MADRID, SPAIN. Imagine a life without its ordinary burdens –rent, utilities, intensive cleaning, light-bulbs to replace, front door keys that go missing whenever you are running late to work.

Or imagine travelling without having to pay for accommodation.

Or even better, you dreamers, imagine a society in which you don’t buy but swap, that is, you get most of what you need –a shelter, some food and cool friends– in exchange for some of your time and skills.

This is all possible if you choose to volunteer in a hostel.

Here’s some information on how to get a volunteer position in a hostel in Madrid.

WHAT DO HOSTEL VOLUNTEERS DO?

Volunteers work part-time in the hostel alongside the members of its staff. The type of work can vary, but it’s never heavy. Volunteers usually work between 16 and 20 hours per week, and the typical tasks involve serving breakfast or doing the beds or working at the reception. Volunteers are normally expected to simply help the staff out rather than take on responsibilities, and don’t do night shifts.

WHAT TYPE OF ACCOMMODATION DO VOLUNTEERS GET?

Volunteers get a bed in their hostel in a shared dorm, just like all other guests. So it’ll probably be a bunk bed with no more than a locker to keep your stuff (pack light!) and a shared bathroom, but the norm is that you’ll be sharing the room only with other volunteers or staff members, which means that at least you won’t have to change roommates every other night and everyone will tend to be considerate and respectful of each other’s spaces.

If the hostel has a free breakfast included (most hostels do offer at least cereals or toasts or churros), then volunteers will have it, too, of course. Sometimes, if the hostel offers other meals, volunteers will be able to have them for free, and they will be allowed and indeed encouraged to try out the activities the hostel organises for its guests, such as walking and bike tours, pub crawls, tapas nights, day trips and flamenco shows.

WHERE CAN YOU FIND OUT ABOUT VOLUNTEER POSITIONS?

There are two great online platforms where you can search for hostels in your desired destination: workaway.info and worldpackers.com. All you have to do is pick a country, list your skills and wait to be matched to a hostel that is looking for volunteers. Then, you can get in touch with them.

However, these platforms can be a bit limiting, for pretty much all hostels accept volunteers, not only those listed on them. So the best way to find out w犀利士
hether hostels have any vacancies is by emailing them or taking a look at their website and seeing if they have an online form you can fill in.

WHAT DOES THE APPLICATION PROCESS INVOLVE AND WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS?

After you get in touch with the hostel and send in your CV, the manager will contact you to arrange a Skype interview that will be useful both for them to get to know you and for you to get to know something about the hostel and the job. If they don’t get back to you, don’t take it too personally; indeed, hostels can only accept a limited number of volunteers at a time –from 2 to about 12, depending on the hostel’s size.

It’s always necessary to have a good level of English, whereas speaking Spanish is preferable but not required. As working in a hostel means dealing with many different people from all over the world, you’ll need to be friendly and open-minded. A passion for travelling is a plus. You don’t need to have previous experience in the field, as you’ll be taught how things work during your first days. Time availability is also an important factor: volunteers’ minimum length of stay is one month.

IN SHORT: WHAT YOU GIVE, WHAT YOU GET

Volunteering in a hostel is a great solution for all those travelling on a low budget, looking for a flat or wanting to live in a new place for some time. You give your time and enthusiasm, your dedication and your English skills, and what you get is much more than a bed and some food; you get an amazing life experience, a life in which everything is simpler. You learn how to adapt more easily and to smile at strangers even when you’re tired. You become part of the travel memories of hundreds of people, and you constantly learn from and about them, their countries, and their adventures, a bit like travelling without moving.