Quinta do Rogel, in Alcantarilha, has been the land I’ve been nurturing since the lockdown. It is now home to ANIMAME Algarve, an educational, sports, and cultural association. My calling to live in nature and connect with the land on this regenerative journey has only grown stronger, shaping a more solid path for my life.
Over the past four years, I have explored countless possibilities—working with communities, building natural spaces together, and experimenting with land management techniques. This journey has led to visible regeneration, both of the land and the people who have taken part in it. But one crucial question remained unanswered: How do I make the land truly sustainable?
I poured my heart, energy, and nearly all my savings into the continuous development of this place. But with no clear financial structure to sustain it long-term, I reached a crossroads where I could no longer invest blindly. I searched for people who shared my commitment—people willing to dedicate their time, energy, and intention to this land. Many came, invested themselves for a time, and eventually moved on, while I remained.
Spending time alone on the land gave me space for deeper reflection. That’s when a persistent message from my Harvard classmate, Vinay, led me to connect with Anna Bonacorda. He had met Anna in Prague—a city guide deeply interested in regeneration, nature-based living, yoga, and self-healing practices. Our conversations quickly grew into something bigger. Together, we launched the Wild Women Retreat at Animame in October 2024. It was a transformative experience, and we immediately knew we had to do it again. We set our sights on the next equinox, March 20th, 2025.
But nature had other plans.
The Algarve was hit by the strongest storms in decades, turning our land into a river. Our retreat was no longer possible. Around the same time, I had applied to Boutique, a regenerative project accelerator in partnership with Universidade Nova. By sheer coincidence, the program’s kickoff event was scheduled for the exact same weekend as our retreat. So instead of welcoming guests to the land, Anna and I traveled to Golegã, joining 17 other teams of regenerative projects, ready to embark on a different kind of journey—one focused on business development and long-term sustainability.
We don’t yet know where this program will lead us. But we are here, fully open, ready to absorb every lesson, every connection, every opportunity. Already, we have met incredible people and projects, and we feel honored to be part of this growing movement.
This is only the beginning.
In 2020, I found myself without a job. I had been working for a travel company, and within two weeks, it went bankrupt. Everything I had known was suddenly gone. In the midst of uncertainty, I felt called to nature. Every Sunday, my friend Emilly and I began hiking—we called these days Soul Sundays.
Nature became my sanctuary, a place where I could remember who I was and what I truly valued. During this time, I experienced what many call a spiritual awakening. I started seeing life through a different lens. I began healing with a shaman in the Czech Republic, releasing emotions and finding my way back to myself. I left a toxic living situation and, for the first time, learned how to put my needs first. I started breaking free from the people-pleasing tendencies that had shaped much of my life and truly began to understand what self-love meant.
I poured my time and energy into personal development, healing modalities, and deepening my connection with nature. I moved into my own apartment and spent much-needed time alone. After a long lockdown, I traveled to Portugal, to the mountains of Monchique, where I became certified as a yoga teacher. Something about the Algarve called to me, and I spent the rest of the summer in the vibrant town of Aljezur. Everything flowed effortlessly—I healed, I connected with incredible people, and I felt a sense of freedom I had never known before. By the end of the summer, I returned to Prague with a quiet yet powerful thought in my heart: One day, I’ll return to Portugal. Maybe even live there.
In 2023, I reconnected with a friend I had met in Aljezur, Nati—an Argentinian with an intense passion for life. We discovered that our journeys of healing and self-development had been remarkably similar. She had become a life coach, working with women, while I had found my calling in women’s circles. On a whim, I traveled to Málaga to meet her again. On our last day together, she asked, What’s next for you?
Without thinking, I answered, Breathwork.
I wasn’t sure where the idea had come from, but two weeks later, I found myself signing up for a two-year course to become a breathwork therapist. The following spring, Nati and I reconnected again, and I suggested hosting a retreat together—maybe in Spain. She immediately said, Why not Portugal? The Algarve, where we met.
It was like a lightbulb went off. Of course. The Algarve. It was perfect.
A few days later, while giving a tour in Prague, I met two guests who were deeply curious about my other passions. I shared my love for nature, yoga, breathwork, and retreats. One of them, Vinay, insisted that I meet his friend Mariana in Portugal. I was open to the idea but hesitant—so many people share similar interests, and I wasn’t sure if anything would come of it.
Then, one day, I received a voice message from Mariana. I was walking through the streets of Prague, listening to her speak about her vision—bringing women together on her land in the Algarve. My heart was racing. The sound of her voice felt familiar, soothing, like I already knew her. I knew we could create something together.
I told Nati the news, and the three of us began planning a retreat for October 2024. But as life often does, things shifted. Nati had to return to Argentina unexpectedly, leaving Mariana and me with a decision: cancel or move forward.
My heart knew the answer. Go for it.
That October, eight women came together on Mariana’s land for an incredible journey. While there, I felt an outpouring of inspiration. I shared my dreams with Mariana—visions of community, healing, and reconnecting with nature. I could see us building something together in Portugal, expanding even to Sicily, a lifelong dream of mine.
When I returned to Prague, we began planning our next retreat for the equinox, planting the seeds of intention. But no one signed up. A week before the retreat, Mariana called me. She had been accepted into Boutique, a program for regenerative businesses. Would you like to join? she asked.
Goosebumps covered my body. HELL YES!
A week and a half later, I found myself in Golegã, Portugal, surrounded by incredible people, feeling more inspired, connected, and excited than ever before. Mariana and I were paired together for the Animame project, but I wasn’t sure if I was just there for support or if I was truly part of it.
By the end of the weekend, it became crystal clear. This project wasn’t just hers—it was ours. What Mariana needed wasn’t just support, but a true partner to bring this vision to life. And I felt it in my bones—I am that person.
With our combined knowledge and experience, we can build something extraordinary. A regenerative project that heals both the land and the people who come to it.
I envision us documenting this journey, bringing you all along for the ride. As storytellers, this will be the greatest story of our lives.
