Category: Azorean Life

I sometimes blog about some of the great elements of life on the island of Terceira, and occassionally been accused of glorifying things here.

I plead guilty.

This past month has been very frustrating, primarily attributed to cultural differences, legal differences, and business differences. Let me share a few of my frustrations, which I do not believe are unique to just my wife and I.

I decided to buy a motorcyle to replace the one I left in the states. Since I’m older, traffic laws are often “vague” here, cows and cow droppings in the streets every day in many places. My wife was strongly opposed to the idea, so I struck out on my own. I promised I wouldn’t use any savings, so I located several bikes in Germany, Italy, France, and finally found several in Portugal. Short story is that I have finally locataed one and now have invested more than a month in accomplishing the paperwork, and still will wait for one weeks to get it here on the island. I’m dying to get it:)

Another frustration, we had a small fender-bender with the car, right around the corner from where Sofia grew up. She was backing out of a parking space while another resident was backing out of an alley across from the parking spot. We collided in the middle of the intersection. Fortunately for me, I wasn’t driving, I was watching traffic right and she was checking left and using the rear view camera. The other guy was backing out. I immediately checked my wife was okay and then jumped out to check for injuries in the other car. I said “let’s call the police” and she said “we don’t do that here…we just share insurance information.” Then we drove away. He said we hit him, our insurance agent explained that if we were at fault, they would pay for his damage and we would have to pay for our damage. There was another scenario where both of our insurance companies would pay 50/50. So I’m not sure where this will end, but believe me, like many things in the island, it will take a while. Weeks of investigation by an adjuster and someone in Lisbon has to read his report and decide what to pay. Next time we’ll call the police to file a report on the spot…tradition be damned:)

So while you wait, no Waiting Room Musac, no old magazines, no sterile environment. It’s Terceira, where you run into friends, dine on various things from octopus sandwiches to cheese burgers, where the wine is great and the scenery is beyond great. And according to the wife, the ocean is the most perfect therapy for relaxing whle you are waiting.

Nearly every morning now we grab our Ham and Cheese sandwhiches (Sande Mista..each bakery uses a different, but always fresh-baked) bread, an expresso for me and a meo-da-lait (half coffee and half milk) for the boss, and then hit the beach. After laying out a towel on a nearly-deserted beach, we hit the water to the tune of Sofia’s wild sounds of enthusiasm (“this is heaven”) and then lay on the sand for an hour or so. We nap, reminesce, and plan the day’s activities.

Sorry. I can’t be completely skeptical or completely zealous. Retired life here is a two-edged sword, I suppose like everywhere. We have worked hard to get this choice, we made it, and we live with the consequences, good and bad. I expect most retirees do the same.

So retired life on Terceira is probablly justlike everwhere else….Life!

Just a quick idea of one of the things which makes us feel at home here on Terceira.

Sofia’s sister called and was feeling very badly. Sofia and “the gang” were in our kitchen playing Mexican Train, Lucia called and asked for some soup.

Sofia et al immediately jumped into action. She pulled fresh vegetables out of the refrigerator, Maria set to peeling carrots, Adelina set to peeling potatoes, I prepped the Bimby (Thermomix) and in less than five minutes the soup was cooking. (Rui, Cesar, and I were smart enough to get out of the way of the professionals, it’s a big kitchen, but not that big:)) and in fifteen minutes, the kitchen was cleaned up, the soup was done and on it’s way to Lucia, and the game restarted.

No one asked if she needed help, everyone asked how they could help. They did, she did, and Lucia is recovering well now. Just a tiny hiccup to the game (Adelina won two in a row) and everyone left wishing Lucia a quick recovery.

That’s great friends!

In my former military self, when I was “invited” to an assault, we drew weapons and ammunition and prepared for some activity, shooting, and discomfort.

In my retired Azorean self, we were invited to “an assalto” yesterday. I learned that means if you have a lonely neighbor, you call friends and family, put on Carnival costumes, prepare some food and wine (this is Portugal, you know!) and converge on the neighbor. This Assalto is pretty much a BYOP, Bring Your Own Party!

One of the best Carnival tradititons and I had never heard of it until last Friday, when we bumped into an old friend’s daughter who we had not seen since her father’s funeral a month ago. Asking how her mother (Rui’s window) was doing, we learned that she wasn’t getting out very much and needed some joy in her life; thus an “Assalto” was planned. Daughters, grandchildren, extended family, cousins, and of course, neighbors, all met in front of her house, rang the bell, and invaded. Grilled chicken, salads, deserts, wine, and several games were set up on a big table, and we all helped set the table, eat the food, and drink the wine. Then some of us retired to the living room to watch TV, read, snore, and laugh, while others played traditional Portuguese board and card games. We also “raided” the awesome garden for fresh Brazilian tomatoes, fresh avacados, and all kinds of other pretty fruits.

The best part of the afternoon was the warmth. Cold winds blowing outside and occasional rain showers didn’t dampen spirits inside. Warm smiles on the faces of family we had last seen at Rui’s funeral, and most importantly, the smile on the face of the wonderful woman widow.

What do we do on Terceira in wintertime….we take care of our friends; and that is just about one of the most wonderful feelings any retiree could have!

Perhaps one the most significant facets of retiring to the middle of the Atlantic (all right, not exactly the middle, actually two-thirds of the way across from Lisbon and Washington DC) is not being able to see your brother, who I literally grew up with — well, grew older with; only one of us is grown up!

For nearly 7 decades, I have traded quips, insults, fisticuffs, girl friends, record albums, and drinks with my brother Rob, who turns 69 today. Nearly anyone who knows us has been subjected to years of barbs and playful, loving tales of “Mom always loved you more than me.” (BTW, it’s true, mom always loved one of us more than the other!)) At a sister’s recent surprise birthday party, when Rob and I hadn’t seen each other in more than six years, we fell into step recalling historical episodes of high school, college, Air Force and professional life. Often these memories seem ‘distorted’ with time and are not always ‘flattering’ memories!

But as we age (Rob more than I!) we have gotten more focused on each other’s great points. Rob has a heart as big as anyone I ever met. He is a force in both IT and the efficient management of IT. While earning his MBA in California he supported his wife and three children and worked full time. He is a grandfather to 11 children. Last year he moved with his wife Debbie to Oregon to take care of Debbie’s mother as she ages. He’s actively involved in helping his church support the community. Overall, he is just the kind of brother I look up to. He’s a great all-around guy.

We’re all aging; from the day we’re born we start aging. Rob is getting older. He’s getting more mellow. He has never had too many vices, but he’s getting fewer and fewer. (I’m picking up the slack on that by adding more and more vices:)) We anticipate seeing each other again this fall in Michigan, as his goddaughter gets married. I look forward to again saying hi, trading barbs with him, jumping in as a team to help with wedding tasks, family fun, and soemtimes the misery of saying goodbye yet again. Heck, I might even say something nice to him…maybe:)

So all I have to say this Groundhog day is Happy Birthday Bro. You the best!

My hometown (also known as “Home of Record” to the military) is Grand Rapids, Michigan. Born in Butterworth Hospital, it has grown to a major metropolis in the United States, and home for the happy growth of the Reibeling family.

As I have traveled around the globe, Grand Rapids and my alma mater, Michigan State University, ease into my life and bring back fond memories. (Memories are usually fond, I tend to blank out the bad ones:)). For instance, after a two-day motorcycle ride to Moron Spain from Germany, I sat down in the lobby waiting for a room and picked up a copy of Spartan News. I’ll never forget the warm fuzzy in that totally new environment! There have been similar instances in Africa, Central America, Australia, and Japan:)

The latest episode was this summer’s trip to nearby Pico Island, a place where you can drive for about an hour to see most of it, all centered around the highest volcano and mountain in Portugal. Fishing villages, warm and friendly people, great fish, history, and seascapes, a fantastic outdoor equipment shop called “The Sniper,” and untold festivals. One of our friends was born on the island and they were ecstatic to take us to a bayside cafe for lunch. We waited a short time for them to open (yes, dear, go shop for some clothes until the cafe opens!) and we were seated across the channel from whale watching tour boats prepping for afternoon visitors. For centuries, Pico was a major whaling port.

We ordered Vinho Tinto (c’mon, we’re in Portugal with the best red wine in Europe!) and the waiter sets the table. I look down at the placemat, an eclectic brown paper reprint of newspaper ads, and the first thing I see is an ad for Fox Typewriters on Front Street in Grand Rapids Michigan. Front Street is just a few miles from where my grandmother lived and I grew up. Home!

So I get homesick. Again. I miss the major snowstorms, the blueberry picking, the swimming in Lake Michigan. I miss Mr. Fables on Lake Michigan Drive and their Oliveburger (thanks for remembering Wendy:), A & W Root Beer floats, the public museum with the blue whale skeleton, and the woods of Blandford Nature Center and C.A. Frost Elementary School. (A good friend’s children now go there, but the palyground where I had my first romantic kiss has changed somewhat since second grade 🙂

All these thoughts and emtions flood back as I’m sitting in Madelena, Pico enjoying fresh fish and great wine with great friends. I can smile at them, recall one or two significant memories, and know that they won’t have the same feelings I am experiencing, just as I don’t truly appreciate tales of their youth on the island. (I did get to meet several relatives, warm wonderful people who shared their lives, sotries, and their aguar dente!)

Expereinces like these are small world stories…they help me cherish the tales of old and cherish the life I’ve retired to!

Since my infancy, Santa has relied on my family to help. Christmas photos from late 1950s show my siblings and I on Santa’s lap (his helper looked a lot like my dad) and over the years my early memories include making frosted cookies to leave for Santa; even visits to see Santa at the local National Guard Armory. Santa and I were tight.

Many years later, a more rotund version of me visited many Kalamazoo businesses to help advertise goods and services available in Southwestern Michigan. (Due to numerous production commitments, Santa had to suit up in August (yes, the hottest days of the year) and drive from business to business with Santa’s Helper Elf, Joe, shooting photos and running the air conditioner at max for days on end. As Santa’s helper, I have visited banks, pet stores, beauty salons, liquor stores, theaters, and more gift shops than anyone can count.

But without doubt, the best Santa memories are with young children down on their luck, down on their health, and down on life after storms, fires, and disasters. Santa’s helper has done it all, holding crying kids, coaxing kids of all ages to comfort their distraught parents remember the real reason for Christmas, encouraging parents and grandparents to appreciate the hugs from their children in shelters, and soliciting pledges from young hospital patients to spread Christmas joy to nurses’ kindness and honor their sacrifice so they will enjoy Christmas too.

One of the greatest traditions I have learned of here on our island is the Christmas tradition of a Cabaze (pronounced Cab-aash) of gathering food and clothing for many of the families in need here. This year, my saintly wife (she pays me to say that:)) gathered suport from many friends and relatives here and in North America to arrange a department store gift certificate for a young man who works hard while wife handles their two children with special needs. He was virtually speechless when we had coffee and presented him with the Cabaze.

Santa don’t need no BMW (wouldn’t hurt, I’ve been a good boy!) but no matter where I have been in the world during this season, I honor my family’s tradtion of helping Santa, Pere Noel, Saint Nicholas, etc.

Merry Christmas and Feliz Natal from Terceira, our little island in the Atlantic.

Living abroad.
Ex-patriot.
Resident alien.
Foreigner.
All terms which lead to a form of “identity Crisis.” But these are all names that my friends and family call me. (They do call me other things as well…but let’s stay on message!). As with most things I’m called (never “Late for Dinner”) I heed them very little. Except that they all add to the realization that I’m distant from my family and friends where I grew up… or as most of my family and friends readily acknowledge, where I got older; I’m still working on growing up:)

Case in point. On my periodic “welfare check” phone call to my sister, all calls went to voicemail. Naturally, the first couple of times I assumed she lost her phone again, so no big deal. After several tries, I called her husband’s cell phone to hear she was laying the in hospital. Disturbing. I talked to her. “Maybe a stroke, we’re not sure yet. I’ll call you back.”

She is definitely getting up in the years, unlike me. (See above, not grown up yet). So I worry. But then I also recollect lately a lot about when we were young. To this very day, I remember driving to visit Grandma Crall et al, my most secure place was napping with my head on my big sister’s lap. No matter where I have been in the world, with guns and bombs going off around me, laying in a hospital after being slashed by a knife, injured when roping from a helicopter, no matter….safest place was in that old Oldsmobile with my head in her lap. And now she’s having strokes? What up with that. She’s getting older!

So as an “ex-pat” i check my communication options. Am I too hard to get a hold of? (Yes, Vince, I know it’s not good grammar:)) For both business and convenience, I maintain a US telephone number (I recommend Ring Central, not cheap, but very very effective!) so everyone can dial me like I was in the states. I maintain it on a VPN (expressVPN) to keep things direct, secure, and give me control of when and where I can communicate for business and pleasure. So, In My Humble Opinion, it’s not an obstacle about global communication.

Lack of notification for an illness (serious or not) may be just a function of the old adage “Out of Sight, Out of Mind.” Admittedly, whenever I’ve been involved in some injury or illness emergency, notification was for immediate proximity, then later worry about distant family notifications and such. So I understand

Long time sice I wrote here, mostly because:
a) a computer crash during a massive electrical storm fried my MAC computers, and
b) No time and too many things happening…I always heard retirement was supposed to be relaxing. Not this summer. From a visit to Michigan and Virginia, several visits to hosptals and doctors (all better now) and great times with old friends. Then some time showing folks from Florida, Texas, and California around here. (Sorry Jane and John, wish the weather would have cooperated better, but you did miss last night’s 55-knot wind storm).

Rough summer for tecnhology here also. Electric storms crashed the UPS I had all my MAC computers plugged into. My Favorite Cannon DSLR lost some controls, my printer died, and it took nearly three months to get a new MAC Studio in, and I’m still trying to get it integrated into the network. Even Alexa seems to be “Having a little trouble.” But life goes on.

Interspersed with visitors, beach time, and bullfights, we spent hours with friends swimming, watching movies, playing games, and of course, eating lots and drinking more…it was a great summer.

Now we’re getting braced for another winter here, marked by high winds, rain storms, massive ocean waves, and of course, chilly (read 45 degrees Farhenheit) on a cool night. Laying in firewood, cleaning the wood stove, and noting the neighborhood cats’ fur growing longer. Since weather patterns around the world are so unpredictable, we’re not sure what to expect, but then again, who cares. We’re buttoned up in a wonderful place with great family and friends, games, great wine, and a fire in the stove.

We’ll keep you posted:)

June was a busy month for some of us Terseira retirees. Also extremely enlightening!

After our trip back to the states to visit family, friends, medical checkups, and, of course, the zillions of obligatory shopping adventures, we came back to Terciera. We flew through JFK instead of our usual Boston-Terceira flight (probably not our brightest adventure, appreciably more challenges going through New York instead of Boston:)) we flew in on the same plane with Lisa, a colleague I was stationed with in San Antonio and hadn’t seen in nearly 35 years. Lisa stayed with us a few days, visited Sao Miguel, and returned for some great times. I always try to maintain perspective while sitting in airports awaiting flights to Terceira; more courageous generatons spent months aboard sailing ships with great uncertainty while crossing the same ocean we’re concerned about after a one-hour plane delay:)

Just days after our return to the island with Lisa, we joined friends Molly and Jerry attending GLEX, the Explorers Club summit at Angra do Heroismo’s world-class Cutural Center for several days of presentations and networking about humanity’s future on planet Earth. Fabien Cousteau, Beatriz Flamini, and NASA Astronauts Nicole Mann and Mike Massimino, just to name a few of the dozens of contemporary leaders pushing boundaries in everything from fashion to sports to insect research.

One has to marvel at how our lives have changed, are changing, and undoubtedly will continue to change. Confusing, challenging, and downright scary sometimes, but I have often maintained that we each adapt and overcome through the strengths of our friends and family. Seeing family and friends, then being exposed to the GLEX subjects, I must be right!

Visiting family and friends back in Michigan for the first time in six years, we had a wonderful visit; my older sister’s 70th birthday surprise party. She was surprised, and we had a great time in Ludington on Lake Michigan. The beach was beautiful sand, the SS Badger ferry appeared from a fog bank, and Lake Michigan was not as cold as the Atlantic by our house in Terceira:)

We stopped by many old friends, had some great dinners and drinks, and regretfully, didn’t have time to visit many old friends. We did see whitetail deer, sand dunes, go for a couple of boat rides on “the big lake” and saw all my brothers and sisters, which was great. (Yes, I did notice they are aging…but not me!!!:) They are still wonderful, somewhat quirky, and we love all of them!

This trip was highlighted by meeting new family as well, future inlaws, wedding dress shopping, and… oh yes, drinking Michigan Cherry-flavored coffee and testing pies and cookies. I had my first experience with American Spoon Bloody Marys made with horseradish vodka. Yum!

As always, we miss home life on the island, regret not having enough time to visit so many great friends and family, and spending more time with others. But that is one price we pay for our life as ex-pats on Terceira. Make the best of whatever you’re living, and enjoy it all.

We do!

The weather has been interresting around the world this winter, adn we’ve watched it very closely. During breakfast most days we watch variously weather in French, German, English, and Portuguese. We also look out our windows, a mountain top on one side, an ocean on the other. It’s always good to see what the experts expect, good to know how to plan our day, and always with the knowledge that what we’re seeing at breakfast probably will not hold throughout the day throughout the island:)

But astrological spring is coming quickly, and we’re getting ready. The tradition in my youth in the midwest was “spring cleaning” when you KNEW you were going to be called on to help clean those hard to reach places, under the dryer, the garage, etc. “Spring Cleaning” when you’ve married an Azorean means you do just about the same things you do every week…except you do it again every week, spring or not! Until the beach weather arrives in a month or so, in which case we can relax and only clean and cook half days, and then lay on the beach for a few hours.

Of course summer brings visitors, cookouts, picnics, camping, travel, suntans, and more yard and garden work. But most agree that’s when Terceira is inviting, relaxing, and beautiful. So when you come visit, don’t be too critical if the housekeeping isn’t as perfect as our normal spring cleaning, just check out our blood pressure and our tans:)

See you this summer!