Teach English in Spain

Our coordinator in Spain will be in touch. As your internship is 80-89 days, you can’t arrive
too long in advance, as most nationalities are allowed 90 days of visa-free entry. NOTE:
South Africans: you’ll need to apply for a Schengen Visa. You’ll fly into Barcelona (BCN)
airport, which has great connections from all over the world.

During your interview, we’ll match you as best we can with not only a location, but also with
a host family. During that time, you’ll be living as part of their family in their house, so we
need to make sure that you are a good fit.

Most of our schools are in the Catalonia region of Spain. Barcelona is the capital. However,
not all schools are in the city, and you may be placed in a smaller town or village in the
region. Don’t worry! This will allow you to truly immerse yourself in Spanish culture. Spain
has excellent public transport, and it’s easy to travel to Barcelona and other areas during
the weekend. Jam-packed with culture, cathedrals, plazas, and great food, this province
allows for a truly immersive experience without sacrificing comfort. Do you know that there
is more than one official language in Spain? Catalan is widely spoken in Catalonia!

No. We will take your preferences into account as best we can. However, the more open
you are with regard to location, the more likely you are to be accepted to the programme.

The sooner you apply the better. We’ll do provisional placements as soon as we’ve matched
you to a school and family. Our coordinator in Spain will keep you in the loop and you will
most certainly know before arrival where you’ll be placed.

In most cases, there will be at least one other volunteer in your area. There will be native
English participants in towns and in cities throughout Catalonia province so it will be easy to
make contact once you arrive. Our coordinator in Spain will put you in contact with fellow
volunteers, and often you’ll be able to connect before you arrive in Spain. We do encourage
you to also make friends and socialise with locals, for a true cultural immersion
experience.

You can request to be placed in a town nearby a friend. You’ll have a spot on your
application form to mention whom you’re travelling with, and we’ll do our best to place you close to each other.

You’ll also spend time on weekends and evenings with your host family as part of the placement; it’s the ultimate way to have an authentic Spanish experience.

Note: placement in the same area is dependent on availability and can’t be guaranteed (we
recommend applying early when travelling with a friend).

That depends on your nationality.

• If you have a passport from the USA, Canada, UK, New Zealand, Australia and
  Ireland, then no, and you are able to stay a maximum of 90 days in the Schengen
  zone without a visa.
• If you are from South Africa, you’ll need a Schengen Visa. Our coordinator in Spain
  will assist South Africans by providing the paperwork for your visa (host
  accommodation invitation letter). However, the cost of the visa and other visa
  requirements are for your cost, such as the insurance, showing your bank balance,
  and any other paperwork required for the visa.

That will depend on your nationality. If you’re a South African requiring a visa before coming
over, then a requirement to get the visa is a return flight, or proof of onward travel (such as
to Asia, should you want placement there afterwards).

No, unfortunately, this is a requirement from the schools that we collaborate with.

In most cases, due to extensive paperwork, schools prefer to hire English teachers who hold
EU residency. It’s possible, but not easy.

First of all, host families are not paid, they volunteer to host you as they want to experience
another language and culture in their home and share theirs with you. Also, all families are
connected to the school placement. This element of the programme is unique and what
makes it special.
Some families are wealthier than others, but you will share a typical Spanish home with
your hosts. In ALL cases, you will have your own bedroom. You may share a bathroom and
other living spaces with the family – you become part of their family during your stay.

All host families have been screened by the schools. The host family’s children attend the
same school where you will be teaching. It’s considered an honour to host a voluntary
speaker. Parents value cultural exchange as much as you do, as it exposes their children to
the English language outside of the classroom situation. They will therefore go out of their
way to make you feel comfortable and at home. Any issues are usually caused by
miscommunication, and not understanding each other’s culture. This is why we prepare you
before coming over. You need to have a positive attitude and be open to exploring new
cultures and fully immersing yourself in the local way of life.

Within reason. We have host families that can accommodate gluten-free, dairy-free and
vegetarian diets.

Aside from your host family which is your home-away-from-home; our coordinator in Spain
will check in with you on a regular basis. You’ll have their contact details too. You’ll have a mentor at the school who will give you feedback on lessons. Most classes involve conversational English.

Yes. On the school premises, you’d be covered by public liability, but any other illness or
accident needs to be covered by your own travel insurance, as this is a volunteer position.
This will include travel to and from the school, any accident within the home, and when out
and about during activities, on your own or with the family or other participants. We’ll
suggest options during the onboarding process.

You need to pass the course, complete your internship and then meet the requirements as
set out in this blog post. We’d start communicating with you to discuss placement options
while you are still busy with your internship. NOTE: most schools in Asia require teachers to
be vaccinated against Covid-19.

If you meet all the requirements above, then it will all depend on how you conduct yourself
in the video call with our coordinator in Spain. They need to know that you are committed
to staying the full semester, will respect your host family, and are open to new cultures. You
won’t be asked to pay any fees until you’ve been accepted to the programme.

This depends on the school, and availability. Placements vary from Spanish infant
(kindergarten), primary, and secondary schools in Catalonia. Volunteer speakers can usually
expect to teach children from early ages to 18.

Your week runs Monday to Friday, with 20 hours of classroom time. This allows plenty of
time for lesson planning, getting to know the teachers from the school, and any
extracurricular activities. If you haven’t completed your TEFL course before coming over,
remember to allow time in the evenings to complete any modules.

• Spanish Is the world’s second-most spoken native language
• Spain boasts the world’s third-largest number Of UNESCO World Heritage Sites
• There Is a Spanish royal family
• The first circumnavigation of the world was carried out between 1519 And 1521 – by
  Spanish explorers.
• Spain isn’t all “Spanish” What?
  Well, Galicia is Celtic. The Basque Country speaks Basque (which is unlike any European
  language). Valencia, Catalonia, and the Balearic Islands are Occitan and Catalan… Super
  interesting.

Find out more about Spain’s Catalonia region on the official site.