 and PLN 6,000. euro – says Bożena. — For the average Portuguese, this is absolutely out of reach.
Effect? More and more people:
- rents single rooms,
- moves to the outskirts,
- returns to family homes,
- or goes abroad.
– This is a very visible change – he emphasizes. — The Portuguese used to eat out a lot. Nowadays, they meet more and more often at home, because it is simply cheaper – says.
Even meal supplements do not solve the problem. — You get, for example, 8 euros a day. In Lisbon, this is often just enough for soup, he adds.
Simultaneously the country attracts foreigners — especially from the USA or Western Europe. For them, Portugal is still relatively cheap. – But they often earn money outside this country – he points out. — They have no contact with this everyday reality.
Tourism in Portugal: between mass appeal and authenticity
Tourism is a pillar of the Portuguese economy — and at the same time a space of huge contrasts.
On the one hand, we have classic directions:
- Lisbon and Porto – perfect for a city break,
- Algarve – a holiday paradise with some of the most beautiful beaches in Europe,
- Douro Valley – a world-renowned wine region.
On the other hand – less obvious places that Bożena recommends the most.
— Alentejo is a completely different world – says. — Quieter, more local, with fantastic cuisine and scenery.
It also mentions Estremoz, Peneda-Gerês National Park or historic pousadas — hotels in former monasteries and castles.
— It's best to discover Portugal slowly. Leisurely – he emphasizes.
Polonia in Portugal: life between two worlds
The Polish community in Portugal numbers approximately five thousand. peoplealthough it is difficult to obtain exact data.
This is a very diverse group:
- graduates of Iberian studies,
- Erasmus program participants,
- people in mixed relationships,
- entrepreneurs and freelancers.
— Many people come and stay. But a lot also comes back, says Bożena.
The reasons are repeatable: limited labor market, low wages and difficulties in integration – especially without knowing the language.
Bożena says that Portugal shows that life does not have to be a race
|
Bożena Woźniczka
Worth reading: KSeF changes the settlement rules. Here's how to correctly determine your invoice date
It also draws attention to the role of social media. – They often show only one side of Portugal – sun, beaches, colorful houses – he says. Meanwhile, the reality is more complex. — It can be humid in the winter, the houses are cold, and the bureaucracy can be really difficult.
Her advice to those thinking about moving? — Don't idealize. Check, prepare, learn the language.
In the end, Bożena returns to what she started with – simplicity. — Portugal is not perfect. But it has something that's hard to find elsewhere, he says. – It can teach that life does not have to be a race – he adds.
