Katerina & Viktor

Travel information

We are currently

Description

We're the Skarban family — originally a family of six. And before you stop reading because you spotted "four children"... keep going! 😊

Our children have been travelling with us since they were babies — camping in tents, exploring Europe in a caravan, experiencing hot summers, cold winters and everything in between. Travelling, adapting to new places and meeting new people has always been a natural part of our family life.

This year, however, we'll actually be travelling as a family of five. Our oldest son, Stepan (17), has recently started an exciting new chapter of his own and moved to Denmark to attend high school. So while he is having his own adventure, the rest of us will continue ours: Viktor (49), Kateřina (46), Frantisek (14), Lukas (12) and Marie (8).

Both of us are teachers. Viktor spent many years working as a manager before returning to teaching two years ago — his original profession and something he truly enjoys. Kateřina is also a teacher, and between us we have experience in English, PE, Geography and Psychology. We enjoy working with children and young people, being outdoors, working with animals, gardening, organising things and simply getting involved wherever help is needed. We are practical, responsible and used to working both independently and as part of a team.

But what brought us to Workaway in the first place was something more than travelling.

We believe that the best way to discover a country is through its people. Rather than simply visiting places as tourists, we want to understand how people live, share everyday life with them, learn new skills and perspectives, and contribute something useful in return. We try to keep an open mind and show our children that there are many different — and equally interesting — ways to live.

One of the biggest adventures of our lives was our family gap year in 2022–2023. We put our jobs on hold, our children were homeschooled, and for a year the world became our classroom.

During that time we travelled and volunteered through Workaway in many different places. We helped on farms, in schools, gardens and orchards, worked with children and animals, and took part in the everyday life of the communities that welcomed us. We met people from many different countries, shared meals, stories, work and ideas, and made friendships that have stayed with us long after we returned home.

That year changed the way we think about travelling. Some of our strongest memories are not famous sights but ordinary days spent working alongside people we would otherwise never have met.

Our children are very used to this way of travelling. They understand that being welcomed into somebody's home or project also means respecting their space, helping out and adapting to the way things are done there. They are curious, independent and comfortable meeting people of different ages and backgrounds.

As a family, we particularly enjoy projects involving children, education, animals, farms, gardens, outdoor work and community life, but we are open to learning something completely new as well. Viktor's management background also means he is good at organising, planning and finding practical solutions, while years of running a busy household have given Kateřina a fair amount of management experience too — just of a slightly different kind. 😊

We don't expect luxury and we don't need to be entertained. What matters to us is a friendly atmosphere, honest communication and the feeling that the time and work we share make sense for both sides.

Workaway has already given our family some of the most meaningful experiences of our lives. It has allowed our children to see the world not just through places, but through people — their homes, traditions, work, food, ideas and everyday lives.

Those experiences have shaped us as a family, and we hope there are many more still ahead of us.

Interests

Hiking

Charity work

Mountain

Pets

Camping

Animals

Outdoor activities

Van life

Nature

Farming

Culture

Languages

Languages spoken
Czech: Fluent
English: Fluent
German: Beginner

More details about my language interests
This workawayer has indicated that they would be interested in sharing their language(s) or learning a new language. You can contact them directly to discuss this.

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Skills and knowledge we'd like to share or learn

We're interested in:  

Life at a Farmstay

Eco Projects

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Some knowledge of:  

Light gardening

Creative DIY projects

Helping around the house

Animal Care

Charity Work

Helping with Computers/ Internet

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Able to teach about:  

Babysitting and creative play

Languages

Teaching

More details about your skills

We are sporty, flexible and multitasking, thats what you learn with four active children :). We love to play and teach, work with animals, in the garden.

Age

46 & 49

What else ...

We are sooo excited to start with workaway :)

Some more information

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  Smoker

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  Driver's licence

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  Allergies
  gluten

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  Special dietary requirements
  Katerina - vegetarian, Viktor and some kids - gluten free diet