Hi everyone, I’m Molly – a third year Spanish and Linguistics student, who accidentally had the best year of her life teaching English and battling a severe tapas addiction in Menorca.
Of course, it wasn’t all sunshine, rainbows (and perhaps too much sangria on occasion) – and the Molly from a year ago certainly didn’t think it would be. In fact, past Molly was a bit of a nervous wreck about the entire experience.
She would attend Year Abroad meetings and lectures, read blogs, watch videos and think “this all sounds brilliant, but I bet it won’t be like that for me”.
Partly due to my own insecurities, partly because I think anyone about to embark on their year abroad shares these worries to some extent, but I genuinely thought the chances of me making friends and seeing it as some kind of ‘life-changing’ experience were pretty slim.
Fast forward to arriving back home again with a matching tattoo, a friend for life, a solid exciting career path, a million memories and a full heart… I’m glad to say that I was wrong. It went from tears on my first night in my new flat alone, to tears on my last day because I didn’t want to leave.
So, if you’re about to go abroad and are feeling unsure — or just nosy about what it’s like living and teaching on a tiny island — I hope this gives you a real glimpse into what it can look like when everything turns out better than expected.
Settling in – A girl and google translate against the world
When I first signed up to teaching English, I had visions of myself confidently explaining grammar points to eager, inquisitive young minds. The reality was a room full of tiny humans, who were mostly interested in whether I had a boyfriend, supported Real Madrid or Barcelona (spoiler alert – its neither) and why all the houses in my village had pointy roofs.
Yet – somewhere between the chaos, the lesson plans that went out of the window and the off-topic questions – I really did teach some English… and LOVED it.
No two lessons were ever the same — some were full of giggles and games, others tested how long one teacher could play Snakes and Ladders while her ‘opponent’ tried to eat the dice.
But as chaotic as it sometimes was, those kids completely stole my heart. I’ll never forget the little school that became my second home, or the students who made it so hard to leave.
By the final week, they were begging me not to leave — and honestly, it was an emotional rollercoaster. Handmade cards from every single student in all seven of my classes, endless hugs, and way too many tearful goodbyes. Picture me, trying (and failing) to hold it together while bawling into a pile of those precious cards. Spoiler alert: Miss Molly did not stay composed.
When Tea Met Tapas
Some people go abroad and fall in love — I did too, just not in the way you might expect (though we do joke about getting married).
Picture this: a very nervous Molly asking her new Spanish roommate if she fancied a glass of wine to celebrate her arrival. Fast forward to 5am, and we were still talking like we’d known each other forever. That just sums us up – an instant click.
Maria had planned to stay for just two months. She ended up staying for the full nine, because — in her words — “how could I leave when I’ve found someone just as weird as me?”. Charming, but true.
Nine months later: a Christmas tree that stayed up all year, a million inside jokes, too many drunken photos on her digital camera, a matching tattoo, and one friendship that feels suspiciously like fate. She always says it blows her mind that the best friend she’d been looking for all along was hiding in a tiny Cambridgeshire town — not Valencia.
Honestly? Same.
Warning – Side Effects Of Menorca May Include: Never Wanting To Leave
Aside from landing an incredible job and finding a friend who feels more like a soulmate (seriously, we’re borderline annoying together), the island of Menorca itself is impossible not to fall for. Walking through the charming streets of Ciutadella on my way to work felt like one of those pinch me moments you hear about — and guess what? It never got old. Plus, spending my afternoons at some of the most stunning beaches I’ve ever seen? Honestly, it felt like cheating at life.
Every meal I had was outstanding — and yes, the sangria and Menorcan gin with lemon basically became my unofficial fuel. The island is absolutely bursting with culture and history, and every single person who came to visit me left with that same love-struck glow I caught.
Of course, there were days I missed home — missed my family, my friends, and even my own bed. Days when work got tough, and I wasn’t sure how to handle whatever curveball came my way.
But here’s the honest truth: this experience has been hands-down the best thing I’ve ever done. It gave me the confidence to try new things and helped me discover a passion for teaching that I didn’t even know was there. And my wild best friend? She taught me to stop caring so much about what others think — because, spoiler alert, people actually like you more when you’re just yourself.
I’ve even got my ticket booked to head back for the Sant Joan festival this summer — partly for the party, but mostly to see Maria, my partner-in-crime, who somehow managed to turn a tiny island into the biggest chapter of my life.
I feel ridiculously lucky to have had this adventure. So here’s my advice: do it. Do it scared. Do it nervous. Do it doubting you’ll make friends or fit in. Do it missing home. Because, honestly? It might just surprise you. You might accidentally end up living your best life — just like I did.
