This week we’d love for you to meet Fanny Pujol, our Community Gardener: her bubbly personality lights up our Bailen office. Just like her Fanny Poppin’s Bag, if you dig a little deeper you never know what new stuff (passions) you’ll find.
“11 year old Fanny kept telling people that one day she was going to live in another country. [refers to herself in third person].
When I turned 19, after deciding I didn’t want to continue my university, I took a leap of faith and moved to Barcelona. I applied at a hostel and I remember the moment they got back to me like it was yesterday: I was drinking wine by the riverside in Toulouse at 3am, with a friend. I was so happy. When I really put my mind to something: I can do it!
I grew up in a small town in southwestern France. Staying there was never really an option for me. I felt out of place… like I didn’t belong. After living in Barcelona for five years, I can confidently say I have found here what I was missing in France: the feeling of being at home, the feeling of really belonging somewhere.
Maybe it has to do with my father’s side of the family being from Catalunya: actually my first words were in Catalan, haha. It could also be because my personality aligns with Barcelona’s vibe: hyperactive, open, and curious. Or maybe it’s just a beautiful coincidence.
I often wonder how it is possible to fall in love with Barcelona more and more, the longer I stay here? As it evolves, things change, some places will never change, some places are constantly changing… it’s ever evolving. It’s such an open, vibrant, and interesting city. As I said before, it aligns with my personality: always developing, learning, and adapting. Which is also why I love MOB Bailen so much, the space is big, and there’s always something happening, it challenges me every day.
Yes. My biggest passion is definitely learning.
Before starting my job as Community Gardener at MOB, I worked in the hostel industry for around 4 years. This taught me how to multitask, how to be in 10 different places at the same time, and how to handle stressful situations… in the most calm way. When I felt like I had gained enough experience, I moved on: I’m always looking to learn more.
Yes. My biggest passion is definitely learning. All sorts of things really: drawing, painting, singing, playing piano, theatre, sewing…
One of my more consistent hobbies has been photography: my interest in cameras already started on a young age. Every time there was a camera around, I would want to touch it. To me, looking through the lens of a camera, has always been the most magical thing. It’s a way to escape the ordinary and see something in a completely different way, even though it hasn’t actually changed. It sheds new light on things, and forces you to pay attention to the here and now.
It helped me analyse foreign cultures during my travels as well. In addition, I’ve always found certain parts of history really interesting (especially the ones closer to our present). I like to mix history, sociology and culture when I travel, in order to really try and understand a country’s culture, food, architecture, music, etc. It’s like… gathering different pieces of the puzzle to get a better, detailed, and fully-fledged picture. ‘’
