Section Navigation:
Pavla Sykorova
Name: Pavla Sykorova
Place of birth: Czech Republic
Time lived in Scotland: Two years
Pavla Sykorova, from the Czech Republic, loved Inverness so much as a student that she returned to live and work here.
Pavla first came to Scotland for a placement on Sustainable Forestry Management at the Scottish School of Forestry in Balloch, Inverness-shire. It was part of her Applied Ecology degree at the Czech University of Agriculture in Prague.
"It was a very interesting experience," says Pavla. "It was good to learn about the environment, culture and history and meet local and international people within and outside the college. We all learnt so much."
Pavla has been centre manager of the Centre for Remote and Rural Studies (CRRS) since August 2008. The CRRS is a research unit hosted by Inverness College. She says, "I provide office management and administrative support to the Director and other staff of the Centre."
It was her love of remote areas that made her move to Inverness with her boyfriend. "I love the lifestyle here," she says.
Working in Scotland
As a student in Inverness, Pavla worked two nights a week at the local restaurant.
"It was easy to find part-time work for 10 hours a week," she says. "The money I earned allowed me to travel and explore Scotland further."
After Pavla graduated from university 2007 she came back to Scotland. "I went back to the restaurant. They employed me again and every time I had an interview they would change my shifts around. The owner was really sympathetic. It took me a year to find a full-time position and I’m happy working at Inverness College," she says.
Why Inverness?
According to Pavla, Inverness was the best place for her and her boyfriend.
"My boyfriend, who is Welsh and a student at Inverness College, doesn't speak Czech so staying in Prague wasn't an option. But we both liked Scotland. In Inverness there are 50,000 people but in Prague there are 1 million.
"I go back to the Czech Republic three times a year but I don't miss living in a busy city. Inverness is very good, you get everything you need here. I wouldn't live in a big town again as I don't like crowded cities.
"When I was doing my degree in Prague I lived on the other side of town so I had to spend three hours a day commuting. Here in Inverness I get home in 10 minutes. I can cycle throughout the year and it's a friendly town for cyclists."
Benefits of living in Inverness
Pavla loves being near the countryside.
"I've travelled around Scotland and I really enjoy exploring remote areas," says Pavla. "This place is fantastic; I don't need to drive long distances to enjoy the countryside.
"The forests are great for walks and the food is nice too; it's no problem getting organic fresh food. Sometimes we get good snow conditions and the mountains are just behind the city."
Staying in Scotland
Pavla now feels settled in Inverness. "I'm not sure if I would want to move and start all over again. If we do move, I don't want to move to England – it's too busy. Maybe we'll move to Edinburgh one day.
"I just really like it here! It's very green and the people are really friendly."
Related Links
Register for updates
Enter your details to receive email updates for Scotland is the Place. More about registration