What does Calma do?
Calma is a bilingual personal assistant and concierge service for expat families in Lisbon and Cascais. Run by Andrea, a Mexican mother of one who has lived in Lisbon for four years and speaks native Spanish plus fluent English and Portuguese. Calma helps with school admin, AIMA appointment interpreting, NIF and bank account setup, utilities, kids activities, restaurant and travel bookings, pet care, and daily Portuguese-language phone calls. Available per task or via monthly retainers from €250.
Have an AIMA appointment? I'll come with you.
If your appointment is in Portuguese and you're not, you have the right to bring an interpreter. I attend with you, translate live on the day, and help you understand each question and your answer. I'm a support person, not a lawyer.
- I attend the appointment with you as your interpreter
- Live Portuguese translation throughout the appointment
- Help you read and answer each form or question accurately
- Available across Lisbon, Cascais, Estoril, and Sintra AIMA offices
- For visa strategy or legal action, I refer you to a qualified immigration lawyer
Your interpreter rights
AIMA permits applicants who don't speak Portuguese to be accompanied by an interpreter or support person at their appointment. This is recognised practice and you do not need to be a lawyer to attend in this role.
Calma does not book appointments, prepare visa applications, or give legal advice. The booking is yours, the file is yours, and your lawyer is yours. I bring the language.
Why families choose Calma
Other expat services are built for digital nomads or relocating executives. Calma is built for families. The reason is simple: I am one. My daughter is in Lisbon school, I know the system from the inside, and I built this around the things parents actually need.
Schools, paediatricians, activities
I've navigated public, private, and international school enrolment in Lisbon, paediatrician registration, vaccination records, and the after-school activity scene. I'll save you weeks.
A mother on the other end
When your child has a fever and the doctor's reception only speaks Portuguese, you don't want a chatbot. You want a parent who knows the urgency and answers her phone.
Native Spanish, fluent EN & PT
Most expat services in Lisbon are Anglo-Brazilian. If you're a Spanish or Latin American family, working with someone who actually thinks in Spanish makes everything easier.
Long-term, not transient
I've been in Lisbon for four years. My daughter will be here through her schooling. I'm not a lifestyle nomad, I'm staying, which means I'm here when you need me next year.
Three steps, no surprises
A simple process designed around how busy families actually want to be helped: clear pricing up front, a real human at the other end, fixed fee for the outcome.
Send an enquiry
Tell me what you need help with through the form, in English, Portuguese, or Spanish. I reply same business day with next steps.
Fixed quote, no surprises
I send you a written quote before any work starts. You agree, or you don't, and there's no obligation either way.
I handle it, you get on with life
I make the calls, chase the bookings, and update you on WhatsApp. You only step in for the moments that genuinely need you.
A flexible menu of help
Settling in
One-off setup work for arrivals. Mix and match.
Family life
The school, paediatric, kids-and-pets stack that other services skip.
Day-to-day life
The Portuguese-language admin that quietly steals your weekends.
A few kind words
Andrea came with us to AIMA and translated every question. She helped us pick a paediatrician, sorted our internet contract, and found my daughter's swim club. We stopped feeling like outsiders within a month.
Simple, transparent pricing
Most families pick a monthly retainer for steady support. One-off help is also available, quoted per request. Cancel any time.
Calma Lite
Singles and couples handling life admin one piece at a time.
6 hours of help / month
- Same-business-day reply, Mon to Fri
- All the above services within your hours
- 10% off settling-in services
- Hours roll over up to 1 month
Calma Standard
Couples and busy professionals with a steady stream of admin.
12 hours of help / month
- Same-day reply Mon to Fri
- Urgent WhatsApp acknowledged within 4 hrs
- Free trusted referral intros
- 10% off settling-in services
- Hours roll over up to 1 month
Calma Family
Families with kids, pets, and a long admin list.
22 hours of help / month
- Same-day reply Mon to Sat
- Urgent WhatsApp within 2 hrs, Mon to Sat
- Priority on school & paediatric admin
- 15% off settling-in services
- Hours roll over up to 1 month
Olá, I'm Andrea.
I'm Mexican. Native Spanish-speaker, fluent in English and Portuguese. I've lived in Lisbon for four years, and my daughter is in school here. This city is home, not a stopover, and I'm in it for the long run.
I started Calma because I watched friends move to Lisbon and lose months to phone calls they couldn't make and forms they couldn't read. The expertise isn't the bottleneck. The phone call is.
Most expat services are built around solo professionals or digital nomads. Calma is built around what I know: families. School admin, paediatricians, kids activities, pet care. The thousand small things that make life feel ordinary.
Before you book
Can a non-lawyer accompany me to an AIMA appointment?+
Yes. AIMA permits an interpreter or support person to attend with applicants who don't speak Portuguese. I attend as your interpreter, not as a legal representative. For visa strategy or legal action, I refer you to a qualified immigration lawyer.
Do you give legal or immigration advice?+
No, and that's deliberate. I translate, accompany, and handle the practical side. For legal advice on visa eligibility or strategy, I refer you to a qualified immigration lawyer. The first conversation is usually free.
What does a bilingual personal assistant in Lisbon do?+
A bilingual personal assistant in Lisbon handles the Portuguese-language admin that English and Spanish-speaking expats can't easily do themselves: appointment booking, school enrolment, utility setup, restaurant and travel reservations, pet care coordination, and accompanying clients to bureaucratic appointments as an interpreter.
How much does it cost?+
Monthly retainers from €250 (6 hours) to €750 (22 hours). One-off requests are quoted per task, typically €35 to €180 depending on complexity. Settling-in services like NIF, NISS, and utilities are quoted individually after a free 15-minute call.
What if I'm not in Lisbon yet?+
Most of my work happens by phone, so I can start before you arrive. NIF setup, school searches, and household sourcing all happen remotely. I take over in person once you land.
Do you specifically help families?+
Yes, families are the focus. I'm a mother of one, my daughter is in Lisbon school, and I built Calma around the school admin, paediatric, kids-activities, and pet-care needs that most expat services skip.
How do I pay?+
Bank transfer (SEPA), Revolut, or Wise. For per-task work I invoice on completion. For retainers, monthly in advance. No card surcharges, no hidden fees.
Tell me what's on your plate.
Send a quick enquiry and I'll reply same business day with next steps. No pitch, no upselling.
If a retainer is the right fit we can talk through it then. If a one-off task is what you need, I'll quote you a fixed fee in writing before any work starts.