Description
Hello there!
Welcome

My name is Sonia, I'm 49 years old and I live with my two dogs - Vlad, who is 9 years old (he's a dobermann, but he's the sweetest old dog who just wants to take sunbaths all day - I have to say this because sometimes people are scared), and Dimitri, who is 8 months old - in a beautiful house in the outskirts of Lisbon.

I'm an accountant for a sports club and right now I work from home and I'm alone with the dogs most of the time.
I have a 22-year-old daughter who is traveling around right now and who comes home sometimes for a bit, but most of the time it's just us here.
We live in an area surrounded by green, full of trees and beautiful nature and parks for you to explore - if you have your own transport I can give you some tips so you can go to the secret natural places where public transport doesn't take you, or I could even take you on a weekend if that's possible for me.
We are 30 minutes to 1 hour away from Lisbon (city) by bus (depending on the bus) but I can drive you to the terminal where you catch the faster bus so you can go to the city in your free time and it doesn't take as long to get there - but the bus that takes longer also has some beautiful views, as it goes through the countryside.
I can also give you some tips for Lisbon and the surrounding areas; I can teach you some Portuguese if you're interested and we can share nice conversations over meals; etc.
I want the people here to have a good time over the course of their stay, and this is supposed to be an easy-going place where you can help me around the house for a few hours a day (3-4 maybe, I'm not counting) and you can have a comfy place to stay while you see Lisbon/Portugal. You have to be independent, because like I said I work for most of the day so I can't keep you company all the time. So if that sounds good to you, amazing!

I'm looking for someone to help me with cooking meals for both of us (vegan or vegetarian) and cleaning the kitchen afterwards, to help me out with general maintenance (general cleaning of the common spaces once a week or something, nothing too heavy). I like cooking too so it might not even be every day. I might have other tasks for you like painting a wall (something I have been waiting for the sunny weather to do), watering or repotting some plants sometimes, or do some weeding in the food garden. Unfortunately, because of work, I don't have much time to dedicate to gardening but if you are fond of plants or know about agriculture/permaculture we have lots of seeds, a DIY greenhouse, and lots of materials for gardening too and you can have your own space to be as creative as you want and make your "project" in the land for your stay here. My daughter started the food garden (it's small) and built the greenhouse but she's not around anymore as much so if you want to take on that it would be amazing! If you walk around and see something that you'd like to do I'm more than open to suggestions.
The back wall of the house is huge and eventually, I'd like to have a mural painted there so if you're a painter by any chance that can be your project!
If you want to take walks with the dogs that would be amazing too and they would thank you. Dimitri is young and we just adopted him so he needs some training to learn how to behave better, so I'll ask you to help with that so he gets used to not jumping at people or play-bite.
I don't smoke but I don't mind if you do outside.

I offer a private room with a window, a comfy double bed with beddings and towels, all daily meals, access to the kitchen with all utilities you need, bathroom with shower, washing machine, wifi, tv with Netflix, access to the garden, a ride to the bus station, tourist tips, language exchange, and conversations.
I ask for about 4 hours a day and you have 2 days off of your choosing. I'd prefer you to do your hours in the morning because if you want to go out at night or for dinner that way the meals would already be prepared and that way you don't have to worry about coming back to cook.
I go to Lisbon once or twice a week and could give you a ride, of course.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Language practice
Gardening
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
I'm a native of Portugal. I've lived in Alentejo and the Algarve and have spent some seasons here and there in the north. I know my way around Portugal and could give you some tips if you're traveling around and want to know the country. I've been based in Lisbon most of my life though, and I can give you some tips for the city and teach you some Portuguese.
Help
The main task is cooking healthy vegan or vegetarian meals for both me and you, and cleaning the kitchen after you cook. Be as creative as you want. Because the main task is cooking I ask you to do your hours in the morning period because in case you wanna leave to go sightseeing or whatever, dinner is already cooked. If you want to stay around the house you can do your hours as you please.
Other than cooking I might ask you to water or repot some plants, to help me clean some common areas once a week or something, or do some outside task like weeding or painting a wall.
About 4 hours a day, 5 days a week, but if you finish earlier I'm not counting.
You have 2 days off per week, and you can choose what days those are. Meals are included in those says, of course.
Languages
Languages spoken
Portuguese: Fluent
English: Intermediate
Spanish: Intermediate
This host offers a language exchange
I can teach you some Portuguese while you're around.
Accommodation
I offer a private room with a window, a comfy double bed with beddings and towels, all daily meals included, access to the kitchen with all utilities you need, bathroom with shower, washing machine, wifi, tv with Netflix, access to the garden, a ride to the bus station, tourist tips, language exchange, and conversations.
What else ...
You have amazing natural places just a few minutes away. You have buses at the door or I can take you to the bigger station for the faster bus. I can also give you a ride into town whenever I'm going.
I work for most of the day so I expect you to be relatively independent and know your way around a normal house and do basic tasks.
A little more information
- Internet access
- Limited internet access
- We have pets
- We are smokers
- Can host families
Can host digital nomads
You have good wifi within the house and a little bit outside too. You can work from your room, the living room, the little table outside, ... as you prefer.
How many Workawayers can stay?
One
Hours expected
4 hours/day, 5 days/week