I loved the little idiosyncrasies in the process of teaching English, especially in the early weeks. The times when we could guide teachers in the learning of English confirmed that I would enjoy teaching longer-term, something I was unsure of until the program and I am glad that I learned I could handle it and be quite good at it. I loved gradually--and sometimes slowly-- learning more of the Spanish language. The camp was about English immersion, and all our lessons were done entirely in English, but if you ventured outside of the camp to the bar or to the local shops (and by 'local,' I mean the shops an hour away in Montoro,) you needed Spanish. As a Latino in the United States, it meant a great deal to me intellectually and personally to improve my Spanish while guiding others in the English language. It motivates me to consider the yearlong program in Colombia. I would be thrilled to do this if you'd have me again.
I loved the days after swimming when my roommate and I would sit on our deck and look at the Andalusian hills. Our house had an Italian coffee maker and we got very good at using it during this time. So that memory--of swimming and then very calmly drinking home-brewed coffee is special to me.
I loved the times when we would have late-night conversations at Bar El Nino, the inside jokes, the laughter. I loved walking up and down the hiking trails and learning about each other in small unspoken ways.
I loved the way this program returned me to an older, more confident version of myself. Being in university can make you question everything about yourself -- your worth, your values, your ability in comparison to others--but I was so grateful for this program which confirmed a self-confidence I thought I had lost. I left Venta feeling more capable, prepared for a job outside my comfort zone, and with a huge new set of friends to help me if I need them.
