What is your favorite travel memory?
Up to now, I have had the privilege of visiting around 45 different cities from different countries, which makes this question incredibly difficult. For me, my favorite memories are almost always from things that went horribly wrong, but that I survived and became funny or enlightening later on. We need to believe in ourselves and this is something I always tell our colleagues and future students. We are much stronger than we think. Be fit, be strong, and trust yourself. We just need to grow up in terms of experiences and be out of our comfort area.
How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?
In the jump from university to professional life, I have changed tremendously. Of course, this is a big transition for anyone, but it feels like my professional life is on the same track as my personal life – related to travel, full of challenges I set for myself, and linked to ongoing learning. I help with client service and setting up new programs for incoming Spanish learners, volunteers and interns by answering questions and arranging logistics. I also do a lot of outreach and work with everyone interested in study abroad or volunteer work, from college professors and on-campus student groups, to high schools and youth programs. Finally, I also get to lend a hand is developing new program and project offerings, which is lots of fun!
What is the best story you've heard from a return student?
I could write a book about all of the positive and great stories I have heard from past students. One of my favorites is the happiness of a student who so badly wanted to work in a branch of the company he was doing an internship in Spain with us.
When he returned to his home in London, UK the company reached out to him and he was offered a good position. He is still working there today and is always so happy that his hard work turned into an opportunity.
If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?
The program offered by Instituto Hemingway that interests me most is a volunteer project called permaculture. Volunteers get to live in a shared apartment but sustainability and hard work in the garden allotment are guaranteed. We also combine it with intensive Spanish lessons during the mornings Mon-Fri and we also combine them with cultural activities. The same volunteer program is applied to beach cleaning or animal welfare. Performing basic, daily, sustainable labour like this is something that many of us never need to do for ourselves and may not even know how to do!
What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?
At Instituto Hemingway I work with a team of young people from all over the world who support each other unconditionally and get to have fun together. I am proud of them every single morning when we meet to freely discuss our mistakes and challenges, and decide together how best to improve.
We are constantly improving and growing. I think Instituto Hemingway is special because it brings locals and foreigners together both through the programs offered and through the many people working there. This is why we call it Hemingway. This famous American author integrated himself with local people and this is what we want for our students while having fun.
What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?
The sustainability of our programs is really important to us! As you say, programs really need to be mutually beneficial so that not just the volunteer, but the larger community gains from the experience. First of all, Instituto Hemingway is a local organization in Bilbao so we’re one of the important small businesses that drives the local economy.
We hire local staff, purchase supplies from local companies, and work with hundreds of host families to bring additional income into their households. We also establish and maintain long-lasting, sustainable relationships with the projects we work with. In some cases, the mutual benefit seems obvious, for instance when volunteers work in under-staffed local orphanages with kids or with animal shelters that really need the care and affection. I have always been fascinated with the intersection between business and non-profits, and I truly believe that social enterprise is the key to making lasting social change
