8 Reasons to Teach in Spain
Spain is a beautiful country with wonderful food, a vibrant culture, gorgeous countryside, mild weather, and many amazing cities to choose from. Given all of these realities, It’s no surprise why many who are looking to teach English abroad ultimately decide to move to Spain.
If you’re considering a move to Europe to teach English, why not make Spain your country of choice? The following reasons will motivate you to check Spain out NOW:
1) Compensation for hours put in
It’s typical to work 12-16 hours per week teaching in Spain. That’s not a bad workweek! Typical compensation runs at about 700€ and 1000€ a month in exchange for those hours, making it a pretty decent working wage for the time put in.
This opens up your schedule for all kinds of other projects, like teaching on the side for extra cash, meeting all kinds of locals and expats, taking up a new hobby, trying out a new online business venture, or just taking in the Spanish culture and enjoying your new surroundings without feeling over-worked.
2) Spain is a great country to travel in
Given you’ll have extra time given the lax work hours and ample holidays, you can travel around Spain which has all kinds of great attractions on offer, from Moorish-style architecture in Cordoba and Seville, to the breathtaking beaches of the south, the party atmosphere of Ibiza, to the medieval walled city of Toledo, to the vibrant hustle and bustle of Madrid, and the funky modern art style seen all over Barcelona.
Spain’s trains and busses are top-notch as well, making it easy to get around.
3) The rest of Europe is right there
Inter-European flights can be surprisingly affordable on budget airlines. There’s no reason why, if you choose to teach in Spain, you can’t hop around to all of the other countries in Europe you have always wanted to visit, but perhaps couldn't afford to live in or haven’t been able to get to easily because you've been far away in North America or Australia. Living in Europe means you can see the rest of it during your time teaching abroad.
4) You’ll learn Spanish
Spanish is a highly useful language that much of the world speaks. Given your hours are likely to be reasonable, that frees up plenty of time to learn Spanish. Find a language exchange partner, take a class, and practice your new language skills.
5) Spain is affordable
Living in Spain is a great choice because it’s an affordable country with rents that won’t blow the budget. Many people live and work abroad in Spain simply because it’s a great standard of living for the money spent.
6) International and teaching Experience
If you want to work in a more competitive country for teaching later, are finding it’s difficult to get jobs abroad, or simply want to beef up your resume, Spain is a great place for teachers who don’t yet have experience. If it’s your first year teaching, or you want to stand out from the rest when you return home by displaying international experience on your resume, Spain might be the perfect choice for you.
7) Experience another culture
Living abroad is the perfect opportunity to experience a culture unlike your own. That said, Spain is not likely to throw you into culture shock as much as, say, teaching in China. It’s a great way to ease into another culture, learn a language you may already have some familiarity with, and to fully immerse yourself in Spanish culture.
8) There are lots of holidays
12 holidays fall within the school year. That’s a lot of time to take off and explore! Take the opportunity to explore places you haven’t seen, or simply fall more in love with the city you live in.
In conclusion, Spain is a great country to live in if you wish to teach in a Spanish-speaking country, want to be in Europe, and wish to gain experience teaching abroad.
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Comments 2
Kristin,
You are absolutely right about Spain. Your splendid picture of the Alhambra reminded me that it has been my favorite building in all Europe, since I first saw it 40 years ago.
The exquisite Moorish artistry and architectural design sensitivity of the fortified palace of Granada surpassed almost all other European buildings of its typology at that time, Europe barely emerging from its Dark Age--if I have my chronology almost right.
I lived two years in Barcelona, where I learned to speak Spanish with friends and their families. They were all Catalans of course, and Castillian Spanish was their second language. I tried to find a book to learn their native Catalan language, which is a sort of combination of French, Spanish and Basgue.
There were no English/Catalan texts in the early '70's at the end of Franco's regime. So I learned to speak Spanish fairly fluently. Espanol is so melodic. Compared to the choppiness of English, it is much easier (and more fun) to speak due Spanish accents of most words are on the next to last syllable, and the final letter is often a vowel. I know for me, this combination facilitates faster speech vs. choppity English.
I also agree with your thoughts about Berlin. I had similar thoughts myself when I visited there 12 years ago. Fascinating city, very urban, yet with magnificent parks. I advise people it's a great city to live in, but try to get away to Spain in the winters!
Agreed on escaping Berlin for the winter! Barcelona seems absolutely amazing. I'd definitely live there in a heartbeat.