# Madeira - need a Man (or woman) Friday...



## mothman (Jun 27, 2013)

I am very fortunate in now having a job (online tutoring) that I can do anywhere in the world with good broadband, so naturally my thoughts turn to getting out of the chilly, pricey UK to somewhere a bit cheaper and warmer. I've already had a fair bit of experience of living abroad as I am a tropical agricultural entomologist (bugs) by inclination and training and still have bits of property (nothing elaborate) dotted around the world, but unfortunately not in any places that I can now realistically live year-round. 

On a whim I have decided to investigate Madeira as it seems to have a good few 'plus points' (EU so no problem with work permits; close enough for my old Mum to come and stay; subtropical climate so I can indulge in my passion for tropical plants) but I've never been there! I plan to go out there for six weeks this winter taking a couple of laptops with me so that I can carry on teaching from there in the evenings and look around in my spare time. In an ideal world I'm looking for an old, rural house in a well-vegetated area to renovate in due course, though I gather that the curse of Napoleonic Inheritance laws (which I've dealt with before) might make this tricky! I prefer to work with small-time locals rather than professional Real Estate Agents if at all possible - doing it this way keeps the money with the people who need it, in my experience. I haven't been cheated anywhere on my travels yet, but I guess there's always a first time! 

So I'm looking to 'network' in advance so that I can make best use of my time there this winter and dig out the people who may be able to help me and sort out the chaff from the wheat. Are there any 'old Madeira hands' out there who could point out the pitfalls and maybe help me out with my Portuguese (which is still a bit primitive) during my six-week stay this winter? If so I would love to hear from them!


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