Hi, I would like to hear about the experience of alumni doing the LanguageCorps program in Spain.
Posted by Lili Valentine 9 years 7 months ago
I am interested in teaching in either Madrid or Barcelona. Was it fairly easy to find a teaching assignment in either of these cities? Are these positions full-time teaching jobs? How was the process of finding housing and someone to live with? Any important info about the experience overall would be helpful!
I took the LanguageCorps TEFL course in Barcelona September 2014 and then continued to live and work in BCN until January 2015. I would recommend Barcelona over Madrid (personally). Madrid feels like any other city—Barcelona on the other hand is all its own; beach, mountains, city, local, tourist, culture everywhere!!! Just a truly unique and beautiful city—EXTREMELY easy to get around in (EXTREMELY!!) and very clean (always a perk!).
Teaching is very in demand in all of Spain. TEFL helps you with whatever teaching position you’d like to work for; Academy or Individual. Because of my 6 month student Visa and indeterminate amount of time I’d be there I chose to work independently. Michael at TEFL suggests sites to both post on and search for jobs. After a couple interviews and meeting the families, I was able to find 3 families to work for, that by the end of my time there felt like family and were so sweet and welcoming J A great way to learn about the culture and family life! Highly recommending of this, and you get to choose your own hours. I wasn’t a teaching major so I wasn’t too concerned with the professional improvement aspect, and you still learn a ton this way!
Teaching jobs vary from part-time to full-time. Luckily the culture in Spain is very laid back so “full time” as Americans is different than “full time” for Spaniards.
Finding housing isn’t the easiest thing in the world, but is very possible!! I recommend renting a room—it’s fun and MUCH cheaper! Most places want you to sign a 1 year lease, you have to have certain paperwork to get WIFI and pay bills, so just renting a room from someone on a month to month basis is much easier and stress free—and you get to live like a local. It’s a very common thing that’s done. All my friends that stayed after the TEFL course rented rooms and we loved it.
I highly recommend this program/process to anyone! I chose to travel not knowing anyone to push myself, but also met friends that had significant others with them, best friends, etc, and it all works, just personal preferences. TEFL will help give you the paperwork for a 6 month student visa. Some will travel on only a tourist Visa and don’t have problems, I just didn’t want to personally risk it.
You don’t need to know 100% Spanish to be in Spain, so if you don’t, don’t worry. They speak a fair amount of English and you’ll pick it up—besides the Spanish culture is very sweet and accommodating so they help J
I hope this helps! Enjoy the process and enjoy Spain—I miss it!!
Mallory