Expat Interview with Howie Perl

Last Updated on January 17, 2025 by Maryam Siddiqui

Moving all the way from America to Portugal is anything but an easy decision. It takes months to plan it out, gather your resources, and execute it successfully. After more than a year of working with Howie, we thought it’s time you hear about his journey as an American expat. 

This interview is a candid conversation between Howie Perl and Victor Queiroz, talking about why he wanted to move and what his journey looked like. Join us as we explore how he feels about Portugal, the culture, the cost of living, and more! 

Guest Introduction

Victor: Hello, everybody. So we have here for our next interview, one of my dear friends, Howie. We’ve been working together for a while now. Howie came from the United States and aimed to go to Portugal. We’ve been working for more than one year, I guess, right? 

Howie: Yeah, I contacted Viv Europe first in March of 2023. That’s closer to two years now at this point. 

Victor: It has been so nice working with you, Howie. There are some people, some clients, that really become friends. And certainly, Howie, you are one of them. I remember when you came to Porto, we had that lunch together. So it was a really, really special moment. It’s so good to see people in person. 

About Howie Perl

Victor: Howie, if you can introduce yourself just to give us a little bit about your background, and then we can move on to the questions.

Howie: My name is Howie. I am forty-six years old now. I’m American from New York City originally. I spent the last nine years living in Florida, which, honestly, is why I’m freezing right now. 

But I made the decision to move to Portugal in February 2022, so this is now almost three years in the making. And I wasn’t ready in February 2022. So I had to make sure everything was right professionally, financially, and physically and that everything needed to be in place. 

So yeah, it did take that long, but I don’t have any regrets. I think that’s something where it’s probably better to make sure everything is ready to go and not have any rude awakenings when you get here. 

Q. Why Did You Move From America To Portugal? 

Victor: What a journey! Thank you for the introduction. Again, I’m very excited about this meeting. I really am. I want to start by asking what inspired you to choose Portugal as your new home. 

Howie: Well, it didn’t take a lot to make that decision to come to that conclusion. It was always going to be Portugal or Spain. Spain might have been more convenient for me because some of my family is from there. I have some friends there. I have connections in Spain. But they’re still relatively new to the whole digital nomad visa thing. 

I’m not even sure what they call it there. Ultimately, the reason I chose Portugal was I found that the application process was less intrusive, there was less red tape, and after just researching for an hour or two the differences between the two applications, It was a very easy decision. There wasn’t anything to think about. It was always going to be Portugal. 

Victor: That’s good to know. We will dive in later on about your experience living in Portugal in the next questions. I’m also an expat, and choosing Portugal was not a big deal for me as well. It was very clear from the beginning. 

Q. Did You Face Any Challenges During The Process? 

Victor: So you mentioned that you chose Portugal due to the process, right? It’s more straightforward and less red tape. What did you think about the process? Did you find any challenges that you consider relevant? 

Howie: Oh, yeah. Yeah, there were quite a few challenges. The first thing that I want to point out is just because something or a certain country is easier to move to than another one, that does not mean it’s easy. 

This is still a challenging process. And that started right from the beginning when I began my research. Whether it was reading articles or following YouTube channels about moving to Portugal and the process involved, the overwhelming consensus was that people would say, oh, this is very easy. It’s no problem. You can do it all by yourself. You won’t have any issues. And I learned very early in that process that it was completely incorrect. 

And the further that I went through the process, it bothered me to the point where I started my own YouTube channel about moving to Portugal, the process involved. And one of the points of the channel is that, no, it’s not an easy thing and that you should seek help from a company like Viv Europe. 

Victor: Thank you, Howie. And I know I’m biased, but I think that there are some steps that it makes sense to have someone helping you by your side to navigate the process. Is there anything in particular that you can remember now that was a challenge that we’re not expecting to have to struggle to go through? 

Finding The Right Resource

Howie: Right from the beginning, when I started contacting Viv Europe and one of its competitors, the competitor was not willing to speak with me, whether it be over the phone or via video call interview like this. It was just exchanging emails back and forth. 

Now, I work fifty-five hours a week, and that just was not going to fly. I need to settle this in a matter of minutes. So when I got a chance to speak with Viv Europe, I knew right away that’s who I was going with. 

The next challenge was, it wasn’t the NIF, but it was opening a bank account. I’m still struggling with the bank that I have an account with. That’s gonna be an ongoing issue. 

Finding Real Estate

Howie: Other challenges. finding an apartment. I learned that Lisbon may be the hottest real estate market in the world. I wanted to move to Lisbon originally. 

Lisbon’s my favorite city in the world, but I learned that unless you’re there with the landlord or realtor to sign the lease on the spot, Lisbon’s pretty much not going to happen. My second choice was the Algarve, but I was looking for an apartment in the summer. And in the summer, they don’t need year-long renters in the Algarve. 

It’s a seasonal thing. Maybe if I had looked for the apartment in the winter, it would have worked out there, but I had an appointment in Miami. I had that appointment in September, so it didn’t work out with the Algarve. 

The other thing I learned is that there’s no more negotiating rent anymore. Maybe they did that at one time in Portugal. Well, they don’t do it anymore. And that’s in any city because they don’t need to do that. If you don’t want the apartment, the person right behind you will take it at the price that the landlord is asking. 

I brought my cat with me. That was pretty difficult. A lot of paperwork was involved on both ends from the United States and getting everything set up with the airport in Porto, because I moved to Guimarães, and the nearest airport, is in Porto. That was a huge challenge. And, you know, again, I want to stress that I could not have done this without Viv Europe. 

Victor: Thank you. Thank you, Howie. Even for us here, it is always a challenge. We rely on others, we rely on banks, we rely on landlords. And as much as we want the process to go smoother, to go quicker, sometimes there’s nothing we can do, even though we try. 

It’s a Portugal thing, you know, all countries have their ups and downs, their difficulties. 

First Impression Of Living In Portugal

Victor: What was your what was your first impression of living in Portugal now? 

Howie: Well, the first impression is how beautiful the city of Guimarães is. It’s got this whole medieval thing going on with the castle and other monuments, whether they be churches or museums. 

But this is my twelfth day in Portugal, and still, every time I step outside, I’m just astonished by how beautiful Guimarães is. And then when you combine that with the fact that people are just so friendly, welcoming, and accommodating, it just makes for it to be the right decision. I made the right decision. I don’t have any regrets about Guimarães, despite the fact that I had actually never visited before I moved here. 

Victor: That’s something impressive. I used to live in Braga, which is so close to Guimarães. When someone from my family or some friends come here to visit me, I drop by Guimarães to show the city. They always get very impressed by how beautiful it is. 

Coming To Portugal With Open Arms

Howie: I love my experience so far. I can’t say that I can spend the rest of my life in Guimarães, but that’s not anything against Guimarães. That would be against me. Because Guimarães is not Porto, Lisbon, or the Algarve, most people still speak English. But in those other places, almost everyone is speaking English. 

I have to improve my Portuguese in order to stay permanently in Guimarães. And if I can’t do that, then that’s going to be my fault and not the fault of the city or its people. So now it’s up to me. I have to improve my Portuguese. 

Victor: It’s very nice to hear you say that because coming like with open arms and knowing that you have to adapt, right? It’s a new place. People live there. I have kind of a similar experience as yours.

So people were very friendly when I came to Braga, actually. But even though I speak Portuguese from Brazil, it’s different. I had to take a week or two to just understand that it was not like this. 

Howie: Right. And I think that’s something that most people don’t realize because, in the United States, we’ll always joke around when we meet somebody from the United Kingdom that, oh, there are quite a few differences in American English to British English. 

But those differences pale in comparison to the differences between Brazilian Portuguese and European Portuguese. They’re more significant than the differences between the two English languages. And even more significant than the differences between various countries speaking Spanish. 

Victor: I agree with you, Howie. Even the accent a little bit, the way they speak, the pace that they speak. So there is a need to adapt for all of us. Right. 

Howie: One last thing on that, Victor, for an American person, learning Portuguese is a challenge because in the United States, primarily any type of Portuguese that we have access to is the Brazilian version. 

So, you know, it hasn’t done me a lot of good other than to say, desculpe, meu português não é bom. 

Victor: It’s good. At least your accent is very good. Congratulations on your Portuguese, really! 

Q. What Do You Think Of The Cost Of Living In Portugal?

Victor: Talking about the cost of living, what are your impressions about the cost of living in Portugal? 

Howie: No surprises. I knew what I was getting into with Portugal. Here, necessities are a lot less, like rent, food, and even entertainment expenses. Like going out to a bar or restaurant or if you want to go to a football match or what we would call soccer in the United States. 

Whereas in the United States, cars, electronics, and clothing are actually cheaper. But I can’t say that I’m surprised by anything. And I shouldn’t say that I’m surprised because I think that if you’re surprised about the cost of living, once you already get to that country, then you haven’t done your homework. And you probably weren’t prepared to move to that new country in the first place. 

One thing I never like hearing from anybody is the term culture shock. No, if you’re shocked by something, you didn’t do your homework. You weren’t ready. So, I knew what I was getting into with the cost of living. And I live very simply. I’m a modest person. I don’t need much more than the basic necessities. So the Portuguese lifestyle, the Portuguese cost of living, that’s what works for me. 

Victor: That’s good to know, really good to know Howie. You were one of our client’s slash friends that have done the homework in a pretty good way. 

If you want to, Howie, maybe talk a little bit about your YouTube channel so people can join as well. 

There’s so much information out there. I’m one of the subscribers. I don’t know how you can do so many things at the same time. Moving to a country, recording videos, adjusting to the new environment. It’s a lot. 

Howie: It is. And I have to tell you, YouTube is like a job in itself. I’m fortunate enough to actually be monetized with YouTube. But, you know, it’s not even close to the point where I can do that for a living. So, yeah, at the end of the interview, I’ll definitely tell everyone about it. 

Q. Piece Of Advice For Soon-To-Be Expats?

Victor: Last question. Would you give any advice to someone who is willing to move to Portugal? What would that be? 

Howie: There are a few things I can say. I really want to go back to the original point of do your homework, do your research. But after you do your homework and after you do your research, contact a professional. Contact Viv Europe. 

It’s not something that I would recommend doing yourself, particularly if you’re doing the D8 Visa where you’re actively working. Maybe the D7 Visa where it’s passive income, and you can dedicate one hundred percent of your time to doing this. But even then, I would not recommend that. I can’t say enough good things about the experience that I had with Viv Europe.

Do Your Research

Howie: And I think that’s the most important thing. If you can, try to learn some Portuguese. Make sure you visit the country. Don’t go there blindly. I went blindly to Guimarães, but that was just as a city. I had been to Portugal five times previously. 

And I think the last piece of advice I would say: Make sure you’re moving for the right reason. I see way too many stories. I hear too many stories. I’ve met people who have gone to another country because of, say, election results in their home country. 

And that’s moving to a new place out of negativity. You need to make sure that Portugal or any country that you’re moving to is the right place for you. That you’re not escaping from something. You want to go to a new country because you want to be there. You feel like it’s the right thing. So whatever’s going on in your country of origin should not play any factor in moving to a new country. 

You Can’t Run From Problems

Victor: Those are wise words, really. And I totally agree with you. We also work with a psychologist to help some people who are in the situation that they came to Portugal trying to run away from problems, but they come with them. 

So when staying here for one or two months, they want to move back to wherever they’re from. And this may seem very odd, but it happens quite a bit. People, they get kind of disappointed because they think that moving to Portugal will solve all of their problems. But that’s not the case, right? 

Howie: Your problems have a way of finding you. And in that kind of situation, when I say your problems, the truth is people like that they’re the problem. You can’t run away from things. You can’t run away from real life. 

And I don’t believe that’s what I did. I’ve always wanted to live in another country. I had that dream when I was a college or university student. I didn’t have that opportunity because I had too many things going on. 

Always Dream Big

Howie: That always stuck with me. And then once I became more established in life, and I was able to travel more, saw my family in Spain a lot, and right next door is Portugal, I knew that was the region of the world where I would live one day. 

And I didn’t realize that one day we would be in this situation where this dream is attainable. And we’re here now. But with that comes responsibility. You got to make sure you know what you’re doing. 

Victor: Those are really wise words, Howie. And I cannot thank you enough for accepting this conversation. You are one of the best, really. And I mean that. One of the best people that I had the pleasure to work with. 

And yeah, if you can talk a little bit about your YouTube channel.

Howie: Thank you. So the name of my YouTube channel is Positively Portugal. Just go to YouTube, put Positively Portugal in the search bar, watch the videos, hopefully like them, comment on them, subscribe. 

It’s about moving to Portugal, the process of getting there, and Portuguese football. I’m sure you can tell I love football here. I touch on a lot of subjects there. 

Some sensitive things, like what we were talking about, were how there were a lot of people from the United States who were looking into moving to Portugal again after Donald Trump won the election. I’ve spoken about what company I’m using for my services and why I went with them. When I say services, I mean internet, cell phone, television. 

I try to make some videos about everyday life, not just the big things. So try to mix it up. The Portuguese football videos are on a bit of a hiatus right now while I’m still settling in. But we’ll get back to that. But yeah, anything Portugal-related, just go to YouTube and subscribe to Positively Portugal. I really appreciate anyone who watches those videos. 

Ending Note

Victor: Thank you so much, really. I’ll be there watching your videos. And thank you for the nice words as well, really appreciate it. And now that we are so close, we will be able to see each other more often, right? 

Howie: Absolutely. I’m looking forward to it. There are so many great things to see here in Guimarães, or whether it’s elsewhere. You know, I just want to say one last thing, Victor. One of the best things about moving to northern Portugal is you have these three big cities right next to each other. 

Porto, Braga, Guimarães, and it’s also close to the Spanish border. You can take a trip to Vigo. You can take a trip to the Douro Valley. There are so many things that are close by here. And it’s just a wonderful place to live. And I can’t say enough good things about Portugal, northern Portugal, where I’m living. And I especially cannot say enough good things about you, Victor, and everyone in Viv Europe.

Victor:  Thank you. Thank you so much, Howie. You have a nice day, my friend. Take care, and I’ll see you soon, buddy. 

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This brings us to the end of our conversation with Howie Perl. We hope you enjoyed reading about it as much as we loved talking to Howie. It’s been a fantastic journey to help him with his relocation plans and to welcome him to Portugal! 

We wish Howie all the happiness and success – good luck for all future endeavors!

Types Of Visas To Portugal

Here’s a list of all the Visas: 

• D1 – Work Visa
• D2 – Business Visa
• D3 – Highly Qualified Worker
• D4 & D5 – Study Visa 
• D6 – Family Reunification
• D7 – Passive Income Visa 
• D8 – Digital Nomad Visa 
• Golden Visa

To know more information, get in touch with Viv Europe’s visa assistance experts!