Name of Volunteer Speaker
| Carly |
Nationality
| American |
Name of town/city where school is located.
| Torelló |
Experience in school including tasks, classes, relationship with students/teachers.
The overall experience in the school has been amazing! The teachers are all very helpful and kind. I’ve enjoyed speaking with the students and getting to know them as they practice their English. I truly feel like a celebrity, but in a nice welcoming way. The students are very respectful and greet me so warmly whenever they see me. The teachers have been flexible with their lessons. If I let them know I have something planned they willingly let me teach the class. On other days I act simply as a speaking assistant and help students with pronunciation while the teacher teaches the class. Whenever I have no clue what to do during class or speaking groups, I have been graciously helped by both my tutor and the other teachers. Truly an amazing group! |
Experience living with your Host Family. Have they made you feel welcome, relationship, activities, etc…
My host family has been nothing short of loving and hospitable! Carles and Judit make every effort to help me feel at home, from helping my figure out the train system and planning outings, to making delicious meals and treating me like family. The two girls are absolutely precious. We spend the days playing or cuddling while watching TV. I will miss them all tremendously. |
Your general experience whilst on the program from prior expectations to your current experience
I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. I was nervous that I would be expected to have full lesson plans with original ideas and activities. It’s not that that wasn’t expected, but it’s definitely not required. Everyone has been very understanding and willing to help out both in the school and with the family. I had expected to be forced to do a lot of things on my own, but the community is strong and willing to help with almost any problem. I also expected a lot more in the ways of language barriers, but surprisingly I have been able to use English comfortably in almost every situation. |
Changes/Improvements in both personal and professional development
I’d say personally I have developed a stronger sense of openness to change and exploration, as well as more independence. I am a shy person by nature, but being out here has forced me to learn to get out of my comfort zone in order to get the most out of this experience. I’ve learned to navigate public transport in a foreign language, order food in a foreign language, and to be more confident in finding my way around unknown places. On the professional side, I’ve learned to be more comfortable talking in a classroom setting, how to prepare lessons and activities, and how to better communicate on a professional level with coworkers and students. |
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.…)
If you find yourself in Torello then you’ve found yourself in one of the sweetest towns. The river Ges may not seem like much at first but there are some beautiful views. There are trails that follow the river as well as trails that lead to the mountains nearby. If you like hiking, I recommend going to Castell de Torello (Castell dels Moros), as well as Bellmunt. Vic is a beautiful city, perfect for shopping, only about 20 minutes by car/train. Barcelona is only 1.5 hours by train as well. The family may take you to Girona or Platja d’Aro as well, which are also beautiful. If you come during Carnival, then you are in luck! Torello has one of the grandest carnivals in Catalonia as well as some traditional festivals unique to Torello. They may seem strange at first, but trust me they are so fun! The town itself may seem small, but there’s plenty to do! The people are so nice as well. |
Advice for new/future Voluntary Speakers placed in your school?
| Sagrats Cors is a lovely school that’s not too big and not too small. I’ve been involved with all the ages, from infantil to 4th of ESO. The school itself is old so the temperature seems to fluctuate a lot. The teachers are a tight knit group that seem to get along well with one another. They don’t all speak English, but you’ll find that a simple “hello” or “good morning” each day goes a long way. The students are very hardworking, but they are very relaxed with the teachers, often making jokes and playing around. I recommend taking it in stride and you will learn when to joke with them and when to have them focus and be serious. The younger ones love games and drawing, so any activities that include these are fantastic. The older ones also enjoy games and talking about pretty much anything. |
Advice for new/future Voluntary Speakers in relation to living with your host family or Spanish families in general.
| I think the key is laying the grounds for open communication by being respectful and mindful. Most likely, you’ll have to adjust your daily/weekly routine to coincide with theirs. We eat most dinners together as a family, which is a perfect time to talk about weekend plans, concerns at school, questions about Catalan or the culture, or anything that may be on your mind. If not dinner time, you might want to plan with the family a time when you can discuss these things more comfortably. With the Vilella family there are a lot of sports events the girls take part in, which can be great opportunities to visit new cities when they have out of town games. |
Share some of the best moments in your school, host family and in general whilst participating on the program.
| So far Carnival has been the best experience at the school. The week of carnival is so fun. Each day the students and teachers wear different outfits (wacky hair, elegant clothes, pajamas). There are also different activities planned for each day. The Friday before the school carnival was La Barilla, and I was so happy that I got to take part in that. There were also excursions planned for the Dijous Llarder where primary hiked to Castell Torello and Infantil walked to a local park. I got to join both. The school carnival was fantastic; it was so great to the students performing after working so hard for weeks to prepare. I also got to walk in the parade with the family on the actual day of Carnival! With the family I’ve loved visiting new cities with them. They took me to Barcelona and Girona, as well as Platja d’Aro. I also enjoy how every Sunday we eat with the grandparents. It’s such a special time and I feel so blessed to be included in their family traditions. |
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 have absolutely no regrets! I’d definitely recommend the program to others. It’s a great way to expand your horizons and learn more about the world and yourself. It was definitely scary at first and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t homesick at first, but once I got into a routine and made some friends I felt right at home. If you want to see a part of the world you haven’t yet seen, make genuine connections, live like a local, learn a new language, learn new skills, and grow as both a teacher and person, then you should definitely give this program a try. |