I have had an overall good experience with CIEE. I just wish my school coordinator was more flexible to work with! I love my students and I have never learned so or felt so independent in my life, and I am surely an improved, more decisive traveler, friend and person because of this experience. Madrid has tons to offer from food to international friends, there is rarely a dull moment! There is so much the madrileños and spain as a country can teach you about history, language and fun, Madrid and Spain hold a special place in my heart.

I went into the CIEE program on a lark. I had studied a TESOL program at university but "life got in the way" as they say. I've always been interested in language and culture, and so I had been forced to put my goals on the back burner. In December of 2017, I decided to shop around for a certification program just on a whim, and saw that there were an assortment of different online courses I could take. Many of them were little more than diploma mills shelling out pieces of paper for $100. CIEE seemed reasonable, with its accreditation, and manageable $1000 cost.

So, I enrolled, and started January 2018. I didn't know what to expect--after all, I was a university dropout with little experience. I was anxious about taking a class that involved a lot of group activity; I just wanted something I could complete on my own online. Of course, I was naively unaware just how unprepared that would have made me.

CIEE did its job in preparing me for a career in teaching. The website took a little to figure out how to navigate, and the workload seemed intense--that coupled with the fact that nearly all of my classmates were university graduates and I was just some poor kid from the hood without any travel experience really made me overwhelmed. But let me tell you--I thrived.

If you take this course, the first thing you'll probably realize is that you need to take it seriously. The freedom to do course work whenever you want is a double-edged sword: deadlines will be impossible to meet if you don't have several hours a day to set aside. Regardless, balancing this and work (for me, a tutoring job that I got because of my practicum; I'll talk more about that later) was easy as long as I had discipline.

Those first two weeks were eye-opening. The learning curve isn't bad at all, I felt completely scaffolded every step of the way, not like I was dropped into the deep end and expected to swim. But there is a LOT of work involved. When they say it's a short, intensive class, don't take that lightly. It really helped me curb my terrible procrastination habit.

As the class went on, I got to know my school mates, participated in many group discussions, and kept on top of my work. I learned so many things in those short few weeks, about teaching, culture, and even about my own biases.

The course would have not been the same without such amazing teachers. My instructor Annette was wonderful, and Allie who also spoke with me on many occasions was a great help. I was never kept waiting on responses, they were always prompt, direct, and went above and beyond to help me with my individualized issues. Don't expect to do this course on your own--you don't need to. You will have so many opportunities for help along the way.

At the end of the course, I felt wholly prepared to teach. I've since kept a volunteer tutoring job at my local university for far longer than the required 20 hours (which I was able to complete in a week and a half), of which 19 I was directly teaching students. I still work there, and will be continuing after the brief break, in which class resumes on May 30. I use all of the information I learned in the CIEE course regularly--I found none of it to be fruitless or artificial. They teach you more than the bare minimum, but just enough that you will flourish if you put your mind to it.

If you're even considering this program, do it. Seriously, do it. There's nothing to lose--the price tag is worth saving for. I was just some uneducated guy from the poorest county in my state, and now I've received my certificate and graduated with distinction. I'm in the process of waiting to hear back from Murcia in the hopes that I will have my first teaching job this October.

Here's my advice to anyone who thinks this is the right fit for them. First, make time for your class. To keep on top of it all, you'll need around 2-3 hours a day to work on your assignments. I did this five days a week, with my weekends being relatively free, unless I had a particularly large paper due. I was one of those kids in high school that always finished quicker than the others, so I thought going into this "They recommend 2-3 hours, but I'll probably need about 1." I was wrong--2-3 is a completely valid estimation.

You will need to stick to a schedule, because the deadlines will be tough to meet if you don't. You have five "units" a week (essentially one class a day), a video conference on Monday, and a paper due on Wednesday. The teachers will make adjustments for you if "life gets in the way" but seriously, I cannot stress enough that keeping on top of your school work is important. Like I mentioned earlier, I graduated with distinction so, trust me when I say this works.

Next, ask questions. The instructors are there to help you, and they will, but they can't read your mind. If you have a problem, whether it be technical or otherwise, ask them and they will get back to you quickly. I had problems with my passport on the application and Allie helped me immensely to get that all sorted, and I had some technical problems as well which Annette was very gracious enough to help me with. They are one of your resources, so use them.

Take good notes. Seriously, I was the worst note taker ever in high school, so I made sure to be extremely organized with my notes during this course. After the first few days, I started to learn how to take better notes (this became obvious when I was studying for the finals!), and they will seriously come in handy. Not only for your weekly quizzes, papers, and finals, but also just as a resource for your future career. I still have all of my notes saved with the intention of using them this October.

Lastly, don't get discouraged. If you like learning, language, and online courses, you will do fine. It isn't a difficult class at all, so long as you take it seriously. I thought I wouldn't do well because of my upbringing, but you'll find that no matter where you come from, this course can work.

I cannot recommend this program enough. If you like culture and language, do it. If you want something extra to put on your CV, do it. There are so many worse ways to spend your money--so why not put it to something useful?

Have fun, and see you in the alumni network.

To be fair, Madrid in and of itself is enough to ensure that almost any long-term stay will be rewarding. That being said, CIEE took care of so much of the nitty gritty stuff that can normally impede people from taking the plunge into this kind of an international adventure. By the time I arrived they had already helped me with understanding the visa process inside and out, as well as provide cultural and teaching guides. The staff -- especially during the critical first weeks of acclimation -- go above and beyond to make sure that everyone feels comfortable with adjusting to a new country, and they make the otherwise dreadful task of completing your immigration paperwork easy and seamless. They also had a lot of activities throughout the year that connect you with other teachers and staff. In short -- I would recommend this program to anyone and everyone. If you have lots of travel experience: you'll appreciate that they take care of the annoying tasks that come with moving so you can begin to immerse yourself in the country's culture and history. If you're a novice traveler: you'll get the kind of guidance and support than not only answers questions, but is intended to empower you to focus on your primary objective of relishing in a beautiful exchange of cultures! Sorry if this seems overly romantic. I just had a damn good time...

I've loved moving to Spain. It's a challenge and a gift, and you have to be ready for some surprises. For example, my placement changed unexpectedly before I moved, and I was SO nervous to live inside the city of Madrid! But now I'm settled in a flat in the oldest part of the city, and can walk to art museums, cathedrals, Christmas markets, and the ballet. If you want to shake up your life and learn a new language, this is both a fun and practical way to do it!

Basic info: Auxiliares assist an english teacher in a bilingual school for 16 working hours a week. That includes tutoring groups of kids, conducting their weekly oral exams, or preparing information about America to spark their interest. I work from 9-2 MTW, with a 30 minute break, and 9-12 on Thursday. The cost of living is lower than in many US cities, so you can cover expenses (rent, food, doctor, going out to eat, metro pass, bills), plus some travel with the monthly stipend of E1000.

Thoughts on CIEE: On the front end, it is more expensive to apply via CIEE, but the insights and assistance are worth the cost. Months before the move, Maxine, and later Samantha, were there to field my (numerous) questions about everything from applying for a visa, to school placements, to the delays caused by the 2017 hurricanes. They also have an in-country course that provides details on housing, managing finances, the metro system, banking, getting a permanent residency, health care, cultural differences and on and on. An in-country staff is also available by email or office hours to help with difficult questions or in case of emergency. Big thanks to CIEE for all their help!!

A year ago I was just about to leave for Spain with CIEE, and little did I know it would change my life. They eased me into everything, which I thought was going to be a joke because I had already studied abroad in Salamanca three years prior. Thankfully they were there to thoroughly explain and guide me through things, and thank goodness I went to those orientations. I ended up make a friend base as well from CIEE. I ended up meeting someone that I'm head over heels for and I'm currently living with them (empadronado which CIEE explained as well). I'm continuing a second year at the same elementary school, and I'm going to be an orientation leader this year for CIEE. They are always trying to improve year by year and I'm so excited that they are letting me become a part of their team!

My name is Jose Colchado and I am a retired public school teacher, and university professor and administrator. I have over thirty years of education related experience and have taught at every grade level from kindergarten to post graduate.

Even through I am retired I have continued to be involved in teaching; as a substitute teacher, GED instructor, and conducting workshops.

I applied for the CIEE Teaching in Spain for two reasons; CIEE was the most responsive to my questions and provided guidance at all steps of the application process and I wanted a program in Spain where I could learn more about the country which had such a great influence on Mexico, my parents' home country. The application process can be difficult and will cost you money. For example, I had to go to California for the consulate "interview" which turned out to be just handing over my application papers. Once you get to Spain CIEE provides the support you need to finalize additional paperwork, assist with housing hunts and arranging for low cost daily transportation.

I asked to work with first and second graders and was assigned to the Colegio de San Blas in Ajalvir a suburb of Madrid ( a 30 minute train ride from Madrid ). I live in Torrejon de Ardoz a 15 minute bus ride from Ajalvir. I am glad I live and work in the suburbs. No long daily commute and still close enough to everything. I was surprised by two things at my school; the noise level and , what was to me, a lack of discipline, that takes away from instruction, and how little effort was made to make me feel welcome and part of the school ( it could have been me!). Because I am not the teacher "in charge" I get to teach without the responsibility for grading or other paperwork. The kids are great, just like first and second graders everywhere, eager to learn and willing to do whatever you ask them. I am able to incorporate movement and art in active learning to support the teaching by the teacher.

Teaching four days a week gives me plenty of time to travel, During four day weekends I have been to Valencia, Toledo, Cadiz, Austurias, Guadalajara, Seville and during holidays I went to Prague, Budapest, Vienna, Lisbon and I plan to go to Brussells and nearby cities and the Canary Islands. Bus, train and air travel is very inexpensive if you buy your tickets early. Housing during your travels can be cheap if all you need is a bed and a bath. In most cities, once you get to the city center, you can walk to most of the sites worth seeing. What an opportunity to travel throughout Europe!

Even though I have my own apartment, I live frugally and with my stipend I am able to meet my living expenses and have some money for travel ( I do supplement my travel with a small part of my retirement income).

There is so much to see and do. So much to learn. It all depends on what your priorities are and how you choose to spend your time and money!

I love CIEE. I have studied abroad and now taught abroad twice through their organization. One of the main reasons I chose to teach abroad through CIEE was that they provide a very easy way to apply and give a lot of help and support through the whole process. I have always found the staff to be very friendly and helpful and would highly recommend CIEE to anyone who is interested in studying or teaching abroad.

I can truly say I have learned alot, met wonderful people and grew professionally, all while immersing myself in a new culture. The CIEE team makes this transition into a new country and job smooth and you feel supported the whole way. One of my favorite memories of this experience was the last dinner of the orientation. In this dinner a group of people randomly sat at a table together for dinner and became a true group of friends. That moment set the tone for the rest of my time here. I am so happy I took the chance and came abroad because it changed my life.