What 2025 Taught Us About Living Abroad

Happy Sunday, amigos 😎

Today we're wrapping up 2025 with a bang. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you from the bottom of my heart for being here. I value your time and support, and it's my mission to continue delivering real value in 2026 and help you live your best expat life ever.

It took me four years to unpack some of the boxes we moved with. Four years before I felt ready to hang courtains or photos on the wall. Why? I didn’t feel at home yet. Part of me still wanted to run away. And as it turns out, that feeling is far more common than we talk about.

Since moving to Portugal, we have learned more than I ever expected. We navigated serious schooling challenges and changed schools. We became far more familiar with the public health system than I would have liked. We bought and sold five cars, including one very expensive lesson I still owe you the full story on. We fought mould and humidity so hard it nearly broke us. And somewhere in the middle of all that, I landed a remote job and my husband started a business.

All of it reshaped us.

That is where we are heading in 2026. Focusing on the emotional and mental building blocks of expat life. How we rebuild identity. How we feel grounded again. How we stop surviving and start feeling at home.

I am so excited for what is coming. We have an incredible lineup of experts joining us next year, and I cannot wait to learn alongside you. If you enjoy this newsletter, please share it with one friend today. It helps more than you realise 💛

What we are covering today:

🏔️ How to enjoy the Serra da Estrela this winter

📚 A roundup of the most loved articles from 2025

🧠 A short survey on emotional and mental health as an expat

🗣 A mini lesson on saying Happy New Year with our language tutor, Mia Esmeriz

Let’s dive in, shall we 😌

With AdQuick, you can now easily plan, deploy and measure campaigns just as easily as digital ads, making them a no-brainer to add to your team’s toolbox.

You can learn more at www.AdQuick.com

Sierra de Estrela is a stunning winter destination in central Portugal, famous for its snowy landscapes, scenic viewpoints, and a family-friendly ski area. Looking for more? Check out today’s article on the Sierra de Estrela by our Portugal travel expert coming up below.

Before we dive headfirst into the new year and all the exciting things we’ll be talking about, let’s take a quick look at some of the articles we’ve covered this year.

Whether you’re new to The Expat Hustle or just need a refresher, here’s a quick catch-up on what we’ve covered so far:

I am beyond excited to announce that The Expat Hustle will be doing monthly features with the incredible expat pschychologist, Gabriela Encina, where we dive into the emotional and mental struggles and challenges that come with moving to a foreign country. So many of us often share feelings of loneliness, identity loss, guilt, and the shock of rebuilding our lives from scratch. In these conversations, Gabriela will help unpack those experiences, offering clarity, perspective, and practical tools to help you navigate them and truly thrive abroad.

Please take our survey below to tell us what you’d most like to learn about in these conversations:

Today’s local travel tip is brought to you by Marga from Discover Portugal. Last time, she helped us map out Portugal’s Christmas markets and festive hotspots, perfect for soaking up the holiday atmosphere.

This week, she’s taking us somewhere completely different — into the mountains. From snow-dusted villages to Portugal’s only ski area, Marga shares what winter in Serra da Estrela really looks like, and why it’s worth the trip when the temperatures drop.

*This article has been lightly edited for clarity and style.

⛰

Snow and Portugal don’t usually belong in the same sentence. Beaches, sunshine, tiled cities… yes. Snow? Not really. And yet, the first time I visited Serra da Estrela in winter, I was standing in actual snow, watching families slide down hills and kids seeing snow for the very first time. That moment alone explains why we keep coming back.

As someone living in Lisbon and always chasing quieter, wilder places, I didn’t know what to expect. Portugal’s highest mountains sounded impressive, but would it really deliver in winter? The answer was an easy yes! And no, not because of skiing.

Serra da Estrela is the highest mountain area in mainland Portugal, with Torre sitting at almost 2,000 metres. In winter, usually between January and mid-February, this is one of the few places where snow is likely. Likely, but not guaranteed. Some years are generous, others less so, which is why checking webcams and road conditions before you go is essential. This year? It already snowed several times!

Let’s be honest here. When snow does fall, it gets busy. Very busy. Portuguese families head up early, traffic builds fast, and parking near Torre fills up quickly. On weekends, you might end up parking a kilometre or two away and walking the rest. It’s not a hidden secret anymore, but it’s still very much a local experience rather than an international ski destination.

Serra da Estrela is home to Portugal’s only ski area. It’s small, simple, and perfect for beginners. There are short slopes, sledding areas, and you can take your first ski lessons. If you’re an experienced skier, this isn’t the place for long runs. But if you’ve never seen snow before, or you’re travelling with kids, it’s great fun! Equipment rental and lessons are available, and artificial snow helps keep things running when nature doesn’t fully cooperate.

What really makes a winter trip special are the villages. Manteigas is a favourite base, close to hikes and waterfalls. Sabugueiro is one of the first villages to see snow and is perfect for a quick stop and local food. Covilhã feels more like a small city and works well if you want more accommodation options.

After a cold day outside, there’s nothing better than warming up properly. Staying in or near a thermal hotel, like the spa hotels around Unhais da Serra or Manteigas, turns a snow day into a very relaxed experience. Hot pools, warm rooms, and good food make winter here surprisingly comfortable. And speaking of food, the famous Serra da Estrela cheese always tastes like more!

⛰

With thanks to our collaborator for today’s travel article. Marga is a Dutch travel writer, photographer, and Portugal expert who founded Discover Portugal after falling in love with the country during a 2019 visit and relocating to Lisbon permanently in 2021. With over 25 years of travel experience and a background in tourism, aviation, and tech—including nearly eight years as an international flight attendant—Marga combines her storytelling skills, local insights, and photography expertise to help travelers discover both Portugal's famous sights and hidden gems. Through her website and personalized services, she offers travel planning assistance, Lisbon photography sessions, and authentic stories from her ongoing exploration of every corner of Portugal, helping curious travelers experience the country like a local rather than a tourist.

In this video, Mia explains the two most common ways to wish someone a Happy New Year in Portugal:

✨ “Feliz Ano Novo!”

✨ “Bom Ano Novo!”

Both are perfectly natural and widely used as soon as the fireworks start at midnight!

🗣 If you’d like to learn more everyday phrases, Mia’s free Portuguese starter course is a great place to begin.

💡 Mia from Mia Esmeriz Academy is a Portuguese teacher from Porto with more than 15 years of experience teaching foreigners. She helps expats become fluent in Portuguese in a clear and practical way. Alongside her courses, she also shares free content on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.

Thanks for reading! 💌

Hustle on!

Angelique🧞‍♀️

Was this newsletter forwarded to you? Don’t miss next week’s scoop by signing up here.

Disclaimer: The links I share are for products and services I’ve actually used and recommend. Sometimes, I get to share a referral link, which might throw a little reward my way—but never at your expense. You’ll pay the same price set by the supplier, no sneaky markups. Thanks for supporting this newsletter—you rock!