Living and Working in a Hostel in Barcelona: Anna's Internship Experience

Anna's internship in Barcelona was a total immersion experience. Placed in a bustling hostel in the heart of the city, she quickly found herself managing front-desk operations, organising social events for guests, and even contributing to the hostel's social media presence.

What made the experience truly special was the people. Working alongside staff and guests from dozens of countries, Anna developed the kind of intercultural competence that no textbook can teach. She learned to communicate across languages, resolve conflicts diplomatically, and create welcoming spaces for travellers from every background.

The three months flew by. Anna left Barcelona with professional hospitality skills, a global network of friends and contacts, and the kind of confidence that only comes from stepping far outside your comfort zone.

Day-to-day, Anna's responsibilities widened steadily over the placement: by week four she was opening the front desk on early shifts, coordinating walking-tour bookings with three local providers, and producing the weekly social calendar that drove the hostel's evening events. Piktalent's local coordinator visited the hostel twice during the placement and ran a structured mid-mobility check-in with both Anna and the hostel manager — confirming that the task plan agreed in the OLA was being delivered in practice, not just on paper.

On the personal side, the integration package made the move achievable. Piktalent helped Anna find a shared flat a 12-minute walk from work, set her up with a local SIM and a Spanish bank account, and connected her with a small WhatsApp group of other Piktalent participants in the city — a network that, according to Anna, became the social safety net that turned a three-month internship into a genuinely life-shaping chapter.