Porto was one of the cities in Europe that I really wanted to visit while I lived here in Portugal. And if you haven't heard the news yet (to be honest, I haven't really publicized this), I'm moving back to the United States later this month.
My wife and kids left for North Carolina a few weeks ago, and I will be following in the coming weeks.
And for those of you who are wondering why on Earth would we move back? In an effort to be 100% transparent, here are a few of the reasons that lead us to this decision.
#1 The Language Barrier
The language barrier is real. Unfortunately, it was just too much for our children to overcome. They missed their school and their friends, and this was the major reason we decided to return.
And aside from that, although a lot of people here speak English, it is mostly surface level. So yes, you can get by ordering food at a restaurant. But having a meaningful conversation on the meaning of life can be difficult.
#2 The Time Difference
I would be lying if I didn't say there there are challenges to running a US based law firm remotely from Europe – so I am actually quite excited to get back to North Carolina.
One of the biggest struggles for me personally has been the time difference. 5 hours doesn't seem like a lot until you want to run a live training or webinar at 7pm and realize that means it is midnight for you locally. Or accommodating client calls at 10pm at night because they live on the west coast.
I'm not a night owl, so this has definitely been a challenge.
#3 Lack of In-Person Relationships
Another struggle has been lack of in-person contact. We got so used to doing things remotely during the pandemic that people (myself in particular) started to forget that real relationships are forged in person, over coffee or lunch. As the world started to open up, I made the mistaken belief that I would be able to do all my marketing and networking online rather than attend conferences and meet colleagues for coffee back in the states. This was a huge mistake.
I love meeting with people in person and I am really pumped to start doing that again. This week there is a huge legal conference happening in Nashville that I'm am just barely going to miss, and it truly bums me out.
#4 Difficult Finding time to Create Content
It has been harder to to film videos and record podcasts. Ok, this really has nothing to do with being in Europe but is more to do with the fact that I have been so busy getting ready to move that I haven't had time for videos and podcasts. So I am looking forward to getting back on a regular video and podcast schedule after I return.
Anyway, I hope your week is off to a great start and if there is anything we can do to help you, please don't hesitate to reach out!
Talk soon,
Jim
P.S. Were you aware that we now offer legal subscription services to our clients? For as little as $95/month you can hire my firm to be trusted counsel for your business when you need us most. We can help you avoid huge legal mistakes BEFORE they happen.
