Waves of concern and anxiety are rippling through Portugal’s expat and immigrant community, following the emergence of rumours about a compulsory Portuguese language and culture policy for foreigners. Thought to be one of the first policies to emerge from the new coalition government, it’s understood that all migrants will be encouraged to learn to speak Portuguese and understand the national culture at a much faster rate than has been previously acceptable. A key initiative that has already ruffled foreigners’ feathers is the idea that all conversations that take place on Sundays must be in Portuguese and that only Portuguese food will be consumed across the country as well as in the two autonomous regions of Madeira and the Azores. As news of the idea spread across X, formerly Twitter, sometimes now known as ‘TwiX’, in the last week, a delegation of troubled foreign ambassadors were thought to be seeking an audience with the President, ‘Marcelo’, and new Prime Minister, Luis Montenegro, to question the unfairness and sudden nature of the idea. “I complained immediately to my embassy,” said John Smith, a Manchester United fan who preferred that his original nationality remain off the record, especially in light of the anticipated and mandatory ‘support a Portuguese football club’ scheme. “I can’t go from refusing to speak Portuguese all the time, to having to speak this very difficult language for a whole day, every week, even in my own home!” “What’s more, if I am forced to eat bacalhau instead of roast beef and drink coffee instead of tea, as well as driving closer to other road users on Sundays, I may have to think about moving to Spain or France, where shouting in English has always got me through.” Architect of the new and radical proposals Nuno Wei, a government advisor of mixed Portuguese and Chinese heritage responded by saying: “It’s time foreigners made a bit more of an effort and bit the bullet, or ‘bit the bacalhau’, as we prefer to say at our cultural and creative think-tank and co-working, digital nomad hub - Luso Takes it All.

You know those strings with pegs on for displaying all your Christmas cards? This is mine, right here, this Christmas 🎅🎄 Getting my string going with @Fabrizio Di Domenico , #PTRui , @Colin Ross-Jones , The Storytellers' Palace , @Heather Binder , @Filomena Pascoal , @Nuno Mendes , @Joana Peixe , @Bjarndis Mitchell , @Owen Lloyd Martin Please feel free to add yours, and one from me to YOU XXX #feliznatal #bomanonovo #boasfestas

"Mais vale saber que haver e dar que receber" It is better to know than to have, and to give than to receive

Thanks to @Bob Wenger for sending this in... https://www.imidaily.com/europe/nhr-to-survive-at-least-another-year-as-portugal-prime-minister-resigns-over-corruption-scandal/ See also Expats Portugal webinar, 7.30pm, tonight (Thursday)

Olá bom dia! Tudo bem? It's a @Filomena Pascoal Friday for me as we head to Central Portugal for the long-awaited Schist and Beirão trip. @Louisa Munson taking care of business in the GMP! studio this morning, looking at the 'Hero's Journey' of migration 😘 Bom fim de semana!