People always ask me what a normal day looks like as a language assistant in Spain, so I finally wrote it down. Between the metro rides, the three-hour lunches (yes, really), and squeezing in penny board practice at the skatepark, no two days feel quite the same, even when the schedule stays the same. Here’s what a typical weekday looks like for me. I wake up early to catch the metro into the city centre. The school I work at is in Torrent, a small town on the outskirts of th

Paella Valenciana is the traditional version - rabbit, chicken, green beans, and rice cooked in a wide, flat pan over an open fire. The word "paella" actually refers to the pan itself, not the dish. There are countless variations - seafood, vegetable, mixed - but any Valencian will tell you that only the original counts. They're not wrong.

When I first moved to Spain, I quickly realised that half of surviving in a new country is just having the right apps on your phone. Honestly, I don’t know how people moved abroad before smartphones because I rely on mine for everything here. Finding buses, translating random signs, looking for flats, sending money, checking routes, messaging people… it all happens through apps. One of the first apps I used constantly was Idealista. If you’re looking for somewhere to live in

When people talk about moving abroad, they always talk about the obvious things. The weather, the language, the food, the travelling, the new experiences. But I don't think anyone really prepares you for the people.

One of the things I love about Valencia is that every neighbourhood has its own personality. Some are busy and full of cafés, others are quieter and more residential, and some feel like little villages even though you're still in the city.

By the time Fallas is over you'll probably be exhausted. Your clothes will smell faintly of smoke, you'll have walked miles around the city, and you'll be looking forward to a good night's sleep. But if you ever get the chance to experience it while living in Spain, don't miss it.

No matter how much you prepare before arriving in Spain, there are some things you only learn once you're actually standing in front of a class of 25 students who are all looking at you.

When I moved to Spain, I definitely packed some things I didn’t need and forgot some things I absolutely should have brought. You can buy most things here, obviously, so don’t panic too much. But there are a few things that made my life so much easier when I first arrived. The first thing I’d recommend is a proper folder for all your paperwork. I know that sounds boring, but Spanish admin is no joke. You’ll need copies of your passport, visa documents, insurance, empadronamie

One of the things I love most about living in Tenerife is that some of my favourite days out have cost absolutely nothing. Before moving here, I assumed I'd need to spend loads of money to explore the island properly, but that's really not the case. In fact, once you're officially a resident and have your TIE, you're entitled to free public transport throughout Tenerife. That means I no longer pay for the bus at all. Honestly, it's one of the best perks of living here. If I d

Depending on your school, you may be involved in preparing students for Cambridge exams. Usually, as a language assistant, you'll spend a lot of time helping students with the speaking part of the exams, since that's where having a native speaker is especially useful. However, some schools may also ask you to help with reading, listening and writing activities too. Every school is slightly different.

Moving abroad is exciting and fun and probably one of the best things you’ll ever do, but it can also feel really weird at the beginning. One minute you’re at home surrounded by friends, family and everything familiar, and the next you’re in Spain trying to work out where to buy shampoo, how to say what you need in a pharmacy, and whether you’re accidentally using the wrong milk in your coffee.

I think before moving, I had this idea that I'd need an enormous amount of savings to make it work. The reality was that Tenerife ended up being much cheaper than I expected. Of course, everyone spends differently, but day-to-day life here isn't nearly as expensive as many people imagine.

Making friends in Spain takes a bit of effort at the start, but it does happen. If you’ve just moved here, don’t overthink it too much. Put yourself in situations where people are, talk to a few strangers, and give it a bit of time. That’s really it.

I’ve also realised that learning a language isn’t just about studying it, it’s about living it. Being surrounded by it every day, hearing it, using it, and being part of it makes such a difference.

I think a lot of people don’t realise the Canary Islands are actually quite different from mainland Spain in certain ways. The accent is softer, some vocabulary is different, and culturally it feels completely different too.

Unlike a traditional teaching job, the assistant position comes with a long summer break and, for many of us, no salary during those months. While this can seem daunting at first, I've discovered that there are several ways to make the most of this time, both financially and personally.

When people imagine moving to Spain as a language assistant, they usually picture the exciting parts first. Booking flights, finding an apartment, meeting new people, travelling on weekends, sitting in sunny plazas with a coffee, and starting a completely new life abroad. And honestly, those moments do happen. There are days where everything feels exciting and cinematic, and you suddenly realise you’re living the kind of experience people dream about for years. But something

One thing I quickly realised about Madrid is that there’s no shortage of things to do. There are so many hobbies, classes, and activities you can try.

Malasaña is a place that resembles a rich cultural history of Madrid and is now an epicenter of cafe culture, thrift shopping and nightlife in the city.

Before moving to Spain I honestly had no idea how different the school system was here compared to the UK. I remember hearing words like “ESO” and “Bachillerato” constantly and having absolutely no clue what anyone was talking about.