Volunteer in Spain with Instituto Hemingway

Spain had always been on my 'must-see' list of countries and I knew that when I was finally going to plan a trip to go there that I wanted to get more than just the 'tourist view' of this country. I wanted to meet the people that live there and experience their culture.

Everyone I met was so warm and welcoming. They were all so eager to show me their city, to treat me to little cups of sweet tea and to talk about their lives and culture. Everyday I spent in the dog shelter was interesting, to see different treatment methods and of course to spend time with all the sweet dogs who will sit with you for hours in exchange for an ear scratch.
The added bonus of not having to worry about the details like accommodation, airport pick ups, cultural activities etc makes for a very easy going trip. Instituto Hemingway has all of these things organized for you and knowing that they have been there and experienced the placement themselves in order to make it suitable for their volunteers is more than reassuring. They even provide you with information about the country you are going to before you leave so that you arrive prepared and are always available if you should need to get in touch with them.

This was a great experience for me and I would absolutely do it again without a second thought. Saturdays and Sundays were also another extra bonus for me visiting surrounding areas and different cities accross Spain.

Jose, from Instituto Hemingway, perfectly planned every detail of this trip. We were connected with an outstanding host in the local community and an inspiring organization Jose was available before the trip to video call and answer all of our questions. He also communicated with our group throughout the entire trip to ensure we were having an amazing experience. I was also impressed with the organization of our transportation. Being in an unfamiliar location, it could have gotten quite overwhelming, but, with his help, our transportation was always well organized. We worked with dogs, cats, vietnamese pigs, donkeys etc,. This trip was truly life-changing thanks to Hemingway Institute, and I learned so much about conservation.

I loved feeling like I lived in Bilbao-Spain if only for two weeks. I walked around the city every day, then took the super clean and super safe metro to my volunteer work. I spent my mornings at the beautiful Spanish language school of Hemingway surrounded by beautiful mountains and in the afternoons I took part in my environmental project. It was so meaningul for me, doing something for the others. It was an adventure living with my host family who didn't speak English. Now I would have chosen to be in a shared apartment with other volunteers my age, with more fun and more lively chats and experiences. Even though I'm home now, my mind constantly returns to the mountains, the rivers, and the people of Bilbao

The best volunteering experience I ever had. The apartment was amazing! 5🌟
The staff super helpful and friendly!
So recommendable if you want to live the whole #SpanishExperience that for sure is going to change your life!
The first day that I arrived I was a bit confused because of the different schedules for lunch and dinner in Spain and siesta times. At 3 pm everything was closed. But when I got into the apartment, they received me with a super smile, and a nice talk with all of the other volunteers.

After that week I was way more comfortable and I knew how the city worked. On my 3rd week I started the project as I was more confident with my Spanish, and the Coordinator Rodrigo, helped me a lot in this process! He helped me to find a place, helped me with the people. And at the end of the day, we had such a success.
It is an amazing experience, they have a lot of programs where you can volunteer, from journalism to environmental issues, so that’s amazing. Because they give you the experience that you are looking for! I chose animal welfare and now I want to be a vet.
100% Recomendable!

i thoroughly enjoyed meeting all of the local staff and very kind volunteers here with me. made lots of new friends, and gained a lot of experience. i would definitely come back to Instituto Hemingway to complete this project again, hopefully in the near future!

I loved working with the dogs. My experience was incredibly rewarding and the time I spent there felt impactful. The dogs were very receptive to any love and attention they received, and it was made apparent that a little would go a long way. I was able to work with individuals from all around the world and learn more about the culture in Spain. Everyone was very helpful and eager to share experiences, which made every moment worthwhile. Learning Spanish was challenging and exciting, and it was great to have the opportunity to practice the language on a daily basis.

Going to Spain I was able to immerse myself in things I had never done before. I love travelling and I would recommend this program to any teen who likes to adventure and wants to spice up their resume. Travelling alone was a smooth and breezy process and Instituto Hemingway helped me through every step of the way. I was so excited to meet people I spent the duration of my program with. Together, we were able to visit an animal shelter refugee. During weekdays, we would go to tourist attractions and we even went to the Plentzia beach. Rodrigo, the person we stayed with, was super nice and gave us access to the Wi-Fi and other small issues when we needed. I made friends in my accommodation that I will keep for the rest of my life and I am so happy that I spent my summer there!

P. S Food was excellent anywhere

The best decision I could make! My three months in Spain have been really great.My flatmates in the apartment were very nice and always willing to help if there was a problem. I also really liked my project and enjoyed the work and time with the pets in the animal sanctuary.The trips that I took part with the School were always very organized and full of new experiences. Since Spain has a lot to offer regarding it’s nature, cities and scenery I was always able to discover new and different parts of the country. I have met a lot of amazing people there and enjoyed my stay very much. Now I want to get a degree as a vet.

I carefully researched volunteers programs abroad and I am so glad I chose Instituto Hemingway! They leave no stone unturned in preparing you for success. My program was absolutely perfect!

I had an enriching experience in Bilbao. I'd say plan for a minimum of two weeks to have some sort of impact on the dogs lives. The program could have benefited from some more structure and concrete objectives, but it was flexible to accommodate each volunteer's interest.

The accommodations were brand new and very nice. This program far exceeded my expectations. Bilbao is easy to settle into. I felt very safe in this incredible international city.

I would highly recommend Instituto Hemingway without any hesitation. I experienced numerous once in a lifetime moments and will forever have wonderful memories of Hemingway