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Teaching in Seville and Exploring Andalucia: James’ Story

Teaching in Seville and Exploring Andalucia: James’ Story

Teach Seville ‘Ensenando en Sevilla y explorando Andalucía’. Real Alcazar de Sevilla. March 2017

If you’ve ever been sat in a sauna for too long you’ll have a good idea of the Andalusian heat, the intense climate is however ably matched by the vibrancy, familiarity, beauty and joviality of its people and its environment. I was incredibly fortunate to be based in the wonderful city of Seville, ‘some cities have looks, other cities have personality, the sevillanos – lucky devils – get both’ , I think ‘ Lonely Planet ’ sums it up pretty well.

The Erasmus + program of which I was a part, ‘Teach Seville!’, ran in association with Red Ochre UK, Third Sector International, and various language academies within the city, I was personally based in a school called ‘OC Languages’. The course ran for just over two months and provided me with an exceptional opportunity to live and work abroad on a fully funded scheme. I was able to improve upon my teaching skills learnt during my own experiences within the education sector and indeed the 140hr Premier TEFL course that I undertook. The course, more specifically, prepared me well for teaching English to children and adults of varying abilities, and was in my opinion invaluable when it came to applying for and securing a place on this scheme.

During my time in Seville I was met by a warmness and openness that I had rarely experienced and was immediately delighted with the choice I had made to head out there. My colleagues at the school were constantly supportive, one teacher had in fact been a part of the ‘Teach Seville!’ scheme a year earlier. Not only did I enjoy my time working in the academy but also of course during my free time which was spent exploring the city and the surrounding area. Seville is famed for its tapas bars and rows upon rows of bodegas serving the local manzanillas – this sherry by the way is certainly not just for the more mature individual which was admittedly my own misconception at home in the UK!

Seville has plenty to offer and absolutely sated my appetite for cultural exploration, I managed to visit the Real Alcazar whose gardens are some of the most beautiful I have ever witnessed, for any Game of Thrones fans such as myself, this is also the location used for the filming of the Water Gardens of Dorne. The Cathedral and the Plaza de Espana were some of my other favourite places to visit but at risk of sounding like a tour guide it was the city as a whole and its wonderful traditions such as Semana Santa and Feria de Abril that made my time there so special.

I was also lucky enough to be able to visit Cordoba with its magnificent Mezquita, the beautiful beaches of Cadiz, the Sherry Factories of Jerez and the mountainous region of Granada. If you get a chance to live and work in Spain’s south-western corner my advice is to grab that opportunity with both hands, it’s an incredible place with incredible people and teaching English gives you the chance to experience it.

Buena Suerte y diviertete!



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