I knew that coming to Spain would be an adventure, but I had no idea what I was in for. I googled Pozoblanco before I came, and it gave me the impression of a very hot and dry place. I know now that google could never dream of capturing the charm of Pozoblanco, because what makes it so charming and comfortable is its people. My first week here my boss, and now friend, Luisa, invited me to stay at her house instead of a hotel while I looked for an apartment. That week with Luisa I laughed so hard I cried and got to experience the magic of la fería. I had a deep sense that I was in the right place, that God had brought me here and I was safe. I was able to enjoy about 6 months of normal life in Spain, traveling, going out with friends, and going to local festivals before covid hit. But despite how difficult the pandemic has made life for everyone I am still so grateful to be here.
I’ve never lived in a pueblo before, my city has about 618,000 inhabitants and it’s impossible to go anywhere without a car, so I’ve found pueblo life to be very refreshing. Although it did take me a long time to get used to stores closing for siesta (culture shock is a real thing). I’ve noticed that people meet up with friends more often and more spontaneously in Spain because you can easily walk to a bar or someone’s house for dinner. I really admire my Spanish friends because of how much they value their relationships with family and friends. I think just being here and hanging out with my Spanish friends is teaching me to relax and enjoy time with other people more.
Though the corona virus created some dark and difficult times, there were still some bright spots in the year. One of those bright spots was getting to know some of my students better by holding online conversation classes during quarantine. Each week our conversations had a different theme and the students memorized related vocabulary words before the class. They got points for asking each other questions, answering questions, and using the assigned vocabulary words and the winner of each class got a prize at the end of the trimester. Not only did designing these conversation classes give me some purpose but I was thrilled to watch my students grow and gain confidence speaking English. Some of the students were shy, and rarely spoke to me in class but were able open up and have fun with English during our conversation game.
I believe that learning a language opens the door to a new world. It expands your mind by challenging the beliefs you’ve held about yourself and the world and it forces you out of your comfort zone. The biggest lesson I want to teach my students is that English isn’t just a subject they’re forced to study at school, but that it’s a key to a world full of new opportunities and experiences. They could use English in their career as a professional football player on a team in the UK, or maybe on vacation in New York as they try new food and meet new people, or they could even fall in love with an English speaker. The possibilities are endless, and I want them to fall in love with another culture the way I have with Spain.
In short, I’d like to thank all the wonderful people of Pozoblanco for welcoming me and caring for me these last two years. Working in IES Los Pedroches has been an amazing experience and I’m so grateful to have been surrounded by such a supportive and fun group of teachers (I would name them but I think there are too many to list). I’m especially grateful for Luisa, who has had my back since the very first week here, this experience wouldn’t have been the same without her. I couldn’t possibly have picked a better pueblo to live and work in and I will be very sad to go. Thank you also to my students, I’ve loved being in class with you guys and watching you grow; thanks for laughing at all my silly jokes and trying to talk to me. Although I can’t stay in Andalucía any longer, I’m not headed back to the U.S. just yet, next year I’ll be an auxiliar in Galicia with my boyfriend. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me if you ever need anything or just want to chat. I hope to see you all again very soon!
Autor: Katie Schroeder
