Hello! Manchester is on our must visit list!! We do love Porto Santo as well. It’s so relaxing and beautiful. We are so glad you’ve found our videos and we hope you’ll subscribe and stick around! Thanks for watching! Cheers! M&D
Ola guys, we noticed that you were shopping at our Continente! Because of you and Alan and Leslie's advice, we are now living on Madriea! Muito Obrigado❣️
Hello! We are so glad to have been part of your journey. Welcome to Madeira! Ha ha yes it’s a great Continente. Say hello if we cross paths! Thanks for watching and supporting our channel. Cheers! M&D
Congratulations, 3 years !!! Coincidently we were there around the time you first arrived. We spent two week at the Pestana Village Garden Hotel Funchal in Jan 2022.
Hello!! Thank you! Oh that’s great- what a beautiful place! We hope you’ll return. We have a couple videos on great smaller hotels on the island to have an authentic Madeiran experience. Thanks for watching. Cheers! M&D
Another fine and informative video that I enjoyed thoroughly. Having met the both of you I will say to other Aficionados of your channel that you are both warm and thoughtful people and a delight to spend time with.
Hello! Awe thank you so much for your kind words. Unfortunately on TH-cam comments as they appear to us we only see your user name and not your name! We appreciate you being here and thank you for your ongoing support. Cheers! M&D
Always good to see you guys in your videos. I agree Monique. You have to know what you really want before you move anywhere. Some are happy to follow what's trending and that's fine, but trends change. If you move somewhere, but still want to follow the latest trend, you may be unhappy with where you are, again. So glad you guys are happy in Madeira! From just one visit last Spring, we too can see what a special place it is.
Hello! Please do keep your dream alive!! Time keeps moving and that day will come. It’s an amazing Second Half of life here. There are so many who are doing the same as us and enjoying it here! We hope you’ll subscribe and check out our videos. We appreciate you being here. Cheers! M&D
I'm glad to hear that you two are taking language classes and working towards citizenship. That is wonderful! Great that you are still loving where you live!❤ I enjoyed the video! XX Dara
Hello Dara!!! How are you?? Apologies for slow reply- we’ve have been a little overwhelmed lately!! This new comment section on the phone to respond to comments is tricky ! Anyways- appreciate you watching and commenting. Yes we are living our classes and life is good! Hope all is well with you and your family. Happy Holidays 🎄! M&D
Olá, boa tarde. 😊 Como estão? Felizes com certeza! 😆 You mentioned you are not completely retired, what kind of work, besides the YT videos, are you doing? Portugal is very doable for us, for sure, in the near future. Having lived there before, for about a decade, we know what’s it’s about. Lol 😉 I’m glad you’re enjoying your second half of life! 😊 Take care. Sam 🌷 🇵🇹 🇨🇦
Hello Sam! Thanks for writing in Portuguese! We are loving our lessons! Work is truly the TH-cam videos and “ working “ with our Patrons. There are of course other opportunities that have come up - Doug has done some voice over work . Thanks for sharing a bit about yourself and we appreciate you being here. Cheers! M&D
Hello! Sorry these messages get buried. Please check out our about page for email and Patreon information for meet ups. That’s great that you’re coming to Madeira!!
Hello! Nice to hear from you! Yes for sure- love that it’s already been 5 years for you and we know you are living a great life here! Tanks for watching and take care! Cheers! M&D
Love your channel My wife and I are thinking about moving to Madeira as well. As we were looking into the real estate there we noticed a place that looked like yours . Are you selling your villa?😢
Hello! That’s exciting that you’re planning a move to Madeira. You’ll love it! Yes our place was listed on Idealista. It had since sold. Good luck with finding a place - please send us an email at Trackusdownbusiness@gmail.com if you would like our real estate agent’s contact. Best of luck to you! Cheers! M&D
We are still between Canada and Madeira, and will spend the winter in Madeira again. We retired early also, and spent 18 months in Madeira during Covid. Enjoy
Hello! Between Canada and Madeira is a great combo. We may find ourselves one day with the same. Yes spending to winter here on the island is a great idea! Thanks for watching! Cheers! M&D
Hello Sherry! We are so happy you are loving your new life here in Madeira! Yes language classes are a lot of fun and we would highly recommend ours! Let’s keep in touch! Thanks for watching and commenting. Happy Holidays!🎄! M&D
What I have read lately is not so much expats who are, or are thinking about leaving, but that almost 70% of current Portuguese university students say they intend to leave Portugal for higher paying jobs elsewhere in the EU after graduation. That concerns me greatly. Countries must retain their educated folks to maintain an adequately strong economy to provide social benefits for everyone. The median age in Portugal is now 46 to 47, depending on the source, versus a bit under 39 in the US.
Population in Portugal is rising up since 5 years ago so there's no such thing people leaving in great volumes from here! Statistics are showing most of the young people are staying here! But thank you for your concern as we should be aware of all these social issues
Many Madeirans/Portuguese do not have any knowledge of the cost of living in another country. Many end up living in a room, in someone’s house, often with almost no basic conditions, but of course, everyone lives the way they want. I know Portuguese people who have lived in “mobile homes” or even in a room for almost twenty years, some even longer. Many Portuguese have this illusion of immigrating because they see other Portuguese, family and friends who paint life somewhere as the best thing in the world. But in reality, many of these Portuguese people do not say the conditions in which they live. Many also live on government benefits. Many Portuguese people arrive in certain countries and don't return the same week out of shame, because if they returned what would the neighbours and friends say😀 When they arrive in certain countries they see that they have to live in a room, sharing the kitchen and bathroom with strangers, on zero-hour contracts, they have to work overtime, work on their days off, holidays, weekends, they have to work part time to make ends meet, buy furniture, cars, etc. They start to wonder if it's really worth it. Many end up staying for a while because they already spent money on the ticket to go to the country they wanted to. Others do what they can to earn better wages so they can live in better conditions.
Hello Stephen, you bring up some interesting points as we can see from the responses there is a lot of thought around the youth and what they will choose to do. We are more addressing the expats leaving which is a current “ hot topic” that they feel unwelcome or it’s not the hot spot any longer. We do really appreciate your thoughts from where you are. Thanks ! Cheers! M&D
I loved your video, you are so positive, true people are moving in and out of many countries for different reasons, I live in Canada and I definitely want to return to Portugal, my country of birth. Many people move to Portugal because they love the country, but many move so they can get the Portuguese passport, which gives them the free assess to other European countries.
Hello! Thank you so much for watching our video and for your kind comment. Apologies for the slow reply- we’ve been a little overwhelmed lately. There are so many reasons to relocate to Portugal- for sure the culture and the people top the list! Best of luck to you! We hope you’ll subscribe and stick around. Happy Holidays 🎄! M&D
Hello! Yes taxes are everything! That’s definitely something to do a deep dive. From Canada the personal income taxes here are a little more , from the US it will seem like a lot more. Of course everyone’s taxes are different and it will depend what your income is and where your income is from. We pay 15 % to Canada. Then we have NHR here. There are tax treaties between USA and Portugal and Canada and Portugal so you are not taxed on the same money twice. Portugal has a progressive tax system - it does reach up to 48% on income above a certain amount ( can’t remember maybe 80K 🤷🏻♀️) Do consult a professional- we recommend Fresh Portugal- expensive for a consult but with every penny to know about your exact situation. Property taxes are negligible- a few hundred euros a year. A lot less! And of course health care is universal- so no cost there once you’re a resident. Thanks for watching! M&D
Hello! Yes many do love Porto! We loved it as well. Good for you for relocating and enjoying your life abroad. Thanks for watching and commenting. Cheers! M&D
Hello! That’s great that you’re moving in early 2025! Congratulations!! 🥳 I have been a language teacher for 30 years. Don’t bother with anything before you move. Concentrate on the move and enjoy the process. Once here immerse yourself and listen ( like a child) You’ll pick up all the basics. When you’re ready attend the government classes for expats at a high school. It’s inexpensive and amazing. Great groups of people and a current ( in terms of pedagogy and style) teacher with excellent knowledge of second language acquisition. You can get your A 2 certificate in one year 2X / week. That’s what we are doing! Cheers! M&D
Oh my god! I wish others coming were like you! Madeirian people really need to mix with other people specifically civilized and educated people! Our roots are not the best…
Hello! We love Madeira and the Madeiran people. Everyone needs to mix with other people… including us … it makes us all better humans!! Thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts. Cheers! M&D
Hello! Well yes there are a lot of videos and comments on expat group chats that a lot of expats are leaving Portugal , feel unwelcome and it’s not the hot spot anymore. That isn’t our experience so we are sharing our thoughts for other expats. Cheers! M&D
I am single, bought a condo in December, currently rented till Dec 2026 and I plan to move in 2 years from Germany. Met already a few people. Be outgoing.
Hello Tracy! Yes as the person below commented- there are a lot of singles as well! They meet up and hang out with couples and themselves. You have to be a yes person and reach out but many do and they love it! Thanks for watching! Cheers! M&D
My wife and I are in the process of moving to Estreito da Calheta. Overall, we agree, Madeira is a great place to retire to. Here's my list of things people who are considering the move should be aware of: 1. No fresh Jalapenos in the markets! My wife and I love to cook Mexican food, so we're probably going to have to grow our own Jalapeño plants. 2. No poisonous snakes. There might be venomous spiders, but I'v'e read conflicting information on this. If there are, I doubt that they are very common. 3. Driving on Madeira is not for the faint of heart. The country roads can be quite narrow and steep, but also the on the big four line highway (the ER101) you'll find a wide variation in the speeds at which people drive. This means you're going to do a lot of lane changing, either getting out of someone's way because they're going way faster than you, or passing someone because they're going quite slow (including lots of heavy trucks, probably due to all the construction on the island). Just be prepared to do a lot more lane changing than you are probably used to. 4. I also recommend not buying or renting a car or SUV that's too large. We just ordered an SUV that is 175 inches long, and that's probably the upper range of what works for the island. The challenge with having a particularly long car is in parking, since the parking lots and garages are intended for small cars. 5. If you're wanting to build or remodel, keep in mind that you'll be waiting at least 6 month until the project can even get started, and once its started, it will definitely take longer than the initial estimate. In my experience, the stated target completion date on the CPCV does not hold much weight.
Hello! Congratulations! Amazing area! Yes good points for sure! We all miss Mexican food!! I was hesitant to drive at first but honestly you get used to it. As you say - keep the car on the smaller side!! We hope you’ll subscribe and check out our videos. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Cheers! M&D
@@picketwire Nothing wrong growing your own food. At least you know you can grown it as much organic as you like. And, if you can drive in Madeira, you can drive anywhere on the planet, you just need a few weeks to get used to it and you will be spot on driving.
I am from Porto Santo but living in Manchester UK for 10 years. Thank you for the video, you guys are amazing! Obrigado.
Wow, thats a big jump from that tiny island but it's way up north....Still, at least you have plenty of fresh water 😬
I love Porto Santo. Last time I was there was about 15 years ago.
@@ruinunes8251 15 years ago??...you cant love it that much then lol
@ I have been there 5 times. The thing is, for the last few years life changed a bit and priorities changed as well.
Hello! Manchester is on our must visit list!! We do love Porto Santo as well. It’s so relaxing and beautiful. We are so glad you’ve found our videos and we hope you’ll subscribe and stick around! Thanks for watching! Cheers! M&D
Ola guys, we noticed that you were shopping at our Continente! Because of you and Alan and Leslie's advice, we are now living on Madriea! Muito Obrigado❣️
"Madriea" I wonder where this is.
Hello! We are so glad to have been part of your journey. Welcome to Madeira! Ha ha yes it’s a great Continente. Say hello if we cross paths! Thanks for watching and supporting our channel. Cheers! M&D
Congratulations, 3 years !!! Coincidently we were there around the time you first arrived.
We spent two week at the Pestana Village Garden Hotel Funchal in Jan 2022.
Hello!! Thank you! Oh that’s great- what a beautiful place! We hope you’ll return. We have a couple videos on great smaller hotels on the island to have an authentic Madeiran experience. Thanks for watching. Cheers! M&D
Great video Doug and Monique. We agree completely. We love Madeira. See you around the island.
Hello! Thanks for this great comment! Do say hello if we cross paths!! Thanks for watching and supporting our channel. Cheers! M&D
Another fine and informative video that I enjoyed thoroughly. Having met the both of you I will say to other Aficionados of your channel that you are both warm and thoughtful people and a delight to spend time with.
Hello! Awe thank you so much for your kind words. Unfortunately on TH-cam comments as they appear to us we only see your user name and not your name! We appreciate you being here and thank you for your ongoing support. Cheers! M&D
Always good to see you guys in your videos. I agree Monique. You have to know what you really want before you move anywhere. Some are happy to follow what's trending and that's fine, but trends change. If you move somewhere, but still want to follow the latest trend, you may be unhappy with where you are, again.
So glad you guys are happy in Madeira! From just one visit last Spring, we too can see what a special place it is.
Hello guys! Good to hear from you! Thanks for watching and for adding your thoughts. We hope all is well with you! Cheers! M&D
Great video! Madeira is where my wife and I want to retire… ahhh one day! You guys already living the dream. Cheers!
Hello! Please do keep your dream alive!! Time keeps moving and that day will come. It’s an amazing Second Half of life here. There are so many who are doing the same as us and enjoying it here! We hope you’ll subscribe and check out our videos. We appreciate you being here. Cheers! M&D
I'm glad to hear that you two are taking language classes and working towards citizenship. That is wonderful! Great that you are still loving where you live!❤ I enjoyed the video! XX Dara
Hello Dara!!! How are you?? Apologies for slow reply- we’ve have been a little overwhelmed lately!! This new comment section on the phone to respond to comments is tricky ! Anyways- appreciate you watching and commenting. Yes we are living our classes and life is good! Hope all is well with you and your family. Happy Holidays 🎄! M&D
Olá, boa tarde. 😊
Como estão?
Felizes com certeza! 😆
You mentioned you are not completely retired, what kind of work, besides the YT videos, are you doing?
Portugal is very doable for us, for sure, in the near future.
Having lived there before, for about a decade, we know what’s it’s about. Lol 😉
I’m glad you’re enjoying your second half of life! 😊
Take care.
Sam 🌷
🇵🇹 🇨🇦
Hello Sam! Thanks for writing in Portuguese! We are loving our lessons! Work is truly the TH-cam videos and “ working “ with our Patrons. There are of course other opportunities that have come up - Doug has done some voice over work . Thanks for sharing a bit about yourself and we appreciate you being here. Cheers! M&D
Wonderful video! Loved your story! What an inspirational better second half of life!
Hello! Thank you so much for watching our videos and supporting our channel. We are glad you find value in our content. Cheers! M&D
As time flies, it won't be long until you are saying: "Gee, 10 years in Madeira". Congratulations on 3.
Hello Grant! Yes you’re so right! Time flies when you’re loving your Second Half of life! We appreciate you watching and commenting. Cheers! M&D
@@Track_Us_Down I would love to come to Madeira and meet you guys :) please send me a message ;)
Hello! Sorry these messages get buried. Please check out our about page for email and Patreon information for meet ups. That’s great that you’re coming to Madeira!!
I really like your perspective on international migrations - it really is happening everywhere!
Hello Miranda! It truly is. We are so happy to be here and we hope you are too! Thanks as always for watching and supporting our channel. Cheers! M&D
After 5 years in Madeira we agree with you. Here to stay and loving it.
Hello! Nice to hear from you! Yes for sure- love that it’s already been 5 years for you and we know you are living a great life here! Tanks for watching and take care! Cheers! M&D
Love your channel
My wife and I are thinking about moving to Madeira as well. As we were looking into the real estate there we noticed a place that looked like yours . Are you selling your villa?😢
Hello! That’s exciting that you’re planning a move to Madeira. You’ll love it! Yes our place was listed on Idealista. It had since sold. Good luck with finding a place - please send us an email at Trackusdownbusiness@gmail.com if you would like our real estate agent’s contact. Best of luck to you! Cheers! M&D
We are still between Canada and Madeira, and will spend the winter in Madeira again. We retired early also, and spent 18 months in Madeira during Covid. Enjoy
Hello! Between Canada and Madeira is a great combo. We may find ourselves one day with the same. Yes spending to winter here on the island is a great idea! Thanks for watching! Cheers! M&D
Great to hear you still believe Madeira might be a good option even with all the changes.
Changes happen everywhere.
Hello! Absolutely. Change will always happen but we do still think Madeira is an amazing place to live. Thanks for watching! Cheers! M&D
Good info
Hello! Thanks for watching and for the kind feedback. Cheers! M&D
Congratulations on your 3 years! I totally agree with you for all the same reasons, Porto is the place for us. We love Portugal, best decision ever.
Hello! So glad to hear you’re loving your life in Porto! It is absolutely so pretty there. Thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts. Cheers! M&D
We love Madeira and I can’t imagine living anywhere else ❤ Language classes on the list for 2025!
Hello Sherry! We are so happy you are loving your new life here in Madeira! Yes language classes are a lot of fun and we would highly recommend ours! Let’s keep in touch! Thanks for watching and commenting. Happy Holidays!🎄! M&D
What I have read lately is not so much expats who are, or are thinking about leaving, but that almost 70% of current Portuguese university students say they intend to leave Portugal for higher paying jobs elsewhere in the EU after graduation. That concerns me greatly. Countries must retain their educated folks to maintain an adequately strong economy to provide social benefits for everyone. The median age in Portugal is now 46 to 47, depending on the source, versus a bit under 39 in the US.
Population in Portugal is rising up since 5 years ago so there's no such thing people leaving in great volumes from here! Statistics are showing most of the young people are staying here! But thank you for your concern as we should be aware of all these social issues
Many Madeirans/Portuguese do not have any knowledge of the cost of living in another country. Many end up living in a room, in someone’s house, often with almost no basic conditions, but of course, everyone lives the way they want. I know Portuguese people who have lived in “mobile homes” or even in a room for almost twenty years, some even longer.
Many Portuguese have this illusion of immigrating because they see other Portuguese, family and friends who paint life somewhere as the best thing in the world. But in reality, many of these Portuguese people do not say the conditions in which they live. Many also live on government benefits. Many Portuguese people arrive in certain countries and don't return the same week out of shame, because if they returned what would the neighbours and friends say😀
When they arrive in certain countries they see that they have to live in a room, sharing the kitchen and bathroom with strangers, on zero-hour contracts, they have to work overtime, work on their days off, holidays, weekends, they have to work part time to make ends meet, buy furniture, cars, etc. They start to wonder if it's really worth it. Many end up staying for a while because they already spent money on the ticket to go to the country they wanted to. Others do what they can to earn better wages so they can live in better conditions.
Hello Stephen, you bring up some interesting points as we can see from the responses there is a lot of thought around the youth and what they will choose to do. We are more addressing the expats leaving which is a current “ hot topic” that they feel unwelcome or it’s not the hot spot any longer. We do really appreciate your thoughts from where you are. Thanks ! Cheers! M&D
I loved your video, you are so positive, true people are moving in and out of many countries for different reasons, I live in Canada and I definitely want to return to Portugal, my country of birth. Many people move to Portugal because they love the country, but many move so they can get the Portuguese passport, which gives them the free assess to other European countries.
Hello! Thank you so much for watching our video and for your kind comment. Apologies for the slow reply- we’ve been a little overwhelmed lately. There are so many reasons to relocate to Portugal- for sure the culture and the people top the list! Best of luck to you! We hope you’ll subscribe and stick around. Happy Holidays 🎄! M&D
What about taxes?
Hello! Yes taxes are everything! That’s definitely something to do a deep dive. From Canada the personal income taxes here are a little more , from the US it will seem like a lot more. Of course everyone’s taxes are different and it will depend what your income is and where your income is from. We pay 15 % to Canada. Then we have NHR here. There are tax treaties between USA and Portugal and Canada and Portugal so you are not taxed on the same money twice. Portugal has a progressive tax system - it does reach up to 48% on income above a certain amount ( can’t remember maybe 80K 🤷🏻♀️) Do consult a professional- we recommend Fresh Portugal- expensive for a consult but with every penny to know about your exact situation. Property taxes are negligible- a few hundred euros a year. A lot less! And of course health care is universal- so no cost there once you’re a resident. Thanks for watching! M&D
We love Porto. We find it extremely affordable relative to the USA. We bought 2 homes we love it so much
Hello! Yes many do love Porto! We loved it as well. Good for you for relocating and enjoying your life abroad. Thanks for watching and commenting. Cheers! M&D
We're moving the first week of Jan 2025. We really want to learn the language. Can you recommend specific classes? Thanks.
You can see in internet. Let's learn (european)Portuguese
@@serramcs thanks
Hello! That’s great that you’re moving in early 2025! Congratulations!! 🥳 I have been a language teacher for 30 years. Don’t bother with anything before you move. Concentrate on the move and enjoy the process. Once here immerse yourself and listen ( like a child) You’ll pick up all the basics. When you’re ready attend the government classes for expats at a high school. It’s inexpensive and amazing. Great groups of people and a current ( in terms of pedagogy and style) teacher with excellent knowledge of second language acquisition. You can get your A 2 certificate in one year 2X / week. That’s what we are doing! Cheers! M&D
Oh my god! I wish others coming were like you! Madeirian people really need to mix with other people specifically civilized and educated people! Our roots are not the best…
Hello! We love Madeira and the Madeiran people. Everyone needs to mix with other people… including us … it makes us all better humans!! Thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts. Cheers! M&D
Everyone is leaving Portugal?...Don`make me laugh🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Hello! Well yes there are a lot of videos and comments on expat group chats that a lot of expats are leaving Portugal , feel unwelcome and it’s not the hot spot anymore. That isn’t our experience so we are sharing our thoughts for other expats. Cheers! M&D
@@Track_Us_Down We are glad you guys are staying, at least we can have another drink together😀🥂
How is Madeira for single people? You mention a lot of couples.
I am single, bought a condo in December, currently rented till Dec 2026 and I plan to move in 2 years from Germany. Met already a few people. Be outgoing.
Hello Tracy! Yes as the person below commented- there are a lot of singles as well! They meet up and hang out with couples and themselves. You have to be a yes person and reach out but many do and they love it! Thanks for watching! Cheers! M&D
When you realize Madeira is actually worse to live than continental Portugal you would already have lead astray many... anyway..
No one who has moved here thinks that at all! Mostly we hear that it’s beyond their expectations. You’re wrong.
My wife and I are in the process of moving to Estreito da Calheta. Overall, we agree, Madeira is a great place to retire to. Here's my list of things people who are considering the move should be aware of:
1. No fresh Jalapenos in the markets! My wife and I love to cook Mexican food, so we're probably going to have to grow our own Jalapeño plants.
2. No poisonous snakes. There might be venomous spiders, but I'v'e read conflicting information on this. If there are, I doubt that they are very common.
3. Driving on Madeira is not for the faint of heart. The country roads can be quite narrow and steep, but also the on the big four line highway (the ER101) you'll find a wide variation in the speeds at which people drive. This means you're going to do a lot of lane changing, either getting out of someone's way because they're going way faster than you, or passing someone because they're going quite slow (including lots of heavy trucks, probably due to all the construction on the island). Just be prepared to do a lot more lane changing than you are probably used to.
4. I also recommend not buying or renting a car or SUV that's too large. We just ordered an SUV that is 175 inches long, and that's probably the upper range of what works for the island. The challenge with having a particularly long car is in parking, since the parking lots and garages are intended for small cars.
5. If you're wanting to build or remodel, keep in mind that you'll be waiting at least 6 month until the project can even get started, and once its started, it will definitely take longer than the initial estimate. In my experience, the stated target completion date on the CPCV does not hold much weight.
"Estreito da Calheta" I like that area too. Well done.
@@ruinunes8251 We are in Estreito da Calheta also Love it.
Hello! Congratulations! Amazing area! Yes good points for sure! We all miss Mexican food!! I was hesitant to drive at first but honestly you get used to it. As you say - keep the car on the smaller side!! We hope you’ll subscribe and check out our videos. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Cheers! M&D
@@picketwire Nothing wrong growing your own food. At least you know you can grown it as much organic as you like.
And, if you can drive in Madeira, you can drive anywhere on the planet, you just need a few weeks to get used to it and you will be spot on driving.