Teach English in Spain with RVF

Like many other auxiliars before me, the year I spent in Spain was truly the best year of my life--and this was largely due to the support provided to me by RVF International. As a prospective aux, I applied to be placed somewhere in Valencian Community, on the eastern coast of Spain. Harrison, Lourdes, Carlos, and my team worked diligently to place me in a community that satisfied my request, and I was placed in a small town just 15 minutes south of Valencia proper (the city). Leading up to my departure, they seamlessly answered all of my questions, preparing me for the first few weeks in my new community. They offered many different workshops leading up to my departure, such as instructions on opening a bank account, how to secure my social insurance number, how to secure necessary documents from city hall, and helping me navigate the Spanish visa process with my consulate in Boston, etc. Additionally, they also put me in touch with one of the English instructors at my school, and this was essential for my ability to settle comfortably into my new town. My teacher was extremely diligent, helping me find an apartment just a few minutes' walk from my school. My flat was gorgeous, very spacious (3 bedroom, two bath), totally affordable (equating to less than half the monthly stipend offered by my school), was completely furnished, included new appliances, and located right next to the bank and grocery store. Conveniently, this apartment was rented to me by one of the parents of my students at my primary school, who invited my boyfriend and I to our first paella in the mountains our first week in the new country. My landlord was also incredibly compassionate and understanding when my first few paychecks were delayed, and he even brought my boyfriend and I to the train station when we departed Valencia in June of 2022. He is one of the many members of my community who has since become close friends and connections for life. I became especially close with the English teachers at my school, who took the upmost care in engaging with and supporting me. Each week, the four of us would grab lunch together, and we even went on trips together! One of them took me on a trip to Alpuente, another planned a trip with me to New York City when she and her husband visited the US. Since moving back to the US, I used all three teachers as resources for letters of recommendation/references in my job search back in the US. My principal was also fantastic, always checking up on me each week. during my time in Spain, my grandmother passed away in the US, and my principal worked with all three of my English teachers to provide me with a week and a half off to return home to be with my family during this difficult time. They also worked together to create videos with my students, sending an outpouring of love my way. On my last day at the school, they got all of the students and teachers together and threw me a giant going-away ceremony, with gifts, performances, and a giant book with notes and drawings from everyone at the school. I never in a million years expected to not only have the privilege of living in a Spanish community like this, but to actually become a part of it, despite not being anywhere close to a master of the language. While I would love to take another year to live in a large city like Madrid or Seville to compare experiences, nothing could ever beat my authentic experience living in my small town of L'Alcudia, VLC. I still speak to the people I've met very often, including my best friend who I met in my town, who happened to be my teller at the bank!! My boyfriend and I are planning to fly back this year for a visit, and this really speaks to how deep our love for Valencia and Valencians continues to be even nearly two years later. Overall, I cannot recommend this experience or RVF enough; to anyone who is willing to take the leap, it is well worth it. There is no doubt that this experience will challenge you and even make you uncomfortable in some ways, but I truly feel like that is the point. Since this year abroad, I am much better at thinking on my feet, I am thoroughly prepared for a variety of situations, and I am no longer paralyzed when it comes to intimidating bureaucratic processes. This job also has helped me in building my career, as I am now employed as an Assistant International Student and Scholar Advisor for the Office of Global Services at a major university in Boston, MA (where over 7!!!! of my coworkers were also auxiliars in Spain!!) To sum this up into one final sentence: if you are considering this program, are able to save yourself a few thousand dollars beforehand to act as a financial cushion, and are open to meeting as many people as possible leading up to and during your arrival, you will not only be survive, but you will thrive and have an experience of a lifetime!

When I first looked into moving abroad, I remember being quite overwhelmed with the process. However, RVF helped me move to Madrid, Spain to teach English! I truly don't think I could have navigated the visa process, etc. without their help. Their response time is usually within the same day and the staff is incredibly helpful and personable. I encourage everyone to try RVF International if you are looking for extra support when it comes to making the huge leap of moving abroad.

RVF International has given me endless opportunities in Europe! I love teaching and traveling. With this program, I am able to do both safely and securely as a young woman in another country. They handle majority of the paperwork for me with detailed instructions, which is a lifesaver. They also provide lots of check ins to make sure you don’t need any extra assistance because they are ALWAYS happy to assist with anything big or small! I have loved speaking with everyone in the department because they are such amazing and genuine people that only want to help you succeed! My school placement is great as well as the teachers and students. They have made my adjustment SO EASY! The pay is typical, but still enough to live on including rent, bills, and groceries! I cannot thank RVF enough for helping me live my dream by traveling the world!! They really did make a big difference in making this process so easy!!