Hi! We’re Ruslan and Olesia, a family couple from Ukraine now living in beautiful Funchal, Madeira.

The island is full of amazing nature, but public transport is limited. Some places (like Fanal Forest or the north) are best reached by car or scooter — 7m Rent a Car is a good budget option.

⚠️ We can’t pick you up from the airport or drive you around the island.

⚠️ We don’t host people with russian passports or anyone who supports the war against Ukraine.

⚠️ We prefer hosting those who also host — believe us, you always have something to share! But we’re sometimes open to new accounts too.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Couchsurfing has given us the chance to meet many amazing people, some of whom became lifelong friends.
For us, it’s about more than just a place to stay—it’s about sharing stories, learning from each other, and spreading kindness. We love helping travelers, sharing what we have, and creating unforgettable memories together.

What truly amazed and touched me to tears was when russia attacked Ukraine and the war began—Couchsurfers from all around the world reached out, offering us support and help.

You people are incredible. Thank you for your kindness and support. ❤️

Interests

🌏 We care about nature and join eco-events.
☕️ We love tasting different coffee varieties from around the world.
🍫 candies, cookies,waffles, chocolate, various sweets.
🧀 We adore trying new foods—cheese, seafood, jamón and fruits.
♟️ We love playing chess.
⛰️ We enjoy hiking Madeira’s levadas.

Music, Movies, and Books

Music: Anything that touches the soul. I’m a true melomaniac, always exploring different genres and moods.
Books:
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry – a timeless story that speaks to the heart.

Movies:
The Notebook (2004) – a beautiful tale of love and devotion.
Yes Man (2008) – a feel-good movie that inspires saying "yes" to life.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

1. Traveling has been a life-changing experience for us.

2. We backpacked across Europe for three months, full of new discoveries and friendships.

3. We volunteered in Spain, helping the community and experiencing local culture.

4. We completed the 400 km Camino de Santiago, a journey of reflection and resilience.

5. We trekked 450 km on the Via Francigena from Aulla to Rome, exploring Italy’s history and beauty.

Teach, Learn, Share

We’re happy to share our knowledge and skills in various areas:

IT Expertise: As IT specialists, we can exchange insights about technology, programming, or remote work.
Travel Tips: We have plenty of experience in backpacking, trekking, and budget traveling, and we’d love to share advice or stories from our adventures.
Cultural Exchange: We enjoy sharing stories about life in Ukraine and Madeira, as well as exploring other cultures.
Language Exchange: We can help you practice Ukrainian or English.
Chess Strategies: If you love chess, we’d be happy to play a game and share some tips!

What I Can Share with Hosts

We live in a cozy T1 rental apartment with one bedroom, located in Funchal, in a nice and quiet neighborhood near Forum shopping center.

We’ve decided to share the sofa in our kitchen-studio since we only have one private bedroom for ourselves. Check out the photos in our gallery—we’ve added pictures of the kitchen-studio so you can get a better idea of what our hosting space looks like.

Both of us work in IT and usually work from home, so we spend most of our time in the apartment. While we don’t have much free time to spend with our guests during the day, we kindly ask that you be independent during your stay.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Belgium, Brunei Darussalam, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Egypt, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Moldova, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, Slovakia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Turkey, United States, Vatican City State

Countries I’ve Lived In

Portugal, Ukraine