Scouts adventure in Couce

During an entire week we travelled through stories and places worth visiting. In Couce, a village in Valongo, in a scouts camp, we meet Andreia Faria, Rockstar Developer, who is also a scout in her free time. “One of the philosophies of CTW is that we change the way the world moves. It’s like our philosophy in scouts, leaving the world a better place”, she started to say.

Andreia has never felt less of scout for being a woman. “I think that in scouts we have this safe environment that everyone is equal. We all have the skills to do everything. We just have to believe it”, she reinforced.

Climbing Fraga do Teto 

Still in Valongo, we were challenged by a climber to go to Fraga do Teto. Su Ferreira, Marketing Genie, is already preparing the equipment to start rock climbing, an activity that came into her life at her son's request. “My seven year-old son told me: ‘I want to be a climber’. And I said ‘Okay, let’s do it’. Now, it’s our passion”, she said.

Despite people's questions about her age and the fact that she is a mother doing a radical activity with her child, she defends that we must be true to ourselves and fulfil our dreams. “Every woman should have this freedom. If we’re supporting other women where they want to be, we are on the right path”, she emphasized. 

Running along the river

After a day in the mountains, we drove back to the city to a place where nature also inspires physical wellbeing. Near Foz do Douro, Marta Fernandez, UX Design Guru, is running. Se usually participates in marathons. "To run a marathon is like living. It's the process to get there. And when we get to the line, it's 'Ok, we achieved our goal'," she started saying.

This March, UX Design Guru will participate in her fourth marathon. "During those hours, I think in a lot of things. But one thing is 'Marta, you can do it'. There are no obstacles because I'm a woman", she concluded.

A ride with a van traveller

We still had time to grab a ride with Joana Madureira da Silva, in her van. The Product Visionary loves to travel, always in her caravan, which she also built. "The first thought everyone has is 'Who's the guy who built this?' And I said, 'We built this together'". Joana cut the wood, painted and did the electricity part of the van.

"We can take the step-by-step construction of the van, and maybe that's our life. Do whatever you want, regardless of your gender", she advised.

Let’s head for the capital city

In Lisbon, we can meet Sónia Carvalho, a Product Visionary who does mentoring sessions with other women. Sónia decided to motivate other women like some had supported her.

“When suddenly I became a role model, I realised it’s very important for us as a female community to support each other”, she stated. The pro-bono mentoring she provides will also benefit other women, not least because if solid bonds exist between men, strong bonds should also exist between women.

A run in Monsanto Park

We also dived into nature in Monsanto Park by running with Ana Oliveira. The UX Designer particularly enjoys this activity because she doesn't hear her children crying or constantly asking her to do things. "When I was running, it was like a time I had to myself. That's my 'me' time", she confessed.

Ana has been inspired by seeing her colleagues run long distances and also wants to achieve this goal. "If we want to achieve something, we should go for that. Being a woman should not be an impediment for anything", she reinforced.

The passion for music

Music is always a good way to relax and inspire ourselves. Sharareh Monfared, Rockstar Developer, is passionate about the piano. "Playing piano was like one of my childhood dreams, "she started to say.

Sharareh is an Iranian woman, so because of the restrictions in her country, she never had the opportunity to learn about it. Now, she can work toward her big dream in Portugal. "I want to be a really big pianist. It doesn't matter how many years, but I will do it. The world is changing. The women have equality, and we may change the world in a better way", she advised.

A Fado night

We finish our day with one of the most important expressions of Portuguese culture: Fado. In Hotel de Santa Justa, Inês Mariano, Product Visionary, gives life to this space with her voice. "There is something in Fado that says that you won't learn to sing Fado. Fado is about feeling. Being a woman and singing Fado is important because I feel like I'm breaking stereotypes", she started to say.

Inês' most significant support is her mother, who gave her all the tools and encouraged her to succeed on Fado. "It's important for all the women in the world to be given tools. If I have an obstacle, I go because I have the tools", she emphasized. ​​​​​​​