The other day I read an article about Portugal and it is not about old glories.
http://www.foreignaffairs.org/sponsored_sections/country_focus/portugal/portugal.pdf
Most people don’t know much about Portugal. When I mention I come from Portugal all they can think of is Figo, Cristiano Ronaldo and Vasco da Gama. Older people think of Amália.
I’ve heard a couple of funny things like: “Oh, you’re Portuguese? Last year I went to Barcelona.” Dah! Once I was asked if we had ATM’s. I couldn’t resist answering my parents keep their money in the cookie jar! My favourite is when people start speaking in Spanish to me. I feel like crying. But I am not surprised, Portugal is never on the news and it is almost impossible to find Portuguese writers in the bookshops. We only hear about Portugal in the summer because of the fires or the missing children.
