Queen Mary University of London BA Languages student Caris Garvey is splitting her year between two countries, starting in Spain. Through exploring new places and taking on the challenge of living in a different language, the town of Estepona soon felt like home.

My experience working in Spain is one that I will never forget. In the months leading up to my departure, sometimes I was unsure if I would even make it on the plane. But looking back, I have so many fond memories of my time there that I will always treasure. 

Originally, I thought that living and working in a big city in Spain would be my best option. But after hours of scouring for suitable work placements in cities like Madrid, I eventually found one that was perfect for me in an area that I could only have dreamed of. I was offered a position as an English language teaching assistant for 3 months near the town of Estepona, in the south of Spain. To anyone planning their own year abroad, I would definitely recommend considering a town rather than a big city as your destination. Keep reading and I’ll get to why that was the best decision I could have made. 

Surprisingly, once I arrived, it didn’t take long for me to feel at home in Spain. I thought I would feel really homesick, but the couple I stayed with made me feel like part of the family from the moment I got there. I actually ended up living with my boss and her husband (since it was a real challenge for me to find accommodation). One thing that did take some getting used to was eating dinner so late; I didn’t finish work until 8pm, so most nights I didn’t eat dinner until 10pm! I don’t think that’s a habit I’ll be adopting back home. I do miss the warm sunshine though. 

Like I said, looking back on my experience, there is so much that I enjoyed. For starters, I really loved my work placement – although I have experience working with children, I hadn’t done much teaching before. But I quickly bonded with the children and became familiar with the routines. Plus, I couldn’t have asked for a better team to work with; everyone was so friendly and supportive. Working there definitely helped with my confidence, especially since I taught some classes by myself! After all, that’s what I wanted my experience to be about: challenging myself to do new things. 

Speaking of new things, another thing that I loved was trying typical Spanish tapas (small plates). My highlights were without a doubt pil-pil prawns and ham croquettes. And of course, I couldn’t leave without eating authentic Spanish paella (made by my boss’s mum!) Unfortunately, there were a couple dishes that weren’t quite up my street- look up boquerones if you want to see what I mean.  

The highlight of my experience was most definitely exploring new places. Some days I took myself off to wander round the nearby towns – that’s how I fell in love with Estepona (so much so that before I left, I got an Estepona-inspired tattoo!) A charming old town complete with whitewashed houses on quiet streets, bursting with flowerpots and greenery – plus the beach just a short stroll away. There was so much to love. At first glance it doesn’t look like there’s much to do there – but I spent many days walking around just enjoying the beauty of it all, whether on my own or with friends. Each time I went I discovered a new hidden gem of the town – castle ruins, a rooftop building with breathtaking views, restaurants with gorgeous food. It’s a place I will forever hold close to my heart, and I will definitely be going back. 

One day, I ventured further than Estepona and spent the whole day alone exploring Seville. Since I wasn’t living in a big city, I wanted to take the opportunity to visit some of Spain’s more well-known spots. Other days, myself and the couple I lived with took a road trip to somewhere nearby. They wanted me to see as much as possible, so we visited Ronda and Málaga (both only an hour away), plus a few pueblecitos — small towns — like Istán, which ended up being my favourite. There’s something exhilarating about uncovering hidden corners of the world you never knew were there. 

Although I loved exploring and going on day trips, sometimes I preferred life’s simple pleasures – like making the most of the fact that I was just a short walk from the beach, and going there to read or do some journaling. Spending time in my own company was something I grew to love while being abroad.  

Putting the highlights of my experience aside, I did face some challenges in Spain. One of them – which I didn’t expect – was speaking Spanish. Although the main reason why I was doing a year abroad was to speak the language I’ve spent years studying, initially it was harder than I thought. I found myself doubting my capabilities and was thrown off by how fast people speak. Also, the couple I lived with spoke English too- so a lot of the time I reverted back to the easier option. However, I knew that I should challenge myself. So, I asked my boss to speak to me more in Spanish. It goes without saying but the more you speak the language, the easier it gets! I reached a point where it became much easier for me to hold conversations and understand other people. I also made a conscious effort to speak Spanish to people that I didn’t know. Even when my family came to visit me, I spoke Spanish to people in shops and restaurants. This definitely helped me (and my family too, since I was the only one who could speak the language!) 

I could write so much more about my time abroad, but the best way to understand what I’m talking about, is to go live it yourself. Any experience abroad will come with its challenges, but even the difficult aspects are part of the experience. I was so incredibly anxious about this trip, not knowing how it would turn out, but I am so glad that I took the leap. I couldn’t have done it without the help of Turing funding and the support of the Global Partnerships and Opportunities team, it really made the difference!  

I urge anyone reading this who is unsure whether they should do a semester abroad, to push past the fear and embrace the experience waiting for you 🙂