We learned quickly that coming from the same country is no basis for friendship. The friends we have here now are people who would've been our friends anyway, irrespective of where we met or lived.
Your stoicism is a credit to you both. You learned by your mistakes so the work was not wasted. I have to tell you I am at the other end of life and I am still making some whoppers. Now I know longer admit it.
Nobody gets everything right first time no matter how much advice you get, different things work for different people, I admire your honesty & also the way you just soldier on no matter what. Thanks for the video, always enjoy your company. 🤗
I commend you both for your forthright honesty very refreshing in this time of"" RU-vid INFULENCERS "" I wish you and your great kids all the very best going forward and I will be staying tuned.
A friend of mine, while learning spanish, labelled everything in their house with the Spanish word for that item. So they had bits of tape on things like light switches, drawers, door/s, handle, fridge etc. He's almost fluent now.
I've been following you since the beginning, and I'm delighted that you're both able to be so objective about what you've found works and that sometimes things don't work out as planned. Everyone's circumstances are different, and what would work beautifully in one place for one group of people won't in another somewhere slightly different, so research and trying things out is always the only way to learn for you. I think you're both amazing - if it were easy we'd all be doing it.
Having had the experience, similar to yours I'd like to tell you that the Portuguese people are among the friendliest, most helpful of people. By making friends of our Portuguese neighbors I quickly learned to speak the language and they were extremely happy to teach us how to do things compatible with the land and methods that worked there. They also adore children and were always asking to take them to play with their own. You might just solve some of your problems with the help of your Native neighbors whose interests are similar to your own. 40 years later I am still in touch with many of the lifetime friends I made there. I enjoy your videos and am impressed by your hard work ethic. Blessings on your beautiful homestead, you'll do well.
I love you guys! If I lived there, I would teach you Portuguese. :) I know you must be tired of so much advice, probably so annoying, but here goes another: I would make some deal with a Portuguese young person that would like to learn one of the languages you speak. This person would drive to your farm and tutor you a few days a week. You both would exchange lessons and learn from each other. Besides English, is it Dutch that you speak? Many Portuguese people would love to learn the language. Reaching out to high schools and colleges to find a student who is interested would work, I think. :)
Thanks for your honesty about your learning experiences, I am a citizen of the world I connect with people independently of their country of origin but rather their humanity 😊
Your family is beautiful!- beau with that blond hair- puck with her bright red hair dashing about- you make a great looking team! 🌟Thank you for being so generous.with your information- it is much appreciated.
You are doing good. Everything you mention is normal. Its only the beginning. Its the hardest part. Wallnuts grow there. They grow here (less cold, same rain). They all over portugal, even grow in the south, in algarve and alentejo. Try to grow it from seed in place. put a few ones in some places you think have a bit more shade and water for the first years. Check all the trees you buy in pots from nurseries. Most of them come in some kind of peetmoss or bark medium and are fertigated intensivly. Better shake of most of it and plant the roots on the local dirt (then fertilize and mulch heavly on surface). If they are planted in clay with the compost material many of them rot in place. Specially true for citrus, which many times also come with desease tendencies (its a worldwide problem). Keep on going. You are a lovely family. All best wishes.
Two things to remember: • The man who never made a mistake never made anything. • you havent failed on a project - you just havent succeeded YET. Just an idea, nothing more. What about scooter? Proper sit on one, electric. Small two wheeled trailer, tall flag so can be seen and run it on a learner's licence to and from the shops. Went to China for two years. Learned Yes No Hello Goodbye! As long as you are seen to make an effort locals usually will accept you. Plus plenty of tutorials on line, practice in front of the mirror...make the errors talking to yourself. Come on guys - positivity!
The energy spent creating a garden your first year wasn't wasted. That was the first year of developing your soil and gaining knowledge through experience. If you have an internet connection, the Mondly language app does have European Portuguese and it is free. The only way we stop making mistakes is by not living. Better to make mistakes but learn from them!
Dear Friends, we have a saying in our Home: A MISTAKE is a Learning PROCESS, bu ta mistake REPEATED IS A BLUNDER and YOU will pay for it ! So we all make mistakes and learn from it xxx Love you Journey and Blog xxx
while you wait to have lessons and get a proper driving licence he can still teach you to drive that would be helpful in an emergency, just a thought. Great advice for those in the process of moving to a new country and going off grid
Hello family, do you think that these same mistakes were not unnecessary because if we think about these mistakes they serve as learning for the future. I liked the Video it was very good, a hug to all.💕✌👍
It was so good yes you do learn from your mistakes you fix them and move on then you make more but in they end you have your dream the way you wanted it bless you two and your family it dose come together and work thank you for your great videos keep them coming.
Hello! Regarding Portuguese learning I would't expend much money and time in attending courses. In Internet there is enough content to learn languages. Just by reading books and listening to videos you can learn a lot of passive portuguese. And just by meeting portuguese people will you turn all you have learned into active language. I'm Spanish living in Vienna and I have learned my English and German by doing this. Of course, you need some will, discipline and patience! Thanks for sharing your experiences!!!
Hi , so glad you passed on information of failures that happen, we all have them. Like you my walnut trees failed, they are expensive to buy . What l have done though ,is to buy a few walnuts in the shell from the supermarket. I put them in the freezer for about 3 months. I know you may not have a freezer, but perhaps a friend will do it for you. After this time l potted them , some will start to grow. I have one that’s reached a meter high,my new one is only a few centimetres, l am encouraged once on a water feed they have a chance. I am further south than you, but l see large trees in peoples gardens. There is hope..... Re the driving, read up using the Dutch Highway Code, the same rules apply, the road signs are all the same , practice on your track. If you can drive slowly, reverse into a space,you will be learning clutch control. The pedal control becomes 2nd nature. Being able to drive beats all other qualifications. Start right there on your land. You can do it girl, your a spring chicken, l am an old boiler....
@@ourportuguesehomestead Don’t forget practice at home no one to watch you make mistakes. Also get your provisional license, then you drive every trip , hubby can be cod driver he has the full license. Re walnut trees , the old saying is a walnut tree is worth an acre of land.
Lea, please try to listen to the Portuguese radio (on the internet), try to read short texts, watch their tv as often as possible - even though you do not understand it, after a while you will start to, especially since you probably study it in the evenings. Do listen to some courses with recordings! Every day try to learn a few words, get Puk to teach you some. I do feel for you - it is hard, especially if you know already a few languages. As to driving, drive yourself!!! short distances, and do it often (if Marten taught you), without a licence :) Watch Marten drive. Exercise is vital. I used to drive without a licence, after my course, waiting for exams, it might have been stupid, but I already knew how and was very careful, and I think I learnt thus, too. Anyway, first three years of driving is very hard, I was sweating each time, with stress :) And now, 10 years after, I am confident and like to do it. I am almost 50 years old :)
You all look very well I am pleased to say. I am in Turkey for many years and when learning the language (not easy and in no way fluent,) but I found taking one word or a short sentence every day and using it as much as possible throughout the day helped. Some people just have a brain for languages and some don't ☺️. I think if you have the basics you can do a lot. Good luck x
Whoa, what honesty! I could help you most by suggesting in the winter aquiring a pig, even if it for someone else- they work wonders at forcing soil molecules to join and your having a pond. You seem to have ample clay, but you are in a rocky area- a pig fenced in, could work for you. Also, in the garden- soil, soil, soil, these hot summers, but also, wet winters are hell on plants, when the soil is inadequate. Most all soils in Portugal are depleted- but contain enormous potential. I live that daily here in Algarve. Great video- good luck.
One of the first, and one of the most important things we learn is how to fall down. Failure is a learning experience if you don't crash! I had some empty space this july and august. I said "I ain't planting anything in this heat!!!" Sometimes planting perennials is an experiment. So, no matter what happens, it can't be considered a "failure". However, one can research the climate where the plant is native and compare it to local climate. That is what I did in selecting my trees and shrubs, but I already found two that don't seem to like the conditions here.
A great way to get to know a culture is to watch a telenovela on TV. The plot is usually simple and can be understood with low language proficiency. The advantages are you learn the language in a normal setting by context and not by memorising translated vocabulary. Usually the setting of telenovelas is typical of each culture so that you learn what makes people tick and what is important to them. Any successful telenovela has to fulfill this requirement. I have watched once one in Arabic for fifteen minutes, I don't speak this language but it became clear to me what was happening. It's just an idea because it can also help you making contact with neighbors. Not because you would want them as friends but because you want to integrate into the community. This does not mean that you have to dissolve into the new culture but you have to at least know what the values are of the culture in which you are now living. Your children will lead you.
Most new big (really big...) almond tree comercial orchards are being planted in the south, much hotter and dryer then where you live (and yes, most are drip irrigated). I just passed by a new one 3h ago, in Coruche. All interior north of Portugal used to be considered good for most nut trees. Citrus and advocatos are also more adapted to algarve, but you see them thriving all over the country... I would try it. More then once. Diferent varieties.
It's a lot more interesting to make friends with te locals, insted of your countrymen, as they no the way live goos in your area. You cane invite nabours and show them around they wil tell practical things about living . Linguage is not a big issue,it's the attitude that maters. Respect for your hard work.Je ziet mijn Engels is ook niet alles 🙂
Great update and clarification. I think you are both doing a fantastic job to build a sustainable homestead for your family. Keep up the good work. "Rome was not built in a day"
I moved to Brittany France 18 years ago. It was noticeable that there was a 'British crowd' they stuck together & inevitably cracks began to show. I never was part of the crowd but of all those so called friends I am the only one remaining here now. I have a wonderful french friend here. Im happy with that. Thank you for your honesty. Bon courage.
@@ourportuguesehomestead I follow Castello Branco youtubers and have noticed a clique forming, to the extent that they are now appearing increasingly in eachothers video - this is a big turn off for me as I don;t do soap operas, click bait etc. etc. I can only assume that they are fast running out of original ideas for content. Many of them now only seem to be here to freeload on what they they can get for free from advertising - another big turn off for me. Love your content, Ian from UK
A tip for learning a foreign language is listen to the local radio ( for example while gardening.....you learn the rithm of the language and in time you recognice more and more words), you stil need to do some real lessons. And you probably know that you can find lots of lessons on youtube. I am learning Swedish and only have been to Sweden twice, I do go to a course for the 3th time this winter, but I am suprised of how much I pick up by listening to the radio. ( at first you only recognice a few words, but keep doing it and it wil get better). We also do songs, search the lyrics and the translation, and listen to that song a lot.
loved your giggles in the beginning, have an inkling what you are thinking... You certainly succeeded with your olive oil, it's delicious, just to sort out the postage so nobody overpays. Can concur with the "same country" so-called friendships, there is a reason I left Germany, certain kind of people and mindset, so I certainly didn't want to meet them in Ireland. Garden and planting, I never depended on what I grow here, thankfully, I would have starved long ago, lol. My gardens have changed nearly every year over the 35 years I have been here. Planted trees, had to cut them out again, not productive/invasive/too much shadow etc. At least I got firewood from them. I will keep following you just for the sheer determination you show and I like Maarten's condemnation of politics, looking forward to another rant ;)
re: Portuguese language shortfalls and mistakes I once caused hysterics in a Lisbon call centre trying to arrange a service call-out for my frying pan (frigideira) instead of my refrigerator (frigorífico) 🤣🤣🤣
Hazel ☘️ … Very frank and honest … I like that ! I’m already counting my “mistakes” 🤫 or learning opportunities 🧐 … doesn’t matter which language or terminology you use … it kinda means the same ! The thing is we get up … dust ourselves down and move on … with hopefully a little support from family and friends … True friendship, with trust and loyalty takes trial and error … and a real friendship can be found in the oddest of places, with dare I say the strangest of characters ! It’s not about living in each other space …it’s about allowing space but being there for fun and hard times ! If it doesn’t feel right … then it isn’t … no one’s fault … quite rightly move on 🙏☘️😘
I had a boss tell me to make mistakes as fast as you can...learn from them and move forward. Sounds like you are following that good advice ! It's hard to do what you are doing..... AND every mistake is a step closer to success. Take a bow... you are doing great !
Wisdom often comes from bad decisions. You are very good to be so candid about learning from and sharing your early mistakes. Love watching your beautiful children grow. Thanks
One of the hardest lessons in life is learning from our mistakes. That you have learned & are still committed to the goals of simple living proves your worthiness to be successful in your life. Your children will benefit from your efforts. Thanks for being willing to share, & good luck in your future efforts. On a personal note, I have learned "Two Steps Forward, One Step Back". LOL? Peace, Long Life, & Health to all.
Priorities fou you both and for your kids, and especially for them is to learn the language. Besides going to a language course you could start with video lessons together. Also, Lea, a driving license would allow you much more chance to do and meet people dayly, giving you the opportunity to hear people talking in different places, market, book stores, anywhere. Practice makes perfect. And this is true, but little by little. Your energy will pay off
Somehow it's calming to know I'm not the only one making mistakes. ;) But luckily you've made no fatal mistakes and you learned from your mistakes. But on the other hand you've done a lot absolutely right, beginning with the step to move to Portugal. Your oil is great, and I'm waiting to buy more stuff from your shop. :) About Portuguese: Most likely you will learn most from your children, when they go to school and speak there only Portuguese.
Hello, you can't have nuts, have you thought about planting carouba trees like in crète island south greece,? trees are wild, producinglarge beans for animals as well for making a delicious pouder.
I don’t see the pond as a failure! It’s great you can retain as much water as you can in your land to fill the underground water reserves. As you said it can improved but not a failure . You are doing great!
Thank you for being willing to be vulnerable and talk about what didn't go as you'd thought or planned. This is helpful for others planning to follow in your path of homesteading. 🙂
As to your batteries - by all means go to Lithium but preferably Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) as they are more forgiving of being run between 1% and 99% and will give many more cycles before degrading than the more common "Lithium Ion". Also be aware that you probably need to keep a closer eye on battery voltage and/or state of charge with any Lithium battery than with lead acid.
Have you tried any of those online language schools to learn Portuguese? They might be helpful until you can attend actual classes in town. I love that you do your videos in English because it’s the only language I know. Great video as always.
So generous! Martin assured us you’ll make plenty more mistakes for us to learn from. There’s one thing you’ve got right: a great sense of humor!!! And a very robust glowing family. Keep making your kind of mistakes!
App duolingo , is great to learn basic Portuguese. Also Netflix in Portuguese language with subtitles in your language, could help too. Thanks for share your mistakes, hope I learn a bit about your starting process.
Hey Lea & Maarten, I hope that you are very well. We always enjoy your exploits, but especially this video. We moved to Portugal at about the same time as you and so many of your mistakes have also been made by us! It is good to know that we are not alone in this. Stay positive, keep moving forward. Best wishes.
Taking the drivers lincense in PT is really complicated, you have to dominate the language because there's a lot of traps in it. In the writen questions there's terms that are pure traps, you really need to know the languge because a word could have many meanings, it could have a meaning and it's oposite and in a test you'll find a lot of questions very similar but a word makes that specific question right and all the others wrong. If you don't dominate the language you'll fail.
I follow your channel for some time now. And must say that it is refreshing. Very brave of you to show also the failures. About your pond. There is a channel called The dutch farmer which made swales to catch and guide the water to his pond. Might be interesting for you guys also. Good luck on your homestead and stay no track.
@@ourportuguesehomestead yes i do know that but it is more about the swales for collecting water. Because of the heat you will lose a lot of water. Nevertheless the more you collect the more you will there will be in the end.
Love your transparency and for being honest about mistakes and what you learn from them. So helpful for others who may follow in your footsteps. Best of luck with upcoming projects.
Thank you for your honesty & openness in sharing your trials & tribulations. I admire both of you for taking on something that many of us would not have the courage to attempt. Love from Australia 💞
