Sol was born in Argentina and she started working with international students in 2007 in Buenos Aires and then moved to London. After London, she moved to Barcelona where she now lives and works. Sol has taken many photography classes, ESL classes, and humanities classes and continues to add to her education.
Staff Spotlight: Sol Alonso
Title:
Senior Housing and Risk Mangement CoordinatorPhotos
What is your favorite travel memory?
My favorite memory was in Tokyo because it was unexpected and one of the most different cultures I have seen. It was helpful to have friends there to show me the traditions. Some cultural differences I discovered was that even though it was a fast-paced society, people were very hospitable and willing to help even if they didn't speak your language.
How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?
I have learned how to work more closely with procedures and protocols to improve processes behind the scenes for students. I have also gotten to work closely with advisors to improve our pre-departure assistance that will prepare the student more for when they are onsite. Even though I am working on processes it has been rewarding to continue to work face to face with students.
What is the best story you've heard from a return student?
I met a student while working in Argentina and after he finished a year-long program went for a working experience in Qatar and then he decided to come back to Argentina where he met a local and fell in love with her and the international education industry. Now he works with some of my former colleagues and we are still in touch.
If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?
I would pick a customized internship because I have enjoyed working in Barcelona. With this program, you are learning and also practicing what you learn right away. It prepares you for working in a multicultural workplace which is important for me and all placements are customized to your interests which allows us to work with very cool and diverse companies.
What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?
Barcelona SAE is unique because we are growing, but we still have the student experience as a top priority. We encourage the students to do local things while they are here and teach them about cultural traditions. They don't just visit tourists spots but also learn about things like traditional dances and customs.
What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?
The key to success is to ensure a clear structure and the procedures that are explicit and easy to follow. This helps us to give the students the best experience because we can provide smooth transitions and accessible resources. This does not guarantee everything will go as expected but we can be prepared for the unexpected things.