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Argentina
I absolutely loved every second of this exchange. Estremoz is a beautiful place, but it was made truly special by Elizabeth and Vien. They are lovely, caring and friendly hosts who are also incredibly patient and talented teachers. The work was genuinely fun and I learned sooo much during my time here. It is difficult to summarize such an awesome experience in a short review—I truly wish every day could have been Groundhog Day! I highly recommend it. I cannot thank you both enough for everything. I already miss the home dearly. Quem avisa amigo é: I will definitely come back.
5 months ago
United States
I'm not sure where to even start with this review. Vien and Elizabeth are some the best people I've ever met, i have truly been spoiled by them as a first time worldpacker they are very understanding people and have lots of flexibility when it comes to the actual work. I will say I wish we got to do some renovation stuff like plumbing and electrical work, but I learned so much about renovation, cultures, the world, and even myself all thanks to them. I would highly recommend chatting with them, besides good teachers they also know how to have a good time. I wish I could say more 🖤
5 months ago
Germany
Joining Elizabeth's and Vien's worldpackers was a very valuable experience. I could learn about renovating the house but also a bit about being a landlord. It's heavy work though and it can be very tiring when you are not used to this. The town is quiet small but cozy and has everything you need. It's not a town where you can meet a lot of internationals, Portuguese people were very kind even if I approached them speaking English. Considering that I did this experience in January, the work was maybe a bit easier, but in summer it can be very hot - which can be more exhausting.
9 months ago
United States
Before agreeing to come, I was told I would mainly be decorating a finished flat but they had me carrying extremely heavy things up and down stairs for hours; they're lucky I'm a power lifter and was physically capable of the extremely heavy work they surprised me with. The work was so physically demanding I was too exhausted to enjoy the city during my time off. They more or less honoured the 25 hours but glorified previous worldpackers that did more and made it seem like doing the agreed upon amount was more like doing the bare minimum. I overall had a really hard time.
10 months ago
Sadly, very skewed feedback. The lifting was for approx ~1 day in total out of 23, with consent + safety briefing + warm up + reminders to rest. We even suggested she skip the the main lifting day and start the next. She showed markedly less interest & effort vs. our 16 previous WPs, with learning, tasks, or even cleaning up after herself at home (sorry to our other WPer), but we met her need for rest without complaint (everyone is different). This review is the first mention of her complaints.
Germany
We stayed in Estremoz for a month and truly had an amazing time. Elizabeth and Vien are super weloming and kind and you can always have a laugh with them. We immediately felt at home. They let us try so many different rennovation tasks and explained them in detail, so we actually gained really valuable skills. You have plenty of freetime and time for weekend trips too. We also visited some local events together, so we got to experience authentic Portuguese culture too. All in all it was a great experience and we would definitely recommend it!
over 1 year ago
Germany
We stayed there for a month and since the first day it felt like home. Elisabeth and Vien are so generous, welcoming, kind and just fun to spend time with. Even when they had to work really, really hard, they still managed to stay relaxed and calm, which I think it is totally outstanding and incredible The work is exactly as explained and it just makes so much fun, also you gain so much knowledge and experience, because they explain everything to you and really care about you and your safety. This place is definitely the perfect place to stay and to explore especially with these amazing hosts
over 1 year ago
United States
What a fabulous experience! Elizabeth and Vien made me feel so welcome from the start and were so much fun to work with. I really appreciated their willingness to actually teach us skills and give us the space to make mistakes without judgement. I feel like I'm leaving with skills I can use in the future. I definitely worked hard while I was there (lifting heavy things, using power tools, getting covered in paint), but it was incredibly satisfying to see the renovation come together. And, Elizabeth and Vien were incredibly flexible and reasonable. Would highly recommend this experience!
over 1 year ago
Germany
We felt really comfortable with them and our tasks! We learnt so much about renovating, their culture and how to communicate in different languages! It was soo fun living and working together and it felt like home. We can only recommend volunteering for Vien and Elizabeth! We miss it already!<3
over 1 year ago
Germany
Short summary: It was like a family in another country! Vien and Elizabeth are really kind, patient and open minded people. They're both experts in renovating things and also teaching people these skills to other people! It was super fun working together, but also playing games and talking about travelling and life! We would definitely recommend going there, not only because of them but also because of the sweet small town and the skills you'll never forget. In general the communication and the stay was great in every way and we're missing it already!
over 1 year ago
United States
Absolutely phenomenal. Vientiene and Elizabeth have been the most wonderful, amazing and gracious hosts I've ever had. The entire experience was fun, educational and relaxing all at the same time. The work was good work and the skills I learned I will be able to utilize for years to come. Shoutout Eddie. 10/10
over 1 year ago
