Adjusting My Compass: 10 Culture Shocks I Experienced While Backpacking Through Portugal

Traveling internationally for the first time, I can say with certainty that Americans and Europeans have very different opinions on what it means to live. Even with all of the research I did before departing on my trip, the culture shock was still a gut punch to the system. Add in the time difference and jet lag, and I needed a vacation from my vacation.

I knew, though, once I landed in London to begin my journey, there was no going back. So, I forged ahead with regret and hesitation. Similar to back home, life in London seemed rushed and everyone was always hurrying off to their next destination. I felt suffocated and the weather change was slowly making me depressed, so I made a last-minute change in my plans and made my way to Portugal, with a pitstop in Northern Spain.

After spending some time backpacking through Portugal, I noticed it’s not just the language or landscapes that feel different— it’s the rhythm of life itself. Portugal has been one long lesson in slowing down and tuning in. Things move slower here, but not in a lazy way. People take their time with everything: meals, conversations, even enjoying a bottle of Super Bock. It’s disorienting and also refreshing— a kind of culture shock that makes you realize how rushed the rest of the world feels. Culture shock isn’t always about wild traditions or strange foods; sometimes it sneaks up with an espresso and a smile.

Here is my take on the life of the Portuguese people and the differences I have noticed on how they go about their day-to-day activities.

Everywhere Serves Espresso

Espresso is deeply ingrained in European coffee culture, particularly in Italy, where it originated. To get espresso in America, you have to visit a Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, McDonald’s, or other coffee shop that houses the several thousand-dollar machines. However, in much of Western Europe, they are everywhere. It is often a quick, inexpensive, and social experience. Stepping into any coffee shop and asking for a coffee will grant you, in lieu of brewed coffee from ground coffee beans, you’ll get a small cup of very strong bean juice. You will even spend less than what you would pay for a full coffee; most options are less than 1 or 2 euros.  I have never been big on coffee, but I am quickly becoming accustomed to my morning (and afternoon) pick-me-up. I take mine with milk and two sugars, or in Portuguese, café com leite e açúcar.

Green Spaces Hidden Among the Urban Jungle Streets

Something that I have been enjoying the most, has been finding small city squares and urban oases littered among the busy background of the city streets. I get a chance to rest my feet and people watch before hitting the road again. At this time of year, autumn is just setting in and the leaves are beginning to change colors. Most of these parks or parkettes are still alive with greenery and beautiful plants and flowers. These don’t really exist back where I am from. Empty lots are often transformed into concrete jungles and acres of land are bought up to make room for shopping centers. In cities where these green spaces still exist, most have been overrun by homeless populations and are possibly unsafe places to be. The Portuguese people care about their neighborhoods and are conscious of keeping them clean to enjoy for years to come.

Reducing Their Carbon Footprint

Americans have a lot to learn when it comes to their caring for the planet. Along with caring for their neighborhoods, the Portuguese are also aware that reducing their carbon footprint will make sure that the planet is still around for future generations. The government has put into place policies that ban single-use plastics and recycling is a big part of their way of life here. Waste receptacles are conveniently placed along the roads to make sure everyone is doing their part to keep the planet healthy. There are bins for plastic and metal, paper, glass, and even composting. As with everything when it comes to learning new culture and tradition, there was a learning curve. I’ll admit, it took some getting used to knowing what goes where. After spending some time with the locals, though, things became easier. When whole communities make eco-friendly living the norm, it’s natural to follow suit.

Art Makes Life Beautiful

Statues, sculptures, and murals, oh my! From whole cities decked out in blue tile art to big buildings being painted in artistic flair, Portugal has no shortage of beautiful and personal creativity. Portugal embraces graffiti as art, especially in the larger cities like Porto and Lisbon. Good graffiti, as I have witnessed, can draw a crowd of tourists scrambling to take photos. Sculptures, mosaics, and statues seem to pop up everywhere, especially in roundabouts and small plazas. The buildings themselves, from cathedrals to city center areas, are a majestic architectural form of art. With a mix of Gothic, Baroque, Manueline, and Moorish, it makes the country feel like a museum. The Azulejos can be found scattered about, and each one tells a story of its own: historical events, saints, ships, even love scenes. Art doesn’t wait for you to find— it finds you. The lack of art, color, and green spaces in America makes home feel sterile and dull, almost dreary. Everything feels too clean, too gray.

Weekends are for Enjoyment

A kayaking competition in Aveiro and a marathon in Porto; in Portugal there is always something to look forward to on the weekends. Even if it’s just to visit the local mall for a bit of shopping, taking time to relax after a busy week is almost mandatory. Parents with children, young couples, and visitors from all over embrace the traditions, events, and leisure weekends have to offer. The weekends actually feel like weekends. Families fill the parks, friends linger over lunches, and even small towns buzz with markets or festivals. Leisure isn’t laziness in a country that genuinely seems to understand the value of rest and connection. Back in the states, regardless of where you are, weekends often feel like just another chance to catch up on errands or side gigs. This hustle mentality makes downtime feel like guilt time. I am reminded that joy doesn’t have to be earned; instead, weekends are something to savor.

Afternoon Strolls

Even though most residents own cars, most places in Portuguese towns are in a within a 15-minute walk, so I often see people walking about. There’s no rush or frantic power-walking. A simple walk down narrow streets or along the waterfront is a reminder that life doesn’t need to be squeezed for efficiency to be meaningful. A midday stroll through a park on a Tuesday afternoon is nothing unusual here. Many are granted at least an hour during their lunch break, and I’ll see these same people taking a walk to enjoy the outdoors; usually taking their dogs for a walk. They may even head to the stores for some shopping or errands before going back to work. Rain or shine, the free therapy of being able to spend time outside is a big reason on why morality here is so high than compared to the States. Working long days, and self-worth being dependent on productivity and output with an “always-on” mentality, it’s no wonder why so many have anxiety and depression. My time here in Portugal literally (and figuratively) had been a breath of fresh air.

Cultivating Fulfilling Relationships

Happy couples walking hand-in-hand, elderly parents cared for in their later years, friends enjoying coffee and conversation— having the time and ability to cultivate long, loving relationships is woven into the culture of the slow-paced living of Portuguese residents. The other day I was having dinner in a restaurant when I overheard the celebratory singing of the Happy Birthday Song— a group of middle-aged friends who no doubt has been a part of each other’s’ lives since they were much younger. Watching them celebrate a birthday wasn’t just heartwarming; it was revealing. In Portugal these moments aren’t reserved for special occasions— they are the occasion. Friendships here are nurtured slowly and intentionally; they aren’t squeezed between obligations, they’re prioritized. Back at home, schedules often come first and people second. Here, it’s the other way around.

Children are Treated as Individuals

Treating children as individuals rather than an extension of themselves, Portuguese parents allow their children to live in the world as children. What Americans call “gentle-parenting” is how most parents raise their children here. It can be described as protective and family-oriented, with strong parental supervision and legal and social support. Portuguese parents are very protective of their children, and while they value self-sufficiency, they will often be around to supervise. Don’t get me wrong, I have seen my fair share of punishment here, and European parents know a thing or two about keeping unruly children at bay. This is because the older generations of most families will lend a hand in the care and tending of children. Grandparents tend to have an active role in the lives of their grandchildren, often helping out with tasks such as babysitting and housework. Portuguese are among the belief that it takes a village to raise a child.

Hospitality and Kindness

I had the unfortunate experience of getting robbed while staying in a hostel recently. This left me with very little money and no way home and nowhere to go. By the time I realized what happened it was too late to make a report or do anything about it. I guess that’s what I get for leaving my belongings unattended. I forged ahead, though, and expected the worst. Instead, I ran right into incredibly kind people. While sleeping on park benches or in front of a business, I have been approached by locals coming up and asking me if I needed help or offered a hot meal and a few euros. It made the country feel less like place on the map and more like community that refused to let me fall through the cracks. This caring and kindness toward strangers are not things I have experienced back home. Most people keep walking and ignore a call for help. Even though, times are getting tough and resources running low, the ones who can help refuse to.

Time is a Suggestion

Though I am American and spent my whole life living as part of the rat race, I never could quite keep up with life at home. I often felt disconnected. Portugal, I have learned, moves at a human pace: slow meals, lingering conversations and leisure walks in the park. Time is a suggestion, not a sentence. There is a Portuguese phrase for taking life as it comes, “calma a vida” which translates to calm the life. Always finding time for friends and loved ones, life for the Portuguese people flows smoothly with a deep breath for life. They have it figured out— when you finally stop trying to force the world to match your tempo, you start to feel your shoulders drop, your breath steady, and your mind quiet down. Figuring out how to slow down, enjoy the view and ease my pace has been the hardest things to do.

The more I travel, the more respect I have for the locals and their culture and traditions. Travel has a way of sneaking into the cracks of who you are and rearranging things, and Portugal is doing exactly that for me. What started as a simple backpacking trip— one I thought would just give me new scenery and maybe a few good stories— ended up shifting the way I move trough the world. From the unhurried afternoons to the effortless friendships, from the espresso-fueled mornings to the unexpected kindness of strangers, each moment nudged my internal compass a little further towards presence, connection, and calm.

If there’s one more thing this journey taught me, it’s that you don’t have to run to get somewhere meaningful. Sometimes the real transformation happens when you slow down, look up and let a place show you how it breathes. Portugal did that for me. Maybe it’ll do the same for you.

Until the next spark,

Korey