Volunteering in Spain – Discovering Catalan Culture

During an eight week period, I had the chance to do my internship in Spain, Barcelona thanks to the organization GoEco. I did the Eco-friendly Hospitality Internship in Barcelona. Travelling abroad is a great opportunity to practice languages and meet a lot of people coming from all around the world. I got some professional knowledge, becoming an efficient and active member of a special staff. It was also a way to develop my cultural awareness and gain some experience, but also discover a different culture, the Catalan one, during my visit in Barcelona, and other cultures, developing contact with foreigners.

The tasks I had to perform were various and enriching. (Bar, breakfast, touristic visits…) They were in direct contact with the clients but also with the proper functioning of the hostel. The atmosphere was always friendly and pleasant. The integration in the hostel and in the city was fast, it’s very easy to get used to the Spanish atmosphere and customs : hours of lunch, beach very near, night life … I never got bored! I had the time to work but also free time to discover the city and go out with clients.

People welcome you with a smile and I have made friendships very strong! It was a wonderful experience with fantastic people. It was a very useful and rewarding experience, for my personal life, my professional skills and it contributed in the extension of my social network. I recommend volunteering in Spain and if I could do it again, I would!