Olá! My first HopeMail from Portugal
: on day two of moving to Portugal (or should it be living in Portugal?), getting my head together, processing everything new. Two new drawings.
Writing from here.
This is my workstation in our temporary tiny house for the next two months.
This is a rare writing moment where I’m writing and publishing HopeMail within the same day. I could have written this issue in advance. But, I wanted to share with you some of the experiences, moments and changes from the first two days of moving to Portugal
.I’m still processing the fact that, yes, we’ve indeed moved to Portugal.
This is not our usual travels. I caught myself by surprise sometimes—we’re living in Portugal?! As if the reality of it, is playing catch up with my mind, my habits, and what used to be my familiar world.
It is a day & night difference when you realised this place that you are in is your new home.
But, as my favourite note-to-self goes: one step at a time, one day at a time. And this is how I’ll be navigating through this gigantic change in my life.
Just a few of the changes (and the many more waiting for us)
Our breakfast spot
Changed from this
A bigger house with no outdoor seating.
To this
A tiny house with lots of space outside.
View from my devotional time spot
Changed from this
To this

Easing in.
Our first lunch in Portugal.
Easing in with ready-made meals at the patio outside our tiny house. Saying ok to ready-made microwaved meals for a few more days until we get our groceries done.
16 and 17/24 new drawings for HopeMail
Memories of home, self-portrait
Home is where the heart is. So, I guess, home has no geographical boundaries. Here’s a self-portrait of me, doing my thing of gazing out from our windows, saying goodbye to Ollie the yellow oriole for now.
This idea came as I was idly staring out the window during one of the nine days of self-isolation—a self-portrait with the lovely trees in the background. Something to remember the moment: COVID, leaving, moving, missing, anticipating.
I only had the energy to resume my painting a day before I flew off to Portugal.Memories of home, husband trimming his nails
I noticed an ordinary, mundane moment of my husband trimming his nails, as I was typing away writing this HopeMail issue. Here’s the view from the window.
His first nail grooming in Portugal. My first writing, and sketching in Portugal. Instead of taking a photo, I opted for a rough sketch to capture the memory.
Here’s to many more memories to come.
That’s all for now, folks. Thanks for sharing these moments with me through reading. Feel free to leave a comment or ask questions. See you in the next HopeMail issue on July 15! Take care.
💖 Melinda
PS We wondered if we’ll be able to hear the sounds of birds in our temporary house, like how we do in our home in Malaysia. I ran out in delight when I heard this.
Congratulations and good luck. You have done well. Even wrote a newsletter on the second day. I am still recovering from jetlag after 6 weeks in Europe.
Wow, you're there! Amazing