ENRICHING EXPERIENCE FOR POLISH TRAINEES IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY IN UBEDA AND BAEZA

In January, a group of 18 Polish trainees were able to gain new skills thanks to their internships in hotels in Úbeda and Baeza, which are both World Heritage sites. Their main responsibilities were housekeeping tasks. They all were able to develop their skills thanks to this cultural exchange. They were able to work in lots of different hotels, from large ones outside the city centre to small ones in the old town and it was interesting because they could share these experiences with their partners. The trainees were mainly in charge of cleaning rooms after guests had left them, restocking and checking the minibars and putting supplies in the bathrooms. They were also learned how the work was carried out between the housekeeping staff, reception and the laundry staff.

During their traineeship they also had the chance to learn more about Spanish culture. For example, they had a Spanish course where they learned lots of vocabulary and expressions that were very useful for daily life. They put this knowledge into practice in their internships, cultural trips and daily life in Úbeda.

The trainees enjoyed visiting Malaga and Seville. In Seville, they were impressed by the great cathedral and the beautiful Plaza de España. They also had time to have a relaxing walk next to the Guadalquivir river, and enjoy the nice weather. In Málaga, they had enjoyed great views of the whole city from the Alcazaba, as well as learning about the history of the city during a guided tour.

Furthermore, the trainees had a tapas night and had a great time trying typical Spanish dishes such as jamón (Spanish ham), local olive oil (one of the best olive oils in the world) and tortilla de patatas. Some skillful trainees and members of staff played the guitar and sang songs, which made the atmosphere even better.

On their last day, the trainees showed the Euromind staff Belgika, a typical dance from their region.

We hope that our trainees got a lot out of this experience and were able to learn more about Spanish culture and develop their professional skills in a welcoming environment where they could all learn from each other.