Wondering If The Immersion Program Is Right For You? Powerful Experiences From Our First Four Weeks

One of the first decisions Halie and I had to make was which version of the Teach in Spain program we wanted to do. We committed to being in Spain for at least 9 months, so that left us with three options: Teach in Spain, Teach in Spain/2 Week Immersion, and Teach in Spain/4 week immersion. In the end, we elected to go for four weeks of immersion, and we are super happy with our experience. We were very lucky because in some respects, we took a leap of faith that it would work out and be a positive experience. We can recognize that other people making this same decision may not be so eager to go out on a limb.  By writing this post, I want to provide clarity to people in our position who are thinking about which program is right for them. At the end of this post, if you still have questions, I’d be happy to answer them if you reach out on social media or via email! 

The Host “Family” 

The first thing I would say is that the experience varies from person to person. You may be wondering why I put “family” in quotations. Our host was a single joven, more or less the same age as  Halie and I. So while some of our classmates had host-abuelitas, or host-familias, he would be best described as our host-hermano. We also had another roommate, who was delightful to get to know. You should be aware that you are unlikely to walk into a situation where the host speaks English. In general, people considering the immersion program should not expect hotel vibes. The idea is that you adapt to the rhythms and routines of Spanish people: eating dinner late (the norm was 9pm but there were a handful of dinners served at 11pm), wearing shoes inside, and Madrid summers without air conditioning. I want to emphasize the positive, but one should be ready for culture shocks. 

There were many ways in which immersion enhanced our experience:

• In San Sebastian de los Reyes, we celebrated our first fiesta and watched our first bull run. After the run, we experienced recortes (bull dodging/leaping). Before talking to our host, I had never heard of San Sebastian de los Reyes. 
• We had an insider's take on many issues in Spain, including their politics and culture. 
• Each night, we discovered common Spanish dishes, and they were delicious. We have been able to replicate these now that we have moved into our own place. 
• We had someone who could help us read housing contracts in Spanish and give us general advice on where to live.

Spanish Classes

We also wondered a lot about the Spanish classes. We worried that our Spanish classes would be too much like our Spanish classes in the US.  We found that this was not the case. We took classes at Tandem Escuela Internacional, a beautiful building in a beautiful neighborhood. We couldn’t be more pleased with our experience.  Don’t get me wrong, there were days where I walked out of class with a brain that felt like it had run a marathon. But we felt each day like we were learning so much relevant Spanish. Our teachers were amazing. We respected how they balanced faithfulness to the curriculum and meeting the real needs of students.  From the first minute of class to the last, we were speaking and listening to Spanish and meaningfully engaging with Spanish culture. Classes were a blast and the highlight of each day! 

Intercambio de Idiomas 

Tandem also exposed us to the world of intercambios de idiomas. When we first arrived in Madrid, we were excited about the idea of speaking Spanish with locals. But we found that in practice, it could be more challenging than we had thought. They speak SO fast! Intercambios give you the opportunity to practice speaking Spanish in a controlled environment. Tandem’s intercambio took place in a hip little bar in a fun area in the center of Madrid, and it is now a staple in our weekly schedule. However, we’ve also checked out other intercambios near our apartment. Not only have we been able to practice our Spanish, but we’ve made a TON of new friends from around Madrid and around the world. Last week, in one night we spoke with a Frenchman, a Chilean, a Pervuian, a Venezuelan, an Englishman, and a Russian. It was such an eye opening experience! 

Excursions

The last part of immersion that I want to highlight is the excursions. Tandem offers a variety of opportunities to explore some of the coolest spots in Madrid and in the surrounding area. Having a local to show us around was an amazing experience. The excursions were also chances to practice speaking Spanish with a teacher in a relaxed and fun environment. Some highlights from our excursions included: 

• Palacio de Cristal (Parque de Retiro) - Make sure you check out the Tortugas!
• Centro Cultural Casa de Vacas (Parque de Retiro) - Super sweet modern art
• El Matadero de Madrid Río
• Toledo - Known as the city of the three cultures (Christian, Jewish, Muslim). Toledo has some amazing history and architecture. 
• Segovia - The capital of the province of Segovia. We toured Alcázar de Segovia, which served as a template for Cinderella's castle as well as the Cathedral. Finally, we ate a traditional Segovian lunch of cochinillo.

So, for us, the immersion program was well worth it and provided us with an unbelievable experience. I’ve tried to provide a picture of the first four weeks, but it was quite a challenge to talk about a month with 1000 words! Reach out on instagram or twitter (jermisreading) with any questions, and I’ll do my best to provide more insight!