Episode 63: Expat's Worldwide: Singapore to Madeira: An Expat's Guide to Island Living

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Rachel: Welcome back to Truly Expat Podcast. This episode is the beginning of our expats worldwide. Topic. What we do here is we are going to interview real stories, insights, and adventures from expats living all across the globe. Whether you are navigating a new culture, settling into a foreign city, or just dreaming your next international move, we are here to connect you with the voices and experiences of expats who've been there, done that, and are still figuring it out. Hope you enjoy,

Paula: welcome back to the Truly Expat Podcast. I'm Paula. And as always, I'm joined by my co host, Rachel. Today, we're taking you on a journey to the stunning island of Madeira, Portugal, as we chat with Sophian.

Paula: Oh, about life as an expat in this Atlantic paradise from the cost of living and local culture to the ins and outs of visas, transport, and even retiring in Madeira, [00:01:00] Sophian shares his firsthand experience of what it's really like to call the island home. Whether you're considering a move, dreaming of a retirement escape, or just curious about what life is like in Portugal, this episode is packed with insights you won't want to miss.

Paula: So grab a cup of coffee. Sit down and let's dive into our conversation with Sophian. Welcome. 

Sophian: Hello. Hi. How are you guys? 

Rachel: Yeah, great. Thanks for joining us. 

Sophian: No worries. Thanks for inviting. Really glad to be joining you guys today. It's a morning in Madeira. 

Paula: It's a morning, so it's evening here and it's afternoon in Singapore, isn't it, Rach?

Paula: Yeah. Um, so I guess where, what we want to know is, so what brought you to Madeira, you know, and what made you choose this destination or that destination over any other one? 

Sophian: Well, that's, that's a long story to share. It's not all weird. [00:02:00] Well, how I got to Madeira was, um, a First I got to Lisbon. I moved to Lisbon back in 2020 during the pandemic, and I knew a little bit about Madeira from, uh, vloggers on YouTube.

Sophian: And I, as I did more research, I was more curious about the island because a lot of people were talking about how Madeira is like the Hawaii of Europe. And so eventually I went to Madeira for a visit in 2021, uh, during Christmas time. And I, I really liked it, but. Um, you know, I, interestingly at that time, even though I was a tourist, I could see myself living in Madeira.

Sophian: However, I wasn't so sure because of, you know, of, um, experiencing island fever. And then I came back a year later and I really liked Madeira a lot, especially when it was very cold and wet in Brisbane. And I just like, I thought this is a perfect paradise to escape the, you know, to, to be in the [00:03:00] winter sun.

Sophian: So that's how I end up in Madeira. I decided to move to Madeira back in 2022. And yeah, that's it. Yeah, so I've been here for about a year and a half now. 

Paula: Oh, wow. And so, where are you originally from? 

Sophian: Um, well, interesting enough that your podcast is based in Singapore, and I'm, I'm, you know, a native Singaporean, born and raised in Singapore.

Sophian: Yeah, so, yeah, so we are, uh, officially on records. Um, I'm one of the two Singaporeans living here in Madeira Island. Yeah, and um, yeah, so I, I, I, I, you know, I was born and raised in Singapore most of my life and then I, I moved to Australia and, uh, after moving to Australia, I decided to move to Portugal to give it a go.

Sophian: And, and since then, since I moved to Portugal, I, I, yeah, I've Thought of going back to Australia or Singapore anymore. 

Paula: It's funny you [00:04:00] said about island fever, considering that all you've done is live on islands, right? Yes, exactly. 

Sophian: I think I've got to think of more islands. I'm doing my island hopping. 

Rachel: And how does it compare?

Rachel: How does Madeira compare to Singapore? 

Sophian: Um, it's almost the same size as St. Claude, just maybe slightly larger by 20 kilometers wide, 20 kilometers wider, but the, uh, you know, the nature here is stunning. If you're into nature, walks and hikings, you know, hikes, this is the perfect place. Um, you know, the interesting part is that, When I talk to Madeirans about Singapore, you know, about the country that I grew up with, everybody was stunned how much smaller Singapore is than Madeira, but yet we've got more than 6 million people in Singapore.

Sophian: So in Madeira, it's only about 300, 000. you know, people on this island. So that's a huge gap. Yeah. [00:05:00]So, so people, people over here, the locals cannot fathom like how you managed to fit 6 million in a small island. Yeah. But it's very much similar in terms of weather wise. I mean, of course, Madeira weather is better than Singapore.

Sophian: It's sub tropical, it's very much like Queensland in a way. You know, so the winters are very mild and dry and, and I think at the very most it goes down to, the lowest it ever got down was 10 degrees and then during the day it's like 23, 25 degrees in the winter. Yes. So it's pretty nice, yeah. But so, having said that, Madeira is, has also like microclimates, so in the coastal areas you get like, you know, it'll be about 23 to 25 degrees, and now in the mountains it could be like 3 degrees or even minus 1.

Paula: And do you have a, you have an international airport there though? 

Sophian: We do have international airport. One international airport, Christiano Ronaldo, international Airport. 

Paula: Oh, is it ? 

Sophian: [00:06:00] Yeah. So everybody would know Madeira because of Christiano? Yeah, 

Paula: Ronald. Ah, wow. That's fantastic. Is he from there? 

Sophian: Yeah. He's originally born in on this island.

Sophian: He grew up here and that's where he started his, his football career. And from there he, he was, uh, he was offered to, to be in a, in a football team on, on mainland, in a continent. Um, and yeah, that kind of kick off his career and yeah, and, uh, Ronaldo actually does come, he has a property over here and he does come here every now and then, especially during Christmas and New Year's.

Sophian: Oh, wow. 

Paula: Okay. Rach, I think we need to go on a holiday. 

Sophian: Yes, we have to come here, but only during Christmas and New Year's. 

Paula: And so how would you describe the expat community on the island? 

Sophian: It is quite different over here compared to Lisbon. Um, where I used to live, uh, Lisbon be here. Uh, I mean, there's a [00:07:00] variety of, of, of expats.

Sophian: You, you get a lot of British, uh, you know, British people, uh, and British tourists over here. Um, and it's, it feels like, you know, compared to continent, people here speak more English. So it's a bit easier, you know, because the, the island, um, it relies. Uh, you know, heavily on tourism, so we've got a lot of British, uh, travelers over here, American travelers, Canadians, we have direct flights to these countries too.

Paula: Okay. 

Sophian: And, um, yeah, and, and you get a lot of, interestingly, you get a lot of Germans over here because of the warm weather, I guess. 

Paula: Yeah. And, 

Sophian: um, um, also you do get, like, South Africans, you know, who have links to Madeira. So that's why I feel that, you know, when I go around, I hear more, uh, English accents and South African accents rather than American accents.

Sophian: Yeah, whereas in Lisbon, I hear more American accents.[00:08:00]

Rachel: Yeah. Ah, so it's quite diverse there, but mainly British. Yeah, 

Sophian: it is. It is. Yeah, it's pretty diverse over here. Um, but also, like, having said that, there's like all these other little communities from Venezuela, from, um, you know, pockets of communities like from Venezuela, Brazil, and other, you know, other parts of the world.

Sophian: So, yeah, so the Singapore community, we just make up a very small slice of, of, you know, the expat community. 

Rachel: Oh, that's cool. And, what's the cost of living like there? Is it expensive? Well, 

Sophian: I would, I wouldn't say it's like Singapore, it's still You know, that's okay. This is interesting. I find that there are some things that seem to be more expensive than Singapore, but some things are, you know, more affordable than Singapore.

Sophian: Of course, you know, having said that, you know, Singapore has all the hawker centers, which you don't have the hawker centers away. [00:09:00] So when, when you go out, you are looking at spending at least about. 10 15 euros and 15 euros is is for the for a decent meal And if you want to splash out a little bit, you know, maybe 30 euros But you know, that's 30 euros is still okay.

Sophian: Fairly okay. 

Paula: Not too 

Sophian: bad. Um, and then, yeah, and so there's not, if you want to go to food courts, it's mainly in Funchal. A lot of things happen in Funchal. Uh, so if you are talking about transportation itself, you need, if you are living outside of the capital city Funchal, you really do need a car. It's best to have a car.

Sophian: So having a car is one thing. So that's part of the living expenses. Um, and then, um, And then in terms of living costs, it's, uh, it feels a bit more expensive than the continent, but still fairly affordable. Um, you know, prices are a bit higher because of everything that has to be shipped over here. 

Paula: And 

Sophian: sometimes [00:10:00] things you have to wait for quite a while to get things shipped.

Sophian: For example, if I want to get Ikea. products. They don't have IKEA on this island, but they have a little IKEA store where you can order some products and it maybe take up to one month to to ship over here. 

Paula: Wow. 

Sophian: So logistic wise it can get a bit challenging. 

Paula: And, and housing, is it mainly houses or units or?

Sophian: Yeah. Um, if you're, there are apartments around the island, uh, but mainly they're focused more in Funchal, the capital city, and just within the, uh, within the area that this the other little towns closer to Funchal, um, and yeah, even where I am, there's like two apartment blocks over here, but mainly there are houses.

Sophian: Personally, for me, you know, like coming from Brisbane, Oh, coming from Singapore, I prefer to, you know, when I'm living in Madeira, I prefer to live in a house than in an apartment. Yeah, I like to have the bigger space a [00:11:00] little bit. Yeah. 

Rachel: Yeah, nice. You can have a backyard and yeah. 

Sophian: Yeah, exactly. Exactly. So yeah, you have a backyard, you have more space, you have, you know, two levels, you have different rooms to go to.

Sophian: Because I think. When I was living in Singapore, yeah, it's, it's, it's pretty small and, and, and I have to go out in order to keep myself safe 

Paula: at times. 

Sophian: Yeah. 

Paula: Yeah. 

Sophian: So whereas here I'm more comfortable, you know, comfortable at home. I can, I can hang out in the living room. I can hang out in the study room. I can, I got different, I can hang out in the backyard or go out to the outdoor patio.

Sophian: So that's, it's nice to have the option. 

Paula: That's the Australian coming out on you now.

Paula: We like our big homes. Yeah, 

Sophian: I got used to it without even realizing that I actually like bigger spaces. 

Paula: Yeah. And is it expensive to rent? [00:12:00]

Sophian: Um. Currently, I think it really depends. Um, there are expensive places to rent. There are some places like they would charge like, you know, up to 10, 000 euros a month.

Sophian: Which, you know, some people might be able to afford, but I feel like in Madeira, for this island alone, it's not, it's not practical in that sense to, to, to, you know, yeah, because we are not like a financial center like Singapore, you know, a lot of people come here to for a different purpose of life. They come here to retire.

Sophian: Madeira is, is. It's very much known back then in the past as a place for the newly weds and the newly deads.

Paula: I love that. 

Sophian: Yeah. So, yeah. So it's not really like a place where you, you, you, you know, financial center where you, you have a lot of banks and, and, and services and stuff, professional things going on. And, and, um, yeah, so I think if you're talking about decent space, maybe you're, you're looking at [00:13:00] maybe like 800 euros to.

Sophian: 2000 euros. Yeah. Depending on size, it could be, uh, a studio or one bedroom or two bedroom. Yeah. I think for, for the expats, they are mainly, they can afford to live in Funchal. For the locals, it's getting a bit more difficult because, uh, their minimum salary is actually quite low compared to digital nomads or something.

Sophian: Yeah. 

Rachel: Yeah, and how much is it to buy a house? Is it reasonably affordable? 

Sophian: Um, it's affordable if you go out of Funchal. Yeah, let's say if you were to go like, uh, to the, to the north of the island, especially or to the west of the island, it can range like, you know, from 150, 000 euros all the way to, uh, 600, 000.

Sophian: Yeah. Depending on the area. Yeah. Because especially, uh, I mean, there are a lot of properties that are left in ruins. If you want, if you are up for a challenge, [00:14:00] you can buy a property for about 100, 000 euros. You know, you can spend the extra cash to, to, to build, you know, to customize the house that you want to live in and it's possible, it's possible that there are different ranges, even though like a lot of people say that Madeira is getting more expensive, but I feel like, you know, if you actually do your research and you look up for all the spaces, there are affordable spaces to, to live, whether you are willing to, um, Move to a more, uh, slightly more remote location or not.

Sophian: Yeah, that's, that's entirely up to, you know, I, I say it's, it's a person's decision. Yeah, it's very much of a personal decision. Yeah, for, for myself, I, I want to be, I, I like to be in the countryside. Um, but I want to also be connected to the city, so, so for, for myself, where I am, it's about 20 minutes drive to the city, and that's actually very, yeah, it's a very short drive.

Paula: Yeah. 

Rachel: Yeah, that's easy. And public [00:15:00] transport, is that? Is that a thing or do you need a car? 

Sophian: Yeah, I mean, generally, it's always best to have a car if you can afford. Um, public transport is also good, um, but because of the tunnels, uh, and, and the, the volcanic formation on this island, um, you know, they only have buses over here.

Sophian: So, so you solely rely on buses. And then within Funchal area, you get buses coming quite frequently. However, the further out you are, you have to really plan your time. So like, let's say for my area, buses will come maybe every, every one or one hour, one hour or every one or two hours. 

Paula: Oh wow, not quite like Singapore.

Sophian: No, no, no. So yeah, I'll be very frustrated about 

Paula: it. 

Sophian: Definitely not. In Singapore, like, if the bus doesn't come within six minutes, I get frustrated. So true. 

Rachel: Yeah, exactly. Because you 

Paula: said there's not that [00:16:00] many expats there. Is there any international schools? 

Sophian: Uh, there are, there are like, I think there's probably one or two international schools over here.

Sophian: So, yeah, so not, not really, uh, I think for expats, I think they cater very much to the expats, especially when you're coming from you know, from, from the Americas or other parts of the world, you know, they, you know, they want to make sure that your children are able to settle down. So I think they do have international schools over here.

Sophian: So it's not really a problem, but I think ultimately it's always best to get the children to, you know, to mix around with the locals and, you know, and, and then of course the locals would very much encourage, uh, anyone to able to speak the language and be. You know, to be, to be Portuguese in a certain way.

Sophian: Yeah. 

Paula: Yeah. 

Sophian: Yeah. 

Paula: To immerse themselves kind of like in the culture. Yes, 

Sophian: exactly. Yeah. Immerse themselves in the culture and not just be separated from, you know, from the Portuguese society. Yeah. So that's what they, they, they would [00:17:00] like it to be. Yeah. 

Paula: That's nice. So, but can you get along? I know you said, um, they do speak English, but is it, I mean, the language itself, is it difficult?

Paula: And can you get along kind of without having it? 

Sophian: Um, well, I, to be honest, I don't really speak good Portuguese, um, but, but I've come to the point where I am able to understand Portuguese, but I reply back in English or very broken Portuguese. So, um, personally for me, I think for some people, they've. Yeah, I met various people and then, um, some of them, it was easy for them to learn Portuguese.

Sophian: But for myself, you know, because I grew up in languages where there's no feminine or masculine structures, so it's difficult for me to learn Portuguese. But at least I can understand now, I can understand better. Um, so, so sometimes what I do is I, I, I, you know, I, I just have to apologize to them. I tell them, [00:18:00] look, I'm still learning Portuguese.

Sophian: There's nowhere near that. So forgive me. And then then they'd be okay. And then so, but if I put in a few Portuguese words inside or expressions, you know, they'd be quite happy, you know, to know that at least I'm making the effort. I 

Paula: mean, what about at work? Does everyone speak English? 

Sophian: Well, mostly. Mostly.

Sophian: Yeah, I mean like, um, usually with, because, because for myself, I own a restaurant, and then I had to deal with vendors and, and, and the suppliers. So I, um, either my, my business partner, I mean, thankfully he can speak Portuguese. So he, when it gets tough, I, I'll, I'll get him to, um, talk for me, especially when it comes to technical expects 

Paula: and for, 

Sophian: as for myself, like when I need to just ask like very basic, uh, straightforward, simple questions, I, I tell them, you know, I, I, I try to use a, a [00:19:00] translator app and then see if I can, yeah, if I can try to speak a bit Portuguese and sometimes for them, it's just easier to, to just say, Oh, you know what, don't speak Portuguese, it's much faster.

Rachel: I'm always getting myself in trouble with trying to translate things. I'm sure it's this way. And then people are like. Oh my God, what did you say? 

Sophian: Yes, there's been a couple of times where I actually mispronounced certain things and it totally had a whole different meaning. And it's like, Oh, I didn't realize.

Sophian: I'm really embarrassed myself. 

Rachel: You can really get yourself in trouble if you get it wrong. Oh yes. 

Sophian: I've got myself in trouble quite a few times now. I really embarrassed myself. You know, but the good thing is that we, we make a joke out of it. So they understand where, what, what I actually mean.

Rachel: And is it quite easy to, you know, was it easy for you to get like a visa and, [00:20:00] and what was the residency process for you? 

Sophian: At that time when I applied, it was actually easy. Because I was in Australia and it was during the pandemic, I think not many people were moving to Portugal. Uh, it was easy. I actually sent my application on a Tuesday.

Sophian: And I got my visa on a Friday. I got my visa accepted on a Friday. Oh, wow! I know. 

Rachel: Wow. 

Sophian: I was very, very lucky in that sense. You know, like, because I, I was, you know, I'm, you know, I was coming in from a perspective where when I waited for my Australian permanent resident, it took a long time to, to get it, to receive it.

Sophian: And then when I. When, when I was applying for a visa in Portugal, I thought, oh, it will take some time too, but I was very surprised I got it within a week. And then the following week I went to the embassy and got the visa on my passport. Yeah. So it was a fairly easy process. Uh, but also having said that There's many types of [00:21:00] visas that you want to apply, uh, you can apply from.

Sophian: So, uh, I applied for a D2 visa, which is an entrepreneur visa. And, uh, the, the requirements is very much similar to, to a D7, which is a retiree visa. Uh, except the only thing is, um, that what they wanted to know is that you have enough money to able to sustain yourself for a year at least. And then I have to, uh, write a proposal, business proposal, what I plan to do when I move to Portugal.

Sophian: Yeah. 

Rachel: Yeah. Oh, that's interesting. Are there any other visas? Do you know anything about the Golden Visa? 

Sophian: Oh, the Golden Visa has, has, um, you know, is, is over. The Golden Era is over. Yeah, which I, which I thought was a good thing, you know, because it helped to, it helped foreign investment, it attracts foreign investment to the country.

Sophian: And, and help, you know, all the structures around, [00:22:00] especially those ruined, um, you know, buildings over here in, in Portugal. Um, but I think that's also another visa where if you invest in the country, you are able to also get that kind of visa. It's not, things have changed a lot in the last four or five years now, so it's, it got a bit more stringent, so you need to, there's certain criteria, so, you know, I'm not really a visa expert in that sense, so I think it's best if you want to find out, there's resources on the internet you can find out from, or speak to a Portuguese lawyer, um, and then, you know, then you can.

Sophian: to find out what are your options and what should because there's a lot of how to say there's a lot of options you want to you if you want to retire or move to portugal in terms of investment visa or you want to come here as a digital nomad or you want to come here as a retiree there's all different aspects and then that's so like i think it [00:23:00] also uh there's also implications on taxes and so forth on that So, I think it's best to do your, your research and then to find out what's, what best suits you, yeah.

Paula: Are the taxes lower than Australia? 

Sophian: Um, I wouldn't say that. 

Rachel: Or Singapore? 

Sophian: Oh, it's definitely higher than Singapore. But I think in terms of Australia, I think it could be comparable or sometimes a bit lower. I think really depending on like what's your What's your, uh, income stream and so, uh, are you going to have, um, are you, are you going to, if you buy or purchase a property over here, are you going to rent out the property on, on Airbnb or, or long, long term lease?

Sophian: And so this, uh, there are very, very degrees of, of, uh, of tax, yeah, taxes, yeah. And depends on what you, uh, what you're planning to do in this country. 

Paula: Yeah, that makes sense. 

Sophian: So [00:24:00] yeah, if you're retiring, so yeah, you definitely don't, you still have to declare, but you don't pay as much taxes as, as, uh, you know, as you would if you were, if you have income stream.

Sophian: Yeah. 

Paula: So what makes it a great place for retirees? Because you did say this. God, I left you there. No, did I? Oh my God. I'm not a retiree myself. 

Rachel: You said, you said nearly did. 

Paula: Yeah, I'm assuming that means 

Rachel: retirees. 

Sophian: Yeah, well, I think, well, I think the first thing, like, as a typical Singaporean, the weather. 

Paula: Yeah, yeah, no, absolutely.

Sophian: Yeah, I think it makes a difference, like I, I remember when I came here for the first time, you know, it was like, uh, 8 degrees or 7 degrees in Lisbon, and coming over here was like 20, 21 degrees, and I was like, oh my god, this is just paradise, it's green, it's lush, and yeah, it just makes it really, Yeah, really nice over [00:25:00] here.

Sophian: The, the, the landscape, the environment. Yeah. And so like, yeah, not only that, it's a beautiful place and you get really good seafood over here. And you get a lot of, uh, you, you get quite a lot of food options too. And you can get fish and chips. Whereas I can't get fish and chips on mainland. 

Paula: Is 

Sophian: it slower?

Sophian: It's a slower pace of life over here. Definitely, um, because it's, yeah, because the islanders, they think a bit different from those in the continent. So it's a nicer pace of life, and people are more calm, people are more friendly, and they generally really want to get to know you. You're not, um, you know, compared to some people I know, like, when they ask, when they want to get to know you, they want to find out, they want to categorize you, they want to pigeonhole you into a certain category.

Sophian: Whereas over here, they really want to get to know you, they want to know where you're from. [00:26:00]What's your culture like? And then, so, and I thought that was really nice, yeah. And of course, you're having to speak the basic language, it really breaks down the barrier. And, yeah, people are, people are really nice over here, and they, you know, and then sometimes, like, neighbours, they, they, they exchange food, they want to give you some, like, especially over here, they have a lot of banana trees, um, and so when the bananas are ripe, they, they come to your house and give you some bananas.

Rachel: .Oh, I love that. It's a real community sort of spirit. 

Sophian: Yes, the Kampong spirit. 

Rachel: Yeah, exactly, like my t shirt. You have 

Paula: to explain what's on your t shirt, Rachel. 

Rachel: Oh, yeah, it says the Kampong spirit. Um, but I think that Sophie can probably explain it better than I can. 

Sophian: Yeah, so in Madeira, that's like the kampong spirit, which I, I, I was kind of looking for in a way and, um, and kind of miss [00:27:00] because I grew up in a and it was, it was a transition period where, you know, we were living in HDB and so we were living in villages. And then, you know, at that time when I was young, you know, all our neighbors in the compound, we were, we were all considered relatives, even though we were, we were not blood related.

Sophian: And everybody kind of helped each other out and took care of one another and check on each other. So I think we, we lost that when we moved to. to the flats. And then when I came over here, it was like, oh, it was kind of nostalgic coming back to the kampong spirit again. You know, people will come, come and say hello to you, or they'll be out at the garden and they'll be walking past by and, and, or you, you go on a hike, everybody will say good morning and good afternoon to you.

Sophian: And I, I really liked that a lot. Yeah. So all this little gestures that people make and then the, you know, and the small chats has been really wonderful. Yeah 

Paula: Best things about daily life on the island?

Sophian: Um, [00:28:00] something's a bit, okay, when it comes to that, like my day can be really crazy. You know, I'd be really busy and everything, but there's a, there's a sense of serenity and peacefulness on this island. And I love that. You know, like, whereas when I, when I'm in Lisbon, I'll be, you know, totally busy and doing all my stuff and around.

Sophian: And I just like, I still be stressed thinking about my day and everything, but over here it's like, I can, I can be busy by end of the day, I can just go out for a walk and down into, uh, down by the promenade. And so just have. It's just relaxing and, and, and we don't think much about work after. Six o'clock, you know, so then I can, yeah, so I can, there's a work life, there's a better work life balance over here, 

Paula: which I really 

Sophian: appreciate.

Paula: Do you, can you swim there? Like there's beaches or not really? 

Sophian: Oh yes, yeah, I can't swim. 

Paula: Okay. 

Sophian: But, but, but there's a, there's a lot of, there's a couple of beaches over here, but the beaches are not like what you [00:29:00] see in Australia or, or East Coast Park. So there are black sand beaches or pebble beaches. Oh, 

Paula: pebble beach.

Paula: Yeah. 

Sophian: Yeah, because this is a volcanic rock formation and um, so it's quite different over here. But yeah, the beaches are really nice and there are natural rock swimming pools up in the north area which is very popular with the tourists and the waters here are very warm and the summer is very nice and warm and the winter is still warm, you know, it's cooler but it's still, yeah, warm enough.

Sophian: Yeah, yeah, so it's pretty nice, yeah. 

Paula: I mean, anywhere for me. I grew up on the beach in Sydney. So for me, anywhere near water makes me feel the serenity, right? It's just that. Oh, yes. It just calms you. I don't know. I can't explain it. It 

Sophian: does. Yeah, I totally agree with that. It does calm you. And over here I'm only like maybe about 200 meters to, yeah.

Sophian: To the, to the promenade, to the ocean. 

Paula: Nice. 

Sophian: So it's, it's, it's very nice. Yeah. It's, it [00:30:00] is lovely. And, and I, I will go and walk sometimes in the mornings or in the evenings and Yeah. It's, it's nice to see people, you know, jogging and, and just stay sitting by the beach and or fishing and Yeah. And I, I, it is, that's, that's a nice way to, to start the day and sort of end the day.

Sophian: Yeah. Yeah. Which is something I don't get in Singapore. 

Paula: Yeah. Yeah. Busy, busy, busy, busy. Yeah, in Singapore, 

Sophian: it's always much on the go, go, go, go, go. Whereas over here, I can, I can plan and I go do my stuff. And then I can, I can come back here and take, you know, mid afternoon breaks and go back again. So yeah, which is a really nice, nice work life balance over here.

Sophian: And I really appreciate that a lot. 

Paula: Does it mean, do you have challenges then? What do you think the most, like the biggest challenges, besides obviously the language? 

Sophian: Um, I think, okay, when I first started, okay, I think this is very much personal, uh, very much true to what I do over here. Uh, if I was retiring, I [00:31:00] mean, there's a different set of challenges in terms of getting paperwork done.

Sophian: Uh, and you know, because bureaucracy is this thing over here and, and sometimes, you know, like Australia is quite different and Singapore is quite different, but as the, if you. And they mention certain things to them, and they show some kind of proof they trust, you know, they trust you on that. Whereas over here, they need paper documentation, and they want you to apostalize to ensure that these are, you know, true documents.

Sophian: And, uh, so that's, that's 

Rachel: Yeah, 

Sophian: it is very bureaucratic over here. And it's not only for expats or so for locals, it's very tedious. And sometimes they want specific documents, you know, it's like, Oh my gosh, I have proven all I can. And, but they want this exact document to show, you know, so it can get a bit frustrating, especially understanding what exactly they need.

Sophian: Um, and then, so, so when I was. When I, when I first moved here, those are the documents that I needed [00:32:00] in order to, to get my residency card. And then after that, when I, when I started my restaurant. It was very much about, you know, going to municipal councils to get approval so I could get certain documentation and I need to get, you know, professionals to approve and then also, like, stamp and apostillise.

Sophian: So it's, and then translate sometimes to English, to Portuguese, from English to Portuguese. So, yeah, those are, those are the little things. You know, so the work life, you know, people like relax here and then they are, they can be really relaxed over here. 

Paula: All in time. Yeah, 

Sophian: island time, really island time. So, you know, like they say, oh, yeah, we're busy and everything.

Sophian: We'll come and do your work and sometimes they can come like 11 o'clock in the morning and then 12 o'clock they go for their lunch break, 2 o'clock they come back, 3 o'clock they go for a smoke, a coffee break, 5 o'clock they need to leave on the dot. So like, oh. Yeah. So you got to be really firm with, with, with [00:33:00] some people, you know, what you want them to do and what you need to get out of them and get them to be strict on, on the, on the deadline, you know, to meet the deadlines.

Sophian: And so, so it's, um, yeah, so those are the little frustrating bits, you know, yeah, because people don't understand, don't seem to understand. Sometimes there's a sense of urgency that you need to get these things done and I pay you for the services to get this thing done within certain time, you know, and, um, yeah.

Sophian: Yeah, and, and yeah, so I think that the Singaporean in me comes out and then sometimes I got to tell myself I need to be, I need to calm down. I need to be patient in terms of dealing with them. I cannot expect that people to be like in Singapore. 

Paula: Need to get done yesterday. 

Rachel: I mean, I'm the biggest, the biggest city you live in, the more efficient it is, isn't it to engage, you know, people like that, but the island spirit can be.

Rachel: Great in some ways and terrible in others. [00:34:00] Yeah. Especially for running a business. 

Sophian: Exactly. Yeah. So there's pros and cons. So, yeah. So I think it's very, Yeah, I, I, I used to, I mean, coming from Singapore, when I moved to Australia, I used to think, oh my gosh, Australia is so slow. 

Paula: And then, 

Sophian: when I came to Portugal, they were like, oh my gosh, Australia is so 

Paula: efficient.

Paula: Oh, 

Sophian: I love Australia. Yeah. Yeah, because, because it was interesting, like, you know, when I was in Australia. Yeah, you know, in Singapore, things would get done in this way, this and that, blah, blah, blah. But here it's like, oh, you know, in Australia things will get done. I compared to, to the places I used to live.

Sophian: Yeah. But I've, I've learned to, to accept that. I think acceptance is a very big thing to overcome and you've got to understand that things do not work the way, yeah, it works in other parts of the world. And once you're able to accept that, you learn to navigate, uh, in a better way and then try to, and then so build that relationship with people, negotiate with them [00:35:00] and, you know, get them on your side.

Sophian: So eventually you will get to get things done. Yeah. And it's all about building that relationship with people. 

Paula: Yeah. Definitely. Yeah. 

Sophian: So, yeah. It was okay in the end. 

Paula: Yeah. Do you have any advice for anyone who's thinking or considering moving to, um, Madeira? 

Sophian: Or even Portugal. 

Paula: Yeah. Or even Portugal. Portugal, yeah.

Sophian: Yeah. I think, um, Well, for me, I don't know. I think it's, it's, it's a very personal thing in, in a sense. Um, not many people want to go to Portugal, especially from Singapore. I don't know, but having said that, there's also a growing number of Singaporeans moving to Portugal. And, uh, the, the Singapore Our community in Portugal is growing.

Sophian: Back then, when I was, when I first moved, it was maybe only about 10 people, 10, [00:36:00] 20 people. And now there are about a hundred people, a hundred old people moving to Portugal. So we, we have a quite close knit group. We have a WhatsApp group where we chat on and giving advice for people who, who, uh, who are moving to the island to get some paperwork done.

Sophian: And so. You know, like asking advice how to get, you know, certain services done, the health services. Um, and yes, and I, I think people, I think when I first moved, people always ask me why move to Portugal? Why not Paris or London? And for me, it's always, well, why not? 

Paula: Because 

Sophian: I think, yeah. I think especially as you get older, you don't really want to be in the big cities, and it's nice to, to, to live out of the big city, and Lisbon was, was compact, and it was, you know, it was manageable, and I think Lisbon is a, it's a nice place, Lisbon and Porto are nice places to start off if you want to move to Portugal, at least you get a, especially coming from the cities, from Singapore, [00:37:00] you, you get that, that city vibe, and then you get that, that diversity, and, and, you know.

Sophian: You know, it's easy to settle down in those places, so they do speak English 

Rachel: and, 

Sophian: um, and slowly, you know, take time to explore different parts of Portugal and understand the language, understand the culture, try out different Portuguese foods, and then from Madeira itself, I think it was very much of a personal thing.

Sophian: I really like it a lot here, and I really like the serenity and peacefulness. So I know it's not for everybody because I think, you know, sometimes people get, you know, it's too, it can be a bit too quiet over here. Yeah. So if you want a sense of venture, you know, maybe Lisbon is the, is the place. And then with Lisbon, you get, you, you get the networks going to Madrid, going to other parts of Europe.

Sophian: Yeah. It's a bigger place out there. But Madeira, I, I even, even also having said that. Madeira is not that bad as people think it is, you know, it may be an island in the middle of the [00:38:00] Atlantic Ocean, but we are so well connected. It's you, it's a two hour flight to Madrid, an hour and a half flight to Portugal, an hour flight to Morocco, five, six hours to New York.

Sophian: So, and six hours to Toronto. So it's, it's not that, it's actually okay. And, and, uh, yeah. I, for me, I always thought that I would get island fever, but, um, and when I do feel like I have island fever, I actually, I go to Lisbon to spend a couple of days in Lisbon. By the second day, I'd be like, I just want to come back to Madeira.

Sophian: There's something about this island that brings me back. And then when I land, as soon as I land, it's like, oh, it's nice to be back home. 

Rachel: That's nice. How many hours to Singapore? 

Sophian: I think about probably, or 14 hours to Singapore. 14, 16 hours because yeah, if you fly direct to the business, but 14 hours and then, and then plus another, an [00:39:00] hour and a half to, to Madera.

Sophian: Oh, 

Rachel: okay. Yeah. Yeah. 

Sophian: So yeah, so I mean, we, we, we have connections to Singapore, so via another city, maybe via Lisbon, via London, via Frankfurt, via Madrid. So it's still very much connected, and I've flown back to Singapore via London or, yeah, via Lisbon, so yeah, not a problem at all. Yeah, not a problem at all.

Sophian: There are so many flights to Madeira, yeah, so it's very well connected, yeah. 

Rachel: Yeah, that's great. Anything else you want to add? 

Sophian: Oh yeah, I think one of the things that, um, I was just thinking in my mind, you were talking about the cost of living in, uh, uh, in, in Madeira, um, one of the biggest draw, so it's, it's a healthcare over here and I must say the healthcare here is actually really affordable.

Sophian: I mean, in, in, in, from an expat point of view. Okay, if you're talking for local to them, it is it can cost quite a bit or it can [00:40:00] be quite costly Um, but coming from singapore coming from australia and then also like understanding a bit of american health care system That's like this is this is way affordable 

Paula: Yeah, um, yeah, 

Sophian: yeah, because I mean there was one time.

Sophian: I mean I I have um You know, a lot, some people would have, um, you know, they go to the public health care system to see the doctors or to get surgeries or consultations while I, many expats tend to, and also I would advise to have your own private health care. And it's actually not. Not that expensive. It could cost maybe as little as 15 euros a month, up to 70 euros a month.

Paula: So 

Sophian: that's, yeah, compared to Australia, like 200 dollars a month. That's cheap. Yeah. Yeah, minimum. And, and one of the things I was really shocked, and then that was also like a big decision maker. I know this will be, this will be quite, quite interesting. There was one time I was having a bit of, um, I was having, [00:41:00] um, I felt a bit uncomfortable around my around my stomach area, and I was wondering, you know, maybe I should get it checked up.

Sophian: So knowing that it's affordable, I just didn't think much about it. And then so I went to see the doctor. And then they recommend me to do an ultrasound. So, the first thing in my mind is like, ultrasound? I thought that's only for pregnant women. 

Paula: So, I 

Sophian: didn't 

Paula: really like 

Sophian: it. No, because I associate that with the movies, you know?

Sophian: And then TV series. So, so then I was like, oh, that's weird. But okay, I'll go for it. And then, and then when I went to my ultrasound appointment, I asked, I asked the receptionist, Now, before I commit to it. Can I find out how much does it cost? And the first question they ask, Oh, are you a member of this so and so, the healthcare?

Sophian: Say yes. Excuse me. And then she typed on the keyboard and said, Yeah, your ultrasound will cost 34 euros. 

Paula: Oh, 

Rachel: wow. I was 

Sophian: like, Oh my gosh, sign me up. [00:42:00] I'm here for life. 

Rachel: And were you pregnant? No, I 

Sophian: think I'm a 

Rachel: bit 

Sophian: late for that. 

Paula: Classic. I think you're also the wrong sex, but anyway. Yeah, I know. Yes, exactly.

Sophian: Yeah. So, 

Paula: so I, I, yeah, 

Sophian: I, I was, my friends were laughing at me as well because I just never thought that that. And that ultrasound can be also used for certain diagnosis on certain checks. You know, I already thought it was only, yeah, for certain, for pregnant women. Oh my God. Yeah. 

Paula: Yeah. So, 

Sophian: so yeah, I, I was, it was, I was really stunned by, by how affordable it was because I remember when my sisters, when they did the ultrasound and it was, it cost quite a lot.

Sophian: I was like,. Yeah, like 500 or at least thousands of dollars for that. Um, [00:43:00] so, so that was the, the, the very, one of the very big changing points of my life. I said, okay, sign me up. This is where I'm going to die. 

Paula: Yeah. Well, I guess that's why they retire there, right? That's the one thing people look at when retiring is the health system.

Sophian: Yeah. It's really affordable over here. Yeah. Compared to to Singapore, America or Australia. So I think, yeah, so and and what my parents go through like in Singapore to do the health checks and what I pay is, it's a very different thing. Yeah, right. It's actually a very big gap. So, so, yeah, I'm very much settled, yeah, over here.

Rachel: Yeah. That's good. That's great. So glad to hear that, actually. Yeah. I think, because it's part of Europe, right? So you have that universal. 

Sophian: Universal. Yeah. 

Rachel: Yes. And 

Sophian: then you get very good doctors and then they are, they're very knowledgeable. And so the best part, if you go to private doctors, they do speak English.

Sophian: [00:44:00] So you don't have to worry much about it. So yeah, that's good. 

Paula: Awesome. Excellent. Thank you so much for coming on. It's been such an interesting topic because, 

Sophian: yeah, 

Paula: I've never actually heard of Madeira before. Yeah. We spoke with you, so I've learned a lot today. 

Sophian: Yeah, and I hope that you, you guys might consider coming to Madeira one day.

Rachel: Yeah, you never know. Sure, yeah, and we might see you around Singapore. Yeah. 

Sophian: Yes, yes, I might see you around Singapore when I come and visit sometime in the future. Yeah, let 

Rachel: us know. That'd be great. Yeah, definitely. Thank you. Have a great day. Thank you 

Sophian: very much. Yeah, yeah, you too. Have a great evening. Yeah, enjoy the rest of your day. [00:45:00]