Today’s musings are brought to you, in part, by two men – one, some might say, a modern day master of the material, and hero to bon-viveurs; the other a spiritual fellow, renowned for Zen mastery some decades ago, though of course, timeless in his enduring appeal for the more esoteric seeker.
The former is Andrew Henderson, better known by his Internet monicker the ‘Nomad Capitalist’, who urges his followers and clients to “go where you’re treated best”, which for him and associates “is not limited to investment opportunities, it also means gaining the freedom to travel and be who you want to be.”
“Leaving your country and stepping outside your comfort zone gives you a greater perspective and a deeper understanding of cultures allowing you to grow and develop,” he continues, in a way that is hard to disagree with, that has had him suggest Portugal from time to time, for such horizon and mind-expanding potential.
My more numinous inspiration is Alan Watts, described long ago by the LA Times newspaper as “perhaps the foremost interpreter of Eastern disciplines for the Contemporary West,” who “had the rare gift of writing beautifully the unwritable.”
One example of this gift that stands out for me, especially in relation to what I want to share with you today, is this gem: “I have been searching for years for the ideal place. And I have come to the realisation that the only way to find it is to be it.”
Perhaps hearing a little from both Andrew and Alan here, gives you an idea of what I want to look at today, as I continue my weekly enquiry into what so often seems to be an effort to understand and help the ‘human condition’ as it pertains to life in Portugal, for migratory aspirants and the already landed alike. Those, indeed, we, who I might superficially call ‘expats’, and occasionally get rewarded with a virtue-signalling reprimand that demands I say ‘immigrants’ or ‘foreigners’ instead.
For those ready to rebuke me for such careless loose talk and micro-aggression, I’m sorry to say I have even more to inflame your ire this time, as I further explore the seemingly self-centred and self-serving motives of anyone looking at Portugal as a potential home, workplace or temporary retreat. I’ll even go as far as to offer a new classification for such lotus-eating self-indulgence, to go alongside some descriptors that are new, informative and even amusing to me, discovered in the process of putting my thoughts together on this matter.
Have you for example heard of ‘flexpats’? This expat variant, though not that new, was until recently unknown to me. These are people who move country for work, and end up feeling like they’re living in a bubble. You may have seen them here in Portugal, frequenting already well-established expatty areas and therein patronising foreigner-filled venues, apparently not making much of an effort to blend in, and notably not learning the language.
“Not all expats fit this mold (Sic),” say TalentSquare Asia in their LinkedIn article of May this year, who herald: “Enter the ‘flexpats’ – a growing group of expatriates deeply committed to understanding and integrating into their host country’s culture, values, and people. These individuals are not just in it for the job; they are in it for the journey, embracing their new environment with open arms and an open mind.”
Well done them, I say, in their efforts to fit in respectfully, and in the process benefitting and growing personally, with a little effort and a lot of willingness. This, a circle of people who might overlap nicely, Venn diagram-wise, with the ‘slowmads’ – the digital nomads who “take their time in order to achieve a deeper connection with the culture of the place they are visiting.”
This definition from blogger Danitza Yanez, who continues: “A slowmad prioritizes a deeper connection with the country they’re visiting. They travel slow, with no rush. Unlike conventional tourists who barely scratch the surface of a destination, a slowmad seeks to establish a temporary sense of belonging. This might involve renting an apartment and staying for several months in a particular town or city, learning the local language, cooking local food, interacting with the community, and making local friends.”
It looks like calling ourselves mere expats is just not cutting it anymore, and plain old digital nomads look positively dull with their free Wi-Fi-seeking laptop-based ways, with no obvious ethical agenda to speak of or crow about. I jest. And I don’t mean to judge. I actually find it fascinating to consider all these nuances and know-how as global, mobile working becomes easier, if not essential for anyone interested in finding the best conditions, of every kind.
I’ll now add something of my own to this conversation, this evolution of discerning globe-trotting and mindful migration that I contend must add more plainly to its concerns and decision-making process: geo-political awareness, personal safety and security, and even mental health – as the world steps ever closer towards insanity and instability.
I present to you the ‘Now-mad’, (digital or plain analogue), a global wanderer, who is less preoccupied with profit and prospects, and prefers instead to live in a country, and with an attitude, that pays less attention to the future and likes living, really living, feeling alive in a culture that best celebrates the moment.
There are two other guys who might be able to help us here, both musical and mystical, the first John Lennon, who warned us decades back that “Life is what happens to you, while you’re busy making other plans.” The second Van Morrison, who in a beautiful conjunction, in his song (about our earlier inspiration) the ‘Alan Watts Blues’, said:
“Well I’ve got to get out of the rat-race now
I’m tired of the ways of mice and men
And the empires all turning into rust again.”
I’m a Now-mad, with the emphasis on now, yet no stranger to being thought of as mad, as over the years, I’ve sought to live in the moment and not obsess too much about the future. Well it looks like my – and perhaps your – time may have come, as our collective tomorrow rests so precariously in the hands of a few psychopathic narcissists and the world we once enjoyed and banked upon looks set to change imminently beyond all recognition.
Life is good as an easy-going nowmad in Portugal, where for many reasons, the largely good-natured and quick-to-revel population have maintained a sense of earthy pragmatism and a love of straightforward fun. As the world spins further into uncertainty, there has never been a better time to live fully in the present, endeavouring to enjoy each and every moment, than NOW. And I can’t think of a better place than HERE.
By Carl Munson
Carl Munson is host of the Good Morning Portugal! show every weekday on YouTube and creator of www.learnaboutportugal.com, where you can learn something new about Portugal every day!
