What is your favorite travel memory?
The first time I crossed the Atlantic. It was a trip to the US and that experience changed my professional and personal life. I learned about studying and living in a foreign country. This is what our American students do when they come to Spain and I want to guide them in this wonderful, life-changing trip.
How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?
I learn new things every single day. It is what we all must keep in mind. Learning is a continuous, never-ending process. The more we learn the better prepared we are for our students. I personally feel renewed every semester as we receive new cohorts of students. All of them are different and it is fantastic to have the opportunity to share our local culture and experiences with them.
What is the best story you've heard from a return student?
I have heard many great stories, but the one I like the most is "this study abroad program changed my perspective of the world and helped me learn not only about other cultures but also about mine and myself". This is a common situation that some people do not realize: students learn a lot about themselves and about their own culture when they are abroad.
If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?
Any program. All of them are special. We have programs in Madrid and Barcelona (Spain); in London (England); in Dublin (Ireland) and also short-term programs in Seville and Rabat (Spain and Morocco) and Amman (Jordan). All of them are very solid academically and also provide a great opportunity to "discover" experiences that will positively impact positively our students.
What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?
It is a family-owned company. We do care about our students. We know our students personally and are with them at any time they may need us. I am especially proud of my team when they not only do what we agree to do but also when they, personally, find out what is the best thing to do in an unexpected situation.
What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?
Being very professional with a huge human touch. FIE has more than 25 years of expertise in developing and managing experiential learning programs. We enable students to transform life-changing cultural experiences into personal and professional advantages. We are passionate about what we do and, personally, I think our students feel this and like to be part of this great adventure.