Interested in immersing yourself in a new culture? Looking for a way to spend some serious time in Europe? I HIGHLY recommend that you teach English in Spain. This was hands down the greatest decision I ever made. My life has been changed forever and I want to help you do the same.
First of all if you are considering this is any capacity, GO DO IT. Go. Don’t think about it, just plan it and do it. So many people miss out on these kinds of opportunities because they get caught up overthinking and repeating all the whats if’s in their head. If it’s calling to you, please go. Everything you have now will be there when you get back. If you don’t commit yourself to a life of travel after this experience (like me) and want to return home and get a job, do not worry- you will still be able to get a job. This year will not ruin your career, so DO NOT let people tell you that it will. Now there are a few ways to go about this and I will mention them here but I will mainly discuss my path and what you need to know.
My Story
My teach English in Spain story starts in my fifth year of college. I felt the end nearing and knew I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. Working in an office sounded like a drag and the idea of moving home didn’t light me up either, I was clueless. Luckily a few moths before graduation I met an awesome group of European exchange students who changed my idea of life, people and my reality.
These people were so different than most people I had known up to this point, and not just because they were European (although that did help 😉) but because they were travelers. These people were so open-minded, a bit wild and definitely free. Not to mention they had great taste in music. Hanging out with them made me feel like myself, we had so many things in common, and they viewed the whole world as an opportunity.
I remember the night my friend from Spain mentioned I should teach English in Spain. This was the first time this idea had ever entered my head. She went on about how tons of people from native English speaking countries come every year and work in schools all around the country. This was the beginning of the end for me, this idea never left my mind. I went home after graduation, worked my old retail job, debated over and over whether to really look into this English teacher thing. I eventually got a job as a campus recruiter for an insurance company, I was so unhappy. Although of course there were positive things in my life, I knew I had to get out.
I told everyone I knew that I was going to teach English in Spain, I talked about it every chance I got. All this chatter paid off when a friend told me he had a friend in Minnesota who had done this and gave me her email. From there I reached out and she told me everything I wanted to know about this potential experience. She had gone through an American company called CIEE- Council on International Education Exchange, a company that organizes all kind of different international experiences, and the rest is history.
Now you can always apply directly through the Spanish government here which is much more affordable. When I was planning to go in 2013 the application was only in Spanish and everything seemed a bit overwhelming. Not to mention, they don’t provide any support for attaining your physical visa, assistance upon arrival, nothing. BUT that being said, tons of people do it this way and it is always an option.
The CIEE
If you are like me and have never been abroad (except once to visit a friend in England), have never traveled alone, have never been to a country where English is not the native language, or have never moved abroad, I definitely recommend saving up some money and using the CIEE. They work with the Spanish government and assign you to the same positions that the government assigns you to but they provide SO MANY THINGS.
The CIEE walks you through everything you need to know, helps immensely with the process for getting your physical visa and getting your student ID when you’re there. They provide you a place to stay upon arrival where you have dinners and outings with other people in your program AND if you want, you can arrive a month early and take Spanish classes to freshen up on the language. They also provide insurance and have constant support throughout the entire process and once you’re there.
So there are a few options through the CIEE, it looks like they have changed a bit since I went but I am still going to walk you through what I know. You can choose a basic option (this is recommended for people with study abroad experience and intermediate to advanced Spanish skills) where you have a couple nights accommodation upon arrival, an abbreviated orientation and pay $1200 for everything. All levels include insurance. The next level costs $2200 with a full orientation (meals are provided during this time), nine days accommodation, and assistance finding a place to live. The most expensive option, either 2-week or 4-week Spanish Immersion, costs $3400 and $4100 respectively. You will arrive early for this, have a week long orientation with your fellow English teachers, hotel accommodation, meals provided, followed by 2 or 4 weeks of Spanish classes and immersion living at a Spanish homestay.
When I applied for this program, the government and CIEE were placing auxiliares (English language assistants) in cities throughout Andalucia with Madrid as a brand new option. We had to rank our top 3 choices of where we’d like to teach and hope for the best. It was first come, first serve so if you applied early you were likely to get your top choice. When I applied I had no idea where to choose so I took advice from my contact in Minnesota and listed Sevilla, Granada, and Cadiz and was originally placed in Sevilla. Later a friend of mine decided she wanted to come and was placed in Madrid. Luckily, because Madrid is so big, and the CIEE is so helpful, they were able to move me there as well so we could be together. Madrid is now my favorite place in the whole world.
I chose the 4-week Spanish immersion course as I was nervous because I hadn’t spoken Spanish in at least 8 years and I had been saving up for this for quite some time. In 2013, the orientation and immersion for all courses took place in Sevilla. When booking my flight (I should mention flights are not included), the best option I could find flew into Madrid and I planned to take the high speed train to Sevilla from there.
Even the experience of getting there was exhilarating. I didn’t speak much Spanish and had to figure out how to get from the airport to the train station in Madrid. Then get on the right train to get to Sevilla in time for our orientation dinner. Things didn’t go exactly as planned so I only made it there in the nick of time but that train ride was a dream. The Spanish countryside is so breathtaking. Not to mention the trains are MUCH nicer and smoother than they are here in the States. My eyes were glued to that window.
I arrive and am in complete awe of Sevilla, it is SO beautiful, I had never seen anything like it. It’s the beginning of August so it is HOT but I almost didn’t notice I was so excited. The week started with a dinner where I got to meet the almost 50 other people who were going to be part of the immersion course with me. We spent the week in a hotel, going to little orientation classes during the day where we learned about Spanish culture, went on cultural excursions and got to know each other.
At the end of the week we got out homestay assignments. All the homestays are completely different. You could be with an entire family, a single parent, it was going to be a surprise. You also had the option of living alone at a homestay or with another participant. I had chosen to stay with another participant and I am SO glad I did. We became good friends and had a girl from Germany join our homestay as well.
Now we lucked out, our homestay was a mother, her son, her sister and her mom. They had individual rooms for us and made the BEST food I had the whole time I was in Spain. This is not everyones experience. Some had shared rooms, some had frozen pizzas for dinner, but either way it was a very rewarding experience for all of us.
During this month we went to Spanish class from 9am-1pm M-F and had the rest of the time free to explore. It was so incredible. The school also provided weekend getaways (for a small fee) where they would take you on an organized trip to a variety of places from Granada, to a beach day in Cadiz to a weekend in Morocco. This month was an experience I wouldn’t trade for the world. I highly recommend it if you can swing it. Not to mention you will make some awesome friends.
Finding a Place to Live
When the month was over, half of us were assigned to Madrid so the CIEE put us on a bus and drive us straight to our hotel for the next week in Madrid while we looked for a place to live. With this kind of program as a part of the culture there, finding a place was easier than it seems. There were a few websites to use to find an apartment. You will likely go and see a few dumpy places before you find the one that works but you WILL find one.
If you are looking on your own, you will find PLENTY of places with an open room, likely with other young people from around the world or maybe Spaniards. Unless you have a ton of money saved, you will not likely be able to live alone. (Nor do I recommend it). This is an experience you will want to share with people, whether that be fellow American friends, new friends from around the world, or new Spanish friends with whom you can practice your Spanish skills.
Compensation & Expenses
Compensation in Madrid is 1000 euros a month which IS enough to live on. Your only monthly costs with be rent and your abono. (Which is your card to get you around the city- buses, metro, and above ground commuter trains). I lived with my friend from home, my friend I had met in Sevilla and her friend from home. We found a nice apartment in the Arguelles neighborhood, fully furnished (there are lots of these), close to trains, 4 (smallish) bedrooms for 1500 euros a month. I had a slightly bigger room with a terrace so I paid 400 euros a month for my room.
On top of that my school was very far away so I had to have the most expensive abono, costing 90 euros a month. Plus I was over 25 which makes you ineligible for student discounts. So I paid 490 a month for the basics and can say, the 1000 is still enough to live on because everything there is so cheap. Food, drinks, nightclubs, everything is very affordable as long as you don’t go overboard.
That being said, most people teach one on one English classes on the side for about 20 euros an hour. You only work at your school for 16 hours a week (!!), four hours four days a week, thats it. So you have plenty of time for other work if you need it. There are plenty of resources to find these classes, a big one being Tus Clases Particulares- check it out here. Plus some local language schools that can assign you to students. I also highly recommend coming over here with some savings, at least a couple thousand dollars if you can. Especially if you want to travel while you’re here. The money you make from the government is not enough to cover any trips.
A few other things to note:
- You are not an English teacher, you are an English language assistant. Your job is to assist teachers in their English classes. You will not be in the classroom alone with the students. Nor do you have to come up with an entire curriculum. The teachers might assign you projects or ask for your help with ideas but you will not be running a classroom. You do not need a TEFL certificate for this. There will also be an option on whether you prefer elementary school (grades 1-6) or high school (grades 7-12)
- You have no say in where your school is. My school was an hour and 45 minutes outside of the city on public transit. 😕 I had to take the metro to the above ground commuter train to a bus that went up a beautiful curvy mountainside to the little town where my school was. I was the only one I knew who had a school this far (besides the others assigned to my school) and I think it was because I switched to Madrid at the last minute. So my advice is to apply early to get the closer schools. Its not all bad, I fell in love with my commute. I got to watch the sunrise every morning over the Spanish countryside and read a ton of books. I eventually craved that time.
- You cannot request time off of school, you have to go to work everyday that you are scheduled, no exceptions. If you are sick, you need a doctors note. This is very serious so no getting too drunk and not going to work the next day. That being said there are a ton of national holidays and time off, plus you only work either Monday- Thursday or Tuesday- Friday. Pretty cushy if you ask me.
- Keep your things close. It is true what they say, pickpocketing is a HUGE problem in Spain. Now I never heard of or experienced anything violent or dangerous. 99% of the time its just quick hands taking your iPhone or cash from your purse or pockets. Like a ghost, you won’t even know it happened.
That being said, it is easy to avoid. Always have your purse in front of you. Keep your valuables in zippered pockets that are difficult to access. Don’t bring your passport anywhere unless you absolutely have to. Never leave your phone out on tables at cafes or restaurants, even if you are sitting there. Don’t put things in your back pockets. Be smart and be aware.
I had my phone stolen twice, both times in a nightclub. I stopped paying attention for two seconds and my bag was unsnapped, unzipped and everything in it was gone. After the first time, I got a little luggage lock and honestly locked my zipper to my strap when I went out at night. Viola, problem solved. (Until the second time when I took the lock off and forgot about it 😕 )
This is nothing to stress about, just be smart and you’ll be fine. I had plenty of friends that never had anything stolen. On that note I do recommend keeping your cell phone insurance through your American service provider. They sent me a new phone in 2 days, no customs issues, so incredibly easy.
So there it is, my guide to teach English in Spain. I hope it helps and gets you going on your Spanish adventure! I cannot stress enough how rewarding this experience is. Here is the link for the CIEE again, check out there website, its super user-friendly. If you have any questions or there is something I forgot to cover, please let me know in the comments! I would love to help you in any way possible! Good luck and get going, this is a once in a lifetime experience.
Need more encouragement? Check out my seven shifts to help you travel more.
xx,
Hannah
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