Getting Ready to Teach Abroad...Described in GIFs

Deciding to apply to the Teach in Spain program has become one of the greatest decisions I’ve ever made. If you’ve read my other post, you know that it was incredibly spur-the-moment, i.e. I woke up early one day and in my groggy I-woke-up-like-this state, I decided to change my life. When I've talked about my plan, I inevitably get a lot of questions about how excited and nervous I am. What I’ve realized in the past 3 months of getting ready to write this next chapter is that it is a ROLLERCOASTER and you really never know what wave of emotion is going to overtake you at which stage of the getting ready process. Now that I'm beginning this next chapter in 20 days, here’s a recap:

1. Finding the Teach in Spain program but not having any teaching experience (thank goodness for the TEFL course!)...

2. That feeling when you have to tell your loved ones that you just applied to a job...in another country...possibly across the world...

3. Getting your acceptance to the Teach in Spain program!

4. The first time it hits you that this is reality and you're going to leave everything and everyone you know behind...

5. Thinking about all of the amazing new friends you're going to make and the new experiences you're going to have...

6. When you have to figure out how to acquire a visa...and almost every consulate has slightly different requirements...

7. Trying to make a visa appointment...

8. Waiting for the government to process all your paperwork in summer...

9. When your visa application is FINALLY accepted!

10. When you book your flight...

11. When it hits you again that this is ACTUALLY happening...

12. Finding out you have 1 week to find an apartment when you get there and subsequently finding out what the housing market is like in your new city...

13. Having to do the "see you laters" with your best friends from home...

14. Already forming new friendships through the Facebook groups that CIEE makes for participants to connect...

15. Knowing that this is going to be the most incredible experience and you're fortunate you have the opportunity to do it.

Yes, it can be a lot at times. Sometimes you look at your friends and want to burst into tears at the thought of leaving them, but then you check another thing off the preparation checklist and you're about to burst from excitement. The important thing is remembering why you chose to take this journey and that there are about 500 other people going on this adventure with you.