English student from Exeter University talks about her experience in Spain

Hi, my name is Kate and I'm a third-year student at the University of Exeter, England. I study Modern Languages (French, Spanish and Italian) and as part of my degree I have had to go abroad to improve my language skills and develop my intercultural knowledge. I consider myself a very sociable person and I love to travel and meet new people. During my free time, you can find me dancing/doing Zumba classes, playing the piano and hanging out with my friends.

Why did you come to Spain?

I have come to Spain mainly to improve my Spanish, as I study it as part of my degree. I also chose to come here to get to know the Spanish culture better, to gain work experience and to experience living in another country independently. I've always enjoyed learning about the Spanish culture and the language so that's why I decided to spend half of my year abroad in Spain.

What do you like most about being in Bilbao and why would you come here instead of going to other more famous cities among tourists?

What I like most about the city is the fact that everyone speaks Spanish to me and has a very clear accent. To be immersed in the Spanish language, I didn't want to be in a super-touristy city, like Madrid or Barcelona, because I knew that everyone spoke English there and I wanted to avoid speaking my mother tongue at all costs. Also, because I'm really pale and would be staying here over the summer months, I thought it was better to go to the North of Spain rather than the South, where I knew I would have got completely burnt after two minutes in the scorching heat.

Why did you choose to come with Instituto Hemingway?

I chose to come to Instituto Hemingway because the job they offered me seemed different to other internships, mainly because of the fact that the advert I had seen mentioned tasks that would give me real responsibilities in the company and would allow me to grow professionally. When I sent them an email explaining my interest in joining them, I received a reply shortly after, which made a big impression on me when I compared this to other companies who took ages to reply. In addition, the position they offered me fitted perfectly with what I was looking for, as I wanted an internship where I could use the languages I speak in an environment where only Spanish was spoken and where I could learn something about marketing.

Did you have support from Instituto Hemingway before, during and after your arrival?

Before my arrival and during my arrival I didn't need much support, as I decided to look for accommodation myself and I haven't had any problems here. I know that if I had a problem though, I could count on someone in the company to help me or give me advice.

What makes your Spanish internship unique?

I would say that what makes my internship unique is the fact that I never speak English, which for me is a dream come true, because there are so many companies that hire young people like me just to do tasks in English all day long. I have had a few experiences working abroad and each time I ended up speaking English and did not feel that I improved my Spanish or French very much. However, I am always surrounded by people who speak Spanish here and all my tasks include using the Spanish language.

Do you feel that you have improved your Spanish?

I do feel like I've improved my Spanish. Before I arrived, I had spent 5 months in Italy and almost never spoke Spanish there, so it was the longest period of my life when I did not practice the language. I felt that my Spanish had suffered so much and I needed to make up for my time not speaking it. However, after speaking the language every day at work, I now feel that I have regained my self-confidence and every day I am learning new vocabulary via the tasks I do and the help from my tutor, Rodrigo.

How do you enjoy your free time?

During my free time I go to salsa and Zumba classes and spend time with my friends. We often have dinner together, take walks in the city or have a drink in the evening in one of the many tapas bars.

What should every Spanish student know before coming here?

You should know that you will be surrounded by Spanish in your everyday life and that there will also be other foreign students at the school, including many young people, who are very friendly. You should also know that a good knowledge of Spanish will help you a lot when it comes to undertaking a wider variety of tasks.

How has coming here impacted your life? How have you changed since you've been here?

I believe that after having had to build a new life for myself here, I have become more mature and have learnt a lot about myself. I'm not going to say that my experience here has been a piece of cake, because there were definitely some low times, but I think the most difficult moments and what you do when it comes to overcoming them are what make you grow as a person. That's why I consider myself more capable of solving issues now, and why I think my confidence has grown.

How would you rate the atmosphere of the Institute?

The atmosphere at Instituto Hemingway is very welcoming and I always feel comfortable. The company is small, so there are often just 4 of us in the office. The fact that the office is open-plan means that when students come and leave, there is always a buzz and lots of smiles. I would add that during the morning break the atmosphere is also very relaxed; I always talk to the students or the teachers and we have a good laugh.

Have you felt safe in Bilbao or Spain in general? Does it seem safe to you?

In general I feel fairly safe in Bilbao, but as in any city, you have to be careful and I always avoid walking alone at night. When I arrived, I talked to some people here who advised me where and not where to go and so I knew which areas to avoid. But during the day I feel safe and it seems to be a safer city than other cities in Spain like Barcelona that are much bigger.

What is a typical day like for you?

Well, usually when I get to the office I talk to my tutor and we see what we have to do for the day or if there are any particular tasks that need to be done. Then I update the Instagram account with the word of the day and the correction for the previous day and after designing and posting it all, I start with the translations. I do a wide variety of translations, such as website articles, emails and administrative documents. Then I choose the photo that we are going to post on the social networks for the day and I write some different captions for each platform. Once all the platforms have been updated, I carry out administrative tasks or the design things to improve the look of the school, such as creating eye-catching posters about the activities we offer.

What is the cheapest and most expensive thing here compared to your country?

In general, the cost of living is a bit cheaper here in Spain than in England. The price of food in supermarkets is more or less the same, but drinks and food in bars is much cheaper here. However, gym membership is much more expensive (over double the price) and so is clothing because there are fewer offers!

Would you recommend this internship to others? Why?

I would recommend it to others because I have improved my Spanish, which was my priority, and I have gained invaluable experience that I hope will help me get a good job after graduating. What's more, I've been able to work in a friendly environment with lovely colleagues and I've met so many different people.

Do you think your experience abroad will open doors for you in the future in the job market?

I hope so! As far as I know, working abroad shows adaptability, flexibility, tolerance and a social awareness of other cultures to future employers. For a future job, I believe that speaking another language and working in a team whilst adapting to a different culture are significant experiences which are respected in the global job market.

What achievement are you especially proud of? Why?

I'm quite proud to have added a creative, fun and eye-catching touch to the school's interior décor and the look of the company's social networks. I think I have proved that I'm capable of doing translations on my own into the three languages I study and so I am proud of that.

If you had to ask for a reference for a job, would you contact Instituto Hemingway? Why?

Definitely, because I've been involved in the running of the business for 5 months and I'd like to think that the work I've done has benefited the company.

What memories do you have of your experience here?

The moments spent during breaks with the students and the activities, for example at the cereal café! I will also remember how lucky I am to have met so many nice people from all over the world and will forever remember my salsa and Zumba classes here which are so much fun.

Why do you think it's important to do these kinds of programmes abroad?

From the point of view of a language learner, this type of experience abroad is invaluable when it comes to improving language skills. There is no better way to improve than going abroad and completely immersing yourself in the life and culture of the language. Speaking Spanish every day and being surrounded by Spaniards at work has helped me a lot and I don't think you can compare studying a language in your own country to working abroad where you are practicing the language on a daily basis. This type of experience also allows you to acquire soft skills that are invaluable, such as resistance and the ability to adapt to living in another country. I could write an essay about the benefits of such programmes abroad, but I will let you discover them through your own experience!