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Host rating
85 %
Last replied
27 Jan 2025
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Description
Hi!
My name is Maria. I moved to Portugal at the beginning of summer to live with my partner, who has already been living here for 6 years.
Our house is in a secluded place in the heart of Portugal, surrounded by nature. It is the perfect place for those who love nature and a quiet time for themselves.
My partner and I work online, and we have a lovely cat named Thomas. Thomas is an outdoor cat; he's low maintenance, but he needs to be fed daily. He loves good company, playing, going for a walk and having someone to sleep with.
As we have business in Lisbon and need to go there often, we need help looking after the house and taking care of Thomas. The house is modern and equipped with everything that is needed in a house. It has a balcony around the living room, offering a view of the valley, a pool, and a lovely garden.
We live close to a village that can be easily reached by bike. We have an electric bike available that makes it easier.
The people in the area are very friendly and helpful. Of course, there are the locals and expats with different interests.
The area is very beautiful, has good infrastructure, and some interesting places to visit.
My partner and I do not speak much Portuguese, but we are both fluent in English. He is Swedish, and I am Romanian, and we both lived in London for many years.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Language practice
Gardening
Animal Care
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
House sitting
Interests
Movies & TV
Technology
Events & social
Vegetarian or vegan
Sustainability
Pets
Culture
Self development
Languages
Cooking & food
Plant care
Books
Writing
Gardening
Animals
Yoga / Wellness
Fitness
Nature
Beach
Dancing
Mountain
Hiking
Cycling
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
Living in Portugal offers rich opportunities for cultural exchange, even if you don't speak Portuguese. Engaging with locals can help you practice your Portuguese, whereas with us and some of our neighbours, you can practice speaking English. We have a relaxed and healthy way of living in our house, and we love being connected to nature and away from the noise. We have embraced a balanced way of living, being very social and engaged in a city like Lisbon, but coming to retreat in this lovely sustainable place where we do gardening, grow trees, cater for wildlife, bees, butterflies, compost, and green energy.
Despite our nationalities, living in London for many years made us adopt different cuisines and cultures. We eat and cook various types of food and are also interested in wines.
You can explore local restaurants and markets to taste traditional dishes in the area.
The area hosts various events, from traditional local festivals and social meet-ups organised by expats. These events and gatherings blend Portuguese and international cultures, allowing for meaningful interactions and connections.
Engaging with cultural events, such as exhibitions and performances at local cultural centres and museums, offers insights into Portuguese history and contemporary life. Even if materials are primarily in Portuguese, many events cater to English speakers, making them accessible and enriching experiences.
Help
We need help with looking after the house and taking care of Thomas.
As the house is big and has a garden, terraces, yard, and pool, some chores and tasks (which are not hard work) must be taken care of. These include organizing and cleaning around the house, watering plants, fishing out leaves from the pool, and keeping terraces and gardens tidy (removing weeds, etc.). Depending on the season, we might have other projects as well.
Thomas needs to be fed wet food twice a day, be given fresh water daily, and clean his food bowls. Apart from that, belly rubs are very much appreciated- he's not much of a cuddler, playtime and a walk to the post box as he finds it very adventurous.
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Romanian: Fluent
Swedish: Fluent
Portuguese: BeginnerThis host offers a language exchange
This host has indicated that they are interested in sharing their own language or learning a new language.
You can contact them directly for more information.
Accommodation
You will have your own bedroom with a bathroom, a floor for yourself, and a direct exit to the pool. The living room area on both floors has TV and Netflix. We have two fully equipped kitchens, one upstairs and one as an annexe to the house, a laundry room, Wi-Fi, air conditioning, and plenty of space to do yoga or meditate.
We have freezers and cupboards full of food (cans, jars, pasta, rice, oats, fish, etc), which you can help yourself with; however, you will have to provide fresh food yourself. We prefer vegetarian or pescatarian people.
What else ...
It is imperative that you are a cat lover!
We believe a couple would be most suitable, but we would also welcome any people travelling alone. Please remember that it is a secluded place; we might not be around too much. You might not be able to go places every day as it is hot and distances are more accessible by car, so we wouldn't want you to feel lonely unless it is something you prefer. For example, I like having days alone here because I can focus on my work, but I know it is not for everyone. If you are looking for a secluded space to take care of yourself or focus on your work, this would be the place.
While you can easily reach the village by bike, you would need a car to go further. One option is to connect with neighbours or other travellers in the area and share a car if we are not around. You can join me for groceries or visit some spots together when I am around. If you are visiting Portugal outside of the season, renting a car can be a viable and not very costly option.
On your days off, you can travel somewhere else and spend the night if you wish. There are buses, and I can share a taxi number that will take you to the train station, which is much further away, in Tomar, to be more specific. If I am around, I can drop you off/ pick you up from the bus stations.
Sadly, we cannot accommodate you if you travel with a dog. Our cat is not used to dogs and is not friendly with them.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
If you are a digital nomad, we might want to know more about your work as we both work online and run businesses and online products. The house is perfect and equipped for digital nomads.
How many Workawayers can stay?
One
