An Awesome Day in Barcelona with Our April–June 2025 Voluntary Speakers
On Saturday, May 10th, we had an incredible day out in sunny Barcelona with our newest group of Voluntary Speakers from England, Ireland, the USA, Canada, and New Zealand!
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Kieran from England. I did not expect to be welcomed with such open arms and for people to offer me the support that I received. In terms of the teaching aspect, it hit my expectations!
I believe my Castellano (Spanish) language levels have improved since joining as I was communicating in Castellano to some teachers who did not have the best English levels. I also believe it has greatly improved my confidence in presenting and conducting class materials/presentations, in which I did not have such experience beforehand. It also has helped my listening and organisational skills, where I have had to organise class materials and also listen to students’ concerns.
Carly from America.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.
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 The overall experience in the school has been amazing! The teachers are all very helpful…
Freya from England. I didn’t think the students would enjoy having me at the school as much as they have. They all seem eager to learn and practice their English, which was a really nice surprise.
I would say I’m much more confident in my ability to up and change my lifestyle and routine, and to travel around. I’m also more confident in my ability to pick up a language, having learnt a lot of Spanish whilst living here. I’m hoping to take up classes once I go home and eventually move here I’ve enjoyed it so much.
Professionally, I feel much more confident in my ability to teach to people, children and adults alike (I’ve helped the family with their English too). I always felt a bit scared to teach, but now I think it’s something I can do without too much imposter syndrome.
Shaylee from America. I have noticed a lot of improvements within myself, both personally and professionally. I had prior experience, however I did not have much with older students. I feel much more comfortable and confident now
I would absolutely recommend the program. Know that there will be some difficult moments as you learn to navigate a new country, language, and expectations but it will be so worth it. I have learned so much and the time passes much quicker than you would expect.
Klaire from Canada. It was so nice to form a unique and hopefully forever bond with my host family. I also never expected teaching English to teach me so much about kids and the learning process
Take initiative with planning activities. Make an effort to talk to the staff at lunch or in the hallways. When entering/exiting a room, always say hi/bye out of respect. Participate as much as you can in their culture, and when they invite you to do/try/learn things, step out of your comfort zone and try it.
Carnival Time – February 2025
In February, it's Carnival time here in Spain, and our Voluntary Speakers had the chance to dive right into the festivities!
Goodbye Holly. We miss you already!
The students at Holly’s school were bursting with excitement to show their appreciation for all the help, laughter, and boundless energy she brought to their days. They wanted to send her off with a celebration as unforgettable as she is…
Holly from America. I definitely gained improvement in my abilities to understand different levels of English and different personalities and how to work with them best to make sure they are getting the help and support they need when learning a new language.
I would recommend the program for sure!! If you're thinking about it, go for it. It's an adventure and a really good opportunity to grow in your experience as a teacher, or realize maybe it's not for you but still have a good time. Either way I recommend it!! Life’s too short to say no to everything
Aidan from England. I can confidently say my expectations have been fully exceeded. I couldn’t have predicted that I would gain important insights whilst at the same time making so many friends living in Catalonia.
To say, “I’ve been lucky to have my Host Family” would frankly be an understatement. I could tell you all about our adventures around Catalonia, tasting incredible unique foods and watching amazing sports matches, but really all that needs to be said is that from the moment I arrived to the moment of writing this sentence, they have shown me only love, kindness and respect. Therefore, trying to put into words how lucky I really have been is like trying to bite your own teeth.