Javier, host in Barcelona: “I never imagined that, at my age, I would be learning so much from other cultures”

“We are six siblings, so you can imagine my parents always needed money when we were kids. Every year, for the festivals of Pamplona, my parents hosted the circus artists that were in town. Imagine being a little boy and having equilibrists and trapeze artists at home!“, says Javier, laughing. “Sharing your home is something that’s been done for ages“.

Javier has been travelling around the world, following his duties in the field of internal relations in the world of sport. When he retired and settled in his home, in Barcelona, he realized that he wanted to stay in touch with the world. And sharing an empty room in his house in the Eixample neighbourhood was the solution.

“Sharing your home is something that’s been done for ages”

“I always had to travel a lot for work, but who would have thought that, at this age, I would be learning so much from other cultures?”

“It’s the best experience I’ve had all these years. I’m lucky to be able to share habits, culture, languages… with people from all over the world”.

“You retire from work, but you don’t retire from society. As you get older you have a lot of things and experiences to share“.

To someone who wants to start hosting now, Javier would recommend “meeting with other hosts, senior hosts too. It’s important to have empathy for your guests. It’s not about having a lot, it’s about giving a lot“.

His secret? “I promote the local culture and try to make people happy.“