<![CDATA[Go Silver Oyster]]>https://www.gosilveroyster.comhttps://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!xXZq!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc16c337f-37b8-4db6-a5a5-85873fd6f996_260x260.pngGo Silver Oysterhttps://www.gosilveroyster.comSubstackSun, 03 May 2026 08:08:32 GMT<![CDATA[April 2026 ]]>https://www.gosilveroyster.com/p/april-2026https://www.gosilveroyster.com/p/april-2026Thu, 16 Apr 2026 09:07:47 GMTWelcome

Greetings from your homeless traveler! Last Monday was move-out day: goodbye beachy Portuguese apartment, hello tiny storage unit (apparently my life fits in less than a studio couch). Packing was a logistical feat: carry-on suitcase for the next four months, leave a small box at my friend’s house to replace the contents of said carry-on suitcas…

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]]><![CDATA[Things We Love to Hate To Love About Portugal]]>https://www.gosilveroyster.com/p/things-we-love-to-hate-to-love-abouthttps://www.gosilveroyster.com/p/things-we-love-to-hate-to-love-aboutThu, 02 Apr 2026 14:38:17 GMT

As a 3+ year immigrant to Portugal, I can attest that most of the challenges of living abroad are not logistical — they’re internal. Mentally and emotionally, it’s exhausting. And despite what social media sells, immigration doesn’t neatly conclude once you cross a border. If anything, that’s when it really begins.

Now, as I stare at 13 boxes in my 552-s…

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]]><![CDATA[March 2026]]>https://www.gosilveroyster.com/p/march-2026https://www.gosilveroyster.com/p/march-2026Thu, 19 Mar 2026 13:04:31 GMTWelcome

Last month, I took a risk and added a monthly newsletter, Pearls. Less a creative pivot, more a strategic move to protect both quality and what’s left of my sanity. Between preparing to move from Portugal to France via the United States, learning a new language and culture, navigating immigration again, and planning full-time travel from April 20…

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]]><![CDATA[From Fado to French Wine]]>https://www.gosilveroyster.com/p/from-fado-to-french-winehttps://www.gosilveroyster.com/p/from-fado-to-french-wineThu, 05 Mar 2026 18:02:14 GMTSince last November, rumors have been swirling like extra cream in a latte. Quiet whispers over lunch and a whole lot of research to confirm my decision was the right one. A promise to make the news public.

What decision, you ask?

I’m happy — and deeply proud — to announce that later this year, I will be immigrating to France.

As many of you know, Portugal…

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]]><![CDATA[February 2026]]>https://www.gosilveroyster.com/p/february-2026https://www.gosilveroyster.com/p/february-2026Thu, 19 Feb 2026 10:39:15 GMTWelcome

As a traveler and immigrant, my inbox overflows with tips, trends, and “you-need-to-know-this” intel. Not all of it deserves a full post — but some of it is simply too good not to share. And since many of you asked (persistent bunch, I love you), Pearls was born.

Every third Thursday, expect short, punchy insights on travel, solo adventures, immig…

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]]><![CDATA[Your Relocation Scouting Trip: How to Avoid Falling in Love With the Wrong Place]]>https://www.gosilveroyster.com/p/your-relocation-scouting-trip-howhttps://www.gosilveroyster.com/p/your-relocation-scouting-trip-howThu, 05 Feb 2026 11:41:25 GMTOne of the most critical and misunderstood steps in any long-distance move is the scouting trip. Every year, millions of people relocate — not just to a new neighborhood, but across the country or overseas. Chances are you know someone considering a big move who could benefit from real, boots-on-the-ground insight before making an expensive, life-alteri…

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]]><![CDATA[A Real Traveler´s Guide ]]>https://www.gosilveroyster.com/p/a-real-travelers-guidehttps://www.gosilveroyster.com/p/a-real-travelers-guideTue, 03 Feb 2026 17:09:22 GMTHow Not to Ruin Your Trip by Getting Sick

A practical, slightly irreverent guide to staying healthy on the road (including one frank conversation for the ladies)

You’ve researched the destination. You’ve budgeted. You’ve bored your coworkers with your itinerary. You’ve mentally packed outfits for weather you’ve never experienced.

And yet, many travelers fo…

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]]><![CDATA[Year Eight: Sharks, Sandals, and Growing Again]]>https://www.gosilveroyster.com/p/year-eight-sharks-sandals-and-growinghttps://www.gosilveroyster.com/p/year-eight-sharks-sandals-and-growingFri, 23 Jan 2026 14:48:59 GMTA few days ago, I quietly entered year eight since boarding a plane to Santiago, Chile, leaving behind a house rental, dear friends and family, and a few sparse belongings. Since then, life has been full of twists and turns and rich with adventure. It gives me pause and deep gratitude that we don’t know what the future holds. Had I known in January 2019…

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]]><![CDATA[How Not to Ruin Your Trip by Getting Sick]]>https://www.gosilveroyster.com/p/how-not-to-ruin-your-trip-by-gettinghttps://www.gosilveroyster.com/p/how-not-to-ruin-your-trip-by-gettingThu, 15 Jan 2026 12:39:04 GMT

You’ve researched the destination. You’ve budgeted. You’ve bored your coworkers with a lengthy itinerary. You’ve mentally packed outfits for weather you’ve never experienced.

And yet, many travelers forget to prepare the one thing that determines whether they’re sipping wine on a piazza or Googling “pharmacy near me” while sweating through yesterday’s li…

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]]><![CDATA[Amazon And Hot Lips In The Dentist Chair]]>https://www.gosilveroyster.com/p/amazon-and-hot-lips-in-the-dentisthttps://www.gosilveroyster.com/p/amazon-and-hot-lips-in-the-dentistThu, 08 Jan 2026 12:40:29 GMTWhen was the last time you experienced a “first” in your life? Something that required an extra dose of patience and focus — or a renewed experience you had quietly given up on?

As an immigrant, the firsts never seem to end. There are immigration deadlines on the calendar that loom like last night’s dishes in the sink. Then there are the surprises that c…

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]]><![CDATA[Laundry, Scouting 101, and Big Changes Coming]]>https://www.gosilveroyster.com/p/laundry-scouting-101-and-big-changeshttps://www.gosilveroyster.com/p/laundry-scouting-101-and-big-changesThu, 18 Dec 2025 10:27:04 GMTAs I write from the kitchen-slash-mini-office of my apartment in Portugal, the sun is shining, so laundry is hanging on the balcony drying rack. Delivery trucks rumble down the cobbled streets like they’re auditioning for a Fast & Furious sequel. It’s been a week of national strikes that have halted education, airports, hospitals, police services, and f…

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]]><![CDATA[Portugal: Making Christmas bright since 1143]]>https://www.gosilveroyster.com/p/portugal-making-christmas-brighthttps://www.gosilveroyster.com/p/portugal-making-christmas-brightThu, 04 Dec 2025 18:24:56 GMT

Christmas in Europe is magical — the roasted chestnuts, the tiny artisan stalls in local Christmas markets, and the medieval traditions that make your standard American inflatable Santa look like a rookie. Portugal especially goes all-out. The main streets glow, and nativity scenes multiply like rabbits, proudly showcased in schools, offices, homes, and…

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]]><![CDATA[Thanksgiving in Portugal: Serving Immigration Lockdown with a Side of Gratitude]]>https://www.gosilveroyster.com/p/thanksgiving-in-portugal-servinghttps://www.gosilveroyster.com/p/thanksgiving-in-portugal-servingWed, 26 Nov 2025 16:21:36 GMTFor most of the world, this Thursday, November 27th, 2025, is just another day — work, laundry, getting the kids to bed before they transform into tiny feral creatures. But for the 14,000+ American expats living in Portugal, it’s Thanksgiving Day. Or, as I’ve come to call it: the annual scavenger hunt for ingredients that do not exist.

All week, social m…

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]]><![CDATA[My Best Travel Hack? Other People´s Pets]]>https://www.gosilveroyster.com/p/my-best-travel-hack-other-peopleshttps://www.gosilveroyster.com/p/my-best-travel-hack-other-peoplesThu, 20 Nov 2025 17:34:58 GMT

After seven years, you probably know that pet sitting has become my personal travel cheat code. It lets me wander the world for less, get my fix of furry serotonin, and explore places that don’t even have a hotel — because apparently that’s now my brand. And these last three weeks? No different.

Immigration Lockdown: The Staycation Nobody Asked For

The in…

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]]><![CDATA[Stuffing Feelings, Not Turkeys: An Expats Guide to Thriving the Holidays]]>https://www.gosilveroyster.com/p/stuffing-feelings-not-turkeys-anhttps://www.gosilveroyster.com/p/stuffing-feelings-not-turkeys-anThu, 13 Nov 2025 13:36:37 GMTIt’s that time of year again, with twinkling lights and those heartwarming Norman Rockwell paintings of perfect families gathered around a quintessential turkey and table. Everyone’s dressed in their Sunday best, laughing politely, and apparently no one’s muttering under their breath about the stuffing being dry.

OK… how realistic is that?

Let’s be honest…

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]]><![CDATA[So, Who IS Moving To Portugal?]]>https://www.gosilveroyster.com/p/so-who-is-moving-to-portugalhttps://www.gosilveroyster.com/p/so-who-is-moving-to-portugalThu, 23 Oct 2025 13:42:26 GMTOn a rainy evening on March 7, 2023, I stepped off the plane to a country I’d never visited — Portugal. Having no clue about the language, culture, or why the coffee is so strong, I did know one thing: they offered an attractive five-year path to dual citizenship and had beaches, lots of beaches. Spoiler alert — that shiny five-year plan? Yeah, it’s now…

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]]><![CDATA[After the Fat Lady Sings]]>https://www.gosilveroyster.com/p/after-the-fat-lady-singshttps://www.gosilveroyster.com/p/after-the-fat-lady-singsThu, 16 Oct 2025 16:07:19 GMT

Returning home from travel always messes with your head. One minute you’re sipping wine in Tuscany, the next you’re wrestling with the washing machine that smells like something died in it. Coming home can feel like a blessing or a full-blown crash landing — but don’t fret, there’s plenty you can do to ease back into daily life without sacrificing your …

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]]><![CDATA[Alone? Hardly.]]>https://www.gosilveroyster.com/p/alone-hardlyhttps://www.gosilveroyster.com/p/alone-hardlyFri, 10 Oct 2025 15:16:05 GMT

Years ago, while checking in at the Reno airport, the airline rep gave me the kind of sad look usually reserved for people flying with an emotional support ferret and asked, “You’re traveling alone today?”

I threw my shoulders back and said, “Yes, of course.”

On another occasion, a different agent asked the same question and received the same answer— but …

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]]><![CDATA[Tales of a salmon-lugging immigrant!]]>https://www.gosilveroyster.com/p/tales-of-a-salmon-lugging-immigranthttps://www.gosilveroyster.com/p/tales-of-a-salmon-lugging-immigrantThu, 02 Oct 2025 16:27:44 GMTLike many European countries, Portugal has many small ma and pa grocery stores and open markets (mercados). These neighborhood shops cram everything from frozen octopus and beer to fresh produce, laundry soap, batteries, and dusty bottles of hand lotion older than your dog into narrow aisles. Here, you may have to step over boxes and wait patiently for …

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]]><![CDATA[7 Fall Trips That Beat Pumpkin Spice Lattes]]>https://www.gosilveroyster.com/p/7-fall-trips-that-beat-pumpkin-spicehttps://www.gosilveroyster.com/p/7-fall-trips-that-beat-pumpkin-spiceFri, 26 Sep 2025 14:08:15 GMTIf you live in a tourist town, you know the sigh. Not the “ahh, crisp leaves” sigh. I mean the deep, guttural sigh of relief when fall finally muscles summer out of the way. Here in the Algarve, Portugal, the locals swear September 14th is the official “tourists, please go home” day. And right on cue, beach tiki umbrellas were stacked like Lincoln Logs …

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