Dear Christine! How did you get to Portugal?
First of all, I have to say that it wasn’t an overnight decision, but a process. I visited Portugal for the first time in 2015 for my travel blog Lilien Diary. This year I fell in love with surfing. In 2016 I came to Portugal with Paul for a surfing holiday and we both fell in love with surfing. In 2017 we decided to live by the sea in Portugal for three months to learn to surf properly. Paul even quit his permanent job for this. You can find the long story in my book “Less is Sea”.
This summer we fell in love with the country and the people. I traveled to 40 countries in four years, but no place touched me like Aljezur. We saw “For Sale” signs on houses everywhere and then it was actually Paul who said let’s take a look. And we really found an apartment that we could have afforded! Back at home we talked to the bank about a loan, but suddenly we got a call saying the owner wanted to sell the whole house.
Oh no. And then?
At first we were super sad and flew back to Portugal because we thought we’d buy a house with friends – but that wasn’t a good idea either. It ultimately became a piece of land. Starting in 2016, we traveled to Portugal for two months every year and tried to realize our dream of a house by the sea. When we had finished all the plans from the architect and the engineers, Corona came in 2020 and everything suddenly became so expensive that we could no longer afford it.
That was another major setback and we had to think about whether we really wanted that or whether it was just a stupid idea. At that point Alma already existed and we actually only wanted the house for the holidays. But we realized: YES, we want that and started all over again with the plans and planned and built an approx. 80 square meter house.
But that still took a very long time. First of all, our annual break of two months in Portugal was coming up again. And that year we somehow couldn’t get back by car due to Corona and kept extending our stay. Until the two months turned into eight months. After these eight months of “trial life” we realized that we had to make a decision. Up to now we had the idea of living 50% in Berlin and 50% in Portugal, but that wouldn’t have been possible with childcare and we didn’t want to tear Alma out of her life every six months.
Yes, and so the crazy idea of “Let’s buy a property” became our home. To be honest, I never thought I would emigrate, but now everything is just as good as it is.
How great! How do you live exactly?
Every morning we wake up to the sound of pigeons cooing in the pine trees. When I open the balcony door, I am greeted by the sweet smell of rock roses and I can see and hear the sea on the horizon. While Paul and Alma get ready to go to kindergarten, I prepare coffee, cereal, food for our dog Rover and the snack box for Alma. We have breakfast together before the two of them set off and I grab the leash, dog harness and Rover for our morning walk by the sea. As soon as I’m back home, I open my laptop, give online coaching, write scripts for new YouTube formats or shoot videos. As often as the waves allow, I grab my surfboard and head to the beach to surf. At lunchtime I pick Alma up from kindergarten. We run errands, cook, meet friends, spend the afternoon on the beach or with our alpacas. Add to that the daily challenges and there is always something to do around the house or in the garden.
Do you also have alpacas? So cool. How did this come about?
It was an afternoon between Christmas and New Year’s Eve 2020. Alma and I were driving and I suggested that we go to the alpacas together. Hidden in the hinterland of Aljezur there was a pasture where we could observe the animals from a distance. Paul discovered her on one of his trail runs. We had been here many times and the sight of the fluffy four-legged friends always brought a smile to my face. One particularly curious alpaca even came to the fence every time and nibbled on the wire with his crooked teeth. During my visits I noticed myself becoming completely calm and shutting down. The moment, the here and now, pushed itself to the foreground and everything else disappeared behind it. The animals have a special energy and are often called “dolphins of the pasture”. Similar to marine mammals, alpacas spread such a positive effect and quickly find their way to people. On that afternoon in question, I sat with Alma at the edge of the meadow, we watched the animals eating, there was the smell of hay, the setting winter sun cast a warm light over the landscape, and a feeling of contentment and lightness spread within me .
Many childhood memories of my time at the riding stables, filled with happiness and carefreeness, appeared in my mind’s eye. Why not bring a piece of this childhood happiness back into my everyday life and keep animals myself? Being outside in wind and weather, taking care of living things and, ideally, turning it into a project that brings people and animals together and gives joy to many. During this visit I planted a seed of thought.
The big vision behind the alpaca farm is to bring people a little closer to themselves and, above all, to nature. To give you an unforgettable break from everyday life. A few hours in which you can forget everything and just live in the moment and do something good for yourself. Animals can give us so much: strength and hope. Security and love. Time and peace.
That sounds great. Tell me how you experienced your life with your child in Berlin? And then in Portugal?
To be honest, I can’t say much about it. Since Alma was born, we have been traveling so much. We took her to Austria, Norway and Portugal when she was a baby. So we only had a short time in Berlin and it was actually very nice with the baby because I was able to meet my friends for lunch at lunchtime. Personally, I missed nature completely and I always wanted to give my child a childhood in the country.
However, what I observed critically in Germany and perceived completely differently in Portugal – the structure. In Portugal I see mothers running the family business while fathers take care of the babies. I meet dads who care more about watching their children’s development than climbing the career ladder. I get to know family models in which both do the wage work and care work.
There are also rules in Portugal that make life easier for families, for example in queues. I’m moved to tears every time the cashier calls me forward to pay because it seems like the most obvious thing in the world so that I don’t have to wait so long with my daughter in my arms.
In Berlin everyone would be annoyed if I pushed forward. There are no such rules for pregnant women, families with small children, older people or people with physical disabilities. In Portugal, children are integrated differently into everyday life and are warmly welcomed into the adult world. They, too, are still dancing in front of the village festival stage at 11 p.m. They are everywhere, tolerated and loved.
What is childcare and compatibility like in Portugal?
We found a wonderful learning community for Alma in Portugal, which she has been going to since she was one and a half years old. Everything is outside, the curriculum includes permaculture and there is only vegetarian food. Everything that is important to me. However, what is always a tough time and something you can’t even imagine in Germany: all schools and kindergartens close for two and a half months in the summer. On the one hand, it’s a challenge every year, but on the other hand, it’s such a wonderful, intense time with the child that I wouldn’t otherwise be able to experience.
How do you experience the general child-friendliness in Portugal?
What has particularly struck us in recent years: the general treatment of children. Here, guests in the restaurant don’t sit at the other end of the restaurant, but directly at the next table because they are happy to have children and like to interact with them. The Portuguese are an incredibly child-friendly people who welcomed us as a family with open arms and for whom it was okay if our table was a little dirty.
What do you love about family life in Portugal? And what not?
I think it’s the little things that I appreciate so much here. Our breakfast on Sunday morning with the alpacas, the picnic by the sea, the beautiful nature around us and the fact that we have a garden where we can grow our own vegetables. I think the biggest difference here in Portugal compared to Germany is that life takes place more outdoors. You meet a lot more in groups, with other families, and that’s a wonderful feeling of community.
And what does the future look like – are you staying?
Yes, definitely the next 10 years. But if I’ve learned anything it’s: never say never.
We are excited! Thank you, Christine!
You can find a completely different experience of having children elsewhere in Portugal – namely in Lisbon with Ines – here.
Cover photo: © Linda Rauch
