Thinking back to her decision to relocate to Portugal on her own five years ago, Paula Dreyfuss jokes that many people questioned her state of mind, as she’d never even visited the European country before.
But the single mother of two, now based in the coastal city of Porto, famous for its Port wine and spectacular bridges, has no regrets today, as her life is much richer in many ways.
“I have a lot more life here,” Dreyfuss, who is originally from Texas, tells CNN Travel, before blissfully describing her frequent trips to local museums, movie theaters, and pop-up wineries in the Douro Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage region in northern Portugal.
“My daughter came to visit one time, and asked, “Well, what do you guys do all day?” she recalls. “And my friend holds up a glass of Champagne and goes, “You’re looking at it.”
Dreyfuss loves the local food and usually eats out at least three times a week, something she simply couldn’t have afforded to do when she was based in San Diego, California, where she lived and worked as a teacher previously.
