¡Buenas!
My name’s Chesna and I’m a third-year English and Spanish student reflecting on my academic year abroad in Asturias, Spain. I chose an assistantship with the British Council for this period as I wanted to gain experience of the working world outside of the United Kingdom. In the future, I’d like to move abroad so I thought getting a taste of what that could potentially be like would be invaluable, and I’m so glad to say that this has been an unforgettable opportunity.
One of the main benefits of choosing this path for my year abroad was that I wouldn’t have to worry about an additional university workload – I didn’t have to complete regular tests or exams, nor did I have homework. This meant that outside of my working hours, I could relax, travel, and focus on the Residency Abroad Portfolio. My hours were the same weekly, which made planning around work so much easier. Moreover, the idea of earning a stipend was also enticing. That being said though, this option wasn’t without its difficulties. For me, I was initially given a regional placement in Andalusia, and spent my summer waiting for the contact details of my host institutions. We were told by the British Council to not listen to rumours of cancellation and that we just had to keep waiting for our placements. I didn’t have a contract nor concrete details, so it was hard to plan ahead, and impossible to apply for a visa as I didn’t have a confirmation letter. Weeks later, we then received an E-Mail stating that unfortunately the region had pulled out of the program, and that we no longer had secure positions. This caused huge amounts of stress and uncertainty, so I’d advise any students considering a British Council placement (particularly in Spain) to determine whether last minute changes would cause unbearable discomfort. Fortunately, after a bit of negotiation, I was granted a placement in a different region, Asturias, which was luckily my first choice on my application.
Despite the rocky start, arriving in Asturias was like walking into a nature documentary. I lived in a rural village and worked in two nearby villages teaching infant and primary school aged children. As someone who isn’t overly outgoing or social, this was perfect for me. My neighbours were incredibly welcoming, and I formed a close relationship with them over the course of the year, and I really felt at home in this small town. I went to the local market on Saturday mornings to get fresh produce and found that a mutual love of cuisine made for a great way to integrate into the community. Another advantage to living in such a small village was that I had to practice Spanish daily. Arriving outside the tourist season meant living among locals, and very few of them spoke English. Naturally, this was daunting and on occasion exhausting too; but complete immersion was absolutely the best way to improve and gain confidence (and also a few memorable stories regarding the importance of pronunciation).
As I didn’t live in a popular tourist area, the option of a house share was non-existent, so I lived alone for the first time. I really enjoyed this and it felt like a nice quiet place to come home to after the lively environment of the schools I worked in. This also encouraged me to get out and travel more, and I was fortunate enough to visit Seville during Holy Week and Barcelona twice to meet up with friends. Being able to compare small rural village life with big cities like Barcelona really helped me experience the diversity of what Spain has to offer, and I truly appreciate what an amazing and varied country it is. Different regions can oftentimes feel like completely different countries, and it was incredible to explore.
In truth, before going on my year abroad, I was overwhelmed and saddened by the political state of the world. While that still prevails, I have found that I am able to enjoy life now with a renewed and more balanced approach. Asturias really helped me see that there are still pockets of humanity in the world, and I am incredibly grateful for all the help and company I received from both my host institutions and friends I made during my stay here. Although cliché, I feel as though my faith has been restored and it was definitely incredibly difficult to leave one of the only places that has truly felt like home in my life. I have grown hugely in confidence, and I now know the world isn’t always as scary as it seems. This year has inspired me to travel and see more of the world, even if there may be a language barrier at times. Sometimes, it’s the situations that put you outside of your comfort zone that encourage the most growth; and while this year has definitely had its ups and downs, particularly when I first arrived, I would do it all again in a heartbeat as I know how lifechanging this opportunity has been.