MEREDITH

[ 00:00:05 ] Portugal junkies, it's been a hard week. I think we're all likely going through um a true cycle of grief over the last few days. I know Mark and I are definitely going through our own individual stages of that um, and we're just trying to wrestle with our emotions and reactions and sadness and worry about the election results this week in the United States. Uh, uh, we've failed a lot of people. We failed Kamala; we failed marginalized populations across the U.S. s too many to name we failed sexual assault survivors and the ones that didn't survive we failed black and brown people we failed a lot of people as a country and i say the collective we but you guys know what i mean um i'm on here today because i feel like i needed to have a response because we've never shied away from speaking our minds about what we're doing and what we're doing and and we are actually we're and now and we're coming right in where we must continue to in old the presidential seat. We're struggling with what to do with those in our lives who still stand by supporting what we now have for the next four years. So that's part of our grief cycle right now, even sitting here in Portugal. And I will say from a female perspective, as a woman, I don't think I've ever felt as small as I do this week. So I also am very relieved that we've made the choice to do this. We've made the choice to be sitting here in Portugal. Not that Portugal is perfect and not that it makes the emotional worry and distress for our family and friends there in the U. S. go away. But there is an element for me that I'm glad that we made this decision in 2023 to move here. I think the problem with all of those emotions is that as an immigrant, a very real present thought in my mind the past two or three days has been that I don't know if I can actually go home again. And that is something hard to say out loud. Because we came over here without a plan. You know, we didn't move from Charlotte with the intention of never coming home. We also never gave up on the idea that maybe we wouldn’t come home. So there was no plan about that, but it’s very, very difficult to think about returning at this point. And so I say those things because I know that a lot of people who have listened to our podcast and become part of our community are wanting to understand all of the emotional ramifications of a move like we did. And so I’m being very honest about how I feel about that. You know, Mark is from England. He’s already immigrated twice. And I think he is very much willing to not go back. I think the problem was, is that that was his dream. America was his dream as an English kid growing up in the 80s. And he's dealing with the grief of that that dream is just no longer what it once was. So that's where we are. That's the honest perspective from immigrants who have moved to Portugal from the U. S. for some of these reasons before they even hit the fan this week. But we're really. I think we're very much. Trying to just get through our grief and our suffering of our hopes being dashed. And our disappointment. So, you know, since May, when we launched this podcast, we have been very dedicated to bringing you a new episode every single Friday. And we will continue to do that. But this week is going to be our week that we take for ourselves and. Grieve. Because that's what's happening. Next week, we will be back. And I think our discussion will be our. Kind of download of all of this. And honestly. Our collective next steps. Right. For anyone who is. In that mode of what do we do now? Whether it has. Anything to do with leaving the U. S. Or what action steps are for women. I think that's an appropriate thing to talk about next week. And we will bring you an episode next week. Let's talk about what's the plan now? You know, what's has the election changed your plans about your future? And if that does include a potential move abroad or to Portugal. We have resources out there in our stand store. That includes booking a call with us. If you want to pick our brain about anything and everything. We have resources on our website and our stand store. Also, about who to talk to professionally before you make decisions. And if you need help moving over here, our lawyer and our CPA have agreed to a partnership with us. To provide a discount for our listeners that are out there. Also, their list of services is out there so that you can get to know what they actually can offer you. And I just want to make sure that this week, even though we're not bringing you a traditional episode, that you do have some resources to be looking at if you are in that mode of, okay, what are my next steps? So again. If you have any questions about what we're offering, you know, we're going to be happy to answer those. And our stand store is on our Instagram. Our Tick. Talk and our, I believe it's on our Facebook page as well. It's. HTTPS. Colon backslash backslash. Stand dot store. And then slash Portugal junkies. But. The links are there. In the bios on our Instagram page. And our tick. Talk page under Portugal junkies handle, so I encourage you to look at those links. Those resources and anything and everything that can be helpful to you. We are trying to provide and we're sending our love and hugs and I guess collective grief at this point this week and we will be back next week. So take care of yourselves.