Teach English to a Host Family in Spain with CHI!

I am so grateful for my experience teaching English in Spain! Chinet placed me with the most incredible host family. I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with the family and using my free time to take Spanish classes and explore the area. Some of my favorite excursions included bungee jumping, taking day trips with the Spanish school I joined to nearby cities, enjoying the local cuisine, checking out a national park, watching a live futbol match, and watching free live Spanish concerts at a museum. The family I was paired with had two young girls (7 and 10) who I taught English to and I was encouraged to teach them in an informal and fun way, which meant playing lot's of games, going to the library, going for walks, and eating meals together. I honestly couldn't have asked for a better experience - everything was wonderful!

I thoroughly enjoyed this experience because I was able to converse with locals everyday which helped me practise my Spanish which is very useful. I've made some good friends that I could treasure for a long time. I have also made what I'm happy to call a second family. One of the reasons I would recommend this experience is because you can sample some true spanish culture and make good friends for life. Before your experience starts make sure you select a country that you are passionate about and can make the most of. Not only can you meet new friends but you can also spend time away from your parents and you get a feeling of independence that you don't always get when your away with your parents. Its also a great opportunity for seeing a new country and broadening your mind without the pressure of having to go with your parents.

I went to Spain and spent 3 months in both Madrid (2 weeks) and Algeciras (2 months). I definitely recommend traveling abroad to anyone and everyone with the opportunity to do so. It is a unique experience that gives you a valuable perspective on your current life, no matter where you go.

With this program, you are teaching English to the children of the host families. I would almost always speak English to the kids and spanish to the parents. For me, the teaching was mostly conversational and I really liked that about it -- it's a breath of fresh air to get away from the books for a few months. There is a lot of time to hang out and do fun things while technically "working". For example, we went to the grocery store to learn names of fruits and vegetables, we learned conversational vocal while watching Harry Potter, and we practiced our grammar while writing letters to each other. The program is very open to your own interpretation of how you want to teach. That's the best part about it.

This program is a must do for everyone, not only do you get first hand experience with another culture, but you are able to do it easily, cheaply and safely. If you are ever considering taking some time off, this is the program to do it through. You can not regret doing this.

The ECVA program fulfilled our dream to live in another country. We were lucky enough to live in Spain for 3 months and experience their unique lifestyle, embrace their culture and learn a new language. We chose Spain because Arizona has a large Spanish influence and we figured it may be the most beneficial country for us to live and tutor in. The highlights of our stay was roaming around Valencia learning their history and enjoying the beautiful city. The program provides a lot of free time so we took advantage of it to enjoy the Spanish cuisine, go to the beach, tour the city and admire the architecture, churches, museums, etc. We also enjoyed spending time with our families that we tutored and learning about their traditions and everyday life.