Meet Simone Cimiluca-Radzins, an American entrepreneur and community builder who went from Santa Monica to the South of France to Lagos, all while raising a young daughter. Her story shows what happens when you trust your gut about where you're meant to be.

After building a life in the French Riviera through COVID lockdowns, Simone and her French husband visited Lisbon in January 2022. The warmth and openness they felt was undeniable. Within months, they'd packed up and moved to Lagos based on a consultation call and pure intuition, without ever visiting first.

Simone shares the reality of that first year (she didn't actually like it at first), how she went from feeling isolated to co-organizing TEDx Lagos, and why building community became central to her life here. We also tackle the complexities of being a foreigner in Portugal right now and practical ways expats can integrate and give back.

Perfect for families considering Portugal with young kids, entrepreneurs building location-independent businesses, or anyone navigating what it means to be a thoughtful expat in today's Portugal.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction: Entrepreneur, Mom, Community Builder

01:58 Life in the South of France During COVID

03:18 Having a Baby During French Lockdown

05:36 The Lisbon Trip That Changed Everything

07:09 Booking a Consultation and Choosing Lagos Sight Unseen

08:06 Landing in Lagos and the First Impressions

39:59 Words of Advice for Future Relocators

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