Kirsty

Travel information

I am currently

Description

Hola!
My name is Kirsty, I'm 24 years old and have a great passion for animals (horses, dogs, chickens, cats, donkeys...) and all things outdoors (horse riding, sailing, wild swimming, hiking, cycling, running...)! I love to be busy and enjoy nothing better than getting stuck into hard work!

I also love using and improving my Spanish language skills (I am approximately C1 Spanish level which means I can talk, listen, read and write Spanish with competency; I have no problems with communicating in Spanish!) and love sharing my passion for languages with others! I also love meeting new people and learning about different cultures and ways of life!

I am a very enthusiastic, determined and patient person and I love to help and encourage people to do their best. I feel that I am a good team player as I don’t like to leave anyone out -I used to be shy, and now that I am more confidant I enjoy helping others to gain the confidence to become involved. I am also very optimistic as I believe there is always a positive side to every situation. I am always up for a challenge and try my hardest at everything I do!

Languages

Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Spanish: Intermediate
French: Beginner
Gaelic (Scottish): Beginner

More details about my language interests
I am approximately C1 Spanish level (can talk, listen, read and write Spanish with competency; I have no problems with communicating in Spanish!). I take every opportunity I can to use and improve my Spanish and love interpreting between Spanish and English to help others who don't know the language!

Find a language buddy

Skills and knowledge I'd like to share or learn

I'm interested in:  

Charity Work

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Some knowledge of:  

Gardening

General Maintenance

Life at a Farmstay

Eco Projects

Art Projects

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Able to teach about:  

Babysitting and creative play

Creating/ Cooking family meals

Helping around the house

Animal Care

Hospitality/Tourism

Languages

Teaching

More details about your skills

Spanish to English and English to Spanish interpretation and translation; horse care and horse riding; working with tourists; working with children; journalistic and creative writing; cooking and baking; music (I play the violin and small harp); crafts; working with people; animal care; waitress; crewing on boats.

Age

24

What else ...

I am a really enthusiastic, hard worker who loves to be busy and learn new skills! I am also a very positive person as I believe there is always a positive side to every situation!

Previous Voluntary Work:

Position: Editor and Publishing Assistant
Company/ Location: Jasami Publishing and Productions CIC (Glasgow, Scotland)
Duration: September 2023 - ongoing
Job-type: Part time
Description/Skills:
• Assisting in all aspects of the publishing process from editing a cookbook, helping at Book Fairs and writing emails to designing book covers

Position: Newspaper Column writer
Company/ Location: West Highland Free Press
Duration: December 2020 – July 2021
Job-type: Part time
Description/Skills:
• Interviewing
• Editing / proof reading
• Writing a monthly column which showcased individuals and organisations who were actively engaged in the fight against climate change on the Ilse of Skye.

Position: Stable Hand
Company/Location: Caballo Blanco (Lanjarón, Spain)
Duration: May 2019
Job-Type: Full-Time
Description/Skills
• Caring for the horses as part of a team (mucking out, grooming, tacking up, exercising the horses)
• Caring for the other farm animals as part of a team


Position: Customer assistant and cleaner
Company/Location: La Jungla Hostel (Boquete, Panama)
Duration: May 2018
Job-Type: Full-Time
Description/Skills:
• Working as a team to give advice and help the guests
• Cleaning, making beds


Position: Farm Worker
Company/Location: Finca Tranquila (Bocas del Toro, Panama)
Duration: March 2018
Job-Type: Full-Time
Description/Skills:
• Agricultural work as part of a team (planting, weeding, seeding)

Position: Farm worker
Company/Location: Finca Chinchilla (Costa Rica)
Duration: February 2018
Job-Type: Full-Time
Description/Skills:
• Looking after the farm animals (chickens, pigs, fish)
• Collecting and cleaning approx. 500 eggs a day
• Agricultural work (planting, seeding, weeding)

Position: Cleaner and Waitress
Company/Location: Sunrock Hostel Corfu (Greece)
Duration: October 2017
Job-Type: Full-Time
Description/Skills:
• Working as a team to clean, iron and make beds
• Being there for the customers when they needed help or advice
• Waitressing

Position: Volunteer assistant dance instructor
Company/Location: Elgol Primary School (Isle of Skye)
Duration: Nov 2017- January 2018
Job Type: Part Time
Description/Skills:
• I was a volunteer at the Elgol Primary School Highland Dance after school club where I helped teach primary aged children highland dancing. The classes were very small and I really enjoyed forming individual relationships with the children, helping them when they were struggling and giving them guidance on how they could improve to be the best dancer they could be.

Position: Volunteer Kayaking instructor
Company/Location: Portree High School Kayaking Club
Duration: Oct 2016- May 2017
Job Type: Part Time
Description/ Skills:
• I helped teach the younger pupils in the club the basics of kayaking (paddle strokes, self rescue and team rescue). I really enjoyed working with the less confidant pupils; I found it very rewarding when I was able to work with pupils who were initially scared to capsize a boat, and then through my support and tuition became confidant in handling the boat themselves and taking part in group rescues.

Position: Stable Hand
Company/Location: Skye Trekking Center (Isle of Skye)
Duration: 2014-2018
Job-Type: Part-Time
Description/Skills
• Grooming, mucking out, tacking up, tack cleaning
• Helping the younger riders with their horses


Past paid employment:

Position: Crew member and Office/Kiosk worker
Company/Location: Misty Isle Boat Trips (Elgol, Isle of Skye, Scotland)
Duration: June-September 2023; July-September 2022; June-September 2021; June-September 2019.
Job Type: Full-Time
Description/Skills:
• Working as a team to get the boat ready for passengers before and after each trip (cleaning, stocking up with supplies)
• Seeing to the passengers’ needs (giving advice, pointing out places and wildlife of interest, serving teas and coffees)
• Giving talks about the local landscape, history and wildlife
• Working in the kiosk/office (taking bookings, selling tickets, organising boats and passengers)

Position: Waitress and Kitchen assistant
Company/ Location: Elgol Bistro (Elgol, Isle of Skye, Scotland)
Duration: June-September 2023; June-September 2022
Job Type: Part Time
Description/ Skills:
I was working in a small team assisting with food preparation in the kitchen and waitressing.

Position: Customer Care Assistant
Company/Location: Co-operative supermarket (Broadford, Isle of Skye, Scotland)
Duration: April 2020 -August 2021
Job Type: Part Time
Description/Skills:
• My main duties are serving customers in the filling station and in the supermarket, but I have also spent some time working with the stock.
• As customer care assistant I have gained invaluable experience in working as part of a team in a very busy environment and I have also learnt about food hygiene regulations and fuel regulations. In addition, working at the co-op has given me experience in working with a wide variety of customers during the covid-19 pandemic; some of whom have health concerns and there were others who are disrespectful to the government guidelines.



Position: Waitress
Company/Location: Café Biba (Pitlochry, Scotland)
Duration: July-September 2018; June-September 2017
Job Type: Full-Time
Description/Skills:
• Waitressing, with a little bar and barista work in the café/restaurant
• Working as a team with the other staff to provide the highest quality of customer care and to provide the customers with an enjoyable and memorable experience
• Cleaning the whole café/restaurant down at the end of the day

Position: Holiday Home and caravan cleaner
Company/Location: 9 Torrin Holidays (Torrin, Isle of Skye, Scotland)
Duration: 2014 –2016
Job-Type: Part Time
Description/Skills:
• Working as a team to thoroughly clean and make beds in a collection of bunkhouses and static caravans



Qualifications:
• Currently studying Masters of Literature (MLitt) in Creative Writing at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland.
• First Class Honours Degree (BA) in Journalism and Creative Writing with Spanish with International Study (received June 2023).
• Environment and Sustainability writer of the Year 2021 (Highlands and Islands)
• Advanced higher Geography A
• Advanced higher English B
• Higher Maths, Gaelic, English, Biology, Chemistry, Music, Geography A
• National 5 Maths, Gaelic, English, Chemistry, Physics, Geography A
• Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award
• British Canoeing foundation Safety and Rescue Training
• RYA Competent Crew
• Padi Open Water Diver
• ICPC (international child protection certificate)

Skills/ Hobbies:
• Play the fiddle/violin at grade 6 level and I play in the Caledonian Fiddle Orchestra; I previously played in the Strathclyde University Symphony Orchestra (where I was secretary).
• Play the clarsach/ small harp as grade 5 level
• I love the outdoors and am regularly hill walking, camping, wild swimming, cycling, running, horse riding
• I have been part of my university dance club and running club for 2 years
• I love baking, writing, arts and crafts and I love passing my passion on to others!

Some more information

• 

  Smoker

• 

  Driver's licence

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  Allergies
  kewi fruit and pineapple

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  Special dietary requirements
  pescetarian (vegetarian, but I eat fish)