Smorgasbord Book Reviews – #Nonfiction #Portugal #Travel – Women Who Walk by Louise Ross

Delighted to share my thoughts on Women Who Walk, a collection of stories about women who have travelled far from home to settle in Portugal… by Louise Ross.

About the book

What compels someone to leave their country of origin, which is the story before their departure? What happens to them on their journey to the new place, which is the story of getting from one place to another? And what causes them to finally land somewhere and decide to stay, if not for the rest of their lives, then for an extended period? Women Who Walk: How 20 Women from 16 Countries Came to Live in Portugal is a collection of 20 interviews with a diverse group of expatriate women. Their personal narratives tell tales of world travel and cultural immersion as a form of higher education, a vehicle for personal growth and expanded awareness of self and others, and an instrument for greater understanding and appreciation of the differences that today too often separate us. Readers will find these shared experiences, communicated honestly and openly, sometimes with humor, sometimes through tears of loss, courageous, uplifting, poignant and inspirational, a reassuring reflection of their own life journey.

My review for the book February 12th 2022

I have always considered myself to be nomadic, and have trouble at times identifying exactly what nationality I can claim. Hence stories of these women and that of the author are fascinating in many respects, and I immediately related to each and every one of them.

The accounts begin in childhood and as their lives unfold, it is evident that the reasons to leave family and culture behind are sometimes complex. We join them on their journeys as they absorb life, learn new skills, find love, have families of their own and finally lay down roots far from home.

What struck me was the bravery that was required, particularly in the 1960s and 1970s for these young women, to head into the unknown. Although some did have travel companions, it still required an enormous leap of faith. The stories also highlighted the resilience and ingenuity required when arriving in a foreign country, usually without an adequate grasp of the language, to find employment and the means to remain for an extended period.

Some of those featured spent many years travelling around the world, visiting remote regions to work within charity organisations, global companies or other organisations such as the United Nations before arriving in Portugal. Whilst these postings were by nature temporary, what comes across is that few of these destinations provided all the elements needed to call home. Be it environment, culture, people and in some cases weather, Portugal has provided many of those elements in abundance.

Apart from the individual accounts, it is also a very useful guide to living and working in Portugal. The acceptance into the tight-knit Portuguese community, bureaucratic complexities and life within the expat groups offering a wide variety of cultural and creative programmes to assist in the integration.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading about courageous and adaptable people who travel the world in search of a place to call home… and anyone thinking of living in Portugal.

Read the reviews and buy the book: Amazon UK – And: Amazon US

Also by Louise Ross

Read the reviews and buy the books: Amazon US – And: Amazon UK – Follow Louise: Goodreads – Website: Louise Ross – Podcast: Women Who Walk – Facebook: Louise Ross

About Louise Ross

Louise Ross is a writer, speaker and podcaster originally from Australia. She has lived abroad since the mid ’80s, first in the U.K. and France, followed by the United States, where she completed graduate studies in Jungian Psychology. In 2014, she moved to Portugal and from 2015 to 2017, Louise was President of the Executive Board of International Women in Portugal (IWP), a social organisation with a fluctuating membership of 250 to 400 expatriate and immigrant women.