• TEFL Courses
  • TEFL Course Options
  • TEFL Course Fees
  • Which Course?
  • Specialist TEFL Courses
  • Who does our courses?
  • Pay Your Course Balance
  • TEFL Resources
    • Lesson Plans Pack
    • Teacher's Pack
• Advanced TEFL Courses
• Dates & Locations
  • Our Locations
• ILA Funding
• Special Offers
• TEFL Jobs Centre
  • TEFL Jobs in Asia
  • TEFL Jobs in the UK and Europe
  • TEFL Jobs in South America and Central America
  • TEFL Jobs in Africa
  • Guaranteed TEFL Jobs China
  • Schools, Employers & Affiliates
  • TEFL Scotland Job Placement Advice
    • TEFL CV Advice
• About Us
  • About TEFL Scotland
    • The TEFL Group
  • Forums
  • Course Reviews
  • FAQ
    • Video FAQs
  • TEFL Scotland Accreditation
    • Memberships
  • Recommend A Friend
  • Past Graduates
    • Testimonials
  • Blog
  • Contact Us

T: 0800 9 888 200
E: sales@teflscotland.co.uk

Get a Free Info Pack » Book a TEFL Course »

Teaching English in Spain - Darryl's Story

Posted by Amy Hanson - 16:09 on 05 July 2011

Teaching English in Spain - Darryl's Story

Darryl's honeymoon turned into travelling the world and then a whole new career! Here, he tells us his story and about what it is like working in Madrid as a TEFL teacher.

Let's get something straight from the start: I am not your typical EFL teacher.

I can say that with 100% confidence because if there is one thing I know way more than English grammar rules, sayings and idioms and pronunciation techniques it is this: There is no such thing as a typical EFL teacher!

Two years ago at the age of 35 I was in Scotland working in a great job, doing something I loved with people I liked and respected and living a very comfortable lifestyle. But the one thing I wanted more of was time. I was due to get married later in the year and wanted to be able to spend as much time as possible with the woman I loved. Therefore on the first day of our honeymoon I suggested to my wife we give up our jobs and travel the world. She thought I had gone crazy at first but as soon as she realised I was serious she agreed and we have never looked back.

We planned to travel, initially in Asia and then who knows... We were not rich, we had sufficient funds to be able to have some fun for a few months but we knew we would have to work at some point and that is when I looked to TEFL. I signed up for a course in Edinburgh with no real knowledge of what I was about to embark upon. All I knew is that I had read a lot of books in my life, wasn´t afraid to stand in front of a group of people and, despite my accent, could speak English! 3 days later I emerged, knowing I had taken the first step to changing my life.

Our several months in Asia were simply a holiday, but as time was passing and funds diminishing I started to think more and more about the realities of teaching English. It´s easy to decide to go on a course but it´s something else to decide to stand in a classroom. I started to read a number of websites to get as much information as I could, really to weigh up our options before deciding what to do. Also at this stage I decided to start writing a travel blog, www.funmonkeysontour.blogspot.com initially as a bit of fun, but as more people started reading it, as a record of our travels and what we saw.

In March 2010 we returned home to visit our families and at this stage my wife decided she too would enrol on a TEFL Scotland course as we were beginning to see some real potential in this. A few weeks later and we found ourselves in Madrid. It quickly became apparent that if this was a place we wanted to spend time then we would have to work and believe me, it is a place we wanted to spend time.

Finding work in Madrid was not as difficult as I thought it would be. I was pleased to have my TEFL certificate though as most academies were looking for proof of training. Also arriving in August meant we were a few weeks ahead of the big rush for jobs so were able to speak to the right people at the academies. We had our interviews and very soon I had the opportunity to practice all those things I had learned during my TEFL Scotland intensive.

I have to admit, the first few days were terrifying! It was unlike anything I had ever done, but thankfully, due to my course with TEFL Scotland I recognised what was actually going on in the classes and using a few of the techniques they had taught very quickly found myself enjoying it.

The best thing about our new life has to be living in Madrid. It is a very cosmopolitan city unlike anywhere else on earth. The people are friendly, the life is far more relaxed than the UK and of course the weather is better! But the other thing is my new career. Every day I wake up excited about going to work and every day when I return home I am happy. That´s not to say it is always easy, I have had one or two moments where I have been asked questions to which I simply did not know the answer. I have also had many amusing moments caused by my misinterpretations of what was being said, such as the day a student told me that the metro drivers were on strike and there was cows on the streets. It took me a few minutes to figure out she meant 'chaos'.

9 months in and we have an apartment near the centre of the city. We work the hours we choose and in fact often find ourselves turning work down as we came here to live first and work second. We have met some amazing people, Spaniards and other ex-pats alike and I have come to realise life is for today, not some distant point in the future. We are having fun (I think...) learning a new language and making horrendous mistakes in Spanish but enjoying how willing the locals are to help.

Many people dream of changing their life, of giving up their job, of changing their situation. But not many actually take the leap. 2 years ago I was thinking "Should I or shouldn't I...?" now, I wonder why I didn´t do it sooner.

Interested in how they are getting on?
Darryl runs a blog about his experiences in teaching and travel: English in Madrid

Follow in Darryl's footsteps: Take a TEFL course in Scotland
 

Add your comment below

Your Name
Your Email (it won't be made public on the site)
Your Comment


Enter this number in the box below and click Send - why?

 

TEFL Scotland is an SQA Approved Centre and accredited by ODLQC.