Meet John!
John Lucey used to be one of the Capacity Ireland, Erasmus+ students in Seville. We decided to check in and see what he’s been up to in the last few months, since John got an amazing opportunity to live in Nicaragua.
Tell us about your experience as an intern.
My internship in Seville was with the ecolodge in Nicaragua that I eventually went on to work with full-time. I was looking for digital marketing internships because I wanted to learn about the industry but I didn’t have the experience or relevant degree. Then the Capacity Ireland opportunity I found on indeed came around and thought it was too good to be true at first because I could get the internship I wanted, get paid a bit, and go back to spain (I was living there through a lot of covid). I wrote blogs for Guacimo Lodge and did SEO for three months in Seville remotely, which meant I worked in the 3SI office a lot because I didn’t have another designated workplace. The owner of the hotel liked my work and luckily I speak enough Spanish that he asked if I would be interested in working over in Nicaragua in the hotel itself.
What is your favourite memory from the Erasmus Plus Programme?
My favourite memory from the Erasmus+ experience was going away for another interns birthday to a town called El Palmar de Bejar, 9 of us went surfing and camping. Had a great time!
What are you doing now?
I’m working in Guacimo Lodge in Nicaragua as a hotel manager. Typically, if there were guests in the lodge I’d start the day before 06:00. My work would consist of helping with the breakfast preparation and serving. After breakfast, I would organise tours, lunch service, more tours and in the evening I would greet new guests. In between all of this, I’d keep on top of maintenance and new reservations or queries, and end the day around 20:00 or 21:00.
How is the life in Nicaragua different to Europe?
Naturally, life in Nicaragua and Europe is very different depending on where you’re from and what you’re used to. In my view, life can be a lot harder over there. Guys I worked with in Nicaragua have worked in palm plantations, coffee plantations, illegal gold mines, logging, pretty much whatever they can do to make money, and it can be brutal work. I’ve even seen scars on a lot of different guys because of the physical labour they do.
Then again it can be a lot more community based, with more personal relationships than you can get in the formal business setting of Europe, more like “oh yeah I know a guy who has a chainsaw, I know a guy who has a boat licence, I know a guy who knows plumbing” and you just have a phone full of numbers and head full of names of who can do what.
What’s your favourite part about your job?
My favourite part about the job is getting along well with the clients and seeing them having a good time. It’s very straightforward when they’re easy going folks, this is usually the case.
Did you enjoy reading this case study about John and his new life in Nicaragua? Make sure to check out some of our previous case studies here!
Photographer: John Lucey
Content Writer: Veronica Zdybel