Ever wondered how our lovely hostel ticks over? Who are all the smiley faces are behind our hostel desk? Who makes sure there’s always tea for that early morning cuppa? The answer – our volunteers!
We are lucky to have a wonderful group of ever changing volunteers, some local and some who have travelled from much further afield, they all make up our hostel family. Many of the group come to us from Worldpackers, a service which allows people to exchange their skills for a place to stay.
We thought it was about time you got to meet some of our volunteer squad!
Anna
“Hi my name is Anna and i’m from Panama in Central America. I chose to come to Art Hostel to meet people from other countries. I don’t have any talent for art myself, but I have met a lot of incredible artists and so I was sure, being at Art Hostel was going to be an amazing experience. My favourite thing about the hostel is that it is arranged in a way that everyone interacts and connects with each other; I think this is really great, as not a lot of hostels have this.”
“I love Leeds! There is so much diversity, I have never seen a place like it. My favourite thing to do is to go skating in Hyde Park, the skate park is great! My plan after Art Hostel is to go back to Panama for a while and then live in Africa for six months.”
Lauren
“Hey, I am Lauren! I am one of the Art Hostel’s local volunteers. I found out about Art Hostel through East Street Arts. Before working here, I taught English in a variety of places. I wanted to work at Art Hostel to gain experience in reception work, so I can take what I learn forward into future work. I love how bustling the hostel is and that it came from an arts charity. My favourite place in Leeds is Wharf Chambers and I have always wanted to visit Leeds Industrial Museum in Armley.”
Felix
“Hello, my name is Felix! I am from Buenos Aires, Argentina. I visited Art Hostel last winter and now I have returned! I am a retired architect and wanted to travel, so why not travel to UK, and Leeds really!”
“My favourite thing about Art Hostel is the style of the rooms and the whole layout of the building. I love that you can meet new people and experience new activities in the city. There are so many things of arts and cultural interest to see here!”
“My favourite place in Leeds is the university; the architecture and space are amazing. I also enjoy the Art Gallery because there are lots of beautiful paintings and sculpture. after a wander round the Art Gallery I enjoy tasting all the delicious coffee and chocolate Leeds has to offer! You can have an adventure in Leeds.”
“While I am at Art Hostel, I hope to improve my English. I returned to volunteer again because I love Leeds, there is so much culture here: opera, dance, theatre and music – you will always find something to do!”
Manuel
“Hello, I am Manuel! I was originally born in Chile, but have lived in Spain for eight years, where I studied psychology. I found Art Hostel through the website WorldPackers, it was the only hostel I found that was offering the opportunity for me to volunteer and live in. Friends had told me Leeds was a beautiful city, with lots to do and a great atmosphere and they were right! I have just began my time at Art Hostel and am really excited to see what the next month brings.”
Andrea
“I am Andrea, I am 22 years old and I am Spanish. I came to Leeds and Art Hostel in particular to improve my English. This is a great opportunity to meet new people and explore a different place. I love all of Art Hostel! The walls, the beds, all of it and of course, the people. The people here are what I love the most. I really like that you don’t need to use the bus, if you don’t want to, you can walk and see all of the city itself. It’s a small city centre with so much in it, it is just lovely. I worked as a teacher before Art Hostel and I hope my time here will improve my English before I return to teaching.”
Morgan
“Hi, I am Morgan and I am originally from Texas. I have just finished studying my masters at Leeds Beckett, and while I was studying, I was an intern at Art Hostel. My lease ended and I figured, why not try hostel life for a bit, as I had really enjoyed working there while I was studying. I didn’t know Leeds had any hostels before I found here. I went to a few events by City Life International and made some connections on social media and discovered Art Hostel! I needed a plan what to do next, I was interested by the idea of working/living at the hostel, I met with the manager and really liked the vibe.”
“My favourite thing about art hostel is the community. It’s a really close network, all the people are very friendly and the owner is super nice, you kind of get the feeling you are home even though you’re not really living at home. You are in a hostel but it doesn’t feel like it.”
“The best place in Leeds for me is Belgrave Music Hall! Me and my friend would go there on study break to go get pizza and a beer and sometimes catch some live music in the evening if we were lucky! I think after Art Hostel, I will move back to Texas, to go home and work a few months and save up some money. After that, I would love to go to Australia and do some more hostel work.”
“There is so much love in this hostel.” , Angela
