Samuel & Xiao

Travel information

We are currently

Activities we are interested in:

We are currently in Norway

Description

We don't collect countries. We collect ways of living.

We are Samuel (French) and Xiaoyu (Chinese), a practical, curious and reliable couple currently travelling the world together.

Over the past few years, we have lived and worked in different countries. Along the way, we discovered that the most memorable part of travelling isn't the landscapes—it's the people who open their homes and share a part of their everyday life.

We naturally work as a team. Whether helping with guests, maintaining a property, cooking, gardening, DIY projects or simply supporting the daily rhythm of a household, we enjoy becoming part of a place rather than simply passing through.

WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT

When we arrive somewhere new, we don’t rush into changing things. We take time to observe, listen, and understand how your home or business works. Once we understand your routines and expectations, we quickly become independent and take initiative.

Beyond travelling, we are interested in cultural differences, psychology, and human relationships. Curiosity is a key part of who we are. We enjoy understanding not only how people live, but why they choose to live that way.
Samuel has experience in communication, psychology, project coordination, hospitality, and property management. Xiaoyu combines a practical mindset shaped by growing up in rural China with several years of experience as an IT Product Manager.

Xiaoyu grew up in rural China in the 1980s and 1990s, while Samuel spent years travelling without a smartphone and worked with NGOs supporting refugees in the Middle East. These experiences taught us to adapt easily, appreciate simple things, and value a good attitude far more than perfect conditions.

What previous hosts often mention is the atmosphere we bring. We have made a conscious choice to approach life with enthusiasm, humour, and optimism. Every place has its challenges, but we believe energy is contagious, and we try to leave people feeling lighter than when we arrived.

WHY WE TRAVEL

For us, it is an opportunity to experience everyday life from the inside. We don't see Workaway as a way to travel cheaply.

We are especially interested in family businesses, farms and independent projects because they reveal something you rarely discover as a tourist: how people organise their lives, solve problems and create something meaningful. These experiences are for us a exercice to prepare ourselves for our own future projects.

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WHY NORWAY?

Samuel fell in love with Norway after living and working in Lofoten for almost a year.

For Xiaoyu, Norway is a fascinating culture to discover firsthand. She is especially curious about the similarities she perceives between Norwegian and Chinese values regarding family, nature and simplicity.

Together, we are eager to better understand the Norwegian way of life and the unique relationship Norwegians have with nature.

And don't worry—we're well equipped, and we promise not to complain about the Norwegian rain.
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We would be delighted to meet you, contribute to your project and, hopefully, leave your home just a little better than we found it.

Interests

Writing

Nature

Mountain

Languages

Hiking

Gardening

Farming

Events & social

Cycling

Culture

Cooking & food

Books

Languages

Languages spoken
English: Fluent
French: Fluent
Italian: Fluent
Chinese (Mandarin): Fluent
German: Beginner

More details about my language interests
I'm interested about learning German.

Find a language partner

Skills and knowledge we'd like to share or learn

Some knowledge of:  

Animal Care

Art Projects

Babysitting and creative play

Being an elderly companion

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Able to teach about:  

Light gardening

Creative DIY projects

Creating/ Cooking family meals

Life at a Farmstay

Eco Projects

Helping around the house

Hospitality/Tourism

Charity Work

Languages

Teaching

Helping with Computers/ Internet

Light maintenance

House & pet sitting

More details about your skills

SAMUEL

Samuel has experience in hospitality and tourism, including guest relations, property management, and running holiday rentals. He also worked for several years in rehabilitation centres supporting refugees and people with mental health disorders, which developed his sense of responsibility and adaptability.

He has hands-on experience in farming, gardening, animal care, maintenance and DIY. He is comfortable with physical work and practical tasks. He also has experience in communication, photography and writing.

XIAOYU

Xiaoyu has a strong background in both practical and digital work. She grew up in a rural environment and is comfortable with gardening, farming and outdoor tasks.

Professionally, she worked as an Internet Product Manager, gaining strong skills in organisation, project management and problem-solving. She also has experience in photography, social media, digital marketing and e-commerce.

TOGETHER

We cook daily and enjoy preparing simple, homemade meals inspired by different cultures.

As a team, we are reliable, quick to adapt, and comfortable taking initiative. We are used to learning fast and becoming useful wherever we are needed, whether in hospitality, household tasks, gardening, maintenance, animal care or basic digital support.

We focus less on “being experts” and more on being genuinely helpful and easy to work with.

Age

43 & 39

What else ...

-We're also trusted as house sitters, taking care of unique properties while their owners are away, including a 15th-century castle in central France, a seaside villa in Monaco, and mountain chalets in the Alps.
-Interested in attracting Chinese visitors? We'd be happy to show you how to promote your business for free on China's most popular social media platforms and reach an audience of over one billion users.

Some more information

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  Smoker

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  Driver's licence

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  Allergies
  NO

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  Special dietary requirements
  No, I'll eat the same as you.