Explore Catalunya

Placement organization

Name of organization: Explore Catalunya
Town/city: Barcelona
Country: Spanje
Website: http://www.explorecatalunya.com/

Name of student: Ilone Roelofs

Specialist area: MTT
Placement period: 2014-2015

Information about placement organization

Type of organization: Tour Agency
Organization’s activities: Explore Catalunya offers different kind of small group tours. They offer tours in Barcelona & Catalunya. The customer can go for wine tasting, or see a flamenco show. But also a visit to different kind of cities in possible. If the customer want to see the beautiful nature, then the Pyrenees tour is a perfect option. Beside this there is also the opportunity to visit 3 countries in 1 day or make a sailing or speedboat trip!
Target group of the organization: English speaking people from around the world, who are traveling alone or as couple
Company culture: You will work with 3 other persons in the office and with 12 guides. The atmosphere is informal between the people in the office and the guides, but also between the boss and his employers. We have a lot of fun in the office, but we work really hard as well. Team-work is really important in the office as you do several things together.
Number of employees: 15
Dress code: casual
Did the organization meet the agreements you made beforehand? Yes

Information about your placement

In which department(s) are you working? I’m working at the reservation and customer care ‘department’.
Brief description of your daily activities: ~ I have to take care of the reservations. Sort out over-bookings and block tours if there are full.
~ I also take care of all reservations/tickets for the tours, such as wineries, Sagrada Familia, restaurants etc.
~ I make a daily list for the guides and there tours
~ I answer questions and confirm bookings by email or phone
~ I do the check in in the morning and sell tours.
~ I have contact with the guides, about problems or tours, and with agencies as well
Brief description of your company assignment: My boss wants me to do a study into the competitors.
Comment briefly on your supervision by the organization: My colleagues explained everything very well to me and gave me the chance to get used to the way of working.

Requirements for students on placement

What kind of personal skills are required for this placement? teamplayer, independent, really stress-proof
Additional company requirements for this placement? Exel and English oral and writting skills
English: Advanced
Spanish: Basic
French:
German: Intermediate
Italian: Basic
Other languages:

The trip

Mode of transport to reach your destination: airplane

Accommodation

How did you arrange your accommodation? Internet, but the company helped me as well
How did you go to work every day? by foot, it is 3 minutes walking

Visa / work permit / vaccinations

Do you need a visa? no
Do you need a work permit? no
How did you arrange the necessary documents:
How much time did it take to arrange the necessary documents?
Did you need certain vaccinations? No
How long in advance?

Language course

Did you take a language course before you started your placement? No
Would you recommend to have a language course prior to this placement? Yes, Spanish

The costs in euros

Travelling expenses (e.g. return ticket): € €150,-
Accommodation (monthly): € €510,-
Local transport (monthly): € €33,- I bought a 90 day public transport card (around €103,- in total)
General costs of living (monthly): € €100,-
Costs of visa: € 0
Costs of work permit: € 0
What did the company pay for/to you? nothing

Culture

How did you prepare for the country’s culture?
Not,
Did the culture of the country influence your performance during the placement in any way? Yes

Future students on placement

Future students are free to contact me for further information: Yes
My e-mail address: 131832@nhtv.nl

Other information

Recommendations on what to do and what not to do: ~ they expect a lot from
~ do not think that you will learn a lot of Spanish, if you only have a basic knowledge.(except when you take classes in Barcelona)
~ As student you will pay a lot for your room, so search good!
~ Go to Erasmus meetings or join the Meet up app/ site to network and make new friends.
~ Notice that if you need to travel with the metro to the office, it is better to take a room in the near of the red or yellow line, so you do not have to change line. Otherwise it will take you a lot of time.
Leisure possibilities in the city/surroundings of where the placement took place: There are a lot of possibilities. Specially if you join the Meet up app. I went to a horse riding trip twice ( fist time day trip, second time a weekend trip). The Erasmus group have as well a lot of thing to do, like salsa, langues exchange etc. just like there Facebook page.
Beside this it is lovely to walk in the Gothic area or El Born or even Barceloneta.

Media

Youtube link Youtube placement video link