Help an English teacher move to Spain!
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Intro:
- ¡Hola a tod@s! ¿Cómo están? (Hi everyone! How are you?)
My name is Tori and I recently graduated from the University of North Carolina Wilmington! I just earned my Master of Arts in Spanish after working my butt off for 5 years in a combined BA/MA program (meaning that I took graduate classes while completing my Bachelor of Arts degree). I'm trying to move to Spain to teach English to a small village via an opportunity with the Spanish government!
How did we get here?
- I got my BA in Psychology & Spanish with interdisciplinary honors while working a bunch of odd jobs while at UNCW. I was a lifeguard and, through dedication, became a lifeguard instructor. I was a sales intern with our campus dining. I even eventually taught an intro-level Spanish at the university! I did all of this while grinding at school and eventually even writing a thesis on second language acquisition! ... And none of this would have been possible if it weren't for the pell grants and scholarships I received as a lower-income and first-generation university student.
- And while I was working away, I didn't take time to study abroad! You read me right... I, the holder of a MA in Spanish, have not lived abroad. I only recently left the country for the first time for an academic conference paid for by the school back in April and it was only for 10 days. It was magical but only a taste of the possibilities. I love Spain, the language, and I miss my European friends!
What's the job?
- I applied for and was (I believe) the only person in my cohort given the job to be a language assistant through the Spanish ministry of education. This is a highly sought-after opportunity in all of the English- and French-speaking countries around the world and there are a limited number of openings. If I got it... then I need to seize this life-changing opportunity!
- I was placed in Andalucia (the south of Spain) and I selected a beautiful, small village called Periana! Periana sits in the mountains with an overlook of a large nearby lake and is a 40-minute drive to the beach! Most of all, I can't wait to meet my students and other teachers there; I want to share American English and touch the lives of so many!
My conundrum:
- I only found out this was actually happening back in July! While I am working with a government, it's on Spanish time (meaning they do things whenever they feel like it), so I don't have an abundance of time to prepare myself and be there in October! Once there, the Spanish government will only pay me a salary once I start work... What this means is I get no help with the travel, federal paperwork/documentation, finding housing (requiring me to stay in a hostel while I go to open houses), and any other relocating costs!!! I also need to have enough money for a return plane ticket in case of an emergency! And, as I move to a whole new continent, I'll need to sort out my phone, banking, food, transportation, etc., etc. I'm looking for all of the cheapest, safest, and practical options, nothing extravegant. So I need your help, please!
- I just graduated, and right now I'm working as a bartender and barely getting by. I haven't even started to pay my student loans yet, but have been paying for all of the paperwork bits out of my own pocket (already up to $100 in documentation alone!!!) on top of my living expenses, and scared that all of my hard work won't pay off. Flights are over $600, most apartments are €500-600 (I'll only get paid €700/month, and I've heard it's not always on time) and that's not including any rental deposits! I'm humbly asking for $3,000 to cover the bare minimums and any scary, unforeseen expenses. Even if we don't reach this goal, every and any drop in the bucket makes the world of difference!!!
In conclusion...
- This has been my dream for almost 5 years now. And, surprisingly, I dreamt about someday living in this area of Spain (not a widely known area internationally)... the fact that the pieces are falling together is absolutely extraordinary! While I'm the only person at my school to have been awarded a placement, I'm getting no financial assistance for the international relocating and I believe that this shouldn't be an experience only limited to the upper class and Richie Riches of the world. My family has never been wealthy and I'm already so grateful for their help in bringing me up and encouraging me to pursue my education; that is invaluable. Now is the time I reach outward and ask for a chance to go somewhere new and leave my comfort zone. After all, they say "travel is the best education." And, hopefully, someday, I can pay it forward and support another person's ambitions to explore!
Organizer
Tori Farrell
Organizer
Wilmington, NC