Volunteer Spotlight: Diego from Miami, USA
Diego came to the Barnton Bunker looking for a bed. What he found was a community, a rhythm, and a social media feed that was great, but wasn’t getting the engagement that it deserved.
Originally from Miami, Diego had been studying PR and Applied Communications, working at the Apple Store, and playing in a band before deciding it was time for a change. “I was happy,” he says, “but feeling too comfortable. Comfort is the enemy of growth.” So he packed his bags and set off to see the world before, in his words, “I became a wrinkly old man”.
This isn’t Diego’s first time volunteering. Before the Bunker, he spent three months in the south of France helping renovate a 17th-century house with a man named Danesh and his small community. It was his first time working with his hands, and it opened him up to new conversations and perspectives. “We didn’t have a lot in common ideologically,” he says, “but we talked every night. It taught me to be more open minded”.
At the Bunker, Diego found himself in a role perfectly suited to his background - handling digital media and helping manage content creation for our social platforms. He’s been working to streamline our process and rework our media backlog into short-form, eye-catching updates. “Men used to go to war,” he laughs, “and now we make TikToks”.
But don’t let the tech fool you - Diego isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty. He’s helped with jackhammering concrete, cleaning, smelting aluminium cans, and even DJing the occasional party. He’s also hosted one of our open mic nights, showing his comfort in front of both cameras and crowds. His one regret? “I didn’t get to feed the goats. Maybe next time.”
Diego thrives in a team. He says working alongside people from all over the world has widened his perspective and deepened his appreciation for shared experiences. “We’re in Scotland,” he says, “and we don’t have a single Scottish person staying with us. It’s truly international.” He finds solo work a bit lonely, and much prefers the energy and exchange that comes from group projects.
He initially planned to stay for three months but says he might extend. Edinburgh’s charm - and the connections he’s made both in and out of the Bunker - are hard to walk away from.
When asked what he’s taken from his time here, Diego points to the everyday moments: communal dinners, karaoke nights in the bunker, late-night card games, and the sense of belonging that comes from working and unwinding together. “It feels like a private club,” he says. “We work hard all day, then we play hard. It’s a family - one that’s temporary, but meaningful.”
Diego came looking for a bed. He found a whole lot more.
