Meet the Author: A New Aux in Spain

A Little About Me

Hi! My name is Victoria and I'm here to tell you a little about myself and how/why I ultimately ended up teaching abroad in Spain with CIEE. I was born and raised in the suburbs of Los Angeles, CA, and attended my dream school, UCLA for college. I graduated in 2023 with a B.S. degree in Biology with a minor in Spanish (here's where Spain comes in). I love medicine and becoming a doctor is my ultimate career goal. Since the process is so lengthy and arduous, I am taking my time to travel and learn some things about myself first! 

I like to joke that my hobby is having hobbies. I have tried running, archery, rock climbing, pole-dancing, sewing, painting, pilates, and more. Some activities have stuck more so than others. For example, my passion for running turned into a completed half marathon! I also love rollerskating, especially along the Santa Monica Pier. I am always looking to try new things, learn new languages, and read new books, and am always open to recommendations!

My Professional Background

Like I mentioned above, my ultimate goal is to become a doctor, so I have worked mostly medical jobs in the past. During my college years, I lifeguarded for UCLA recreation and also worked as a water-park lifeguard at a local amusement park in the summer. My time lifeguarding prepared me for emergency medical scenarios and I ended up working two years on an ambulance as an EMT! I also volunteered locally in various floors of a local hospital. During my gap years I studied at UCLA Extension and took the MCAT. 

Needless to say, teaching English abroad is quite a big jump from my previous endeavors. However, being a doctor is not all GPA and test scores. Living and working in another country requires some serious character development like cultural competency and language acquisition that are sure to come in handy in the medical field. Besides, as a new teacher, I have enjoyed seeing which skills in my toolbox are transferable and which ones, like calming down a rowdy classroom, have had to be built from the ground up.

Why I Decided to Teach Abroad

I still remember how it felt building up the courage to tell my family I was seriously thinking about moving abroad to teach English. It sounded so different from the medical career path I was on, and I know some of my family doubted my plans. I however knew deep inside that it would fulfill something I always really wanted to do, which was move to Spain. Learning about the Spanish language and culture during my classes planted a seed of curiosity in me that never quite left. I tried to join a study abroad program at UCLA but never left the waitlist :(. My happy ending finally came when I stumbled upon CIEE's Teach in Spain programs. 

Although it was never my plan to become a teacher, I found it was something I actually quite enjoyed and was good at. I find it incredibly rewarding, especially working at a primary school and interacting with children. I am glad I can share my language and culture with learners on the other side of the world as they teach me theirs.

It goes without saying that I am extremely happy to finally be in Spain after years spent dreaming of it. I hope I can inspire those who are reading to take this leap for themselves. Until next time, Ciao!