Nancy and Casey Pearson arrived in Portugal somewhat by chance, and with different motivations than Edward Young. Married for 10 years, after both being widowed, they share a passion for traveling, seeing the world and, in particular, exploring Europe, where they would like to retire.
Portugal was not an obvious choice “because we thought the language could be a barrier”, Nancy tells DN/Dinheiro Vivo. Spain was the most likely choice – “because Casey speaks Spanish”, explains Nancy -, but after an invitation from a friend to attend a workshop on Portugal, in Arizona, they decided to visit the country in 2018. “We were enchanted by the we saw”, they confess.
The couple, currently aged 68 and 77, lived for three months in a local accommodation in the heart of Lisbon which, as Nancy reveals, “was a wonderful experience, we loved the place and the people, and Casey loved the coffee and wine”.
They returned to the United States with the decision made and began the process of living in Portugal, where they arrived in the middle of the pandemic. “We rented a very good apartment in the Parish of Santa Marta, in an old building that was completely renovated.” They stayed there during some of the confinement periods and, on weekends, they traveled across the country from north to south in search of a place to buy a house. They ended up completing the deal in Areia Branca, Lourinhã, with the sea in clear view. “We saw houses in Cascais, Ericeira and other places, but this was the one we fell in love with”, says Nancy.
The couple’s goal was to stay here, but some health issues led them to rethink their choice and consider returning to their family in the United States in a few years. Still, Nancy highlights their passion for the life they lead in Portugal. “Casey loves photography and I love fossils and geology, so we’re in the right place. Portugal fits perfectly into all our requirements”, she reinforces.
Very close to Nancy and Casey Pearson, also in Lourinhã, we found Catherine and Shahid Hussain, 61 and 65 years old. Before arriving in Portugal, four years ago, they already lived in Europe where they worked as teachers in international schools, in different countries.
Thinking about retirement, and convinced that it was on the Old Continent that they would like to stay until the end of their days, they headed to Portugal, in 2015, for a vacation with their daughters who live in the United States. The decision came two years later, and the change came to fruition in 2019, when they purchased the house where they have lived for four years, in the West Region. They didn’t want to live in the city, but in a quiet area, relatively close to the capital and the airport, but with nature and the sea at their feet.
