never stop wondering
never stop wandering
why should you teach in spain?
The run down:
I think I have the best job in the world
I am teaching in Spain because:
-It looks good a resume
-I am learning the language and culture
-I can travel Europe
-I can save money
-and, well, just because I can.
I was mid-internship, studying for my Child Life Certification Exam and beginning to look for Child Life jobs, when my roommate asked about “that one friend who has that teaching job in Spain”. My roommate was unsure of what she wanted to do next, and teaching in Spain for a year sounded like a fun idea. I spoke with my friend in Spain and got the info from him. However, as I was relaying the info, it dawned on me that, indeed, it sounded like a pretty freakin’ sweet deal, and I thought, “What the hell, I’ll apply too, and we will see what happens”. We were suppose to hear if we had been placed by mid-April. When mid- May came around and I hadn’t heard anything, I let the idea of living in Spain go.
I finished my internship, graduated, passed my exam. I took a vacation to New Zealand- my last big hurrah before settling into “the real world”. Halfway through my New Zealand trip I received email stating I had been place and was given my city, my school, and I was told I had 5 days to accept or decline…it took me about 30 seconds. ..And it was one of the best decisions of my life, so much so that I have already submitted my reapplication and will be staying second year.
I can’t recommend this program enough. Whenever I want to tell people about my job, I just end up rambling on about how awesome, easy, and fun it is... likely not making much sense due to my over-enthusiasm. So I have decided to type it out, break it down, and hopefully paint a clearer picture of why everyone should consider it. While the reasons are countless, I have listed five reasons you may be interested in the program, as well as, how to apply.
It Looks Great On a Resume.
The resume: “ I serve as a Cultural Ambassador and English teacher, as well as provided one-on-one tutoring. I developed my ability to individualize my teaching approach to meet the variety of different levels and needs of both children and adults. My experience abroad strengthened my Spanish and my global awareness. I increased my organizational skills and ability to manage group and individual settings. I learned to easily adapt to new, foreign, and unknown situations, relying on my well-developed problem-solving and communication skills…bla bla bla”.
The reality: “ I was an English assistant 12 hours a week and taught private lessons on the side. I sang songs, and played games. I held up picture flash cards and said the word in English; I read stories and showed YouTube clips. I talked about myself…a lot. I didn’t plan any lessons; I didn’t have recess duty; I didn’t grade homework …but I did get fed a delicious 3 course meal every day at school. I had enough free time to start a blog, take pictures, train for a marathon, volunteer at the hospital, and Skype with family and friends. I partied, I traveled, and I took countless siestas.
Spanish Language and Culture
Now while my resume may be a little misleading to the reality of my job, the truth is, I actually am learning Spanish. I have about 10 apps, 8 books, and countless websites to help me learn Spanish. I use about one,… once a week,… if I am lucky. And yet I am learning the language. I had 7 years of Spanish prior to coming, most of which I cheated my way through or crammed and forgot a day after the test. I honestly didn’t speak much more than “Hola” when I got here, but I have learned more in the few months I have been here than I ever have before. There simply is no better way to learn a language than by living it. You learn idioms, slang, and text message lingo. You learn about holidays, odd traditions and history. You learn to buy food on Saturday because nothing will be open Sunday. You learn you can buy almost anything at the “Chinos”. You learn to weigh your fruit before you go to check out at the store. You learn to walk slower, to eat bread with every meal and that a shot of liquor at lunch, after a three-course meal, is completely acceptable and often encouraged. You can read, you can study, but until you live it, it’s just words.
Travel Europe
And for those exact same reasons, I have taken every opportunity to travel Europe while I have been aboard….to experience culture! Since I have arrived in September, I have been to multiple Spanish cities, Portugal, Germany, France, Switzerland, Austria, and Italy. With budget airlines you can get a round ticket for around $100. With Couchsurfing you can stay and often eat for free (check out my other blog for more info about Couchsurfing). I have been able to go snowboarding in four counties, I’ve learned to cheers in multiple languages, and I have become an expert at figuring out public transportation (or at least an expert at asking for help). I’ve seen famous landmarks, tried countless types of food, and learned a lot about myself along the way.
Save Money
Now if the program only requires me to work 12 hours a week, you may be wondering if I am selling my body, maybe my soul, to be able to afford to travel 7 different countries in the short time I’ve been here. But, you’ll be happy to learn that, instead, I am selling my voice. I mean I love hearing myself speak...but I never thought I could get paid, and paid well, for doing so. Let me break it down. Yes, I only work 12 hours a week at my school ...and get paid 700 euros a month, which is more than enough to live off of in the region that I am in. (To give perspective, I pay about 170 a month for rent, wifi, gas, light and water. I pay 10 a month for my 3G phone service. It cost 30 cents for a loaf of fresh bread, a euro for a dozen eggs, and a euro or two for a drink when I go out.) Additionally, because its only 12 hours a week, I have plenty of time for private classes in which I again get paid between 10 and 25 euros an hour FOR SPEAKING F’N ENGLISH!!!! Because I wanted to travel as much as possible, I wasn’t able to save a ton this year, only a few thousand that will be going towards a trip to South America this summer. My intention for next year is to travel less, pick up more private classes, and save a good amount of money to live off of while I find a “real job” in the US.
I Can
“Do it while you’re young,…I wish I would have…”- they said. So, I did it…because I can. I am young; I am healthy; I am able. My whole life I’ve heard older people tell me how much they would have loved to “do something like that” but now they have a full time job (that they may or may not enjoy), they have a wife or husband, children, a bad hip, years of self-doubt…whatever the reason, they simply aren’t able to take a year off to LIVE abroad. But I can, so I will. Because, as Eleanor Roosevelt said, “the purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experiences.” And that is what I will do… because I can.
Ok, now that you are all convinced, I will tell you how you can land this dream job…Apply. Seriously, that’s about it. It’s a first come first serve basis and the requirements include: Be a US or Canadian national. Hold a minimum of a BA or BS by the end of the academic year preceding the start of the program, be a junior or a senior, or have become a university graduate. Have English or French as the first language. Be in good physical and psychological condition. Have a clean background check.
The application process was slightly painful but that was only due to a poorly set up website and, of course, that it was in Spanish. My college fling, Google Translate, and I reignited our relationship during the application process and have remained intimate ever since.The application link is below with a few different manuals to help you work through it. If me and Google could do it, it should be a breeze for the rest of you. But please feel free to ask me questions if you have any. See you here next year!