Embark on a heartening journey as we recount an unexpected act of kindness in Portugal. Lost wallets, friendly strangers, and a genuine sense of community redefine our experience abroad.
While we were standing in the beer isle in Lidl, an employee approached my wife and said “be careful of your phone.” He pointed to her purse where her phone was in the outside pocket. “It would be easy you know.”
He was, of course, referring to the fact that stealing her phone out of her purse would be easy. Since we moved to a small town in Portugal, we have gotten soft about watching our things. But the only time we ever really pay much attention to pick pockets or thieves is when we are in major tourist places.
As a matter of fact, we notice all the time that people leave their items at tables to go to the bathroom or step outside for a smoke and no one touches their stuff.
I am sure the experiences we have had so far differ from city to city, but I cannot help to notice how honest the people are here.
Shopping Day
One day in June, not long after we moved here, my wife and I decided to go into the neighbouring larger city, Caldas da Rainha and do a little shopping. We needed to shop for several items and we wanted to visit a new pizza place, Dona Branca that had amazing reviews on a Facebook group.
After we parked in a garage or carpark and walked down to the fruit market. We bought a few items and then walked around the corner to another store in search of tiles. We then walked back up the the market to have pizza.
Once we got back to the carpark, we juggled items back and forth between us while we tried to find change to pay for parking. My wife had the ticket in her purse and I had coins in my pockets so we were juggling our items back and forth. We paid, hopped in the car and headed home.
The moment of dread
We had made plans that night to meet a friend for drinks. It was then that my wife realized her wallet was missing. Frantically, we searched her purse, our clothes, the car, the bags — everything. But it was not there.
She pulled out her phone and started calling businesses we had visited and even tried to get the carpark on the phone, but there was no answer. The dread rose in us as be realised we needed to cancel cards, call banks, get new ones issued to us in a different country. It made us a bit sick.
The next day, we got up and went back to the carpark. It was Saturday, a really busy day not to mention there was a festival that weekend. The carpark was jammed. We drove in an waited for the attendent to have a moment from helping other customers. Finally, my wife asked the dreaded question: “Has anyone turned in a green wallet?”
To our surprise — yes, someone had! It was at the police station. All we had to do was walk a few blocks and pick it up.
What? In America, that wallet would have been long gone.
Thank goodness for the kindness of strangers
The parking attendant relayed directions to the police station but spoke very little English. We asked 3 people including a police officer and walked half way around the city before we finally arrived at the station. The polite officer pulled it from behind his desk and handed it to my wife, pointing at the picture ID in the pocket, “this is you!”
We thanked the officer profusely and sat down to examine the contents. All cards and contents were accounted for. Nothing was missing. It was miracle. Or maybe just the kindness of strangers.
I know this may not happen everywhere in Portugal especially during tourist season, but it goes to show that people can be good. It is just one other reason in a list of many, many reasons, why we love our new home so much.
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Shelley is a full time traveler, blogger and podcaster currently living in Portugal with her wife, 2 dogs and a cat. She is a former history teacher originally from Winston-Salem, NC but wanted to see what life was like abroad. Now she travels all over Portugal and Europe writing about what she sees and does and tells you all kinds of fun stories on the podcast at Wandering Works for Us.