Life, Love, and Work in Algarve

First encounter with the Algarve

Katka first came to Faro in 2009 for an Erasmus exchange while studying marketing at university in the Czech Republic. After returning home, she completed her master’s degree and soon started working for a travel agency, which was just about to open a new destination in Portugal. Katka, already familiar with the Algarve, was delighted to take this job opportunity.

Working as a travel delegate

She began working as a delegate, and over time, her company gradually gained contracts with dozens of hotels in different parts of the Algarve. The company Katka works for was eventually acquired by German company Dertour, one of the largest tour operators in Europe.

Katka’s job starts at Faro airport, where she welcomes tourists and gives them all the basic information they need for the beginning of their holiday. The guests then travel to their destinations across the Algarve. In the following days, Katka visits each hotel and checks if her clients are satisfied with their stay.

This job requires her to handle all kinds of situations. Whenever a problem occurs, she is the first person to be contacted to help resolve it. From car rentals and trip planning to doctor visits and handling stolen documents, over the fifteen years, she has gained experience in almost everything.

Love in the Algarve

In the Algarve, Katka didn´t find only her dream work but also the love of her life. And it was thanks to her work. One day, while waiting at Faro airport for her clients, her future husband was there, holding a little board too, waiting for his clients for private transfers. They exchanged contacts and today they are a happily married couple with 6 year old daughter.

Language journey

Katka maintains a strong connection with her roots and often visits the Czech Republic. Her daughter Julka has started the first year of primary school this September in Portugal and simultaneously in the Czech Republic, too. She is already fluent in both languages.

"For me, learning Portuguese was not easy. With my husband, we first spoke English, but I really wanted to learn Portuguese, and it was important for my work too. I asked my husband to speak only Portuguese with me. It was frustrating at times, as I sometimes didn’t understand and I could not express myself well. Even when I had a work call which I could have done in English, I forced myself to do it in Portuguese. It was a challenge, and it took some time but now I am fluent. It is funny because I have a Czech friend here whose husband is also Portuguese, and in their case, he was the one who learned Czech“, Katka shared.

Expanding into tour guiding

Working as a delegate is a seasonal job, and Katka wanted to continue working also in the winter months. As she enjoyed working in the travel agency, she decided to become a tour guide. She now organises personalised holidays and trips for private clients and travel agencies all over Portugal and she does it all year round. If she had to recommend one place in Portugal, it would be Costa Vicentina, with its beautiful natural scenery and still relatively undiscovered charm.

Czech community in the Algarve

Katka is also deeply involved in the Czech community in the Algarve. With the help of her friend, who is a primary teacher, and after meeting the right people, they were able to open a Czech school in Faro, which works as an addition to the main education. The school offers both preschool and school education in the Czech language.

The school is becoming more and more popular, and the number of students grows every year. It is built on the idea that learning should inspire children and motivate them to grow. A variety of teaching methods are used, lessons are interactive, and children work with worksheets designed especially for them. They learn through play, use a variety of tools, create, and always have space to express themselves. The Embassy of the Czech Republic in Portugal supports the school in both material and personal items.

"There are many Czech children living in the Algarve; their parents are often busy with work and don't always have time to teach them everything in the Czech language, which is why we established this school. The children attend Portuguese schools during the week, and here they come on Saturdays. We teach them about the Czech Republic, traditions, and culture and it's also the perfect way for parents to meet and connect. We also have a library with Czech literature. I am responsible for the organizational and marketing side, while my friend Radka focuses on teaching.“

International Educational Exchange Project

Another project Katka is very proud of involves organizing educational exchanges. Through this initiative, Czech schools and preschools that participate in certain programs can come to the Algarve and experience the local school system. Teachers can benefit from internships and training opportunities, gaining first-hand experience in a different educational environment.

„It is a project mostly for teachers, but I have also hosted schools with students. I organise everything for them here, transport, accommodation, trips in the area and I find schools which they can visit and take part in their education for a few days. We organise this project also in Madeira and Spain. It is a fascinating project where two different cultures meet, compare the school systems, students, teachers and share new ideas. I think it’s very refreshing to see for the teachers how things work in a different country.“