Matej Jurášek, known as “Rarach,” is a Slovak who, together with his family, made the move to the island of Madeira. But settling in turned out to be trickier than he imagined. Through his Instagram account, “rarachjenamadeire,” Matej shares insights into life on the island. In this interview, we asked him why he and his wife chose to move abroad, what life on the island is like, and much more.
Matej, where did the idea to move come from, and why Madeira?
When we first started considering the move, we only had one son. We thought that living abroad might be better for the three of us. Plus, we knew it would be easier for our child to adapt while he was still young. For my wife and me, it was definitely much harder than it was for him.
Initially, we had Spain in mind. We kept thinking about the move, planning it all out in our heads. Then we took a trip to Madeira, and we made the decision pretty quickly. We just fell in love with the island—the scenery, the people. Everyone was so welcoming and friendly. The climate also suited us perfectly, with its pleasant spring-like weather almost year-round. You wake up to sunshine, and you can swim all year. It really lifts your mood, and it’s much nicer to wake up to sunny mornings than cold, gray winters.
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Do you remember your first feelings after moving?
Oh, definitely. I remember that first morning so clearly. We stayed with friends for the first three weeks to give us time to get settled and find our own place. It might sound like something out of a movie, but I woke up to the sound of the ocean, and every time I looked out the window, I was in awe of the view. I even started crying, thinking, “Wow, we actually did this.” But, of course, reality set in soon after, and it wasn’t easy.
It’s amazing to watch my sun switch between languages. He knows exactly who to speak to and in which language. He speaks Slovak with me, Portuguese with the neighbor, and English with our friends. He handles it all so naturally!
Rarach je na Madeire
Did moving to Madeira have any downsides?
We were surprised to find that everyone here takes their time with things. We arrived with a financial buffer, ready to invest wisely, but things moved so slowly that it was frustrating. It was a bit of a roadblock for us.
Within the first two weeks, we found a long-term place to live with the help of locals. Then we started looking for a property to invest in. We wanted to create accommodation for travelers and promote it through my Instagram. But it wasn’t as easy as we thought—the properties looked completely different in real life compared to the listings.
Our plans weren’t coming together, and everything felt so chaotic. In Madeira we burned through our savings much faster than expected and didn’t have any steady income. Those first weeks and months were tough, but eventually, things started to fall into place—though not without a lot of effort.
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Did you experience any surprises on the island?
Yes, several! In one week, we found a house to renovate, bought a car, and had to fly back to Slovakia for work. A few days before the flight, my wife Andrea wasn’t feeling well, so we had some tests done. We found out we were expecting our second child! Andrea was already 18 weeks pregnant. It was such a shock—suddenly, we realized that we had been moving as a family of four, not three, all along. That was definitely the biggest and craziest surprise for us!
Rarach je na Madeire
Matej, were you able to complete your property project in Madeira?
We were worried that the local laid-back attitude would mean unreliable services. We feared that the workers wouldn’t show up on time. But in the end, we got there, though it took a lot longer than we anticipated. We now have a house with four apartments that we’ve been renting out since August.
Do you miss having your family nearby?
Funny enough, my wife and I were just talking about this the other day. We thought about what life would’ve been like if we’d stayed in our small apartment in Bratislava. But we quickly realized why we made the move and why we chose Madeira. Neither of us is from Bratislava, so our parents were never super close by anyway. They only visited occasionally, so we were used to handling things on our own.
It’s tough not having family around, but since moving here, we’ve met some amazing people who are always willing to help.
What food do you miss the most, and what local dishes from Madeira have you come to love?
Back in Slovakia, I wasn’t a fan of fish at all—it was a struggle to even eat it at Christmas! But now, I could eat fish every day. The fish here looks and tastes different, and it’s so fresh and affordable. We also love the local traditional dishes, and since there are so many foreigners here, you’ll find all sorts of international restaurants—Italian, Indian, Vietnamese. There’s so much variety. I don’t miss Slovak food too much, but I do miss my bike! (Laughs)
Rarach je na Madeire
Matej, what would you recommend to those considering moving abroad?
It’s tough to give general advice because everyone’s situation is different, but what helped us was spending a longer period here before making the final move. It gave us a chance to get to know the island and the way things work here.
One tip I’d give is that moving abroad is a big decision, and it should be a shared one. It’s important to have a plan and to get to know the country before making the leap. Every place is unique, and it’s important to be ready for whatever that uniqueness brings.
