Pro In Motion: meet Justin Fanneran
Justin Fanneran moved to Alicante five years ago, leaving the hustle and bustle of London city behind. Five years of living la vida en España, but also five years of being in motion at EBTS. This is Justin’s story.
Justin: “I lived in London for a very long time, but I became tired of the hustle and bustle of the big city life. I have a son, who is now six years old, and my wife and I wanted him to grow up in a more relaxed atmosphere. That’s why we moved to Alicante.”
In the operational seat
“We moved to Alicante in June 2016, and I started working for EBTS in July. I was made aware of EBTS and the fact that they were looking for English speakers to work as dispatchers. I didn’t have much experience in that specific field, but clearly, I must have been the right fit, as 5 years have flown by and I am still here.
“Before I started working for EBTS, I worked for a French advertising company. I worked in operations over there, and that’s where my love of being in-between teams, handing over work, getting results and making sure everything goes to plan begun.”
“I have been working as a dispatcher at EBTS for the best part of four and a half years and have recently been given the opportunity to run a major contract in the UK. You could say that I’m sort of the head of the UK operational team. It’s a job I really enjoy.”
“The nice thing about working at EBTS is this: you don’t have to be experienced to start. By hearing how other people handle situations and trying it for yourself step by step, you learn your own way to deal with stress and challenges. You even learn to build trustworthy relationships with people in five minutes, without even seeing them.”
From Spain to the UK
“The most regular thing about working at EBTS: is the drive to and from work (laughs). Everything that happens in-between can be very different. I get to speak to so many people and help them out, which is great. Of course, customers are stressed or upset every now and then, but it is nice to be the local voice they can trust.”
“I love living in Alicante, but a part of me sometimes misses the UK. During my work, I can travel there almost every day virtually. Sometimes I’m handling breakdowns in the region where I used to live so I can say: ‘Don’t worry, I know exactly where you are.’”
Friends at work
“Our office in Spain is a great place to work. There is a nice sense of friendship, where people from all over the world come together. We work for a third of our lives, and I prefer to do that in a comfortable and nice environment. When living and working in the capital of England, I felt more stressed there, and that’s not how I want to live. I still enjoy visiting the UK, but I wouldn’t move back now. I have become accustomed to the Spanish way of living.”
Always in motion
“When I’m not working, it feels like I’m always on the go (laughs). With a six-year-old, there’s not much time to relax. We live in a nice place with a lot of outdoor activities: swimming, playing football, discovering the local regions. I really like to be outdoors, making this area perfect for those family activities.”
“Besides that, I’m really into sports. I like to go to the gym, and I play football two times a week. Football is my passion. I love to play and watch all sports, but there’s a special place in my heart for football. So yes, I was in agony for a whole week when England didn’t win the EURO 2020 Championship. I’m usually a very calm and relaxed person, but I think that was the first time my parents in law saw me jump up and scream (laughs).”
“Even on holidays, I like to combine relaxation and adventure or culture. My best trip ever was a safari in Kenya. With our son, holidays are now oriented around him, however, I wouldn’t want to change that for the world. He is very fond of Disney, so we hope to visit Disneyland at the end of this year. He will love it, so fingers crossed!”
