We’ve now formally been in a State of Emergency for a month right here in Portugal (though, we self-isolated a few weeks earlier than that).

And, whereas the world has been fully flipped on its head, we’ve by some means discovered our footing and a way of calm throughout the chaos. 

At present, a lot of the world is at a standstill. 

Wild animals are taking on cities. 

Pets have their people residence with them fulltime. 

Children aren’t in college.

{Couples} and households are spending 100% of the day collectively.

Jobs have been misplaced.

Lives have been misplaced.

Wow.

When has this ever occurred ?! Definitely not throughout my lifetime. So naturally, it’s a combined bag of feelings. 

It’s been actually fascinating to witness the phases that Nick and I’ve been going by means of. Once I learn again on the final replace that I wrote, it’s wonderful how a lot has modified in only one month.

Perhaps you’ll be able to relate? 

On this article, not solely am I sharing what Nick and I’ve been as much as, and the way we’re feeling about all of this, however you’ll hear from fellow travellers and digital nomads who’re at present overseas as nicely. They’re in lockdown in locations like Colombia, Grenada, Thailand, India and extra.

Stage 1: Concern and Panic

At first, for us, there was numerous worry, panic, and uncertainty — most of which was placed on us by third events.

The Canadian Authorities referred to as again all residents. You should return residence. 

Flights had been cancelled. 

Borders had been closed.

Insurance coverage corporations stopped protection. 

Freedoms had been being taken away proper earlier than our eyes. 

Loads of scary phrases had been thrown round — pandemic, lockdown, isolation, quarantine, stranded, cancelled, unemployed, virus, dying toll… 

Our 90-day allowance in the Schengen Zone would expire in 1 month, and we weren’t certain what would occur when that date rolled round (overstaying may end up in fines, and issues returning to the Schengen zone once more in the long run). 

Travelling wherever throughout this time could be hectic, anxious and doubtlessly harmful to our well being and the well being of others. 

What ought to we do?!

We determined to remain put in Portugal and hoped that the remainder would determine itself out.

Stage 2: Stress and Frustration

As the times glided by, and the coronavirus began to rear its ugly head in Canada and Grenada, we had been getting extra involved in regards to the well being and nicely being of our family members in each of our residence international locations.

I had heard nothing again from the immigration workplace right here in Portugal relating to extending our Schengen keep. 

Our expat insurance coverage firm was insisting that because it’s a World Pandemic and since we determined to not return to Canada, that we had been now not coated below our present coverage.

Despite the fact that we have now “expat” insurance coverage (not “journey” insurance coverage) that was bought nicely earlier than any of this occurred, and had been on the highway months earlier than anybody was even speaking about Coronavirus. 

Businesswise, our web site site visitors was abysmal and our earnings dropped over night time.

Nobody was looking for travel-related issues — however quite, panicking and looking out up methods to make hand sanitizer and face masks at residence, or how one can make meals out of nothing. 

Folks had been fearful about what would occur to their jobs and livelihood, so it’s no shock that they weren’t spending cash on our on-line programs and merchandise throughout a time of monetary uncertainty.

Promoting spends had been virtually zero that means our advert income was decrease than it had been since we activated adverts on this weblog. We misplaced a few purchasers who paid us a set month-to-month charge, affiliate gross sales had been approach down (once more, nobody was reserving excursions or lodges), and sadly, we too needed to (briefly) let a few of our group go.

Receiving a 65% drop in web site site visitors, which in the end translated to an earnings drop, was undoubtedly anxious. 

However, that is the norm proper now for many individuals world wide, and we’re assured that issues will choose up once more.

Stage 3: Calm and Readability

Lastly, we got here by means of the worry, panic, stress and frustration phases.

…all inside simply a few weeks!

At present, for the previous week or so, we’ve discovered ourselves in a spot of calm and gratitude. 

Every part has labored itself out up to now in our lives, because it at all times appears to. 

Our Airbnb host tell us that, as a result of pandemic, he had cancellations and we may lengthen our keep — months if we wanted.

Staying in the identical condominium that we had been in for the previous Four weeks is reassuring throughout a interval of turbulence.

After a lot backwards and forwards with our expat insurance coverage supplier, they despatched us amended phrases to the coverage to incorporate: 

“…in case you are already at that vacation spot on the date a warning is issued, protection will stay in impact till your coverage expiry date.”

So, we’re nonetheless coated!

The entire uncertainty surrounding overstaying our authorized allowance in the Schengen Zone was answered as nicely.

The immigration workplaces right here introduced that each one paperwork referring to the keep of foreigners in Portugal might be mechanically prolonged till June 30, and we obtained direct affirmation from the Canadian embassy in Lisbon through e mail as nicely. 

Sure!

Businesswise, whereas we’re nonetheless incomes lower than pre-pandemic days, issues have already began to select up, principally in the distant and on-line work part of our web site. 

I feel (much like us), folks have gone by means of the curler coaster of feelings and have discovered a spot of readability. It appears many are actually prepared to show lemons into lemonade.

We’re now seeing many individuals using this downtime to earn a facet earnings, and begin initiatives they didn’t have time for in the previous — reminiscent of instructing English, taking a course, or beginning an internet site.

Which is definitely what we’re doing as nicely!

We have now a few new web sites on the go and really feel actually good about them. Nick can be including weekly movies to our youtube channel and we have now one other concept in the works. 

We’re feeling centered and extra productive than ever. 

Well being and fitness-wise, we’re so grateful that right here in Portugal we’re capable of go outdoors to train. There’s a pleasant stroll to a leafy inexperienced park that we do twice a day, and buddies of ours invited us to exercise on-line with them. 

With the ability to get recent air and transfer our our bodies every day has been a lifesaver (in many locations proper now, you’re not allowed outdoors to train. Extra on that beneath).

There’s a big number of wholesome (and never so wholesome) meals on the grocery shops, and buying is a really relaxed, civil affair.

And truly, resulting from the price of residing being a lot decrease right here, we’re spending 75% lower than we had been on groceries in Grenada. 

Excessive-quality Portuguese wine is out there for €2.50/bottle (no significantly, it’s actually good wine!). Should you’ve been following us for some time, you’ll know that we’re crimson wine lovers, so it is a good bonus throughout isolation.

I imagine we undoubtedly made the fitting alternative in staying in Portugal. 

Digital Nomads and Full-Time Travellers Overseas

When the governments had been calling again their residents, many travellers and digital nomads had been not sure of what to do. 

We maintain Canadian passports, however we aren’t residents of that nation — we don’t have a house there, no healthcare protection anymore, and many others. 

Grenada has been our residence, however throughout all of this, they closed their borders.

We all know so many people who find themselves in related positions as us — they don’t have a set “residence” and briefly stay in totally different international locations world wide, or they repeatedly journey. 

We all know a number of {couples} who maintain a special passport than their vital different, so that they’d have to separate up in the event that they had been to return to their nation of citizenship proper now. In order that’s (clearly) not an possibility.  

It’s been fascinating to listen to from our buddies, followers, and fellow digital nomads about their present conditions. Listed below are a few of their tales from across the globe. 

A Filipina and British Nationwide Couple in Mexico 

Good buddies, travellers and digital nomads, Tom and Anna, are in Mexico. Right here’s what they’ve mentioned:

“We’re at present situated in Playa del Carmen, Mexico they usually have solely began implementing quarantine legal guidelines. You’re now not allowed to go to the seashores and carrying face masks is now obligatory.

Some grocery shops solely permit one member of the family inside and have employees disinfecting the carts as you go in.

We determined to remain in Mexico as each Tom and I maintain totally different passports.

My visa for the UK had expired and he couldn’t fly to the Philippines both. Mexico provides 6-month vacationer visas so it isn’t an enormous downside for lots of people. We haven’t heard if they’re doing extensions simply but.”

A Canadian and An American in Hungary

Fellow bloggers, digital nomads and buddies Sarah and Nathan say:

“We landed in Budapest after fleeing Sicily when the nation went into lockdown pondering we’d simply be right here per week. Then the entire world shut down and we needed to resolve the place to go.

“Dwelling” wasn’t an possibility as we’re nomadic, plus we’re from totally different international locations (Canada and USA) and the borders had been closed. The very best plan gave the impression to be to remain put so we discovered a pleasant condominium to experience it out.

We’re allowed out for necessities and for train however as we’re in town heart the closest inexperienced area is a 30-minute stroll away.

Mainly, we keep residence apart from to grocery store on Tuesdays and to go for a 2-hour stroll on Thursday. Fortunately wine is reasonable and there’s Wolt meals supply for the occasional pizza!

We’ll be making an appointment on the immigration workplace to increase our keep in Hungary, however for now, we have now greater than a month left on our Schengen keep.”

An American in The Philippines 

Our good good friend Justin lives in the Philippines, and that is what’s occurring there proper now. 

“I’m at present on the island of Negros Oriental in the Philippines and have been since earlier than lockdown. Supposedly our metropolis, Dumaguete, had the primary Coronavirus dying outdoors of China, so officers acted a lot sooner than the west and locked us down.

All journey to and from the island was stopped, each flights and ferries, and finally, we had been ordered into obligatory residence curfew on April third.

The navy did come round to take out vacationers that had been caught and wished to go residence, however I made a decision to remain, for numerous causes.

The primary motive is that I’m married to a Filipina, and though we are able to journey a lot of the world collectively, she hasn’t but obtained a inexperienced card or vacationer visa for the States.

The opposite causes are that no place is admittedly protected, and on the time, my residence nation of the USA was not taking it significantly and I figured it could get a lot worse there. I used to be proper.

Now we’re in residence lockdown, and we get a color-coded day go that claims once we can go outdoors, for meals solely.

Every go permits for two particular days per week, throughout the hours of 8am to 1pm. It’s a reasonably small window however as there are not any instances right here now, it’s working.

There have been no rushes on grocery shops (the one companies open), they usually have loads of meals and bathroom paper out there.

When the lockdown was about to occur I went to immigration to increase my visa, they usually mentioned that folks that overstay their visas due to the journey ban received’t obtain penalties or prices.

They mentioned to simply keep residence and visas could be sorted later. Which is nice.”

Individuals in Colombia

Fellow digital nomads, buddies and running a blog colleagues Sasha and Rachel are at present in Medellin, Colombia. Right here’s what’s occurring there:

“We had deliberate to go away Medellin on March 30th to take the boat journey to Panama by means of the San Blas Islands. Every part occurred so quick – the islands closed, the borders closed, my Spanish college closed, after which immediately the whole lot shut down in Colombia.

We determined to remain as a substitute of including to the panic as we had already paid hire and we prefer it right here.

The lockdown has been prolonged and gotten extra intense, although. We will solely depart the home one after the other (primarily based on the final # of your ID) for necessities. 

They’re rotating the times folks can exit to offer folks honest entry to banks. This week we are able to every exit twice however subsequent week solely as soon as.

Just about the whole lot is closed right here besides grocery shops, banks, and pharmacies. Many eating places are open however strictly for supply.

We’re not even allowed outdoors for train. A fellow nomad was not too long ago fined 900,000 COP ($225) for being out in the park throughout from their condominium! 

Apparently, they’re not going to make an enormous deal about overstaying visas — in spite of everything, there may be nowhere to go! However we’re very a lot in a “wait and see” scenario in the meanwhile.”

UK Residents in India

Diane, considered one of our readers, has reported this from India:

“We’re stranded in Goa, India. At first, the lockdown was horrible. It was applied with 4 hours’ discover, given at 8:00 pm in the night to come back into impact at midnight.

All retailers had been already closed and so it wasn’t even doable for folks to purchase meals to get them by means of the lockdown.

For the primary few days, folks had been out searching for meals and water, that they had no alternative. If the police caught anybody out, they had been beating them with sticks.

After 5 days of that, the lockdown was relaxed sufficient to permit small retailers to open, nonetheless, it was solely the small retailers, most of which carry solely fundamental objects reminiscent of rice and lentils, they usually in a short time ran out of inventory.

It’s higher now. The inventory provide line has been restored, retailers are open once more and the police have stopped beating folks.

It’s nonetheless not simple although. Just one individual per family is allowed out, there isn’t any provision for train — important buying solely.

The UK has began evacuation flights, lastly, however they’ve roughly 30,000 folks to evacuate from throughout India, and the flights are prohibitively costly.

Plus, there aren’t going to be sufficient seats for everybody so it appears like we may very well be caught right here for some time.

We had been capable of lengthen our vacationer visas till April 30th. Hopefully, they are going to lengthen vacationer visas once more and we are able to wait it out till business flights resume.”

A Canadian in Thailand

One of our readers, and full-time traveller, made the choice to hunker-down in Thailand the place he was when issues broke out.

On Koh Samui island, the seashores, important retailers, and grocery shops are open. Bars and eating places are closed, however takeaway is allowed. He can cycle and stroll round. And, Thailand mechanically prolonged overseas visas.

Individuals in Costa Rica

Diane and David, home and pet sitters and readers of ours, discovered themselves in Costa Rica throughout the pandemic, right here’s what they are saying:

“We had been solely speculated to be pet sitting/housesitting for five weeks, however now we’ll be right here for 90 days — most of our visa.

Costa Rica has been a extremely good place to be throughout this time. They took Covid-19 significantly early on. We really feel fairly “protected” right here and aren’t essentially trying ahead to returning to Arizona.

We’ve been capable of exit and take walks. If we go to go somebody, every stays a minimum of 6 toes from others as a courtesy. Everybody appears to be following the dictates.

Every part is closed apart from meals shops and pharmacies. Even the weekly farmers’ market was closed for 1-2 weeks, however now’s open for 2 days as a substitute of only one, with each different stall occupied. Admittance is monitored and foot site visitors inside is one-way.

Each retailer worker is frequently cleansing issues off. Hand sanitizer in spray bottles with paper towel on rolls all over the place. Most retailer workers put on masks and hospital-style gloves

Between now and the top of April they’ve reduce driving by 20%; vehicles with license plates ending in “1 or 2” can’t drive on Monday, ending with “Three or 4” can’t drive on Tuesday, and so forth.”

Australians in Grenada

Our shut buddies, bloggers and travellers, Vivien and Aaron, are at present in Grenada. Right here’s their story:

“We’d simply spent three days travelling from Australia to Grenada, arriving solely two weeks earlier than Coronavirus began affecting flights. Our plan was to be primarily based across the Caribbean for the yr anyway, so in our minds we had been the place we wished to be.

At current, the island is in full lockdown mode.

Nobody is allowed to stroll outdoors of their houses apart from designated buying days (2-Three days per week).

Final week, buying occasions had been separated into surnames. Folks from A-M may store between 8am to 12pm and surnames N-Z from 12pm to 5pm.

Purchasing guidelines have now modified to everybody going without delay.

Petrol is restricted to someday per week.

Aside from one parish (state) you must stay inside your space as there are police barricades between them.

Everybody have to be inside at residence between 7pm and 7am.

There’s no socializing allowed of any variety, so we’ve been fairly restricted. Final week there was no sale of alcohol allowed on the island, however this week you’re allowed to buy on buying days and eat at residence (with out others).

It has been fairly intense, however a minimum of we have now an ideal little condominium with a view of the ocean (though we are able to’t go right down to swim in it). We’ve been specializing in our weblog, doing a little gardening and staying related through on-line chat platforms.

There was speaking of “easing” the restrictions subsequent week. However we’re unsure what that can imply simply but.

When it comes to extending visas, we’re not certain that’s on the federal government’s radar simply but. At this level, there are not any flights in or in a foreign country for the foreseeable future. So, nobody goes wherever, even when their visas have expired.”

Canadians in Portugal

Lastly, what’s it like right here for us Goats?!

The State of Emergency has been prolonged an extra 2 weeks in Portugal (they will solely lengthen in 2-week increments), to deliver us to Could 2, 2020.

The President is saying they are going to hopefully begin opening up companies slowly after this 2 week interval is up.

At present, we’re allowed out for day by day train, can go grocery buying (any day of the week), and the weekly farmer’s market is open once more.

We will go to the pharmacy, take public transportation, go to some bakeries and butchers, and order takeaway meals instantly from eating places, or on apps reminiscent of Uber Eats.

We don’t want any passes to go outdoors, and we’re allowed out collectively.

No social gatherings allowed and no going out simply since you really feel prefer it — important causes reminiscent of train or meals solely. 

Fingers crossed issues open up quickly! However for now, we’re grateful for the freedoms that we have now. 

Going Ahead

So, there you’ve it. One month down, who is aware of what number of extra to go.

All I do know is I’m so happy with the best way Portugal is dealing with issues, and we really feel protected, safe and blissful right here in Lisbon.

And, fortunately, Nick and I’ve discovered our groove throughout isolation.

We’re snug working on-line from residence. We’ve been doing it for years, so it’s regular for us.

We’re fully used to being with one another 24/7, as that’s what we’ve at all times carried out since we give up our jobs and began travelling again in 2008. 

However, I do know that’s not the case for many individuals throughout these unusual occasions. My finest bit of recommendation is to simply do what feels best for you, and what you want in every second.

Should you really feel like sleeping in and watching Netflix some days, do it.

Should you want a while away out of your partner and children, go have a shower, or shut the bed room door and browse a e-book.

Should you really feel like Spring cleansing your complete home, nice.

If you wish to analysis and plan on your subsequent journey, go for it!

Should you’d quite begin a brand new facet enterprise, venture, or creation, then that’s excellent too.

No matter you’re doing, attempt to hold energetic and wholesome as a lot as doable. Should you’re not allowed outdoors, think about becoming a member of health courses or yoga courses on YouTube.

Psychological, bodily and emotional well being is so necessary throughout this time. Test-in on others, assist out the place (and if) you’ll be able to, and be variety to your self.

As at all times, thanks for being part of our Tribe!

We actually get pleasure from sharing our story with you, and love listening to from you as nicely. So, please be at liberty to e mail or touch upon this put up.

Keep protected and nicely. 

Like This Article? Pin it!

Disclaimer: Some hyperlinks in this text are affiliate hyperlinks, which signifies that if you are going to buy by means of them, we obtain a small fee. It will by no means price you additional and in many instances you obtain a particular low cost. We respect your assist!