When we decided to purchase the property in Portugal and I started spending periods of time working on the small house I experienced something I had never experienced before. Time just for me and with me.

The fact that I was alone many hours of the day, outside of the small village, with no noise but nature and maybe a car passing by every hour. I have no tv there and do not intend to ever have one, and although I have my cell phone and my laptop I stay away of checking the phone except for family messages, plus, I started using silent mode several years ago to avoid constant disturbing. Laptop is only on every now and then for must have online meetings.

I had never expected this "silence" and "away of daily noise live" situation would show up because I was not even aware I was living in such a stressful noisy live, now that I experience it every time I spend some days there I have realized it is probably what keeps me willing to come back so often.