Hi nice to meet you Juliana and Joanna: Would you like to present yourself and your business?
Juliana & Joanna: We are Juliana and Joanna (J&J from now on), two foreign moms who moved to Lisbon with our families in 2019. One year later, in October 2020, we found Go Parents, an online platform providing courses and workshops for pregnant and family expats living in Lisbon.
How and why did you come up with this business idea?
J&J: The idea of Go Parents was born from a need of finding a concrete and reliable source of information related to family life that was foreigner-friendly. Since then, this has expanded to different topics such as pregnancy, maternity, wellbeing, and it’s still growing.
What mattered was to find an expert, and with tons of information ‘flying ‘ around, it proved to be not so easy.
Therefore, we have connected with some great tutors and experts who were willing to engage in helping non- Portuguese-speaking parents adapt and find sufficient information to be more confident and ultimately happier in the new country they now call home.
Why and how do you think this service is useful for the parents living in Lisbon?
J&J: Our courses are provided in English (a common language among foreigners). All the professionals we work with are well researched and have an established background to ensure they deliver valuable and trustful information (easy access to information which otherwise would be difficult for foreigners to find).
What are your services?
J&J: Workshops and courses dedicated to pre and postnatal education/topics
Tell us a bit more about your background and what brought you and your families to Lisbon?
Joanna: After many years living in London UK (I am Polish married to a French man), we have decided to move the country in pursuit of a more balanced family life. Originally heading to Switzerland, a last-minute emerging opportunity brought us eventually to Portugal, which we call home now.
Juliana: I am Brazilian, from São Paulo, and my husband is German, but we met in Spain in 2008. After a couple of years living in Berlin and Rio de Janeiro (where our two daughters were born), we decided to go back to Europe, both for business reasons and the lack of security in my home country. After many considerations, we thought that Portugal could be a good compromise between both cultures and continents, so here we are for almost three years already.
How did you discover my blog and Lisbon for Parents community?
Joanna: Facebook research
Juliana: Through friends (Nina)
Do you think families need a community, a village?
J&J: Of course, every family, regardless of where do you live, need a community and a reliable network =)
What’s your experience as an international family moving to Lisbon? What were the struggles and joys?
J&J: Lisbon is a great city to raise a family: it’s small and cozy but also an international place, with many people from all over the world. The great weather and the proximity to the beach are a great plus. In general, the people are always hot and friendly with children. The terrible bureaucracy, the lack of good public transportation, and the many hills are downsides, especially if you have small babies and depend on a stroller.
Do you think Lisbon is a family-friendly place?
J&J: In terms of logistics and infrastructure/ mobility NO but in terms of weather and mindset, YES
How could, a service like yours, be beneficial for the local Portuguese community?
J&J: The topics we talk about in our workshops are universal. All our workshops are based on the Portuguese reality, considering the country’s services, hospitals, and facilities. The experts we work with were trained abroad and have an updated point of view on the current trends and researches in family-related topics, which could benefit the Portuguese community, which quite often would not have access to this kind of information. Although the workshops are in English, the professionals are native Portuguese speakers; hence they can also be done in Portuguese.
Which and when are your next courses happening?
Antenatal: 06.11 – 27.11 Link HERE
Plan your Postpartum: 18.11 Link HERE
Infant & Child Safety: 20.11 Link HERE
Pregnancy and Lost in Translation (PLT): 22.11 Link HERE
What about we do a Facebook live where you and Sara present your upcoming “Pregnant and Lost in Translation” Signature Workshop so people can learn more about what it is?
J&J: Yes let’s do it!
Great! We will do an Instagram LIVE with Juliana from Go Parents and Sara Vale and me wit my Me you and Lisbon account on Wednesday 17th of November 2021!
We will talk about how important is for expecting parents to have the right information and tools during Pregnancy, Birth, and Post Natal to make informed decisions for the sake of ourselves and our babies.
