Ask a middle class Portuguese

[raen]

Hi there.

For those that dont know the term, here in portugal we usually define 3 levels of people: the poor, the middle class and the high class.

The middle is the average but it is tending to poor, while high class stands there even being shaked a bit.

I am personally a truth seeker, if you name anything bad, Portugal is pointed to be the worse at that, many times this is true but I want to try to demystify this, not all is bad, but I will point out what I think is bad with no problem, providing solutions.

Ask anything about Portuguese or Portugal.

 

[ComradeDavo]

When I was in Porto, I din't get offered Marajuana once. But when I was in Lisboa, I got offered loads. Why the difference? Is it just alot more prominent down south? Or is it a police issue or something? I'm talking being offered by dealers as I walked around the city.

I was there in September, Porto for 2 nights, Lisboa for only 1 night.

 

[nocho]

What is the average Portuguese's attitude towards Spain?

Are Mou and CR7 in any way typical for the Portuguese mindset?

 

[peter grimes]

It's my understanding that Portugal has recently decriminalized many drugs . which drugs are now legal, and which are not?

Do you personally feel this was a good policy decision? What are some things the policy foes well, and what are some things it does poorly?

How are the Roma treated these days? When I was there 20+ tears ago I witnessed a lot of racism, intolerance, anger, and impatience with them.

Thanks for doing this!

 

[nocho]

20+ tears ago

If you never cry that must've been long ago!

(sorry, but I like your rather poetic typo! )

 

[peter grimes]

If you never cry that must've been long ago!

(sorry, but I like your rather poetic typo! )

I'm typing on my pocket computer, which has a stunningly broken screen. I can't even see 75% of the screen, the rest is shattered. I rely on the predictive wizardry of SwiftKey3 ;-)

But the reason that's especially funny in this thread is because there's a Portuguese word 'saudades' that means just about exactly this! its that longing feeling of homesickness, yearning, comfort, despair, and pining for the good old days.

 

[Quackers]

What is the best thing about Portugal?

 

[innonimatu]

The "middle" class worker, just for clarity, is lucky if he/she has 1000€/month to spend: they're not tending to poor, they are poor by european standards. Between rising rents and transportation costs on one side, and cuts on wages on the other, they're being now further squeezed. The poor (which is the median) class worker must make do with some 600€/month. But he'd have to spend it all if he just wanted to rent a not-very-old apartment in the capital.

I don't want to steal the thread, so I'm not answering anyone. But what's with the fascination about Portugal and drugs? We don't have any big drugs problem, but we didn't had it in the first place anyway. Which may explain why decriminalization wasn't any big issue when it was done. Having a weak state at least avoids stupid things like "wars on drugs", thus the associated interests never got installed. I don't thing that an experience of decriminalization in countries that did had and maintain "wars on drugs" would be similar. Not would it be as easy to pass.

 

[Oerdin]

What do you think Portugal can do to increase employment and start raising living standards again?

 

[luiz]

How many people you know have recently moved to Brazil?

Portuguese people seem to be arriving in droves here (maybe the actual number isn't that high but it seems like it because most people coming are well educated and looking for managerial jobs; in other words the opposite of the Portuguese folks who came by the millions until the 70's).

 

[raen]

When I was in Porto, I din't get offered Marajuana once. But when I was in Lisboa, I got offered loads. Why the difference? Is it just alot more prominent down south? Or is it a police issue or something? I'm talking being offered by dealers as I walked around the city.

I was there in September, Porto for 2 nights, Lisboa for only 1 night.

I really dont know, Im not into drugs, and I usually dont go to that places. What I know is that we give syringes for people that are addicted to drugs and live in the street (or they can ask in pharmacy), to avoid spread of diseases (dont know if they are cutting that with the installed crisis).

Anyway in my opinion Lisbon has alot of diffrent people, for arround the world, like other big cites, so very diffrent aspects and ways of doing things. Porto is also a big City but they are more connected and are more original Portuguese, more traditional.

 

[raen]

What is the average Portuguese's attitude towards Spain?

Are Mou and CR7 in any way typical for the Portuguese mindset?

One problem we have is when Spain´s products come here to be sold and our are not sold. But sometimes is our problem, since Portugal has one big issue with investments, most of the time who invest want fast money, they usually dont invest in future...Meaning we rise prices high.

Anyway I think the average is ok with Spain, they only dont like to be bossed (controlled) arround, but who does?

You mean Mourinho and Cristiano Ronaldo? They have something of Portuguese, we fight, we go for it, Portuguese men are known to be handy.

 

[raen]

It's my understanding that Portugal has recently decriminalized many drugs . which drugs are now legal, and which are not?

Do you personally feel this was a good policy decision? What are some things the policy foes well, and what are some things it does poorly?

How are the Roma treated these days? When I was there 20+ tears ago I witnessed a lot of racism, intolerance, anger, and impatience with them.

Thanks for doing this!

I think since they were prohibited arround the world Portugal did the same but didnt evolve in that issue since then.

In my oponion it should be free, if people want to drug themselfs is up to them. But what it seems is that "the policy" wants to avoid caos or something.

You mean Gypsies? Thet worst thing about them they dont pay taxes as averyone does, because people are afraid of them, they do what they want. And if you mess with them in some sort of way, all of them come and lynch you. But most of that comes from stories and history. Some of them true but what I pitty is their children, some of them living in the street with least opportunities than everyone else.

But then they usually sell things cheaper and have top cars, event not paying taxes they survive that well since they work well as a comunity and bargain alot. Of course some are living in the street and are like nomads.

 

[raen]

What is the best thing about Portugal?

In my opinion Food. With capitalism and finantial crisis some restaurants are going down on quality but you still find very good food at restaurants, very good seafood near coast and nice meet in the interior. But at home, as expected people make that food even better.

And cakes! we are master in all sort of traditional sweets, each village, its city has their specialities of sweets and food in general.


I could say sun and beaches but we dont produce that, they are there, and many times we dont take care of them (beaches) as we shoud, or we dont usually use solar pannels in our construtions.

 

[ComradeDavo]

Where in Portugal do you live raen?

 

[raen]

What do you think Portugal can do to increase employment and start raising living standards again?

Start Producing again! For years we received money to cut on production, now we are paying the debt about things we didnt produced in the past and asked for money all the time.

When I was younger seemed confusing to me how companies operated and payed wages, all of them are asking for money! So we really dont produce that much.

We need to produce for our selfs, start with the basics, good agriculture, we have the knowledge. The government has to stop the cutting, they have to empower production, if not this problem will never end, like in Greece.

 

[raen]

Where in Portugal do you live raen?

Suburbs of Lisbon.

 

[raen]

How many people you know have recently moved to Brazil?

Portuguese people seem to be arriving in droves here (maybe the actual number isn't that high but it seems like it because most people coming are well educated and looking for managerial jobs; in other words the opposite of the Portuguese folks who came by the millions until the 70's).

What I know are some Brazilians that are going back to their home land because of this crisis. And Portuguese emigrating alot more, and like you say they are there for managerial jobs and such.

The question is that this people (I am one of them) work very hard, we do many things, many extra hours, and we are not getting payed for that. Not a problem of wage but with all the crisis, taxes raising and cuting wages people start to live worse and bills are there to pay ( and they are higher too).

We have all the good knowledge now but here no one pays for that. And we see that this goes no where sice government insists in cutting and raing taxes instead of putting the country to move, instead we are being killed bit by bit.

 

[ComradeDavo]

Suburbs of Lisbon.

I thought Lisbon was really cool when I was there, wish I could have stayed longer. I stayed at Home Youth Hostel, dunno if you would know it. Main thing I saw when i was there was the Castle of São Jorge, thought it was awesome, some great veiws over the city

 

[raen]

The "middle" class worker, just for clarity, is lucky if he/she has 1000€/month to spend: they're not tending to poor, they are poor by european standards. Between rising rents and transportation costs on one side, and cuts on wages on the other, they're being now further squeezed. The poor (which is the median) class worker must make do with some 600€/month. But he'd have to spend it all if he just wanted to rent a not-very-old apartment in the capital.

I don't want to steal the thread, so I'm not answering anyone. But what's with the fascination about Portugal and drugs? We don't have any big drugs problem, but we didn't had it in the first place anyway. Which may explain why decriminalization wasn't any big issue when it was done. Having a weak state at least avoids stupid things like "wars on drugs", thus the associated interests never got installed. I don't thing that an experience of decriminalization in countries that did had and maintain "wars on drugs" would be similar. Not would it be as easy to pass.

Its good to see another perspective. You are welcme to post you opinion, since my opinion depends also of my perspective.

I also dont undertand the fascination about drugs. In Portugal seems an overrated issue right now, maybe because we have to worry about surviving right now...