Situated on the northern bank of the Sado River estuary, Setúbal, (pronounced stu-bahl) is just 48-kilometers or 30 miles from Lisbon with easy access via bus or train. A traditional Portuguese city that boats a large mercado with fresh produce, seafood and other local favorites. Nearby restaurants cook up a local favorite dish called, “choco frito,” or fried cuttlefish served with fries and a salad.

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For Jules, the wanderlust spark was ignited early in life. A free spirt by nature, she spent time in Bogotá, Colombia as an exchange student during high school. Later she attended Ohio State University where she combined her love of languages, earning a dual degree in both Spanish and English with an emphasis on Latin American studies and creative writing. She perfected her knowledge of Spanish by studying in Toledo, Spain at the José Ortega and Gassett Foundation. Her thirst for knowledge sent her back to school again where she earned a master’s degree in interdisciplinary studies with an integrated Criminal Justice Administration and Education focus from Western New Mexico University.

After college, and armed with an impressive resume, she began her career in law enforcement with the Columbia, Missouri Police Department, then worked her way up, serving as a special agent for various agencies over a twenty-three-year period. She later taught at the Academy in Brunswick, George for another five years before retiring.

“I have worked and lived overseas for a good portion of my career which took me from the Drug Enforcement Agency to the Peace Corps and State Department,” Jules explained.” “Based in Amman, Jordan for work I travelled a lot to Iraq, Pakistan, and Afghanistan,” she added. “I was responsible for the investigation and coordination of response to violent crimes against Peace Corps Volunteers in Latin America and the Pacific Rim programs. I even conducted a cold case review and massive search effort for a Peace Corps Volunteer in Bolivia, Colombia.”

In 2018 Jules and a friend visited Portugal and fell in love with the country, the culture and the people. “I knew by the end of that trip that this was where I wanted to retire, and now, here I am,” she said.

Planning

Back home Jules went into the planning stages of moving abroad until her mother became ill and needed her assistance. “I was living in North Carolina at the time and driving back and forth to Georgia weekly to help care for my mother, who had dementia,” she explained. “She passed away last year so I was free to pursue my dream of moving to Portugal. Just me and my dog, Oreo Cookie,” she added.”

Initially, Jules wanted to live in Lisbon, Portugal’s lively capital city because she loves the vibe of city life and wanted to have access to her tribe. During a second scouting trip she searched for apartments but was unable to find any that met her expectations and price range. “I wanted to be in a newer build with double glazed windows, a parking space with storage, an elevator and split air conditioner units that also provided heat,” she said. “Lisbon is old and I could not find anything new and affordable that checked off all of the boxes on my list.”

Jules connected with expats on social media groups that suggested she check out Setúbal, where she found the perfect place to call home.

Spacious

“My apartment was built in 2004, has two bedrooms, two bathrooms, is furnished, has a large kitchen, dining and living space, perfect for entertaining, a parking space with additional storage, split air conditioner units that also provide heat, and an elevator. But the best part is the million-dollar view! Huge sliding glass doors face out onto the bay and the Troia peninsula! I’m so lucky to have found this apartment. It is a spacious 137 square meters (1,475 square feet) which is huge by local standards.”

Setúbal, with its sizeable expat community, offers plenty of options for newcomers to make friends with likeminded people. Expats can connect with others for walking groups, to play backgammon or poker, go dancing, watch movies, exercise, sip coffee or wine at locals cafes, and much more.

It was last April that Jules unpacked her suitcases and began to embrace her new life in Portugal. Since that time, she adopted a new puppy so that her older dog would have a playmate, made friends and began to learn the Portuguese language.

“The area also has a big music scene with dances, a great place to make new friends, or I can attend regular expat meetups,” Jules added. For more nightlife, culture and gastronomy, Lisbon is just a short commute away too.

Author

Terry Coles has been writing about living and travelling abroad since she left the US in 2011. She and her husband have lived in Panama and now reside in Portugal. 

Terry Coles