Hi, it’s Martyna. You may have seen me during the yoga on the beach classes, or in some of the instagram posts. I have been helping Eva for the last few months, both on the mat, and from behind the scenes. However, as my Erasmus + internship is coming to an end, it is a perfect moment to reminisce on the time I spent being a part of Yoga Tenerife.
I arrived in El Médano on a very windy day in October 2024. Right away, I could see it was a special place, so different from what I was used to in Poland. The next few months passed on doing yoga, learning Spanish, expanding my marketing knowledge, and much, much more.
What I worked on during my internship in Tenerife
As my role in Yoga Tenerife was to help with marketing and social media, I have learned a lot in those areas. Coming from a graphic design background, I had very little knowledge on these subjects, but a big desire to learn. Starting with an online course, then leaning more towards practice, I have learned both the theory and how to use it effectively. It was very fun to film reels on the beach, and then create something coherent with them. Coming up with content ideas, and brainstorming, gave me a chance to develop my creativity. Eva always made sure I knew my viewpoint was important and appreciated.
A lot of the main tasks surrounded social media. I filmed many reels for Instagram, edited content, took pictures, posted stories. I also dived into marketing part of owning a yoga studio. Likewise, I learned about SEO, copywriting, and market research. I had the opportunity to put that knowledge to practice right away, for example while writing other articles (such as Top 10 Things to do in El Médano), or setting up a newsletter.
My relationship with yoga
Another huge advantage of working for Yoga Tenerife was of course yoga. Helping with setting up the classes, allowed for me to also practice it for many hours a week. I notice the benefits of being so consistent. I feel stronger, more flexible, less anxious. During the internship, I tried different types of yoga. At classes, we practiced Hatha Yoga with occasional Vinyasa elements, but I also had a chance to be a part of an Ashtanga class, and try out yoga with principles derived from Chinese medicine philosophy. I also got to learn about Pranayama while writing an article about it. All of this expanded my understanding of what yoga can be, and how it can be a deeply personal practice, based on your personal beliefs and preferences. Back in Poland, I will continue to implement yoga into my routine, with an idea in mind of possibly becoming a teacher myself one day.
Experiencing Tenerife
One of the reasons I picked Tenerife to do my internship was how gorgeous the island is. I love the feeling of closeness to nature you feel in El Médano. With the ocean on one side, and a mountain view on the other, you notice things like high and low tide, weather above Teide, air visibility. It feels easy to appreciate a sunrise, when all you have to do to see it, is step outside your house. It is not a given in many other places, especially in the cities. The warm and sunny weather gave me the opportunity to travel, even in the winter months. I was lucky enough to visit places like Anaga Rural Park, Santa Cruz, Las Americas, or natural pools in Los Abrigos. I hiked, tried surfing, and ate local food – I still can’t get over delicious papas arrugadas with salsa verde.
When it came to language, I have been learning Spanish for many years, but didn’t have many occasions for practice. Therefore, I tried to make the best out of my stay and use it whenever I could. Of course, there were times when I felt self-conscious about it, but gradually, speaking Spanish started feeling more and more natural. Understanding what was going on around me, gave me a chance to feel a bit more like a part of a community.
Summary of my internship in Tenerife
During these last few months, I’ve met many incredible people, and made connections I will cherish for the rest of my life. This trip gave me a clearer idea of who I am, and what goals I will set for myself in the future. I am extremely grateful for my time in Tenerife, and hope I will be able to return to this beautiful place one day.
My Tips for an internship in Tenerife
Since I’ve gained a lot of knowledge about the internship, and life in El Médano in general, I would like to share some tips, that may help future interns 🙂
- Try to find affordable accommodation – it is hard, but doable. It is a bit of a hassle to find good room for rent, but keep your mind open. Look at websites – idealista, milanuncios, join Facebook groups, ask on social media, join a WhatsApp group – Housing El Médano. Be vocal about looking, but always double check, so you don’t get scammed. If possible, see the place first before sending money – if you are trying to rent it from abroad, ask for a FaceTime tour.
- Pick up at least a little bit of Spanish. Even before going there. It will help you with things like the previous point – looking for accommodation. Once you are in Spain, try to indulge yourself in the language – I watched TV shows in Spanish with English subtitles, and picked up some phrases.
- Take pictures of the area. Whenever you see a beautiful scene – a flower, a sunset, sun reflecting in the water – take pictures. Even tough not yoga related, they can be useful for content, and even if they won’t end up being used for Yoga Tenerife, you will have more captured memories to cherish in the future 🙂
- If you can, go work from cafés from time to time. Because most tasks for Yoga Tenerife can be done online, it can get a bit stagnant working from home. To get out of the rut, I suggest taking your laptop and going to a local coffee place. Apart from getting work done, you may practice your Spanish, and pick up some new words. My personal favourites are Lille Café, and Swell Café.
- Have fun and enjoy your time in Tenerife! 🙂