Peter

United Kingdom
Login to see last activity

Badges (3)

Photos

View all

Give the gift of Workaway

Profile information

Travel information
I am currently
Travelling
Activities i am interested in:
I am always up for hiking, camping, bonfires, thinking out loud, and sharing meals and stories! I'm also happy to meet in pubs or go to museums and cultural events!
My next destination:
Australia - from Apr 2025 until Jun 2025
View all
Description
Hello! I'm Peter, 34 years old, and I have been living in Scotland for 12 years up until July 2024. Originally from Transylvania (Romania), I used to live there until the age of 18, followed by three years in Hungary, three months in Austria, then Scotland. For five years now, I have been teaching Geography in a Scottish high school with the added responsibility of pastoral duties. I am on a year-long career break until August 2025, and I have so far travelled in Australia (3 months) and New Zealand (6 months) with the Working Holiday Visa in the latter.

I have 15 years of background in classical piano, and what usually grabs my interest are geography, maps, culture, history, philosophy, languages, architecture, music, fantasy, literature, movies, integrating the arts into everyday life, mindfulness, LEGO and jigsaw puzzles.

I tend to think that I am generous, as I enjoy sharing both food and quality time with other people: love playing board games, going on walks, cooking together, singing with others and doing any other group activities. Sharing life stories, discussing cultural and philosophical debates or anything that makes me understand others and myself better is something I really enjoy doing. I have been appreciated before for being a smiling, super friendly person, and I try my best to focus on the positives and cultivate an optimistic outlook.

Because I have lived in several different places over the years, and always managed to make it work, I see myself as adaptable, adventurous, resilient, resourceful and open-minded. I have also learned to live together with different people under the same roof and be respectful of communal living rules.

I tend to be rather rational and calculated in life, but at the same craving novelty, so I'm on the quest to healthily push my limits and get out of my comfort zone - which I have been doing since July 2024 in Australia and New Zealand thus far.

Throughout the past fourteen years, I have worked as a travel agent for both a bus and an airline company, taught English as well as Geography, volunteered as a team leader on an educational project in Tanzania for three months, worked to support students at university both academically and pastorally, and even tried myself as a kitchen porter and waiter for a shorter time.

When I'm on my own, I like spending my time reading, watching movies, experimenting with cooking and learning languages. I use multiple diaries/journals to manage my to-do lists and my own thoughts. Having years of experience in classical piano, it is quite natural that I am drawn to music and I still enjoy playing the piano at home.

Curiosity and a desire to connect with other people and cultures is what defines my interests. Getting insight into the customs and habits of the region I visit is an immense pleasure and privilege that I'm looking forward to. Ultimately, becoming as much of a local as possible is the most rewarding part of traveling for me!
Interests
Writing
Self development
Sailing / Boating
Outdoor activities
Plant care
Photography
Pets
Performing arts
Nature
Languages
Mountain
Movies & TV
Music
History
Hiking
Gardening
Fitness
Farming
Events & social
Cooking & food
Drawing & painting
DIY & crafts
Culture
Books
Camping
Beach
Astronomy
Art & design
Architecture
Animals
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Hungarian: Fluent
Romanian: Fluent
German: Beginner
French: Beginner
Norwegian: Beginner
Swahili (Kiswahili): Beginner
Chinese (Mandarin): 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.
Find a language buddy
Skills and knowledge I'd like to share or learn
I'm interested in:
Gardening
Animal Care
Charity Work
Some knowledge of:
Babysitting and creative play
General Maintenance
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Helping around the house
Hospitality/Tourism
Helping with Computers/ Internet
Able to teach about:
Languages
Teaching
More details about your skills
*Active listening: 4 years of volunteering with a mental health charity at university helped me gain important active listening and non-judgmental communication skills.

*Classical piano: I have 15 years of experience in playing the piano, and would love to share.

*Cooking: I pride myself with making good lentil dhals. I am also open to learning new recipes.

*Customer service: whether a conversation is to be conducted face-to-face, by email or by phone, I am confident to deal with requests and complaints in a kind, sensitive and caring manner. Some of my customer service jobs included working in an airline's call centre, working for a bus tour company and being at the front office of my university's information centre and gift shop.

*Event planning: I have worked for years as a Resident Assistant at my university, which is a community building role. I had to help new students settle in their accommodation and plan various events for them from scratch. I have also planned a weekend getaway for 40 students in the Scottish Highlands in 2014. As a teacher, I planned a school trip to Paris for 25 pupils in 2023.

*Intercultural communication: having worked in multicultural teams for most of my life, I have developed an understanding of the importance of mutual respect between people of various backgrounds, especially when there is a language barrier. I also have experience in conflict resolution in a patient, kind, sensitive and firm manner.

*Public speaking: I have been a tour guide at my university showing the campus for prospective students, parents and visiting academic people. My background in teaching and education has also made me comfortable with standing up in front of a crowd.

*Organisation: since I have worked full-time in education, I have followed a healthy daily routine and have developed various ways to organise myself including several diaries for keeping deadlines and to-do lists. My friends praise me for my "discount skills" - always striving to keep on top of deals, especially with airlines, and including everyday shopping, too.

*Teaching: I have taught English as a foreign language to teenagers, English for academic purposes for non-native postgraduate students, and I have been continuously teaching Geography in school since 2019.
Age
34
What else ...
I am flexible and open-minded and will gladly undertake activities I have never tried.
Some more information
- Smoker
- Driver's licence
- Allergies
  No.
- Special dietary requirements
  No.

Website Safety

Feedback

16 Dec 2024

Left by host (Come and stay with our family ...) for Workawayer ()

Peter came to stay for a very short time in late 2024. When he arrived for the stay he lacked a bit of confidence with some of the work aspects but that was short lived. He is a quick learner, easy to coach and overall very positive. He got along well with the kids, playing games, sharing stories of Romania and Scotland, his world adventures and… read more

(Excellent )

8 Dec 2024

Left by Workawayer () for host (Come and stay with our family ...)

I had a very nice time at Ben and his family during my short, but sweet, 3-day-long stay. While travelling the North Island, I was looking for a last-minute Workaway opportunity, and Ben was flexible and willing to house me until new volunteers were scheduled to arrive. The family was lovely, the children were interested, friendly and… read more

(Excellent )

4 Dec 2024

Left by host (Enjoy hands on experience ...) for Workawayer ()

We thoroughly enjoyed having Peter stay with us and help out for two weeks.
He quickly learnt the farm routine and wasn’t hesitant to tackle any task asked of him. He approached new experiences with a good sense of humour and enthusiasm. Peter is helpful and considerate, always willing to lend a hand.
We both enjoyed Hungarian goulash and Chicken… read more

(Excellent )

26 Nov 2024

Left by Workawayer () for host (Enjoy hands on experience ...)

Where do I begin? I spent two weeks in the home of Cynthia and John in August 2024, and it became one of the defining episodes of my time in Australia. This was my first Workaway experience, and it proved to be rich and eventful. Cynthia and John were kind and generous, and they treated me like a family member straight away. The tasks that had to… read more be done on a daily basis revolved around feeding the animals, and I soon understood the basics of how to feed the chickens in the morning, and how to feed the cows and the sheep in the late afternoon. Other tasks varied day-by-day, such as cutting down the galangal bush and digging up its rhizomes, cutting down sugarcane, taking apart old kitchen furniture and taking it to the dump, picking up new furniture, robbing the beehive, and cutting down a "dwarf fig" of 5 meters tall - I have learned a lot from these experiences, and came away with increased self-confidence. I once made the small-to-medium mistake of leaving the door of a small enclosure open which resulted in a cow entering and eating the one and only passionfruit that was growing there, but Cynthia and John were understanding enough, and I only learned from this , and became more vigilant and organised about my own work as a result.

I had great conversations with Cynthia and John who showed open-mindedness to any topic that came up. Being based in Scotland myself, it was interesting to find out about the family's Scottish roots, too. Cynthia's meals were delicious (I won't forget the roasts and pies, as well as the "orange surprise" dessert, as that was one of my favourites), and I am glad that I could make some Hungarian goulash as well as chicken paprikash on two different occasions in order to help with cooking and share some of my culture. John was very helpful with giving me a lift to the train or bus stations whenever I had a day off, so I could easily visit Australia Zoo, the Glass House Mountains, Brisbane and Mooloolaba.

Last, but not least, spending time with so many animals was almost therapeutic, as they showed so much affection and were so sociable. Gypsy, the dog, greeted me every morning with overflowing enthusiasm, and I grew to like her a lot; Sugar and Spice, the two cats, were always looking for company in the evenings, and most of the sheep and goats were really friendly, too. My favourites were the two stars from the herd, Stella and Luna (who were keen to get real oranges as a treat, and gave a lot of "kisses" in the form of licking and gently chewing on my arm). The farm is full of life - there are guinea fowls and ducks, too, and there is a peculiar background symphony of bird noises coming from the nearby woodland. One day, John caught a carpet python that was lurking around the chickens, so I also had the opportunity to encounter it face to face..

Overall, I had such a good time that I returned to Cynthia and John's place 6 weeks later for a weekend. If I can, I will definitely be back again. Thank you for all the amazing experiences!

(Excellent )

View all