My daughter always wanted to work in Spain

Having a daughter who, at the age of seven, declared that she wanted to work in Spain.

Since my daughter Celine was in fourth grade, she declared that she wanted to become a hotel manager in Spain when she grew up. She held onto this goal from that moment on and proclaimed it to anyone who would listen. Her eighth-grade teacher fully believed in her and emphasized this in his farewell speech upon leaving elementary school.

Spanish Lessons

In the third year of secondary school, Celine decided to take private Spanish lessons. She excelled in this endeavor. We started looking at different schools, including the Hotel Management School in Amersfoort. It’s located in an old monastery and is a real hotel/restaurant where every aspect of the hotel business is taught, from reception to housekeeping, to cooking, and more. This was her choice. During the information evening, her hand shot up during the question-and-answer session, and she asked the question I expected: “In which year can I do my internship abroad?”

After receiving a thorough explanation and an approving look from the teacher because she was eager to know this, we left satisfied. We immediately signed up as soon as it was possible.

The invitation for an intake interview followed shortly, and during the interview, Celine asked what she needed to do to be selected for the Spanish program during her studies, as there are only a few spots available. She was asked, “What is your motto?” Well, they certainly found out, resulting in her being ACCEPTED.

Her teacher is amazed by the grades she’s achieving. We always joke that there must be Spanish blood running through her veins because her Dutch is not as easy for her.

Finding an Internship in Spain

Then comes the moment to find an internship in Spain. She is a minor (17) when the internship begins, which means it has to be approved by the school team manager, and we, as parents, also have to give our approval. We immediately signed the permission form! I had been following jongleren.es on Instagram for a while, and Celine signed up through their website. She quickly received an invitation for an online intake. After the intake, we immediately gave the green light for JongLeren.es to assist her in finding an internship and accommodation.

Internship Placement and Accommodation

The communication with JongLeren.es went very smoothly, all through Celine. She received an email with a potential apartment after a short period. Since Celine arrived early, she got to choose her room first. She selected a room with a fixed closet because being away for six months means having a lot of stuff for a girl ;). After about a week, Celine received an email about a potential internship position and an invitation for an online interview. The first interview with the manager of TOC Hostel Malaga was a success from both sides, and Celine called me at work after an hour to say that she had been hired!

Surprise Party

After asking her a few times if she was going to do something with her friends before leaving, she always quickly answered, “No.” We noticed that it was getting more exciting as everything was arranged, and summer was approaching. I was not going to let her leave quietly; there were quite a few significant occasions during her half-year absence. The first was her 18th birthday in October, followed by Sinterklaas, Christmas, and of course New Year’s Eve. So after sending out a flurry of messages to her colleagues, friends, and family, I received super-enthusiastic responses from everyone, and it was a fantastic party. She had no idea and was completely surprised. I am still grateful to everyone for keeping it so quiet! We sang for her birthday, sang Sinterklaas songs with the Christmas tree in the background. At 12 o’clock, we set off fireworks and ate oliebollen (Dutch pastries) in shorts, just like Celine is going to do in Spain.

Summer Vacation

Then it’s time for our summer vacation in Malaga. Celine’s suitcase is ready to be filled, okay, and a few bags and vacuum bags. She wants to take her own duvet and a wardrobe full of shoes, of course. We, as parents and her little sister, are limited to 2 sports bags. The electric scooter is coming with us, not to mention the lovely gifts she received at the surprise party. Believe me, the car is packed to the brim.

First, we spend a few days enjoying our vacation in our apartment in Mijas. Then comes the key handover with the homeowner. We are impressed by how large the apartment is! The next day, Celine and her father went to Ikea to buy a double bed for her room, as she’s still our little princess ;). After setting up the room with all the purchased and brought items, we let it sink in. After a week, we spent a test night there, and it went well; the apartment feels safe. She has already been in contact with two of the guys who will be joining her soon. Celine spends the night alone in her apartment for the second time the following week. She says it went well, and she’s not afraid to be alone. The days that follow pass quickly, and the time has come to say goodbye for now, which brings tears to both her and her dad. Strangely, I had a good and peaceful feeling about it, partly because she had wanted this for so long!

Alone Is Really Alone

In the evening, we have a phone call with a very sad Celine. During the day, she did various activities on her scooter, but the realization that she’s truly alone has hit her hard. Her dad was already halfway into the car to pick her up after she had begged for it numerous times. But, of course, we weren’t going to do that. Chin up, you have to get through this, and the guys are coming in a week and your internship starts in two weeks. She doesn’t want to wait that long and, after some talking, decides to send an email to her internship company asking if she can start earlier. The manager agreed to this, and she was more than welcome the next day. This is quite an achievement, I think.

The work is like a warm bath for her, but she still has trouble with coming home. It’s so quiet, and unfortunately, the Wi-Fi isn’t working. The technician was supposed to come, but “hey tranquilo,” we’re in Spain. After a few days, the landlord arranged it through a technician, and we can FaceTime. During this time, she learns that she will be living with four guys. We’ll see how it goes.

Roommates

After a few weeks, Celine is completely settled in and happy with her housemates! What an amazing group they are from day one, and they all love our girl equally. I have great respect for these guys; they’re all older and have to live with a minor girl and go out together! We chatted with them a few times via FaceTime, and it made me laugh. You can imagine that Celine is the one in charge of cleaning, but they do so much together and protect her like older brothers! We told them that we’ll treat them to a drink when we come. Where Celine initially had big plans to celebrate her birthday in the Netherlands, we haven’t heard anything about it, and we’re leaving it that way.