Came back for a second year in the Basque Country

I participated in the North America Language and Culture Assistants in Spain program for eight months during the 2009-2010 school year. I taught classes at a secondary school (ages 12-18) in the province of Álava in el País Vasco and lived in Bilbao.

Prior to arriving, I didn't really have a clear idea of what I would be doing on a day-to-day basis at my school. According to the program manual, Language Assistants help out in English classes, focusing specifically on speaking and listening. I assumed I would be helping with activities planned by the teachers and that I would not be left alone to lead classes. But I was wrong. I was the first Language Assistant my school had ever had and they decided to give me an hour per week with each of the groups, teaching alone. The teachers asked me to do certain activities from the textbooks and then to create supplemental activities like games and listening to songs to review grammar and vocabulary.

While challenging at first, I quickly figured out how to plan and carry out a class. There were definitely some tough groups, but overall I had a great experience. The teachers in the language department supported me in my role as a Language Assistant and also in my life outside my school.

My job only required 12 hours of teaching a week and I spent between two and five hours planning lessons, so there was a lot of free time left for other activities. For me that consisted mainly of going on long walks around Bilbao, hiking in the beautiful mountains on the weekends, reading, cooking, and watching lots of Spanish television (you know, to keep improving my Spanish). Other auxiliares in Bilbao found fun things to do like clubbing, going to concerts, and doing language exchanges in pubs.

Language-wise, I entered the program with a degree in Spanish and linguistics and a year of study abroad in Spain. It was great to put my studies to use on a daily basis. I have heard of people who have very limited or even no Spanish language skills applying for the program. One of the application requirements is an intermediate level of Spanish, but they don't really have a way to check that since the application is online and doesn't involve an interview. Be aware that there is no hand holding in this program. Once in Spain, participants must apply for a residency card, open a bank account, find a place to live, etc. on their own and in Spanish, so having at least an intermediate level helps immensely to get settled and then to just get around every day.

I enjoyed my time in el País Vasco so much that I decided to apply to come back for a second year. I am currently at the same school I was at before for the 2011-2012 school year and planning to renew my position for the following year. This time I'm living in the town where the school is located and I love it. I'm working on learning more about Basque history and culture, attending a Basque language class, and taking advantage of having the public library right behind my apartment building.

Without hesitation, I would recommend this program to anyone with a decent level of Spanish who wants to continue to improve their language skills, learn more about Spanish culture, experience living in another country, and/or gain teaching experience.