What inspired you to work for CIEE Madrid?
My passion as a study abroad student was to "change the world," but I have come to learn that "building bridges across cultures" is a more empathic way to approach effective change. At CIEE, I have been privileged to work with young people to create high-impact cultural programming that inspires our participants to foster change.
Had a great time on the student walking tour of the beautiful and historic Madrid city center.
Describe a typical day at work.
An early morning walk in Retiro Park with my dog and a cup of Spanish coffee before going to the CIEE center is fairly typical. The rest of the day varies greatly. I could be greeting students and finding out what they learned or I could be in a meeting with teachers to develop learning goals for the next cultural event, hosting visitors, or meeting with police and government officials to find out how to keep our participants safe.
What is your favorite part of your job?
I enjoy leading guided walking tours as part of our cultural agenda. Each semester, I like to have an opportunity to take our student to one of my favorite city neighborhoods, Lavapiés, where I have lived for nearly twenty years. I like showing off how the residents in this part of Madrid are engaged in building positive community experiences through public artwork.
What advice would you tell your pre-travel self?
Don´t pack for more than seven days because you can do laundry everywhere. You can always purchase items locally if you forget them. My first time traveling abroad alone to Spain I remember packing two big suitcases with clothing for all seasons.
I tried to be as prepared as possible for any type of social situation as I heard that Spaniards like to dress up. I even brought a suit and tie because I did not know if I was expected to dress formally in my classes or not. Make sure you pack light.
It's a happy day when the Madrid homestay mom picks up the students on arrival day.
What makes CIEE Madrid special?
I am fortunate to work with a dynamic and honest team in Madrid that consists of individuals who want to make a change in the world through international education. We help young people participate in study abroad programs that bring the world together. Our organization is dedicated to advancing our 75-year-old mission to make the world a more peaceful place.
Why should someone choose your organization over competitors?
You will be part of a fast-paced, international, diverse, and collaborative team of professionals. CIEE operates the largest nonprofit network of study-abroad locations, with facilities and staff in 26 countries.
Additionally, we help international participants from over 130 countries come to the USA each year. The organization's resources, learning opportunities, and dynamic people interaction are special.
What makes your organization easy to market to potential participants?
CIEE counts on the teams of people we have at each study location. We have developed an extensive network of professional experience when it comes to the health, safety, and security of our participants. In addition, we are growing in the areas of internships and experiential learning as well as expanding our high school participant's programming.
Here we took the students to the Pantheon in the city of Madrid while representing CIEE with their t-shirts.
What is your organization's mission and how do you continue to work toward it?
CIEE is a nonprofit study abroad and intercultural exchange organization that transforms lives and builds bridges between individuals and nations through study abroad and international exchange experiences. These experiences help people develop skills for living in a globally interdependent and culturally diverse world.
What do you hope participants take away from your programs?
I hope that our participants develop a new perspective on life that is more hopeful of achieving a peaceful world. One of the challenges in my role is to mentor our students to fully grasp to say "we" in place of "them" by the time they want to return home. I am hopeful that study abroad offers exactly that type of mindset to reach understanding among different cultural groups.
How do you help support participants?
One of the skills I applied during my time abroad was "learning how to fail" which is often counterintuitive to cultures that value perfection and success. After my study abroad experience in Spain, I became at ease with my Spanish pronunciation, and have accepted that it is ok to make grammar mistakes. I learned that speaking fluent Spanish is not a measure of success but that learning how to communicate effectively is a greater achievement.
We attended a unique parade to celebrate Chinese New Year's while in Madrid.
What questions do participants often ask you, and how do you typically respond?
Students often ask me, "What is your favorite thing to do in Madrid?" and I respond, "Getting Lost.” I love that you can walk in Madrid and find new streets, different architectural designs, and many neighborhoods with tapas and bars. The city is not too dense to make you feel overwhelmed. Then by the time that you feel tired from walking, you can take the metro from the many well-connected underground train stations in Madrid to go back to your accommodation.
Why is it important for people to travel abroad and experience new cultures?
Visiting another country is an opportunity for your cross-cultural awareness and the ability to communicate and collaborate across lines of difference. For some, it may be a life-changing experience as you will have a chance to observe how others live meaningful lives and try to build their society towards a peaceful world.
What does meaningful travel mean to you?
I am an advocate for supporting local businesses. Before you travel, try to find out how to hire a local guide, eat at family-run restaurants, shop at local markets, and meet locals.
