Experience community through action and purpose

Germany

5

We only stayed for two weeks but it truly felt like a whole lifetime of new experiences and lifelong friendships.The hosts humberto and ophélie are truly amazing and welcome you with open arms, happily show you around and give you answers to all the questions you might have about their amazing the organization community(I had a lot of them;)They are always up for a good laugh which also makes it so easy to communicate about daily tasks and what help works best for both parties.We didn't speak portuguese in caneças, but as long as you arrive with an open heart and a smile on your face you'll be fine <3

almost 2 years ago

United States

5

Ophélie was an amazing host. I felt very safe and comfortable with her while learning a lot as well.

almost 2 years ago

United States

5

This was an amazing experience! It was a great place to stay if you want to be immersed in the local lifestyle. The Emmaus project has a unique way to help support local people in need. Ophelie and Humberto were great hosts and made us feel very welcome and were very sweet! It was an overall amazing time!

almost 2 years ago

United States

5

Our time at the organization has been impactful in our hearts. Ophielle and Humberto were so welcoming and supportive throughout our entire experience. Both Lisbon and Caneças were great experiences and we learned so much about the organization! Like others have said knowing some Portuguese would definitely be helpful at the Caneças location, but we got by without it because of the friendly atmosphere! Thank you again for this experience this is something we will take with us in our future endeavors! :)

almost 2 years ago

United States

5

I had a wonderful experience at the organization, which was worth the time and commitment I put into it. I cannot express enough how much this experience meant to me and I am truly grateful for the opportunity. Ohpelie and Humberto were very welcoming and made me feel like a friend rather than just a volunteer. My time at Canecas was hard work, but it gave me the chance to show my fellow companions that I stand with them as they go through this transitional period in their lives. For future volunteers, keep an open mind and grow through this volunteering experience. You won't regret it.

almost 2 years ago

United States

4

Had a great time!! I enjoyed my time in Lisbon more than Caneças due to the hours and living space. Caneças is good for connecting with nature and a small community, and Lisbon is great for exploring the city and connecting with locals! The other volunteers at Emmaus are super fun to be around :-)

about 1 year ago

Denmark

4

I spent 18 happy days at the organization, where everyday I woke up and felt included, cared for, and listened to by an incredible and kind-hearted team. It was a really unique experience to get to live with the community there and to take part in their traditions and schedules. It's worth mentioning the working hours and location. It takes over and hour to get to the city center and work is from 08:30-18:30, so if your priority is to explore Lisbon rather than mostly staying at the project site I would recommend the organization' Pop op store in Lisbon. Both is also an option. I'm looking forward to coming back.

over 1 year ago

Italy

4

We stayed one week in Canecas and one at the store in Lisbon. I enjoyed both the places, even if I advise that one in Canecas, the beating heart of the organization and where you can get in touch with the companions and connect with the other volunteers. Despite the community in Canecas is a bit far from Lisbon and the free time is less, it's really worth it. The team of the organization is very warm and welcoming, we learned more about their great community and had other enriching discussions. It was my first volunteering experience and I heartily suggest it. Thank you Ophelie, Humberto and Eva for all 🫶.

over 1 year ago

United States

4

Ophelie was the best!! She was very welcoming, sweet, caring, and very accommodating. I am a celiac and she made sure all my meals tended to my allergy needs in Caneças. She also really encouraged us to go see local attractions and use our time in Lisbon to go see the city! The only reason I give a 4/5 is due to the experience in Caneças. I felt like the language barrier made it hard for the companions to delegate tasks to us as they only spoke Portuguese. We unfortunately did not do much work there and spent a lot of time waiting for direction. I would have loved to help contribute more!

over 1 year ago

Ophelie replied

Hi Annie, thanks for the kind feedback. I know that your time in Caneças has been more difficult because our colleague Eva (who speaks English and Portuguese) wasn't there to manage your work as she usually is. I hope you enjoyed it anyway !

United States

4

Ophelie and everyone else were so kind and welcoming! The days at Canecas are long but not difficult work. It is all men living there that mostly just speak Portuguese, but they make sure to communicate with you as best as they can and were all very nice. They keep you well fed and it is very good food. However, the bathroom in the volunteer room was pretty dirty. At the Lisbon location, the shop is very nice and the work is chill. Ophelie gave great recommendations and made sure we got to see all around Lisbon, and the living space was so cute!

over 1 year ago

Ophelie replied

Thanks for your feedback, Jessie ! I had no idea for the bathroom and you should definitely have told me about it during your stay, we would have come to clean it. Thanks for the time you shared with us, I hope you will keep good memories of Lisbon !

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