Part Three: 3 Things I Wasn’t Prepared for Teaching Abroad

Quick Recap

In my previous blogs about things I was surprised to encounter in my move to Spain, I shared that learning Spanish was harder than I thought, and I had a bigger desire to travel within the country itself rather than travel the rest of the continent.

When I was daydreaming of the places I wanted to visit in anticipation of my move, I was looking forward to all the possibilities. But when I finally arrived, I realized there was much more to explore within the country I was living in.

I had put so much pressure on myself to go to a million other places around Europe because it seemed thrilling, that I overlooked the opportunity to know my new country of residence even more. I’m glad I made peace with staying close to home because it helped me become more familiar and comfortable with my new home.

You can read more about how I overcame these struggles in Part One and Part Two: 3 Things I Wasn’t Prepared for Teaching Abroad.

Now let’s dive into the third thing I wasn’t expecting upon moving to Madrid, and my reflection of these challenges I faced.

Número Tres: How Much I’d Love the Kids

One of my first impressions of my students was that they were extremely advanced in English. Being in a bilingual school, the majority of them were already able to read and speak at a fairly high level. I almost felt unneeded. On top of that, their attention was hard to grab and it was taking longer than I thought it would to form any personal relationships.

With how long it was taking me to find my voice in the classroom and get comfortable with the kids, I was preparing myself for the worst. I was sure I’d walk away from the school year feeling like I left no impact and that there was no place for me in the school after all.

My Resolution and What I’d Do Differently:

OK that last part sounds really pessimistic… but it’s truly how I felt. I was so excited for this opportunity abroad that I was really upset it wasn’t working out how I envisioned.

I knew I didn’t want to end the year feeling useless or that I didn’t put in my full effort. So, I gave myself more grace and reminded myself it’d take time for me to warm up to the kids and vice versa. From there, it didn’t take long for us to connect. It also made me want to be more proactive in lesson planning with my teachers rather than them handing me instructions. This also allowed me to engage more authentically with the students and therefore strengthened our trust and overall connection. As we built our relationships, they took more interest in learning English and American culture. They would constantly ask me when my next presentation was going to be.

As the year was coming to an end, I was dreading having to say goodbye to the students I wouldn’t see again. The sixth graders were going on to new schools and some students were moving away. At this point, I also wasn’t sure if I’d be renewing my contract to follow my fifth graders into the new year.

As they say, good things take time. I would have been more patient with myself to build relationships with my students. I also would have prepared myself to be open to our inevitable parting at the end of the year. It would have still been hard, but I wasn’t prepared for how heart wrenching it was.

My Overall Takeaways

I prepared all I could logistically before I left home. I had prepared my finances, what to pack, I had secured my lodging upon arriving into Madrid, etc.

However, I hadn’t thought to prepare emotionally. I was excited for the move, but I had put so much focus on my excitement that I forgot to remember that sometimes things don’t turn out the way we planned. So when things weren’t working in my favor, I was discouraged and felt upset.

Reflecting on this experience, I would have gotten ready for the ups and downs that may have come instead of relying on just the ups. The thrill of teaching abroad is real and comes with many positive experiences, but it’s only natural for conflict to also arise. What is important is to prepare is the ability to go with the flow and it all works out in the end. 

If you have a certain vision of what your teach abroad experience will be, make it happen! AND, remember that a big part of this process is adjusting as things come up (for better or worse).

If you need support in preparing for teaching abroad, have questions, or would like to connect, I’d love to hear! Find me on Instagram @travelwithmiv.