9 Reasons You Should Drop Everything & Teach Abroad in Spain

Hello dreamers, world travelers, future auxiliares and teachers abroad, 

If you opened this, maybe you want a change in your life, thinking about living abroad, maybe you're on the fence about moving to Spain to teach--or you've already made up your mind and want a sign or more affirmation! Here's your sign--go, DO IT! As a recap, I'm Kamala, I moved to Madrid, Spain in August 2017 with the CIEE Teach Abroad program. I'm 27 years old, dedicating most of my adult life to higher education, educating university students and then homebuyers as a mortgage banker. My fiancé and I were falling into a tiny existential crisis--we have so many skills and degrees between each other and so much ambition. We knew we wanted to make a positive impact on the world...but first we wanted to know the world---we dreamed of traveling the world first! But, we didn't know how and didn't have much money saved at all. SO, we found a legit program that also married what we loved: education, the opportunity to make a positive impact abroad, the chance to learn and grow, and we could travel! Which brings me to my very first reason:

1. You can travel Europe and to the gate of Africa CHEAP! By cheap what I mean is freakin' cheeeeap flights to another European or African country as low as 20€ ($25.00) ROUNDTRIP! You can stay in hostels for as low as 15€ a night (maybe lower), we stayed in a hotel even for 50€/ night in Paris (YES, Paris!!!). I even found a flight to the Philippines for 400€ (easily a $1200 flight in the U.S.). 

2. As an auxiliar you only work 16 hours PER WEEK 4 days per week, I repeat: SIXTEEN hours per week & 3 day weekends! If you're already a working professional, you know that we work an average 40-60 hours a week easily in the U.S. and we STILL make time to have fun and have a social life, take selfies and "adult". IMAGINE, 16 hours a week of work,  you could find yourself, travel to over 20+ new cities and countries, make sooo many friends, actually go to the gym, sleep for 8+ hours, nap AND anything else your heart desires. We're paid 1000€ per month, that's plenty to live on--but I do suggest saving money before coming (at least $3000).

3. Food & Drugs--Legal Drugs ;) -- are so affordable! During the weekdays, a lot of restaurants in Madrid have a "Menu del Dia" this is basically a hearty 3 course meal (including wine, beer or soft drink) for only 10-15€! In Spain, LUNCH is the biggest meal of the day! You'll find so many deals everywhere you go! With over 6,000 restaurants, you're bound to never run out of delicious affordable meals. Pharmacists in Spain have the amazing superpower to grant you drugs that normally need a prescription in the U.S.! In the U.S., when something minor ails us (headache, cold, 1st day fever) we usually go to Urgent Care or maybe even a hospital or primary care physician. Here in Spain, you can walk into a 12 or 24 hr pharmacy anywhere and tell the pharmacist your symptoms and right there and then they hand you medicines to alleviate your symptoms--even prescribing multivitamins and the like. For example, WITH INSURANCE, one of my prescriptions in the U.S. costed me $180 per month. Here it is $49/month. Ibuprofen is around $2.00. Antibiotics, cold medicines, and other medicines cost under $10 as well.

4. You can finally become fluent in Spanish! So many Spanish people in Madrid want to learn English, and meet up to have a language exchange. You'll also be surrounded by the beautiful sounds of European Spanish (Castellano) every single day. If you're already fluent, you can learn French or German or another language, you have 152 hours in your week you can basically do anything! When I first came to Madrid in August, I didn't even know how to order at a restaurant, have a regular conversation outside of small talk or even understand Spanish spoken to me. Now I can eavesdrop on the metro (just kidding), have intimate deep conversations, navigate different shopping situations in Spanish and converse with anyone I meet! I'm still learning everyday. If you want more tips on becoming fluent in Spanish, check out my blog about it!

5. It's a humungous Resume booster! Top employers in the U.S. are looking for leaders, self-starters and people with excellent communication skills. When you live abroad, you are faced with so many challenges and opportunities that will force you out of your comfort zone and beyond your limits. Living abroad changes you, it betters you and equips you with skills you can't possibly obtain living in the same country your entire life. You have to learn to navigate a completely different world and work with people with different cultural practices and beliefs. You might even add Spanish to your resume! If you're coming straight out of college, this would look impressive to a future boss or hiring team. Living abroad, away from family, far from friends--you learn to be independent, increase your own confidence and if you travel even further while living abroad, the possibilities for tremendous positive growth and enlightenment are that much closer. 

6. The Spanish lifestyle is so different, lively and exciting! Most Spanish people do not start work until 9am, they don't eat lunch until 2pm and dinner is at 9pm or later. When you walk the center of Madrid, on a Tuesday around 11pm-1am, you'll notice hundreds of people out having dinner on the many many restaurant patios, laughing and talking very very late into the night. Clubs do NOT close until 6AM. SIX in the MORNING. Most Spanish people don't start to go out until 2am. If you're a party-goer or clubber you know that in the US, most clubs will close between 1:30-4:00am and the party doesn't start til 12am. Some clubs in Spain don't even open until 6am so you can keep the party going all night!!!! I know I didn't believe it at first but it's true.  Some clubs have live shows included in their entrance fees, and almost always come with a free drink or two. You'll find that ladies get in free before 1:30am at a lot of hot clubs too!

7. You could become a world-traveler. Besides being severely cheap to travel between European countries, EVERYTHING is super close to Madrid. You could fly to Portugal, Africa and several luxurious island/beach paradises in 1 hour; Paris and Rome in 2 hours, and Hungary in 3 hours. Before moving to Spain, in nearly the three decades I've lived on this Earth, I had only been to two other countries outside of the U.S.: Mexico (Rocky Point, of course--I'm from Phoenix, AZ!) and the Philippines (my mom's home country, and my 2nd home country). After living in Madrid for only 5 months I have been to over 5 more countries and I have planned travel to over 10 more countries in the next 3 months alone.

8. You will make a positive difference in so many young lives. As an English language and cultural assistant (auxiliar), you have the unique opportunity as a native English speaker to impart Spanish children ages 3-18 with a required skill to obtain high-paying jobs. In Spain, many jobs require Spanish citizens to pass an English test (it's literally similar to the GRE and is tricky for me--as a native English speaker). Check out my blog on what a day in a Spanish school as an auxiliar looks like! Come teach abroad!

9. Build valuable connections and incredible new friendships (or love?) In Madrid, there are so many opportunities to meet and connect with people from across the globe, or someone like you who just wants to live life to the fullest and see the world. It takes a certain kind of person to travel to a new land and experience diversity on purpose! You're going to expose yourself to new people and sometimes that means a new friendship or even romance. I've seen it and experienced it first hand. Traveling here WITH the love of my life has strengthened our bond like never before. I've made wonderful new friends that have become like family. I've even deepened connections with friends back home. When you move away from home, you know in your heart who your true friends are--they are the ones who are still right there with you even though thousands of miles separate you. You have to see for yourself. JUST GO!

xx,

Kamalía

To see more of my adventures or if you have any questions or comments, follow me on Instagram! @KamalaAlcantara