#languageassistant

Hi everyone! My name is Faith, I'm 22 years old and Fall 2020 has been my first year as a Language Assistant in Fuenlabrada, Madrid, Spain! I grew up in New Jersey, USA where I also went to University and studied Journalism and Visual Arts. I work at IES Joaquin Araujo in Fuenlabrada with 1ESO, 2ESO and Bachillerato in Art in English and English classes. 

I hope my posts will help you with your teaching journey here in Spain. I will be posting some of my favorite resources, lesson plans I’ve made, general tips and my final project which I’m super excited about! 

What is expected of an English Language Assistant?

One thing that usually happens with new Auxes is that they are distracted with the novelty of living independently in a new country that sometimes they forget that they actually have to come to school and do their duties as an assistant.

Those Tiktok videos and Instagram reels of people romanticizing moving to a new country, settling in their new apartments, getting groceries, trying to find a regular spot for Sunday brunch or morning coffee, and traveling around Europe – they are only showing a fraction of what it's actually like. It sets the expectation so high for some people that when they come and do the program, they see how challenging it is and they realize that it's not for them. So some of them end up going back home or pushing through the year but dreading going to school and their students and teachers.

Don't get me wrong. I have been in a similar spot when I moved to Madrid. Everything was so new and exciting. The city is so beautiful. It's hard not to romanticize my life. I was fully feeling the vibe of being in my ~living independently girly in España~ era.

The "Oh wait. I actually have to go to school and teach kids English" realization hit me hard when I was several weeks in the school year. I have never taught children (especially Spanish children with different levels of English) in a classroom setting before, so the adjustment was rough for me.

Good thing, my school during my two years under the Ministry's program, was a good one. My students were lovely and sweet. Most of them are brilliant. Some of them are too brilliant for their age haha I had the same batch of kids for 2 years in different grades. I was with them when they were in first grade and again when they were in second grade and they knew me. I still have their drawings and the small scrapbooks that my teachers have bound together for me.

My teachers were warm and welcoming too. They have high levels of English. I never felt like I was not important or excluded from the group. We collaborated a lot and they trusted me enough to do my own one-on-one activities with the kids too.

Although there were some tough days, I still enjoyed my time as an English Language Assistant for three years. I mean, I wouldn't have stayed that long if I didn't actually like what I was doing, regardless of how sometimes you want to pull your hair out because some kid named Alejandro still don't know the days of the week in English.

Yes, you do get to do all the fun stuff about living in Spain and traveling around Europe. But you do have to remember that you're there because the program expects you to do your duties as an English Language Assistant.

So, let's talk about what is expected out of an Aux.

#1 Show up on time and Regularly

I know we Filipinos like to function in our own time. That should be changed because it's just pure disrespect to be late all the time. You're expected to show up on time. Classes usually start around 9AM, so you have to be there unless when there's a good reason. I have arrived late and missed the first few classes unintentionally before and it was always because of train strikes or malfunctions, or traffic. I made sure to let my coordinator and my teacher know.

You are also expected to show up regularly. If you need to skip a day, you have to get a justificante from a doctor if you are sick or from someone in charge if you are processing your government documents.

A justificante is a document that states the date, time, and the reason. If you are sick, it usually states the findings from the check up and the doctor's recommendations. If you fail to bring one the next time you show up or send it to your coordinator, I think it depends on the school on what they're going to do about it. Either your pay will be docked or you need to make up for your missed hours.

#2 Collaborate with Teachers

When you come to school, you might think that your coordinators and partner teachers already know what they want you to do and how you're going to help in class. This isn't true all the time and not true for many schools. Sometimes they just say "Do whatever you want" and that doesn't always work.

As an assistant, you are expected to collaborate with your teachers. You should do more than just walk around and help the kids. Ask them about their lesson plans. Suggest activities that you can do on your own (with your partner teacher inside the classroom of course) or together. Sometimes partner teachers can be hesitant in communicating with their assistants because they can be shy with their English level. This is why you have to ask and talk to them first.

#3 Be One of the Trusted References for English

As an English Language Assistant, of course you're expected to be one of the trusted references for English. You are the native speaker. So any questions about grammar, meaning, pronunciation, and sentence structure, for example, will be directed at you. When in doubt, Google is your best friend.

I remember in my school under the Ministry's program, one of my partner teachers asked me something about the proper pronunciation of a certain word. I can't remember it anymore but I remember we were both confused as to how you should say the word because it was different in the listening part of the activity. We both have very high levels of English but even we were confused. So we checked Google and practiced it all through the class.

#4 Participate in Events or Trips

Now, most schools don't really require you to join in trips or participate in events. It's optional, especially if the event is not something that you practice culturally like Thanksgiving. Filipinos don't celebrate Thanksgiving. So I didn't do a presentation on it or joined in their celebration.

However, there are some events and trips that are so fun that you don't want to miss like Halloween, Christmas, and Carnaval. I made a game for Halloween and the kids loved it. I joined Carnaval too and all the teachers in first and second grade were dressed as trains. The kids were dressed as tourists. Of course, me and my co-aux dressed as trains too. It was so much fun.

There was also this one time when the school went to watch Queen for Kids show and it was so fun! It was a Queen tribute band and I loved it so much.

#5 Interact with the Students in English ONLY

Talking to the kids only in English is probably already a given when Auxes apply to the program. It's what you're there for. When they ask if you speak Spanish, you always have to say no. Once they know that you can understand or can speak it, they will start talking to you in Spanish, which defeats your purpose.

However, in my experience, there are times when I had to pull out my limited Spanish to make them understand a word or the lesson. This usually happens with lower primary like in first grade or younger. But, as much as possible, interact with them only in English.

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What do Auxes usually do in the summer if they don't get their stipends during those months?

Let's talk about summer!

As I have mentioned in several of my posts about the English Language Assistants program, Auxes DO NOT get their stipends during the summer months. This from July to September – that's three whole months without any Euros coming in.

I think one of the reasons why Auxes don't get any stipend during those months is because well, first, it's the summer break. There are no classes. Second, you are actually expected by the program to leave or go back to your home country after it ends.

You might think, "But I'm renewing for a second/third year!" and I get that but you're not entitled for the stipend (and other benefits like health insurance) when there are no classes, even if you're coming back for the next school year. Remember, you're not a regular teacher. You're just doing an internship.

When you renew for a second or third year, your duties as an English Language Assistant and all the perks that come with it, will only be effective once you start going back to school. For the Ministry's program, that's the first week of October. For BEDA, it's usually the second week of September. Only then will your health insurance be active again and your stipend will be given to you by the end of the month (or the week after).

With that in mind, how do Auxes survive the summer months?

Living Off Their Savings

For one, there are many Auxes who would save a portion of their stipends and they live off of that. They sublet cheaper rooms too. In general, at least in my experience, the summer months are cheaper in terms of rent and utilities.

Teaching in Language Academies

Another option is to teach in Language Academies. They are still open throughout the summer, except maybe for some who close for vacation. Businesses in Spain usually close for a month or longer during the summer. But for academies who remain open, there are still students coming in and Auxes get to earn some money. The pay is per hour and is usually not that high, but it is definitely going to help you survive. I have friends who have earned enough for groceries or utilities.

Here's a bit of disclaimer though: the competition to get hired in Language Academies are quite rough. People usually apply through referrals, or the job postings in Facebook groups, or online.

Joining Summer Camps

Joining summer camps is another option for Auxes too. Most summer camps offer accommodation and meals. Other camps only offer a weekly stipend. You will be a camp monitor for kids and sometimes the work hours and tasks are tough.

I personally don't have an experience with this, but I have friends who have told me how rigid the training is and the actual camp tasks itself. Sometimes they run for 2 months or longer, but you can choose how long you want to participate. You can find people posting about openings around May or June.

Going Home

Some Auxes have also gone back home for the summer to save money. They usually move out of their apartments and rent a space for their stuff. Then they come back in September in time for the new school year to start.

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For me, I've stayed in Madrid for my first summer. I stayed in a cheaper apartment and lived off my savings.

Did you experience any racism in Spain?

This is quite a sensitive topic but let's talk about it.

A few days ago, I got a comment on Tiktok. Vinch asked if I have experienced any racism in Spain.

Yes, unfortunately. It would've been a lie if I said, "No." However, I haven't experienced anything extreme. They were microaggressions.

One time during my first year in Spain, when my roommates and I went grocery shopping, we noticed a security guard would follow us around. They do keep their distance but you know they're following you.

I had a guy message me, "That sounds exotic" on a dating app because he asked where I was from and I said I was from the Philippines. He was an American living in Spain, so it kind'a counts. It still grinds my gears when I remember that.

In my last school before I lef thte program, one of the teachers that I work with made third grade kids guess where I'm from and the clue was the Spanish chocolate covered biscuits called Filipinos. She could have used other references that the kids can still relate to. Seriously! We could've played Hangman or something that the kids can participate in, but instead she chose that. I felt like my ethnicity was "reduced" into a chocolate that's not even from the Philippines.

Some teachers have thought that I was from America or the UK because of how I speak English. In a way, it's a racial microaggression because they probably didn't think that Filipinos from the Philippines can speak good and clear English.

I think the most "extreme" experience would probably be this one time when my friends and I went biking in Casa de Campo. We were biking through a wide street at a moderate pace when two Spaniards zipped by us. I couldn't remember exactly what they said but they were pretty pissed at us for "blocking" them. I remember clearly that they called us "Chinos" which refers to Chinese people. Then my friend yelled "No somos Chinos! Somos Filipinos. Ignorantes!" They didn't look back though and we just left it at that.

To be fair, things like these don't happen exclusively with Spaniards. My friends and I have gotten comments or experienced some form of racial microaggression from other races. Yep, even from other Asians.

Just to add another example, which still bothers me. This wasn't directed at me but it's something that made me realize how much racism is a learned concept. Nobody is born with inherent hate or dislike towards another race.

I did a Reverse Charade game with my ESO or high school students. The way the game goes is that someone will be standing in front of the class with his or her back against the board. That student will have to guess what the picture is and his/her group mates will have to help by describing what it is in English without saying the answer.

There were categories about food, famous landmarks, and countries. Of course, I included some question items there that are related to Asia.

I was in one of my 3rd of ESO class (third year high school) and a picture of a bowl of ramen showed on the screen. The students went crazy. They pulled back the sides of their eyes to make them look chinky.

Then a picture of shawarma showed on the screen and the students imitated how an Indian person sounds when they talk. The class had students from Pakistan and India and some of the students pointed at them and imitated them. It was disturbing.

Honestly, I didn't know what was the proper thing to do because I wasn't in the right place to lecture them about it. I was only an assistant. Talking about racism isn't exactly in my description and I don't think people will be okay with me doing that to the kids.

I can understand if young kids would make some sort of racial microaggression because you can still teach them that it's not okay. But if older kids like those in high school or adults would do that, it's disturbing. Madrid is an international city. It's pretty diverse. You get to be exposed to many races with different cultures, backgrounds, language, religion, and perspectives. There's really no excuse for you not to learn how to be sensitive to other people and unlearn your racial biases. You would think that, but unfortunately, that doesn't happen.

Can you get residency and then eventually citizenship with the student visa?

Last month, I got a comment on Tiktok in one of the videos that I posted about the English Language Assistant program. It’s all about getting residency and citizenship with the program.

I wasn't supposed to cover that topic because, first, I'm not an immigration lawyer or consultant. I don't have the necessary professional background. Second, honestly, I wasn't interested in applying for Spanish citizenship anyway, so I didn't bother looking it up.

However, I have limited knowledge on this from stories that I've heard, articles I've read, and videos that I've watched in passing. So I'll share them with you.

As far as I know, the years you've stayed in Spain with a student visa doesn't count when you apply for permanent residency and then eventually citizenship. Spain doesn't have a student pathway like what Canada and Australia have.

I cross-checked several articles from some reliable websites that pop up when you do a quick Google search and they all confirmed this information. (Source: Balcellsgroup, Immigration Spain and Spain Guru)

According to Balscellsgroup, the student visa is not a regular residence permit. It's a legal document that will allow you to stay in Spain while you study, or in the case of the English Language Assistant program, while you do your internship.

There are several ways to obtain residency. You can have your student visa modified to get a work visa. If a company has offered you a job (40 hours a week), you can apply to switch for cuenta ajena. If you want to become a self-employed individual, you can apply to switch for cuenta propia.

Other options are the non-lucrative visa, business visa, golden visa, family member of an EU citizen visa (i.e, the pareja de hecho), and the arraigo visa, to name a few. The digital nomad visa was launched this year, so that can be an option for you too.

I highly suggest doing intense research about the pathway that you're going to take. Read articles and cross check information. Of course, consulting an immigration lawyer is best.

Let's talk about apartment hunting in Madrid

A few weeks ago, I got a comment on Tiktok in one of the videos that I posted about the English Language Assistant program. It's all about my experience with house hunting in Madrid.

First off, let me just say that looking for apartments and moving sucks. It's probably one of my most hated part of living abroad. It's stressful. There are landlords who don't reply and apartments that look good only in the pictures. Plus, doing it in the early days of summer, especially when there's a heat wave, makes it so much worse.

I've moved apartments several times because of location, price and overall condition of the place. In this post, I'll share about the places that I've lived in with as much detail as possible.

First Apartment

Before I moved to Spain last 2020, I met other people who were also participating in the program and they became my room mates. Luckily for us, they have friends who are already in Madrid at that time. They did the apartment viewing for us and all we had to do when we arrived was sign the contract, pay the deposit and rent, and then settle in.

We lived in a tiny apartment in Puerta del Angel for nine months. I paid 330€ for rent and utilities. The utilities were fixed so we made the most out of what we paid for, especially the heating during winter. We had a bathtub! Taking baths after the end of a stressful week was a nice treat.

The apartment came furnished but we didn't like most of it because they were old. I bought bedsheets and pillow covers for my own comfort. The electricity got cut off for several days too. The apartment manager let us stay in another apartment (that was owned by the same landlord) while they fix the issue. It made us think about the last time the apartment was checked and upgraded.

(The makeshift living and dining area leading to the small kitchen.)

We didn't have a proper living and dining space too. It was a balcony that was covered in glass windows. The kitchen was small and there was an existing mold issue that took months to fix.

Despite the issues, our friends came over a lot and we managed to fit a number of people. It was also the apartment where we got locked in because of the snowstorm that apparently was a super rare occurrence in Madrid.

We made so many memories in that apartment, but it was definitely too small and had a lot of issues that we all decided to move out.

Second Apartment

(Unfortunately, I don't have photos of our second apartment but I have videos that I've stitched in this Tiktok post.)

When we moved out of our previous apartment, two of my room mates moved to other areas in the city. It was only me and one other room mate who decided to move together in a bigger apartment in Plaza Eliptica, which is in the south western part of Madrid. We lived with two other Auxes who we know.

I paid 300€ for rent every month. The apartment was bright and airy. The common areas, except for the kitchen, was spacious. The place had a proper living and dining area.

What I disliked about the apartment was the commute. It took longer for me to go to my school and back. I renewed in my school in Alcobendas and I had to switch to different lines three times. The area was also busy and a bit sketchy.

I think the only winning point for me was that the apartment was bigger. We hosted more people and some of them had no problems staying overnight. That's it.

The apartment was also fully furnished and there were extra dinnerware and blankets since it was the landlord's family apartment. He lived there with his family growing up. Some of the furnishings were pretty new and from Ikea. The landlord was nice, reasonable, and understanding, but he missed several of our requests.

We eventually moved out because of several reasons. Three of us moved to the south of Madrid to sublet some rooms for the summer.

Third Apartment

The third apartment that I've lived in is problem my favorite. It's a three-bedroom apartment in Getafe, which is in the southern part of Madrid. The size was okay for three people. My room mates and I still had a proper living and dining area. The kitchen was spacious enough but definitely tight for when we did cooking parties with friends.

I had the biggest room in the apartment so I paid more for the space. I think it's only fair because I had a double bed, a big wardrobe with huge mirrors, and more than enough space for my stuff. It had an interior window and because we were on the top floor, light still comes in.

(I changed the layout of my room to its original placement because I figured this is better haha!)

The apartment was also furnished but there were some missing items. We had a TV! Haha Most of the stuff came from Ikea and we bought additional kitchen items from there. Of course, my room mate took it with him after we moved because it would be a shame to leave them behind.

(Most of the furnishings are from Ikea and they are relatively new. The landlords recently made some upgrades to the place and we were the first ones to rent it after.)

(We had a smart TV! that doesn't work sometimes lol)

Although the apartment was in Getafe, the commute, at least for me, was better than my previous years since my new school was in Atocha. I only had to switch twice. The metro was five minutes away by walking and the building was in between two bus stops. My commute took only more or less 35-45 minutes on good days when the Renfe isn't delayed. The grocery store is also a couple of minutes away by walking.

I paid 347€ for rent (water included) and 6.67€ for wifi. Electricity varied month per month because of usage and the season. We didn't pay for gas because our stove and heating were all electric.

If I renewed for another year, changed to a school in the south, and the rent remained the same, I would've stayed in this apartment.

The only downside to it was that it didn't have an elevator and we were on the top floor. It was a struggle moving in and out, and getting groceries too.

Summer Apartments

If you've watched my previous videos about the program, I mentioned about how Auxes don't get our stipends over the summer. It meant that I couldn't afford my rent for 3 months. So what my other room mate and I did was to find a "summer flat" where we stayed from June to September.

Depending on the area, rent during this time is cheaper. Utilities are cheaper too because gas and electricity are not used as much. There are plenty of listings available too because June is usually the month when students and some workers move out of the city. It was just hard to find a place that allows you to rent over the summer only.

(I had the biggest room in the apartment with an interior window. It was spacious but very hot during the summer.)

Anyway, our first summer apartment was close to our first apartment. The only catch was that the building didn't have an elevator and we were on the fourth floor. It was a pain moving all of our stuff. That's when I realized that I shouldn't have bought so many things during my first year haha I paid about 220 a month excluding utilities. When we moved out though, the landlord messed us up with the utilities. We got our deposits back but with a lot of ridiculous deductions. He was a sneaky dude.

My second summer apartment was a sublet in Getafe, which is in the southern part of Madrid. I only stayed there for June to July since I flew to Canada and stayed there for a month. I think I paid about 200€ including the utilities that I have consumed for a month.

For privacy reasons, I don't have pictures of the sublet because it's somebody's room and they're still renting it now.

Some tips!

My room mates and I mainly used Idealista to look for apartments. Most landlords put their WhatsApp numbers on their ads. It's best to send them a message and then call them because they usually don't answer messages through the Idealista chat or even WhatsApp. If you have limited Spanish like me, sit down in front of your laptop while on a call and use Deepl to translate. I find it to be more accurate than Google Translate.

Avoid agencies as much as you can because they usually charge an agency fee that is equivalent to a month's rent. You can't get that money back. If you go with an agency, you will be paying the non-refundable agency fee, the deposit, and the rent. If you are new to Spain, you will need more money to pay for all of this because again, the first stipend doesn't come out until the last week of October or sometimes even later.

The best times to look for an apartment is around June to July because so many people leave the city for the summer, especially university students and some workers. August is still an okay month but mind you, the competition is tight because it's when people start coming back. September is super late because classes start already.

Make sure to view the apartment first before committing to anything! It's important to see the nook and crannies in every room. You get to talk to your landlord and ask questions. Plus, you get to see the neighborhood. If the vibe is off, then move on to the next apartment.

Have a contract and make sure everything is clear before you sign it. Use a translator or ask a friend to interpret the terms for you. I once viewed two rooms in an apartment with landlords who are okay with verbal agreements. It was an immediate "nope" for me because they can always kick you out without warning or accuse you of anything.

Make sure that you can get an empadronamiento for your apartment. It's basically a legal document stating that you live in that apartment. You need it for your Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjeros (TIE) or your Foreigner's Identity Card.

Take pictures and videos of your room and the apartment before you move in. It's important to have visual evidence of the place just in case the landlord charges you of damages that were there before you moved in.

Contracts are usually for a year. Since Auxes don't receive their stipend of the summer, some landlords would allow you to sublet your room. It depends on what you and your landlord will on.

Don't buy too many things! The key to living abroad, especially if you move around a lot, is to be as minimalist as possible.

Hi everyone! I just moved in here in Spain exactly a month ago! It is sad tho that I have to leave my family and loved ones in the Philippines... but what I am doing here is for my and our future, too!

I meet my family in Spain (well, not blood related) My aunt (aforementioned) is actually a friend of my real aunt in my country. They adopted me for a week until I finally found a house near my school.💕

The house I currently live in is in Mostoles, 15 minutes away from my school--great! Not just that, the landlady and her daughters are very kind to me! Like I do not have to buy house stuff anymore because they let me use their pots and everything! 😉

I am assigned in Mostoles, Madrid (not Madrid, Madrid. Don’t be confused!) And I must say, this town has a lot of parks! I am assigned in a high school, IES Antonio de Nebrija.