Greetings from Ponta Delgada! It was so good to get off the plane and finally start this adventure. My flights were all really smooth (other than a somewhat terrifying bounce on landing at PD), I made it through customs just fine and my bag was waiting for me. So far so good.
The cab ride was a way more interesting experience, to say the least. First off, the driver spoke no English, which was a bit concerning since I didn’t know the area at all. REALLY glad that I learned some basic Portuguese before I left. Then he drove like he was qualifying for the Indy 500 so I was thrilled when I made it to my Airbnb in one piece.
My place is amazing, to say the least! I’ll be staying here for about two weeks and couldn’t be happier with it. It’s only a 5-minute walk from PD city center, has more than enough space, and has an incredible waterfront patio that has become my new outdoor office and favorite sunset spot.
I got to the Airbnb at around 7:30a local time (3:30a EST) and was completely wiped out since I didn’t sleep super great on the plane. So I caught a few hours of sleep and then went to the grocery store (still feeling like a zombie, I might add).
I guess it’s the marketer in me but I love going to stores in different countries to see what brands they carry and price point differences (which is ironic because I hate grocery shopping at home – I’m an OG Instacart lover). Here’s what some basic items cost here in $USD:
🍞 Loaf of bread: $2.01
🍷 Bottle of wine: $1.89 (yes, a whole bottle – and it’s not bad!!)
🥔 Bag of chips: $2.87
🥣 Box of Cheerios: $3.40
🥛 Milk (1 liter): $1.25
🍎 Apples (4): $0.73
🍦 Oikos Greek Yogurt (4-pk): $2.65
I was actually really shocked at how inexpensive groceries were, especially because we’re on a small island in the middle of the Atlantic. They carried a lot of American brands, along with local items, which was cool to see. What a country where wine is almost half the price of a box of Cheerios. Love it.
I started my workday at noon local time (8a EST) and made it through relatively ok. My wifi is awesome here (way better than my place in Dunedin) so connectivity has been no problem at all. The best part is that my work laptop is still set to EST so it’s basically idiot-proofed the time change, so I don’t miss any meetings. By the end of the day, I was running on fumes so doing stuff like next month’s budget projections and revenue forecasts, let alone basic math, was a major struggle.
Overall, it was a pretty easy arrival! I’m excited to explore more of PD this weekend and next week. I’ve booked a walking tour of the city on Saturday, a full-day tour of the island of São Miguel on Sunday, and a nighttime hot springs tour on Tuesday. Until then, I’m perfectly content getting in the groove of working/living here and getting my mind and body acclimated to the time difference.
Thank you all for joining me along for the ride. So grateful! :)
Amor e luz (love and light),
MW
P.S. - you can read all of my other posts here!
Yay! WOOOO! Love you! Enjoy every minute! ♥️