u/Beneficial_Bug_9793

I’ve been staying in Porto Moniz, my grandparents village on the island of Madeira for the last week and it’s in a bad state. The pavement tiles are coming up, the walls along the roads and pathways are decaying and full of weeds, buildings have cracks in them, and the whole place feels like a shell for tourists because all the young people have left.

​The most frustrating part is that I have relatives working here in positions where they could actually change things. Instead, they’re completely set on maintaining the status quo. There’s zero innovation or interest in improving the area for the next generation, they’re just letting it sit as it is, which is exactly why people keep leaving. Breaks my heart.

​I’d love to move here and actually do work to rebuild and improve the village, but money is the obvious hurdle. Has anyone here moved to a rural part of Madeira or Portugal as a descendant? I'm looking for a realistic path to move back and get involved in the community without getting stuck in that same stagnant loop or going broke.