Ciarra’s Experience in Spain (2022-2023)

    Many decisions in my life have been driven by one desire – to travel and experience the world. One of those decisions happened to be choosing where to do my undergraduate degree. Although it’s been a few years since the first day of my Language and Intercultural Relations studies at TMU, there was no doubt that this was the course that would prepare me to finally fulfil my lifelong desire. After graduating, my life began to pivot in a different direction, and I found I would ask myself constantly, “what to do now?”. Then, a solution appeared. I discovered the North American Language and Culture Assistant Program (or NALCAP), through one of my favourite learning apps, Tiktok. Ironically, during my undergraduate studies I was part of the French stream, but something in my heart told me I needed to do this program and go to Spain. I’m so happy I listened.

    I didn’t know much about Spain prior to applying to this program, but knew I wanted to be in the southern region. So, I chose Andalucia as my regional placement. The process to get there took some time, but before I knew it, I was on an overnight flight to London. I managed to do 24hrs worth of exploring the beautiful Royal Botanical Kew Gardens, ate fish and chips, and somehow got lost on the Tube. Thankfully, I found my way back to the airport and caught my connecting flight to Gibraltar the next morning. I remember all the mixed emotions I had as I walked across the border into Spain, caught the local coach bus and finally made my way to my town, Algeciras. I felt so anxious, excited, lost, and curious.

    Algeciras is a mid-sized port town in the Campo de Gibraltar. I didn’t know too much about the town before selecting it, but that did not deter me. Despite its slightly rough exterior, the town had a unique charm, and I grew to really love it there. Going from a big city such as Toronto to a smaller town in the south of Spain had many perks as well. Rent, utilities, groceries and other essentials could be covered easily with the monthly stipend provided by the program. Additionally, there was a strong sense of community, unlike anything I’ve experienced living in Canada. Strangers would happily greet you in the street; children would run amuck in the lovely parque Maria Cristina; locals sat at the cafes chatting, sipping their café con leche and eating tostadas; and promptly around 3pm the town would go quiet for daily siesta, until reviving again around 5pm. I made sincere connections with other auxiliaries in the area and around the country, many of whom I still keep in touch! I truly felt the warm and welcoming energy there; it was home.

    I couldn’t have asked for a better school placement as well. An easy 10-minute walk from my apartment, I was placed in a Bilingual IES (high school), and assisted teaching various subjects, in English, to students between 12-18 years old. The teaching staff were phenomenal, and I felt very supported by them in not only my role as an auxiliary, but also as a newcomer to the community. I shared my cultural background and experiences with everyone, and they were always eager to learn. This role continuously encouraged me to develop new ideas and creative ways to teach students, and it was rewarding to be a part of their academic and linguistic growth. I was excited to serve as an ambassador promoting cultural diversity and awareness, while simultaneously learning so much about Spanish culture. My flexible schedule granted plenty of opportunities to travel around Spain and Europe, and I even visited Morocco with the teachers at my school, as Morocco is one short ferry ride away from Algeciras.

    NALCAP offers a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in Spanish language andculture and put your intercultural relations theory into practice. I have learned so much participating in this program and would love to do it again. I’d say it is my life’s greatest experience so far! I highly recommend to anyone with a desire to teach, a desire to travel, or simply a desire for an environmental change, to take the leap and do the program!