22 lives · 5 families ·
3 generations · 1 vila in Portugal
We grew up together in Brazil. Life took the family around the world. After years of missing each other and visits that ended too soon, we bought a cluster of old homes in Portugal to try living closer again.
There is still plenty of building work. The stories have already started.
Now: Bodas de Ouro (the golden anniversary), in December
The show is in Brazilian Portuguese.
Start with our story
The family's three pinned Instagram chapters: childhood together, life in different countries and the choice to try living close again. Short Reels, in Brazilian Portuguese.
- Chapter 1 A casa cheia The full house: the childhood we wanted to pass on. Watch on Instagram (opens Instagram)
- Chapter 2 Cada um para um lado Everyone their own way: the children grew up, and the family map grew too. Watch on Instagram (opens Instagram)
- Chapter 3 A escolha de ficar perto Choosing to stay close: how the vila project began. Watch on Instagram (opens Instagram)
Then: Compramos uma vila em Portugal (we bought a vila in Portugal), on Instagram (opens in a new tab)
All the stories (page in Portuguese)
Or by e-mail: get the family letter
Golden anniversary season
50 years
married, in December
Grandpa Nelson and Grandma Cleusa
Golden anniversary
Five children, nine grandchildren and stories that crossed oceans. The family is getting ready for another reunion, and Fi's apartment (Fi is one of the five children), still a building site, is trying to keep up with the calendar.
There are a lot of people in this story.
It all starts with Grandpa Nelson and Grandma Cleusa (Vô and Vó, in Portuguese). Their five children are Tê, Dani, Fi, Dé and Gá. With the partners who joined later and the grandchildren's generation, the Famiglia (Italian for family) kept finding new ways to see the world.
- Vô Nelson and Vó Cleusa
- Tê and Gabi
- Dani and Vaninha
- Lira and Felipe
- Fi and Mi
- Dé and Di
- Gá and Carol
- and 8 more grandchildren
The vila
Over the years the family spread out to the United States, Australia, Canada and Brazil. Fi wanted a place with room for everyone. One house was not enough, so the family bought a vila, almost abandoned when they found it, with a hundred-year-old sycamore that was there long before them.
A vila is a cluster of homes, the way Brazilians say it: old houses and neighbours sharing a short street. Three of the families live in Portugal now, and the building work (the obra) brings the old houses back to life one at a time.
We don't say where it is.
Sample cards, in Portuguese. Each card has two questions and you pick one, for example: Which pet became a family legend? · What was the naughtiest thing you did as a child? · What do you eat when nobody is looking?
Free question cards for families far apart
24 free printable cards, with two questions on each, to ask your parents and grandparents at the table or send to the family group. It's in Portuguese, made for Brazilian families at home and abroad. No sign-up.
Get the family letter
An e-mail from the family, now and then. At most one a month.
Contact
We read everything and reply as soon as we can. English is fine.
Journalists: the press page
Thought of someone?
Send it to the family group (opens in a new tab)