Produced in 2009 by Ao Norte, which creates documentaries and coordinates with the high school in Viana do Castelo to teach students how to make documentaries. This year's theme was about immigants,
Thanks for your kind thoughts. It helps me get out of my little world here to think I have a friend in Memphis. If I could live my life over, and thought it was safe, I would travel around to see more of my own country, but ai would avoid heavily populated areas. One of the advantages of living here is not having to fend off the bombardment of advertising and political junk; I ditched tv when I came here. I can pick and choose what I want off the internet. Also, few people here have any idea what's going on in the USA unless relatives there tell them, and most don't. Most people in my neighborhood don't really grasp the fact that the world is round-ish and that there are other continents. I don't look semi-Mediterrainisn, so often, because of my appearance, I'm accused of being German. Since I speak English, they assume I'm English. Thirty years ago women working in the fields all wore straight black skirts. I was the only woman wearing pants, so it was assumed for decades that we were two men living together. On other days, it was assumed that, because of our being twenty years apart, I was either an old white or had married him for his money, when the truth is that, because he had lived in Colombia for 30 years, he had hardly any income from Social Security, so we couldn't afford to live in the States. Both of us cared deeply about the situation there and read the news all the time. But over all, here, the pros outway the cons and we never regretted our move. We spent some time sussing out Europe, but always were so glad to come home. We accepted our stresses and enjoyed getting to know our neighbors (always using the respectful forms of address) and learning how they live.
I confess I was ignorant of the medievil Catholic culture ( only the Later Day Saints have wiggled into a corner here). That, and the two-tiered social structure, learning the effects of poverty and lack of education on people's thinking has been a revelation. I could write a book about that, but if it was published, I'd be escorted abruptly out of the country because they are painfully aware of the results of Salazars dictatorship and have almost literally pulled themselves up by their bootstraps (shoe industry, among other things). I'm happy to see the younger generation has leapt into the modern life style while retaining family ties. I don't regret coming here to live. I am sad for the challenges my country is facing, but I think the great majority of Americans have the character and stamina to hold it together. Many blessings on you.
I enjoyed your short documentary film greatly. You may not be wealthy, but you have great riches in your happy marriage and lovely house, with acreage and horses. One of the happiest periods of my life was spent on a 22 acre farm—no longer farmed, but I had a pre-Civil War barn in good enough repair to keep goats and a horse—as well as dogs and cats. Had it been possible, I would have stayed there, happily!
Ms. Susan Lorraine Knox: What a heartwarming life's story, so beautifully, if so briefly told. You and Warren have been deeply in love and it warmly shows. Being bilingual with German, I could fit in like a villager in the Rheinpfalz (Rhineland Palatinate), where I have friends as close as cousins. Your home in Portugal is ideal, with neighbors and with acreage and horses. You and Warren show a gentle, even refined way with each other, coupled with a vigorous, healthy life.
Myself, stuck in a suburb of Memphis -- the Love-of-My-Life, Nancy, wants so much to be close to our kids -- the state of America is heartbreaking unless one takes refuge -- as do I, in philosophy, literature, great music, art.
I wish you many, many years in your beautiful home with your friends -- neighbors and those intelligent, beautiful horses.
You are an inspiration.
The state of our country is sad, sad, sad, I can sometimes cry. If I were in rural Portugal with loved ones -- including those beautiful horses -- I wouldn't think of America at all, it is so tragic.
Thank you so very much for sharing.
As one of my favorites -- Joyce Vance -- says, "We are in this together!"
I enjoyed your rendition of a well-made life. I enjoyed reading your subtitles as a way of becoming familiar with the language and finding similarities.
I married my good friend Harry in 1973. We were political activists and brought up four children: two remained in the Fractured States.
One settled in Toronto and is loving her domestic tranquility with her husband, Mike and children.
The eldest daughter had a bit of an odyssey and moved to Melbourne five years ago.
Pleased to meet you via Substack. I post essays and poems frequently. You’re welcome to stop by when you’re not tending live’s necessities.
Dear Armand,
Thanks for your kind thoughts. It helps me get out of my little world here to think I have a friend in Memphis. If I could live my life over, and thought it was safe, I would travel around to see more of my own country, but ai would avoid heavily populated areas. One of the advantages of living here is not having to fend off the bombardment of advertising and political junk; I ditched tv when I came here. I can pick and choose what I want off the internet. Also, few people here have any idea what's going on in the USA unless relatives there tell them, and most don't. Most people in my neighborhood don't really grasp the fact that the world is round-ish and that there are other continents. I don't look semi-Mediterrainisn, so often, because of my appearance, I'm accused of being German. Since I speak English, they assume I'm English. Thirty years ago women working in the fields all wore straight black skirts. I was the only woman wearing pants, so it was assumed for decades that we were two men living together. On other days, it was assumed that, because of our being twenty years apart, I was either an old white or had married him for his money, when the truth is that, because he had lived in Colombia for 30 years, he had hardly any income from Social Security, so we couldn't afford to live in the States. Both of us cared deeply about the situation there and read the news all the time. But over all, here, the pros outway the cons and we never regretted our move. We spent some time sussing out Europe, but always were so glad to come home. We accepted our stresses and enjoyed getting to know our neighbors (always using the respectful forms of address) and learning how they live.
I confess I was ignorant of the medievil Catholic culture ( only the Later Day Saints have wiggled into a corner here). That, and the two-tiered social structure, learning the effects of poverty and lack of education on people's thinking has been a revelation. I could write a book about that, but if it was published, I'd be escorted abruptly out of the country because they are painfully aware of the results of Salazars dictatorship and have almost literally pulled themselves up by their bootstraps (shoe industry, among other things). I'm happy to see the younger generation has leapt into the modern life style while retaining family ties. I don't regret coming here to live. I am sad for the challenges my country is facing, but I think the great majority of Americans have the character and stamina to hold it together. Many blessings on you.
I enjoyed your short documentary film greatly. You may not be wealthy, but you have great riches in your happy marriage and lovely house, with acreage and horses. One of the happiest periods of my life was spent on a 22 acre farm—no longer farmed, but I had a pre-Civil War barn in good enough repair to keep goats and a horse—as well as dogs and cats. Had it been possible, I would have stayed there, happily!
Ms. Susan Lorraine Knox: What a heartwarming life's story, so beautifully, if so briefly told. You and Warren have been deeply in love and it warmly shows. Being bilingual with German, I could fit in like a villager in the Rheinpfalz (Rhineland Palatinate), where I have friends as close as cousins. Your home in Portugal is ideal, with neighbors and with acreage and horses. You and Warren show a gentle, even refined way with each other, coupled with a vigorous, healthy life.
Myself, stuck in a suburb of Memphis -- the Love-of-My-Life, Nancy, wants so much to be close to our kids -- the state of America is heartbreaking unless one takes refuge -- as do I, in philosophy, literature, great music, art.
I wish you many, many years in your beautiful home with your friends -- neighbors and those intelligent, beautiful horses.
You are an inspiration.
The state of our country is sad, sad, sad, I can sometimes cry. If I were in rural Portugal with loved ones -- including those beautiful horses -- I wouldn't think of America at all, it is so tragic.
Thank you so very much for sharing.
As one of my favorites -- Joyce Vance -- says, "We are in this together!"
I enjoyed your rendition of a well-made life. I enjoyed reading your subtitles as a way of becoming familiar with the language and finding similarities.
I married my good friend Harry in 1973. We were political activists and brought up four children: two remained in the Fractured States.
One settled in Toronto and is loving her domestic tranquility with her husband, Mike and children.
The eldest daughter had a bit of an odyssey and moved to Melbourne five years ago.
Pleased to meet you via Substack. I post essays and poems frequently. You’re welcome to stop by when you’re not tending live’s necessities.