Teach English in Spain with CIEE | Guaranteed Placement in Madrid

Use the ministry instead of the other programs to teach abroad. It costs less. Save up as much money as possible before you go so you can spend time exploring europe. I made it a goal to go to 1 new country a month! This program will benefit me in the future because I had to learn how to deal with issues such as the language barrier, how to work in the same class with another teacher simultaneously, and challenged me to grow personally. It was the mist difficult year of my life but it's also been the most life changing and rewarding!

I had studied abroad in Spain and was really hoping for a way to live abroad again after graduating. Teaching in Madrid was the perfect way to do this. It was the perfect experience for a recent graduate. I got to do something totally new and it gave me time and perspective to plan what I would do in the future.
CIEE was very helpful throughout the application process and facilitated a very smooth transition for me when I arrived in Madrid. I met so many great people, was able to immerse myself in Spanish culture, traveled all around Spain and around Europe and really enjoyed my job as a language assistant.

As I recent grad, I knew I needed something different than the typical 9 to 5 drag. I wasn't ready to jump into a career and I had always wanted to travel so this was the perfect fit. The past 10 months have been some of the best of my life. I made lifelong friends, traveled to a bunch of new cities and really immersed myself in Spanish culture. This program allowed me to discover things about myself that I never would have thought were possible which I know will help me when it comes time to actually re-enter the "real world."
I would definitely recommend teaching abroad with CIEE but I would also caution those that choose to do so. CIEE was fantastic when it came to pre-departure details. They helped with my visa and passport as well as preparing to apply for my temporary citizenship card in Madrid. They realy helped me feel comfortable with leaving the US for 10 months. However, CIEE made it sound like there would be a lot more support upon arrival which was only a little true. I had never left the United States before coming to Spain so this was a big reason why I chose CIEE. After a four day orientation, I still had no idea how teaching worked, where to open a bank account, how to find an apartment or where to buy a cell phone plan. They glossed over alot of key points that I think would have really been beneficial to me and my fellow teachers.
Overall, CIEE is a fantastic company to travel abroad with but I would hope that anyone who signs up under the same impression that I did, asks around before paying their program fee.

I loved my experience teaching in Spain and I'm so glad I did it. My goal was to travel, become more fluent in Spanish, and "clear my head" from the grind of my previous office job. I was definitely able to do all of these things, and make friends along the way thanks to the CIEE orientation and 2 week immersion program. The school I was placed in treats me very well, but CIEE did not do a good job of helping me out with the location and, as a result, I commute 3 hours a day, and it costs me 90 Euros/month (most people who are closer to the center pay only 20/month). Money is tight but because Spain is so cheap, it's enough to get by. Definitely happy I made this move.

It is a big adjustment moving to a big city like Madrid. I had never had the experience before even though I am quite well traveled and had visited the city before, I still didn't really know what to expect. CIEE offered a lot of support before the program started and after arrival to the city. I am very grateful that even after orientation was completed we continued receiving emails from CIEE that included information about different events and things to see in Madrid. I have learned so much in my time here and I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in having a really different and unique experience, even if teaching isn't the long-term goal. I have always wanted to be in education and so this year teaching English has definitely given me a lot of really practical professional experience but I've also learned so much on a personal level as well. I have gotten used to being a lot more independent, navagating a new city on my own, and to making new friends in a really different context. One of the best things I've done with my time here is to take dance classes, where I met a lot of locals and have tapped into my passion of dance in a whole new place.

I would absolutely recommend taking the chance to teach abroad in a foreign country. It's such a different way to travel and experience the day to day life and culture of a country. I would not recommend paying the money to have a provider coordinate your position in Madrid. You will want to save your money for the other necessities that come with moving to a new place, especially a country capital. They add up fast! If you take the time to look for them, there are plenty of free options for information and help via Facebook pages, traveler blogs, and organizations for example City Life Madrid. The company CIEE provided a comfortable orientation weekend, a host family for the first month, and a basic level Spanish class. As well, throughout the year they provided resources and an occasional social event. However, there are other resources provided by the company that are also provided in other places for free upon arrival. Regardless of what you feel financially comfortable putting your money towards, it would not be a waste to make the investment of traveling to teach abroad. I will be returning to teach for a second year, possibly a third, and I think that speaks miles for how much I have genuinely enjoyed from this experience.

This is my first year truly living abroad. CIEE has made a truly wonderful experience with teaching seminars and email blasts offered every so often to update us, keep us informed, and offer programs to help us improve our experience here in Madrid as well as our teaching skills! CIEE made the daunting VISA process simple with step-by-step instructions and instructors and group leaders available with any questions along the way. The accommodations during the orientation program were phenomenal--offering breakfast daily, a safe place to stay, and helpful group activities during orientation. My group leader, Sandra Kinkaid, was super fun and insightful. Her awesome walking tours and friendly advice were invaluable during what could´ve been a very stressful first week here. I loved my year here so much, I´m renewing for a second! I highly recommend this program for first-timers
living abroad.

After being born and raised in Los Angeles, going to university there, and spending my first year as a graduate working in LA, I found myself yearning for a dramatic change of pace. I then learned about CIEE and eventually made the decision to leave everything to move to teach English in Spain. I had little to no experience as a teacher nor as a world traveler, but CIEE really provided us with the resources and community to begin thriving from the moment we arrived. And along with everything CIEE provided, Madrid is just an incredible place to live, work, learn Spanish, make tons of international friends, and much more.