What is your favorite travel memory?
Working as a whale watching guide in Baja California Mexico! I know this may not be for traveling purposes but the experience was unbelievable, the highlight of this trip was actually the work as I had the opportunity to see during 2 months the fabulous grey whales and calves.
While on the boat, I observed all kinds of incredible events like mating, growing, feeding, and interacting with us. The giants were very kind to me and all visitors of the San Ignacio Lagoon. They let us play with their calves while they stepped back to rest. During night, we heard the whales breathing close to the camping area, after working we had the chance to travel down the peninsula and found great canyons ridding a mule in very vertical paths to meet the San Francisco cave paintings at the hearth or the largest protected area in Mexico.
What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?
The biggest factor are the human resources as we are all passionate people organized and supported for the structure of a company to focus and multiply our efforts to impact positively our world.
How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?
So far GVI has been an incubator of a better version of myself, When I joined GVI as an NSP I had the chance to get training and skills that I didn’t receive at University or working for other companies. Thanks to these skills I never was rejected in any job application and still haven’t, since I joined as formal paid staff member in 2013 I have grown my skills in administration, decision making, planning, communication and improve my English level while I have jumped from field staff to an admin position. These changes continue to provide me with important skills and make me feel like I’m in the correct place.
Describe a time when you felt especially proud to be part of your current team.
I am very proud of being part of the GVI team, it really inspires me to do my best every day on my chair, at the end of 2015 I helped creating the year summary of our projects in Mexico, it was amazing seeing all the good we did in field, how many people we supported through the year, including vulnerable local populations and volunteers from all the globe.
What is the best story you've heard from a return student?
I can mention more than one, but the one that came to my mind was a volunteer that after participating in our programs at GVI Mexico decided to create his company and donate part of the company profit to special needs children organizations in Latin America, including the one we work with in Mexico.