Meet Elena!
Housekeeper and cinema fanatic.
The Collective Old Oak is home to an amazing and diverse community. It brings together more than 500 people from around the world, from all walks of life. Together they create a rich network of perspectives and experiences. Continuing our new series We Are The Collective, our members tell us their stories.
Next up, we spoke with Elena, of our housekeeping team at Old Oak.
What brought you from Bolivia to Spain and Spain to London?
“In 2004, I arrived in Spain from Bolivia to try to find a job and get a better life because the resources and income were really bad in Bolivia. I came to London a year and half ago, after working in Sevilla for 11 years. Now I live here with my two daughters and my husband.”
What are your dreams, for yourself and for your daughters?
“My ideal dream would be to see my girls — one is 14 years old and the other is 6 — have success in their professional lives. For them, I have done and I will still do whatever it takes, just to carry on and see them progress in life. My aspiration is to see them finish school and to buy a little house in Spain.”
What makes you happy?
“I love the cinema. I have been to the cinema just once, in Bolivia. That’s probably why I enjoy passing by the 5th floor and having a look into the cinema room sometimes. It’s a great feeling to go to places like that, and have a great time watching a good movie with popcorn.”
What do you love most about London?
“London has many touristic sites, and you can take amazing pictures everywhere. I remember this year when I woke up and everything was covered in snow — it was beautiful.”
Photos and interview by Bria Woods. Translation by Daniel Machado Vazquez.
