In addition to tourism, Airbnb’s, and the immigration of Americans driving up rents in Porto and Lisbon, another problem Portugal is experiencing is the emigration of educated young people leaving to find better jobs with higher pay elsewhere. Our group met with Renato, a university student, who plans to do just that.

We met up with Renato at Café Piolho, located across from the university. Since 1909, this has been the setting of many political encounters and debates. During the dictatorship, undercover police would come into the café and arrest student dissidents. The owners of the café supported the students, so they put up mirrors to enable them to warn the students in the reflection with a head-scratching signal if they knew the police had entered. Because of this history, it is now the most famous café in the city.

(For all photos, click on the image for a full screen view.)

Looking quite dapper in his black suit and cape, Renato explained the tradition of his university outfit, which dates back 800 years.  Worn for special affairs and events, only students who are past their second year of university wear black suits and capes. The cape is the most important part of the outfit, and it is worn over the left shoulder at ease and then wrapped around the shoulders at night. If it’s a male student, and he has a girlfriend, she can rip and braid the edge to show “her man” is “taken.” These outfits indicate to new students who the upper classmen and women are, and the older students serve as their mentors. The university fosters a family-like, inclusive environment for its students.

Renato, who is majoring in business and economics, answered many of the questions we had, including the cost of education. He said public universities cost between 600-900 euros per year, and that he pays 800 euros for school, room, and food.

Asked why educated students leave Portugal, Renato said the pay is low in his country. Doctors, for example, earn only 4,000 euros per month, and nurses earn 1,500. In France, the pay is double.

When Portugal joined the European Union and changed to using the euro for currency, the quality of life, which had been high, plummeted. Home ownership is out of reach, and the cost of living (relative to pay), is high.

Most high school graduates are finding it is not worth going to college, because they can earn higher pay in the trades. After attending a private trade school for 3 months to 2 years (depending on the trade), they can earn a minimum of 3-4,000 euros per month, which is as much as a doctor! As a result, the attendance at trade schools is increasing and enrollment in universities is declining.

It’s not just students leaving Portugal for a better life; emigration has been happening across age demographics, because the pay isn’t keeping up with inflation. The population of Portuguese is highest in Brazil (where the Portuguese language is also spoken), followed by Ukraine, United Kingdom, and U.S.A.

Renato hopes to land a job in the U.K. or U.S.A. where he can utilize his business and economics education.  He speaks perfect English, so we asked how he learned the language so well. He replied that children learn English in school each year until they graduate high school. In addition, much of their education is conducted in English.

Like many other children growing up, Renato also learned English by watching television, including cartoons and TV shows, with English subtitles rather than dubbing. In contrast, Spain dubs their shows, so they don’t have that option for improving their English skills.

Following our conversation with Renato (which was very interesting!), we had the afternoon free to enjoy the wonderful weather and sights of Porto:

The following photos were shot at Mercado do Bolhao, Porto’s famous city market:

Next up: SOUTHWEST FRANCE, NORTHERN SPAIN & PORTUGAL #25: A SLIDE SHOW OF NORTHERN SPAIN & PORTUGUESE FADO MUSIC