Here's part two of why I stayed to become a TEFL teacher in Seville. Look at part one here.
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| Honeymoon in New York |
Finding my own life
Her English improved and my Spanish became bearable. We had a few ups
and downs, but mainly because, deep down, I was still unhappy in Seville. If I
was going to stay, then it had to be for more than just love.
I got a new job with ELI, one of the best English academies in Seville. The new
opportunity had a better timetable, more money, a real contract, and weekly training.
My first term was hard. The academy demanded well planned lessons, preparations
for exams, and a lot of commitment. My boss was great and she showed me the
ropes and I made a few expat friends. I enjoyed teaching kids and teenagers
again and working for an academy had a real family feel.
Despite working hard, teaching in Seville also gave me time to live. I
had enough free time to keep fit by running and going to the gym and also get
into one of my hobbies; writing. I began to write a travel book about my
experiences travelling the world and teaching. I never would have had the time
living in England. I became healthier too. Spanish food and the general way of
life are much healthier than back in England. Three day weekends meant more time
for travelling and we’ve visited most places in Andalucia.
My parents came over to visit a few times and both families got on
great. It was tough translating the whole time but we had a good laugh. I began
to settle in Seville and stopped missing my travels so much. We moved in to a
flat together and I became settled.
Commitment
During the next five years I really enjoyed teaching English. Thanks to
help from my boss and the decent training I became a better teacher and seeing
my student’s progress was a great feeling. I learnt Spanish mainly by myself,
but I did a short course with a language school to consolidate my
understanding. Learning Spanish really helped me feel part of the society
compared to when I first arrived. I’ve accepted that I’m always going to be a guiri and I understand the humor and way
of life over here. I don’t get short changed so much anymore either.
My girlfriend and I became closer, as did our families. During every Semana Santa the brothers and father
would suggest that I participate, but I wasn’t ready. My father is catholic,
but we never got baptized as they left the decision to us. I had to understand
the faith more.
Asking my wife to marry me was a nerve wracking experience. I took her
away for a surprise weekend in Cazalla de
la Sierra in the countryside and asked her to marry me in a spot
overlooking a valley. She said, “Yes, of course,” in English. When we announced
to the family I realized what was in store.
“If you’re going to get married, then it’ll have to be in a church,”
said the mother.
“Yeah, that’s fine with me,” I said.
“Which means you’ll have to get baptized,” said my fiancée.
“Ah,” I said, not having thought it all through.
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| Special Day |
I won’t lie; I was scared by religion. However, I was up for finding out
more about her faith. I had a lot of questions, but my catechesis teacher was
brilliant. Salvador was a modern man and made understanding everything easy. I
did the two-year course in about three months and my family came over for the
baptism and communion. My father was especially proud, and yet again the two
families became closer.
That Holy Week I became the first foreigner to participate in the
family’s brotherhood. You’re talking about a 200 year-old tradition. It was an
amazing experience and the family really welcomed me into their faith. I’ll do
it again every year.
A few months later we got married. Our Spanglish wedding was perfect.
Seeing my wife on our wedding day was a proud and emotional feeling, and having
our families unite was unbeatable. The honeymoon in New York was quality too.
So I’m settled here now with my Spanish wife and new family. I miss mine
at times, but it’s great because they visit a lot, which my mum loves as it
gives her an excuse to come to sunny Spain, maybe it’s worked out for everyone
after all.
Go for it
If you’re thinking of making that change and living abroad then I’d
recommend it. At times you’ll struggle to accept the new culture and feel
isolated, but with commitment and patience you can make it happen. And who
knows, you might find the person of your life.
For more information
Books which have inspired my time as an expat in Spain include: Driving
Over Lemons by Chris Stewart and A Load of Bull by Tim Parfitt.
Interesting books on Spanish history include: Ghost of Spain by Giles
Tremlett and The Return, a novel by Victoria Hislop.
Useful Links
Learning Spanish
There are plenty of Language Academies to learn Spanish in Spain. Here
are some of the most popular ones:
Lingua schools have centers in Barcelona, Madrid, Salamanca, Valencia, and Malaga. A
few colleagues highly recommend this language school.
Don Quijote, named after one of Spain’s most famous novels, has centers in Madrid,
Barcelona, Seville, Malaga, Cadiz, and Valencia.
Unispain have even more places to choose from all over Spain.
Teaching in Spain
I have found most of my jobs by being in the city and walking round with
my CV. When you arrive grab a copy of paginas amarillas, make a list of the language schools and then set off
with smart clothes. However, if you want to search the job market then you can use these websites.
Living in Spain
My spain is a great website with forums to get advice on
living in Spain.
Spain Expat has a
lot of useful information on everything from business to living and finding
work.
Expatica could be of help to find a flat, a job, or general
advice about life as an expat in Spain.
I hope you enjoyed reading this post and it inspires you to get out and live your life!
Labels: learning Spanish, living in Spain, reasons to live abroad, Seville, teach in spain, TEFL Spain, why become a tefl teacher
Commitment