Gori Masip: "I've always felt bad about spending money"

The youngest meteorologist on TV3, Gori Masip (2002), still remembers the day he discovered what snow was. He was very young when his brother ran into his room to tell him it was snowing in Sitges, his hometown: “Automatically I asked him what snow was. I had no idea,” he explains in an interview with Empreses.

Although he was clear that he wanted to become a weatherman, before that he took revision classes and worked as a waiter. The experience, however, was short-lived: “It’s a very physically demanding job. Eight hours standing, serving the public. I saw that it wasn’t for me.” These were his only jobs outside of meteorology. His commitment to this field began during high school when he created a Twitter profile to share meteorological content: “Probably, it wasn’t even legal for me to have a public profile.” “I used to post things that no one looked at, but that I liked,” he explains.

He studied geography and very soon began to gain experience in the sector with an internship at the Meteorological Service of Catalonia. Then he did substitutions at the local radio station in Sitges, a scholarship at RAC1, and another internship at TV3 where he stayed doing substitutions, thus becoming the youngest face on air and fulfilling his dream: “It wasn’t just about being a weatherman, but being one on TV3.” That was two years ago now.

Regarding personal finances, Masip defines himself as a thrifty person: “As a good Catalan, I’ve always been hesitant to spend money.” In fact, he wouldn’t even know where to spend it, as fashion and material purchases don’t interest him: “I’ve never bought an iPhone because I consider it not worth 1,400 euros. If I want a good camera, I buy it directly.” And since he started working, when he makes a purchase, he compares it to the workdays it will take to earn that money back: “Then you are even more aware of the cost”.

However, his philosophy changes when it comes to sharing experiences:

Their savings goals are clear: finish paying off the car and, one day, become independent. The vehicle has been their most important purchase: "It was the first time I thought, how cool to be able to work! It's the first thing I own." The big dream, however, is to be able to live in Sitges. They would like to achieve it soon, but they are aware of the difficulties: "There are many seasonal rentals and finding an apartment is complicated." For this reason, they are considering the option of buying a home directly: "I have always lived in Sitges, I haven't even left to go on an Erasmus."

Currently, they live with their family in a rented apartment, but rented from a relative: "We are the resistance, because we know they won't kick us out or turn the apartment into a tourist rental." A situation that contrasts with what they see around them. Masip warns that tourist success is taking its toll on the town of 32,000 inhabitants: “There are many events, more than 200 a year. We will die of success.” “It is a very important economic engine, but it should be rethought. You leave home on an August day and it seems like you're joining a highway; meeting someone you know is almost a miracle,” they point out. This reality particularly worries them because it makes it difficult for young people to put down roots: "As a town, we are losing out if a person who grew up here has to leave because they cannot pursue their project in their own home."

Professionally, they admit that they achieved their big goal sooner than they imagined: "Suddenly, being very young, my goal was met and I thought: "And now what?". Now they want to consolidate their career and learn a lot: "I work with people I always admired, it's a dream to learn from them."

Masip advocates for the relationship between their profession and the economy: "A very hot and dry summer affects tourism, agriculture, or energy consumption." For this reason, they argue that the major economic indicators also have a daily dimension: “Sometimes we talk about the economy as if it were just numbers, but behind it there are small things in our day-to-day lives, as basic as the weather, that end up conditioning everyone's life."