Re: footnote1...to quote a commenter in an article in today's Washington Post "we are living in a Christo-fascist shitshow". I appreciate your footnote. A lot.
Sorry you lost your phone Nancy and all the hassle it brought you,
Interesting for me to learn “just not this week” as I am new to living in portugal, thanks for sharing your stories, love the blue gate in Eric entrance.
Good luck getting through to SEF. I wrote to them recently to tell them about our address change. In my note I mentioned several phone numbers I had called that were never answered. The reply? "Please call us <on those numbers!>" Maybe next week...
Oh my goodness yes! I keep wanting to request, “don’t tell me what I want to hear, just tell me the truth!” My structured must-have-a-plan mind struggles at times with dashed hopes based on smiling “promises.” But the underlying kindness eases most every frustration.
The great thing about everything closing for lunch is...we have to have lunch too...and that's great! Sorry to hear about your phone & cards. You must pop up to SW Alentejo and pay us a visit!
Apr 10, 2023·edited Apr 10, 2023Liked by Nancy Whiteman
Lol… Truly, Nancy. I’m just happy it doesn’t even make you think to return to USA. Since I wAs born in 3rd world country I exactly know what it about “na proxima semana “. That’s why USA is the best place to apply a lot of energy and enthusiasm , and Portugal should work for me in my retirement years
So até à próxima semana in Portuguese means the same thing as mañana in Spanish. :-) Personally, as an American expat who's been in PT for three and a half years, I'll gladly deal with that instead of the violence and vitriol and hyper individualism that is going on in my home country. Viva Portugal!
I've been thinking a lot about this lately, but in terms of waiting in line. I'm coming around to that one - going in knowing it will take as long as it's going to take. And when it's my turn I won't be rushed. It's a different speed and a different approach to relationships.
The other one though - not wanting to tell me it'll be 3 months so saying it'll be soon over and over - that one's rough. Hugs!
Nancy, the day you and Denise move into your new home with all your new furniture will be the grand prize. Onyx even doesn’t mind na proxima semana. She is as skilled at learning as anyone.
I just went to the Tavira SEF without an appointment. I was helped by a woman who spoke some English. You might want to just show up and see if they are willing to help. I was there to find out what to do about my SEF appointment that did not take place due to the SEF strike in Lisboa. She said SEF would call me to reschedule my appointment. Hmmm, was this another form of “maybe next week?” Anyway, she did offer to help if no response from SEF in a week. Luckily I am almost next door to SEF in Tavira.
This is a very timely post for us! We had an appointment Wednesday before Easter to meet with our property manager (whom we've only met on Whatsapp) to switch the utilities to our names and set up our cellphones on the Meo contract that was signed and paid for in March, but we couldn't do it until we were here.
Wednesday, I ask her what time we are meeting and she writes back, OH! I am on Vacations. Next Monday?
We agree to meet on Monday (today) and I write her yesterday to nail down a time and she says, OH! I am in the hospital and will have surgery on Thursday and then weeks of bed rest.
So I say, fine, send me the utility contracts and I will go switch them myself. She agrees. It's a gorgeous Monday morning so I take off on a 50 minute walk to the Loja da Cidades with all of the documentation EXCEPT for the contract, which she assured me would be here this morning. More than halfway there, I write her to inquire where the contract is and she says, OH! I was waiting for the owner's accountant to send it but he is on vacation.
I decide to try to negotiate this without the contract on my own. The very nice man with the eternal scowl at the front desk directs me to the proper desk for Electric, shows me where to get my ticket, and then tells me that, for water, I have to go to the loja municipal, in another building that I can google map.
I take my ticket #32 at Desk 2. Desk 2 is on #9 and there is no one working there for 30 minutes. When the man finally arrives at Desk 2, he calls #10, no one (they gave up), #11...#12...#13... and finally, at #14, a young woman takes her seat and hands over a giant sheath of papers. 45 minutes later, she is still there, tic tok-ing on her phone while Desk #2 guy processes something?
I give up and head back home along the ocean, still grateful to be here and knowing that, someday, next week will come. :-) And honestly, the experience was no worse than navigating the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission!
I have seen folks with their phones on a lanyard. Probably takes one's fashion sense down a notch but it makes sense... ☺️
Re: footnote1...to quote a commenter in an article in today's Washington Post "we are living in a Christo-fascist shitshow". I appreciate your footnote. A lot.
Sorry you lost your phone Nancy and all the hassle it brought you,
Interesting for me to learn “just not this week” as I am new to living in portugal, thanks for sharing your stories, love the blue gate in Eric entrance.
Of course the literal translation is "in the next week"....
I love the quote
just not this week
Good luck getting through to SEF. I wrote to them recently to tell them about our address change. In my note I mentioned several phone numbers I had called that were never answered. The reply? "Please call us <on those numbers!>" Maybe next week...
Oh my goodness yes! I keep wanting to request, “don’t tell me what I want to hear, just tell me the truth!” My structured must-have-a-plan mind struggles at times with dashed hopes based on smiling “promises.” But the underlying kindness eases most every frustration.
The great thing about everything closing for lunch is...we have to have lunch too...and that's great! Sorry to hear about your phone & cards. You must pop up to SW Alentejo and pay us a visit!
Alistair, i have learned to eat lunch with a glass of wine or an Imperial. No more consuming a hard boiled egg at my desk with a diet Coke
Lol… Truly, Nancy. I’m just happy it doesn’t even make you think to return to USA. Since I wAs born in 3rd world country I exactly know what it about “na proxima semana “. That’s why USA is the best place to apply a lot of energy and enthusiasm , and Portugal should work for me in my retirement years
Great Story. I'll send the rest of my comments "Next Week"
So até à próxima semana in Portuguese means the same thing as mañana in Spanish. :-) Personally, as an American expat who's been in PT for three and a half years, I'll gladly deal with that instead of the violence and vitriol and hyper individualism that is going on in my home country. Viva Portugal!
Agree!
I've been thinking a lot about this lately, but in terms of waiting in line. I'm coming around to that one - going in knowing it will take as long as it's going to take. And when it's my turn I won't be rushed. It's a different speed and a different approach to relationships.
The other one though - not wanting to tell me it'll be 3 months so saying it'll be soon over and over - that one's rough. Hugs!
Nancy, the day you and Denise move into your new home with all your new furniture will be the grand prize. Onyx even doesn’t mind na proxima semana. She is as skilled at learning as anyone.
I just went to the Tavira SEF without an appointment. I was helped by a woman who spoke some English. You might want to just show up and see if they are willing to help. I was there to find out what to do about my SEF appointment that did not take place due to the SEF strike in Lisboa. She said SEF would call me to reschedule my appointment. Hmmm, was this another form of “maybe next week?” Anyway, she did offer to help if no response from SEF in a week. Luckily I am almost next door to SEF in Tavira.
Great to hear that!
This is a very timely post for us! We had an appointment Wednesday before Easter to meet with our property manager (whom we've only met on Whatsapp) to switch the utilities to our names and set up our cellphones on the Meo contract that was signed and paid for in March, but we couldn't do it until we were here.
Wednesday, I ask her what time we are meeting and she writes back, OH! I am on Vacations. Next Monday?
We agree to meet on Monday (today) and I write her yesterday to nail down a time and she says, OH! I am in the hospital and will have surgery on Thursday and then weeks of bed rest.
So I say, fine, send me the utility contracts and I will go switch them myself. She agrees. It's a gorgeous Monday morning so I take off on a 50 minute walk to the Loja da Cidades with all of the documentation EXCEPT for the contract, which she assured me would be here this morning. More than halfway there, I write her to inquire where the contract is and she says, OH! I was waiting for the owner's accountant to send it but he is on vacation.
I decide to try to negotiate this without the contract on my own. The very nice man with the eternal scowl at the front desk directs me to the proper desk for Electric, shows me where to get my ticket, and then tells me that, for water, I have to go to the loja municipal, in another building that I can google map.
I take my ticket #32 at Desk 2. Desk 2 is on #9 and there is no one working there for 30 minutes. When the man finally arrives at Desk 2, he calls #10, no one (they gave up), #11...#12...#13... and finally, at #14, a young woman takes her seat and hands over a giant sheath of papers. 45 minutes later, she is still there, tic tok-ing on her phone while Desk #2 guy processes something?
I give up and head back home along the ocean, still grateful to be here and knowing that, someday, next week will come. :-) And honestly, the experience was no worse than navigating the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission!
If you have not already seen this post, please read it. https://expatinportugal.substack.com/p/we-laughed-so-hard
As for your property manager, does she have anyone that can help you?
I had read that, so I was prepared and not disappointed even though I had to abandon ship today. :-) Thanks for sharing!
So true, but worth putting up with, for the pleasure of living in this wonderful country 🇵🇹
Absolutely!