I heard about this programme through an email from my university. I decided to go to one of the information and interview sessions. Miguel was very organised and made everyone feel comfortable. The expectations for the orientation in Madrid and working at the camp were clear. This is a great opportunity for gaining experience to put on your CV while also travelling affordably and meeting new people. The activities during the orientation were good and allowed me to get to know some of the people I would be working with. We also had free time to explore the city of Madrid. The director of the camp came to visit us one day during the orientation to answer any questions we had before arriving at the camp. I was extremely impressed with the camp I was placed in. It had lots of outdoor space including a football pitch, a farm, a basketball court and a swimming pool. The food at camp was good and there were free laundry facilities. All the staff were welcoming and helpful especially the other counsellors. Each fortnight the counsellors pair up so you always have someone there with you. Both of the counsellors I was paired with had worked for the camp previously and I can not speak highly enough of them. They were both passionate, reliable, conscientious, optimistic and good to be around. I met a lot of great people from all over the world who I will stay friends with for life. I was impressed at the high level of English the children and teenagers I worked with had. Because I do not speak Spanish I was unable to translate words the children didn't know in English, however, the other children would help explain what the child was trying to say. I learned a lot about how to teach children who are learning English as an additional language. I also picked up a few Spanish phrases and learned about Spanish culture. Miguel recommended travelling after the camp was finished which I am grateful for as this allowed me to travel with my new friends to see other beautiful parts of the country. After the camp, Miguel stayed in contact with me and was interested to hear about my experience at the orientation and at the camp. It is a good sign that I can't wait to return to the same camp this Summer.
If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?
I am planning to return to the same camp this Summer because I enjoyed it so much last year. The camp is a good bit out of the city and transport to/from the camp is not provided. This Summer I will also pack an electric fan as the air conditioning in the accommodation was not working sufficiently.
