Name of Volunteer Speaker
Megan |
Nationality
Irish |
Name of town/city where school is located.
Vic |
Experience in school including tasks, classes, relationship with students/teachers.
I have conversation-based classes with students from secondary level. I take them in groups of three or four and I have my own classroom where we do speaking activities and games etc. The students have a very high level of English and are eager to do well. They are generally very enthusiastic, polite and well behaved. All of the teachers in the school have made me feel so welcome and part of the teaching staff. They are very friendly and include me in conversations at lunch and at coffee etc. It has been an advantage to me however, that I can speak Spanish as a lot of teachers don’t feel confident speaking in English. |
Experience living with your Host Family. Have they made you feel welcome, relationship, activities, etc…
My host family have been extremely kind and welcoming to me. I have been included in all of their plans and offered to join for family lunch at their parents/ friends’ houses etc. Due to us all being at work, during the week I really only see my family at dinnertime where we speak in English and share about our day. While you are living with your family, their home becomes your home. |
Your general experience whilst on the program from prior expectations to your current experience
I think the program is generally what I expected it to be. However, because the classes I teach are conversation-based activities, I am not actually teaching grammar or vocab, so in that regard, I am still unsure on how to teach as opposed to just plan conversational activities. Overall, it is what I thought it would be. |
Changes/Improvements in both personal and professional development
I have gained so much confidence in my ability to teach, stand up and talk in front of students, essentially be in charge of my classes and of course living and settling into a new country. Teaching English as a career is something I will strongly consider pursuing in the future. |
Advice for the any new/future Voluntary Speakers placed in your town/city (best places to visit, things to do, activities with host family, favorite restaurant, bar, etc.…)
My school is based in Vic which is quite a big place with lots of restaurants, cafes and shops. It is a city but doesn’t have the feel of a big city like Barcelona so it can be more peaceful and less busy. I think it has everything you need to live there from clothes shops, to pharmacies, supermarkets and places to go out and eat. My family and I live about 15 minutes’ drive from the school in a smaller town village called La Gleva. To be honest, there is not a lot to do there, but there is some nice areas to go for a walk. It is good that Vic is so close to me so it has been no problem!! I personally enjoy going out for coffee or lunch and just sitting outside taking in my surroundings. |
Advice for new/future Voluntary Speakers placed in your school?
Everyone at the school is beyond friendly and welcoming and they just want to help you to settle in and do your best. Ask for help or ideas if you need it! The students really love coming to the classes. |
Advice for new/future Voluntary Speakers in relation to living with your host family or Spanish families in general.
Things will be probably different to what you are used to at home. They are very welcoming and want you to feel at home. Meal times will be later and some special occasions or extended family dinners can last a lot longer sometimes up to 3 hours long. I think communication is important and planning some things to do together. The family don’t mind if you want to do some solo trips or with friends etc., but also try make time to do activities with the family. |
Share some of the best moments in your school, host family and in general whilst participating on the program.
I really enjoyed going on two school trips with my classes – one was ice skating in a nearby village in the mountains and the other was to a mountain to go for a walk. With my family, we made homemade pasta together which was a really nice experience. I have also loved being able to go to Barcelona. There is so much to do and explore! |
Any regrets joining? Would you recommend the program to others? and what would you say to someone thinking about teaching English abroad for the first time and thinking about joining this program?
I would recommend this program for anyone who is looking to get a taste of what teaching English is like. I think with the number of hours and classes you get; it is a good idea to help you learn to teach and manage a classroom without being thrown into the deep end and given too much to do. Everyone is so helpful, and they understand that you may not have taught before. I would also say regarding living with a family, that you are expected to speak in English as much as possible and to do things with them. If you are more independent minded, then living with a family may not be for you or you can make it work if you are willing to also do things together with your host family. I would say to someone thinking of joining the program to just do it and you will learn so much about yourself and other cultures, and most importantly what it is like to teach English in Spain. I am glad I joined the program. |