IT'S OFFICIAL: I'M MOVING TO LISBON

I have this clear moment in my mind last year in California when my beloved Bruno wakes up and said directly: "You know what? I want to study Psicology... in Lisbon". In that precise moment my heart started bitting pretty fast and I had to pinch myself like 5 or 6 times. "I'm still sleeping, this is a nightmare." 

When I was a kid I used to fantasize with my best friend about moving to Lisbon, every now and then we'd go visit CASA store (all for your house) and pick up kitchen ware, decorations, blankets for our future new home. Yes, our dream was to move together to Lisbon just because we had a crazy passion for this beautiful city. Years passing, we forgot about this idea, we definitly didn't want to move to a busy place, crowded with people who only cares for their lives. We both went to College close to our homes so we didn't have that need of moving to the capital anymore. 

After College I started traveling full on and never thought about it anymore. Sometimes I'd talk with friends who moved there and was the best thing they have done, especially professionally speaking, more opportunities and more things to do. South Portugal has a lot of quality of life but Winters are rough, not a lot of activities and cool things to do going on, I usually get really depressed and few years ago I decided to be away of South Portugal every Winter just because I was surviving that time, not living happily. Traveling overseas was always the perfect excuse. 

Also, Bruno is from Lisbon so the last years together I go to Lisbon often just to hang out in the streets and photograph (always feel super inspired to take pics in Lisbon, might be all those old building and tiles in the walls) and started develop a new passion for this city. Remember my Ten Cities I'd Live for One Year List? Yep, Lisbon was included. Not that actually I'd move there one day. 

Of course it was a shock when Bruno showed me his desire to go study in Lisbon FIVE YEARS. You know exactly what this mean right? Living 5 years in the same place? Me? Perhaps will happen one day, but not right now. Slowly, slowly, I started getting more and more excited about this idea, exploring Lisbon can be a great way of traveling! Also, there are fascinating spots around Lisbon I really want to visit. But life is not only traveling, need to get money, but how? For sure it's easier to find a Social Worker job in Lisbon than South Portugal but that means I had to stay in the same job for at least 2 or 3 years (duration of social projects, usually) and I'm not prepared for that right now. Since Lisbon is the land of opportunities and I have this hunger for learning, why not going to a photography, video, photoshop courses? Why not? 

Something I learned all these years traveling: Is not about the place you live, is all about you and the way your embrace you daily routine + lifestyle. That means, I don't need to be in a subway one hour everyday if I don't want to. I can simply live in my area in Lisbon, like I'm living in a small community: grocery shopping in the local market, going to the movies there, cycle everywhere and join as many activities there as possible. I know at some point I have to get that damn bus or subway but doesn't have to be necessarily every-single-day. Weekends will be for road trips. 

All Summer long Bruno was going to exams and interviews since he applied to University in a special program for over 23 years old portuguese people. And the final answer would be September 10th. We wanted to organize our lives, to plan things but we couldn't. Inside me I knew exactly he would make it, Bruno has a lucky star and when he wants something he goes far to achieve it. So yeah, few days ago we had the new: APPROVED! In the University he wanted for the course he wants. I can't express my happiness in words so I just leave my story here. 

I will always travel, actually me and my best friend are already planning our trip together to Asia in the beggining of 2016. But from now, Lisbon will be my base. Lisbon will be home for me. Did I mention that we are already thinking which country he will do a student's exchange? haha I picked Brazil. 

Have you been in Lisbon before? Are you from Lisbon? Please tell me all the great places to visit - eat - play - to go out at night. All your hidden secrets, I won't tell anyone :D

Images Sources: ONE | TWO | THREE