My FSL experience took place in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, during the month of January at Xalatelco, a Spanish company specialising in the installation of networks affiliated with the Orange telecommunications provider.
During my stay I worked alongside Hamran Manku and the company director Pape Boye; together we travelled to several cities across Galicia — Vigo, Coruña and Pontevedra — to install, repair or upgrade networks for businesses and private homes.
Required Skills
- Good manual dexterity
- General knowledge of network and telecommunications systems
- Communication skills in English and Spanish
- Precision and patience
Tools Used
- Electric arc fibre splicer
- Cable stripper and fibre cables
- Power drill
- Router and configuration software
- Communication in the local language: in Spain many people do not have strong English skills.
- Weather conditions: Galicia experiences frequent rainfall.
- Constant adaptation to different workplaces and tasks, which changed each time.
- Limited cooperation from some clients who attempted to interfere with the installation.
During the internship I managed to adapt to the place and the work: I learned the basics of Spanish, improved my English and communication skills, and developed a greater awareness of the working world.
Living with 14 other people strengthened my ability to manage group life and forged bonds that continue to this day. I believe it was a very valuable experience for putting one's own maturity to the test.