The serene streets of Barcelona, coupled with its rich history, provided a backdrop for my second week with APSOCECAT and FESCOE. This week, however, was unique; the team was away on vacation, leaving me with the challenging task of managing projects with limited support.

Despite the absence of the team, I ventured into the task at hand: revamping the organization's website. The skills I aimed to develop and work on in this process – writing copy, optimizing accessibility, updating aesthetics – were of core focus. While I couldn't get approvals for changes immediately (especially since the team was out on vacation) , I resorted to designing UI/UX prototypes using Canva and annotated potential changes on the existing website. I took the time to study the organization, its surroundings, its legal constraints, and its environment. This research was instrumental not just in understanding the organization better but in refining the copy of the website. Through this process I develop a key aim to enhance monetary donations found a footing as I worked on clear CTAs to facilitate a seamless donation process in the upcoming weeks, and I hope to run this by the team next week.

The week had its own share of roadblocks. The primary challenge was the absence of the team, which limited immediate progress. Although I maintained my productivity, the similar disconnection from the core mission—seeing and working with the deafblind community—weighed on me. However,  I recognized the importance of groundwork and changes on the website to further catalyze the bottom line impact of the organization. One thing I realize looking back is that the website was essential for partnerships, awareness objectives, governmental support, membership companies, collaborations, donations from people, and many more core organizational functions. Next week I hope to better understand this by using these stakeholders as the core perspective throughout my project work (campaign and website development). I think this is crucial in fostering empathy and improving my understanding of our impact.

Interestingly, the absence of the team offered me a lesson in introspection. Without a team to communicate with, I engaged in a dialogue with myself to reflect on my weaknesses, my resilience, and how to navigate challenges independently (eg. choosing to prepare annotations of potential changes instead of waiting for the team to approve my ideas first). Outside work, the hostel teemed with diverse individuals, all working on varied initiatives. Each interaction, be it a casual chat or a deep conversation, offered glimpses into cultural nuances, initiatives, and projects spanning Europe (as most other volunteers were from various countries around Europe). Every dialogue inadvertently honed my collaboration skills, fostering empathy, cultural understanding, open-mindedness, and curiosity.

Being in Barcelona and, over the weekend, taking a trip to Portugal, exposed me to cultural variances that refined my perception of leadership. I understood that leadership isn't merely guiding teams or taking charge—it's about adaptability, understanding, and recognizing nuances. Leadership is about bridging gaps, be it in understanding cultural differences or aligning diverse objectives. My experiences, both professional and personal, spotlighted attributes like adaptability, patience, resilience, and self-reliance.

Further,  I aspire to integrate the call to actions seamlessly throughout the website to enhance the donation process. On a personal front, embracing more cultures, understanding varied perspectives, and weaving them into my leadership style is the journey I yearn for. While the solitude of the workplace offered introspective growth this week, the expansiveness of my interactions enriched my understanding of leadership in varied settings. 

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