Location
  • Spain
    • Madrid
    • Granada
Project Types
Education Teaching ESL
General grants/scholarships
Health & Safety

Program Details

Language
English
Age Min.
18
Age Max
40
Timeframe
Spring Break Summer Winter Year Round
Housing
Host Family

Pricing

Price Details
Greenheart Travel's Program Costs Include:

-Host family search, screening and placement process
-Single room accommodation with carefully screened host family
-Three meals a day for duration of program
-Airport pick-up and drop-off
-Orientation upon arrival
-Local office support
-Comprehensive medical insurance
-Pre-departure orientation
-Culture & Etiquette Guidebook
-Enhance your resume with experience as a Private Language Tutor
-Learn a new language through immersion in a different culture and country
What's Included
Accommodation Meals
Jul 19, 2023
Jun 27, 2023
68 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Greenheart Travel's Teach in a Homestay program in Spain offers you the opportunity to tutor your Spanish host family in conversational English for 15 hours a week. The rest of the time is yours to explore the country and get an authentic experience of the Spanish culture.
Homestay placements are located in Madrid, Granada and other surrounding areas.

This is a volunteer teaching placement designed for deep cultural immersion and language exchange. This is your chance to live abroad and learn about the world.

We also offer optional Spanish courses and TEFL courses in addition to your homestay!

Start dates occur every month, and applications must be submitted at least 8 weeks prior to desired start date.

Video and Photos

Diversity & Inclusion

BIPOC Support

We appreciate that everyone has a unique worldview and value everyone regardless of age, race, ethnicity, gender or gender identity, ability, military status, religion, sexual orientation or political view. We are committed to building relationships and ensuring everyone we encounter feels welcomed, respected, and accepted. Greenheart is committed to helping anyone find the best program fit and will go the extra mile to make sure our participants feel safe and supported wherever they end up.

LGBTQIA+ Support

Greenheart Travel welcomes travelers identifying as LGTBQ+, and is committed to helping you find the best program for you. We can provide information on the cultural norms of our destination countries and are prepared to advise you on the best programs based on your needs and interests.
While most of our programs could be a good fit, we also know that certain cultures and countries are more accepting of and prepared to host LGBTQ+ people than others. We are committed to working with LGBTQ+ people to determine which experiences may be the right fit for them. Please reach out if you want to discuss which of our programs might fit you best ahead of applying at travelabroad@greenheart.org or set up a phone call with us here.

Neurodivergent Support

Greenheart works with partners who have varying levels of what is considered "good mental health". While we cannot change their eligibility conditions, we will work with participants to the best of our abilities in order to get them the program placement they want. We encourage you to discuss your specific situation with us directly, before securing these documents.

Accessibility Support

Greenheart Travel welcomes students of varying ability to explore their study abroad options! While resources and support differ from country to country, Greenheart Travel staff work with individual students as needed to find program options that will set students up for success.

Impact

Sustainability

We believe in supporting our travelers to make a positive impact in their communities. The Greenheart Club provides Greenheart Grant funding to alumni projects all over the world.
As the leading eco-friendly exchange organization, we are passionate about helping travelers explore the globe while respecting the environment and cultural heritage of the destinations they explore.

Ethical Impact

Greenheart Travel is a branch of Greenheart International, a Chicago-based organization that connects people and planet to create global leaders through personal development, volunteer service, environmentalism, fair trade, and cultural exchange. We provide resources, grants, and experiences to those who want to immerse themselves in another culture and leave it better than when they arrived. Through volunteering, creating relationships and more.

Program Highlights

  • 15 hours per week teaching experience (the rest of the time is yours to explore!)
  • Single room accommodation with carefully screened host family accommodations and meals included in the program
  • Personal program manager will assist you before, during and after your program
  • Year round start dates to fit your schedule
  • 24-hour emergency support during your program in Spain

Program Reviews

4.50 Rating
based on 14 reviews
  • 5 rating 78.57%
  • 4 rating 7.14%
  • 3 rating 7.14%
  • 2 rating 0%
  • 1 rating 7.14%
  • Impact 4.45
  • Support 4.75
  • Fun 4.1
  • Value 4.6
  • Safety 4.95
Showing 1 - 8 of 14 reviews
Default avatar
Camille
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

I love Greenheart

The Spanish have been put on my heart.
I love the family , I connected so well with them. The children are like my siblings. I will see them again. We had a great time. We went to a waterfall and hiking. I was basically a family member! Beautiful experience! I recommend this program to anyone ! It was such an insightful month for me full of so much culture.

Being in such a small town was quite the unique experience. But it is authentic . You will get used to it and not want to leave! Hope you join !

Pros
  • Family
  • Food
  • Adventure
Cons
  • The heat in Spain is my only complaint
70 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Lexi
1/5
No, I don't recommend this program

Think of all the possible outcomes before joining!

Signed up for the 3 month program in winter of 2019. You have a coordinator here in the U.S and another coordinator once you step foot in Spain. Both of them were great at accommodating my requests!! Although unfortunately I did have bad experiences with the two families I was with. One family was constantly arguing and it was a very strict environment that did not feel comfortable. I mentioned to the mother how I felt, left for some coffee, and the same night she chained the door for the first time. So I couldn’t get in the house and I had to find a hostel to stay in for the night I was a nervous wreck. I requested a change in families only to be kicked out by the second family on December 26 in the middle of the holidays just because I could not accommodate the mothers VERY last minute request to teach one of her children that day (I was out of town and she knew). Aside from this, both families expected me to have vast extensive knowledge on how to teach yet Greenheart promotes that it is not a requirement to have teaching experience. If you do not want to risk having any issues, you would be better off going on your own and renting a room. A lot of foreigners in Spain you can meet and explore the city with!

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Have back up plans and enough funds in case an emergency occurs.
289 people found this review helpful.
Response from Greenheart

Hi Lexi, Thank you very much for providing your feedback on this program. We take feedback very seriously and we’re always grateful to hear your experience and know how we can improve the program. According to our records, you did live with two host families, one from September to November and another from November until December 26, which was the end of your program and when your 90-day tourist visa expired. We’re sorry to hear that there was a misunderstanding in regards to your end date and when you should have left your second host family and left the country. We’re also disappointed to hear that you were uncomfortable with your host family placements. Both families have been in our network for almost 15 years and hosted several times. Navigating daily life with a new host family in a different country can be challenging, which is why Greenheart Travel prepares teachers before going abroad for this adjustment and why the in-country staff is available 24/7 for any questions or concerns you might have. Homestay teachers are provided support both locally and long-distance from Chicago while on program and are expected to reach out to program staff if there is anything that could make your experience go smoother. Each host family has different reasons for wanting to host a foreign tutor, but all are given the expectation that this is an informal teaching exchange and is not meant to replace formal English education. We continually work to reinforce the expectations of the program for both teachers and host families, so we will use your feedback to ensure there are no confusions moving forward. Thank you again for providing your feedback and we wish you the best in any future international endeavors.

Default avatar
Adele
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Great for first time travellers

As a first time traveler wanting to travel, but a little afraid to do it on my own, this was perfect. I could make it fit my schedule and go in the months I requested. As well, I did have concern that some travel programs might be a scam or unsafe, this was not at all the case with greenheart travel. From the beginning Allison was available to answer any questions, always responded to my emails quickly, and any concerns that I had were dealt with efficiently and comfortably. I did the 3 month stay and I learned so much about Spain, and made a real connection with my amazing host family. Furthermore, a lot of my anxieties about traveling have been alleviated and I feel more comfortable doing it independently. I would recommend this program to people who want to experience a country over a long period of time, but need a “safety net” (host family) available.

295 people found this review helpful.
Canaan
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Unforgettable Experience

I gained so much during my experience with GHT in Spain - I improved my Spanish language skills, learned about the culture and history of Spain, developed lifelong relationships with my host family, and gained a lot of confidence in myself.

Living in Spain with a host family helped me learn to be more independent, flexible, and increased my passion for learning about other cultures.

Staff from Greenheart Travel were very helpful during the entire process. I even got to meet one of their staff members when she was visiting Spain. I was fairly close to other people participating in the program, and we would often meet up to hang out/travel together.

The application process is straightforward and there’s is always someone available to help and answer questions. I definitely recommend this program.

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
The most surprising thing about my experience was how close I got to the host family. They really became an important part of my life and I still talk to them regularly. I’m also planning to go back and visit them this summer!
286 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Nini
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

10 out of 10

10 out of 10 overall because there wasn’t any confusion or anything that I felt like I wasn’t provided. I loved communicating with the staff because they answered my all of questions with patience, and 5 months before my actual trip. The program was great! I really liked that the application was really thourough, because I was placed with a family that matched! We shared a lot of hobbies together and I’m grateful to have been placed there! And also I loved that you are placed instead of being able to choose where you want to stay, because I’ve been able to visit places that I would’ve never even heard before. Although I didn’t have many questions during my stay, I’m pretty sure they’ve would have been answered quickly by the staff, great overall! I recommend this program, because it helps you with a bigger understanding of someone’s everyday life.

300 people found this review helpful.
Jennifer
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

One Month in Mancha Real, Spain

I will be honest and say I am the queen of making impulsive decisions. Some I regret and some I am very proud of. I gave up a lot once I heard the great news of being accepted to the Greenheart Travel Teach in a Homestay program. I moved out of my pricey apartment in Venice, CA, and moved in with my parents to save money and not pay rent while I was traveling.

I believe about a month before departure was when I was placed with a beautiful family of four in Mancha Real, Spain. A place I had never even heard of before. It is a very small rural town in Andalusia. No research I had done did this place justice. So I thought to myself, "I will just have to see for myself when I arrive."

The next step was to quit my 8-5. Once everything started to feel more real, I was freaking out a little bit but knew I was doing something that would be so enriching to both myself and the family. I gave up a lot for something that was such a short amount of time, and wished I had done the program for longer. However, being there and completing the program allowed me to plan out an extra month of personal travel as well. Within the month that I was there, I created memories that will last a lifetime. I was fortunate enough to click instantly with the family and will most definitely be in contact with them forever.

Teaching the girls that I lived with was fun and easy. They were so inquisitive and interested in English, culture in America, myself, my family, etc. It really was a treat and as a family we were able to share so much of our lives and daily routines with each other. I actually became so accustomed to their culture and schedule that I am having a hard time reverting back to the time zone in the states.

I have no advise other than to just go for it! Stop living inside your comfort zone and branch out. It really brought a new level of awareness to my attention. Once you see the impact you can have on an entire family and vice versa, it really is an indescribable and touching feeling. If I could start the process all over again, I totally would.

296 people found this review helpful.
One month in España
Christine
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

One month in España

As a teacher, I am always on the look out for opportunities to travel during the summer. Greenheart Travel provided a way for me to combine my two passions: teaching and traveling. Last summer (2017) I participated in Greenheart's Teach in a Homestay: Spain. I stayed with my fabulous host family for 1 month from June-July and it is truly an experience I will never forget.

What I absolutely loved about this program:

*The preparation- Greenheart thoroughly prepared me for this experience. I was sent a book with Spain's cultural and historical background. I also received a packet that covered everything I needed to know: weather, customs, tips, how to handle culture shock, what to bring, what to expect, etc. It was extremely helpful and I found myself referring to this packet many times throughout the duration of my stay.

*The support- I don't think my experience would have been as successful without the help of Megan Arzbaecher, one of Greenheart's program managers. She answered any and all questions I had, replied promptly to my emails, sent me reminder emails and touched base with me frequently weeks before my trip.

*The online community- I loved that I was put into a facebook group that brought together alumni and newcomers of the Teach in a Homestay program. I was able to communicate with others who had gone through the program and hear their experiences/advice. In addition, I met newcomers who would be in my area in Spain.

My time in Spain:

I was placed in Madrid and stayed with my host family for one month. Greenheart made sure to place me with a family that could host me during the time frame I was available and with a family that would suit my personality/needs (I had to fill out a lengthy survey). The expectation was for me to teach English to my family's daughters for 15 hours each week in exchange for food and stay. Who can beat that? Such a great way to experience a new culture and get to know a family! Even though I have teaching experience, Greenheart provided access to lesson plans, ideas and games to teach English to the family. They made it very easy to have a successful experience.

I would definitely do this program again in a heartbeat! I learned a great deal about the Spanish culture, my host family and surprisingly...myself! I would recommend this program to anyone who is willing to fully immerse themselves into a new culture.

What would you improve about this program?
I personally did not have a problem with this program. I felt very supported, informed and wouldn't change anything about it.
296 people found this review helpful.
Read my full story
Default avatar
Hallie
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

3 lovely months in Spain!

Going abroad and staying with a local family in any country is definitely a step out of your comfort zone that you SHOULD take. I became really close with the family and we bonded in lots of different ways. I participated in their family events & activities (dinners, birthdays, Christmas!!!) and really felt like I got to experience the food and culture of Spain. We had big dinner where everyone was always singing and dancing, and they always included me. At one dinner everyone around the table got a musical instrument and sang songs together!! It was so cool. I felt like I was apart of their family and it makes for some really great memories. It’s so nice to see a city through the eyes of someone else and not just as a tourist. I got to travel to other cities and countries on the weekend took which was awesome! It was important for the family that we spoke in English around the kids so they could learn more & not speak to me in Spanish, so considering that, if I did a homestay again, I’d enroll in a separate language course. I wanted to learn some Spanish so I did go to some language exchanges, practiced my Spanish, and met new friends. I would be clear about your goals (language learning, traveling, whatever it may be) with the family right away. Communication is key. You and the family want to get as much out of the program as possible, so talking about your expectations is something I’d recommend discussing. Sometimes I had to push myself to speak (some days I just wasn’t confident!) but overall people were super friendly/understanding and I didn’t get down on myself if I had a not-great speaking day. Overall, I’d highly recommend this homestay program. Greenheart provided me with a ton of materials before my trip, and also consistently contacted me with questions and support. Every time I talked to the support team at Greenheart I got more and more excited for my trip. They also get you health insurance & link you up with a great family depending on your interests so it’s a great time for both parties. I’d love to do another program in the future. I love to travel and Greenheart just offers more easy opportunities to fuel my travel love!!

293 people found this review helpful.

Questions & Answers

We are not able to place more than one person with a host family. It is okay to apply with friends; however, you will be placed in separate homes and we cannot guarantee you will be in the same city.

Hi Daniella! Our teachers arrive and stay in Europe as tourists, therefore no visa is necessary.

I'm not sure if the program has any regulations about it, but I think you should be able to. The host family I stayed with had kids and the program leader in Madrid had two sons of her own. It's a kid friendly experience, but you'll probably have to pay extra for travel insurance and such. I'm honestly not too sure, but you could check the website.

Hi Mary, you do not get paid for this program and the costs vary depending on how much time you stay. Hope that helps!