A Peach in Portugal
Christie in Coimbra
I’m a World Traveler, Curator of Culture and Community Builder
I’m an American girl who made the life changing decision to follow my heart, face my fears, and move abroad to Portugal to satisfy the longing of my soul. I’ve found my home in the enchanting city of Coimbra.
My journey as an expatriate has been far more than a change of address—it’s been a masterclass in navigating the beautiful complexities of building a new life abroad. Having walked this path myself, I now specialize in guiding fellow expats through their own relocation journeys, helping them avoid the pitfalls while discovering the unexpected joys that come with embracing a new culture.
My insights gathered from years of global wandering and real-world relocation experience, allow me to craft journeys and guide transitions that reveal the authentic soul of each destination—creating memories and new beginnings that resonate long after the passport stamps fade.If the siren song of unknown shores is calling to you, let’s take the journey together. Crafting a successful expat experience is easier with a friend!
My Socials
Follow my adventures, learn from my mistakes, and travel the world with me by following me in the social media streets.
Follow me on TikTok for unfiltered glimpses of Portuguese culture from an immigrant perspective, epic festa nights, and train travel across Europe. Expat life is one of the biggest and most rewarding undertakings in life. Come along so you can get the inside scoop. Trust me, you don’t want to miss this journey!
This one is specifically for my real estate enthusiasts and expat curious. On the ´Gram is where I dive deeper into the immigrant experience, the real estate landscape in Portugal and specific steps you can take now to prepare for your move abroad. I break down Portugal’s property market, sharing actionable relocation strategies, and giving you the insider knowledge that makes all the difference in successfully relocating abroad and acquiring a home . Ready to turn your Portuguese property dreams into keys in hand? Let’s make it happen!
Ready to turn your expat dreams into reality? My Christie in Coimbra YouTube channel is your guide to making it happen. Get practical, real-world advice on relocating abroad, learn how to thrive (not just survive) in a new culture, and discover Portugal’s best-kept secrets through my eyes as I share my own expat experience in detail. I’ll share the insider tips that make all the difference—from mastering cultural nuances, learning the language, and discovering hidden gems throughout Portugal. It’s more than travel content; it’s your roadmap to calling Portugal home.
about me
I consider myself a modern day Renaissance woman. I have a range of interests and skillsets, which is a blessing, but felt overwhelming when I lived in the States. There never seemed to be enough time to dive into anything fully outside of work. I decided I owed it to myself to allow all parts of me to express, create, and bloom. My move to Portugal has provided the peace and space to hear what my soul has to say.
International Real Estate Consultant
Residential and commercial real estate expert
Chef in My Own Mind
Hostess with the Mostest who loves to cooking, baking and interior design
World Traveler
I have always had a sense of adventure and wanderlust. My curious nature and desire to find connection across cultures has led me to 11 countries thus far with many more in my future.
I am a real estate broker with over twenty years in the profession. I’ve been blessed to have success in an industry I love. I began my career as a financial analyst and account manager, specializing in tenant representation with the largest commercial real estate firm in the world. I represented multiple Fortune 500 clients including Home Depot, AT&T, Sprint, GMAC, Aetna, Deutsche Bank and Cox Enterprises. Eventually, I opened my own real estate brokerage and added residential services as part of our offerings. I also co-founded a construction company and became a licensed general contractor. I still own that brokerage and have expanded our services to my new home country of Portugal. I assist investors and expats with property purchases and leasing in both the residential and commercial markets.
Moving abroad has afforded me the opportunity to not only expand my businesses but also to pursue my passions, including baking. I have a craft kitchen baking business, Jessicakes, offering gourmet. alcohol infused cupcakes with a twist (see what I did there).
Portugal beckoned to me, not only because of its stunning natural beauty, delicious cuisine, and kind people, but also its geographic location makes extensive travel to other countries easy and affordable. You can literally have breakfast (pequeno-almoço) in Portugal, lunch (almoço) in Spain, and dinner (jantar) in France, all in the space of a day! Don’t you want to hear about my epic train ride across Portugal, Spain, France, Belgium and the Netherlands? Get into it on my YouTube page.
Coimbra Calls
Portugal offers a broad range of cities, small town and villages that appeal to just about any type of personality, however, Coimbra called to me. I was on my three-month discovery trip here in Portugal when I decided to see what Coimbra was all about. During that visit I met so many lovely people, expats and Portuguese alike. Someone said to me, “You don’t choose Coimbra, Coimbra chooses you”. Choose me, it did. Coimbra called, I answered and now, I am here. I hope you will choose Christie in Coimbra to help you discover all that this historically rich, stunning city and country has to offer. It just might choose you, too.
Coimbra – A City of History, Royalty, Scholarship and Beauty
Coimbra is so visually stunning that a casual walk in any direction is bound to have a church (igreja), a view (vista), or park (parque) that is almost guaranteed to stop you in your tracks.
As an African-American who travels extensively, I often look for ways to share that we of the diaspora have ALWAYs existed everywhere. Portugal, and specifically Coimbra, is no exception. The Moors ruled in Portugal for over 400 years and their influence is still very present in the architecture, foods and even some of the vocabulary. For instance, some Portuguese may say oxalá which stems from inshallah. The name for the Algarve region comes from Al-Gharb, meaning the West. The more you know…