The Search for the Perfect Apartment...

Well all things considered, I feel I was lucky on the hunt for my first apartment in Spain. If you are young and just looking for something affordable, you’re best option is to walk around the busier parts of town and look for flyers that people have put up looking for roommates. Usually they are students or young professionals that have an extra room that needs to be filled. I came at the beginning at the summer, so I had a few choices of apartments because many students return to their villages after school ends. Even more rooms become available towards the end of summer. This is because many landlords, after the school year ends in June, will not rent out the apartment for the summer because it is harder to find tenants. If you’re lucky, you’ll come across an apartment where at least 2 of the roommates are staying for the summer so they need to fill the other rooms that have become available.

I knew starting off the search of some conditions I had. I couldn’t afford more than 200 euro a month for an apartment, I wanted to be closer to Dani since he was the only soul I knew in the country, and it had to be within range of public transportation. I didn’t know where I was working at the time I was searching for my current apartment. After my summer lease ends, this will be another factor I must consider for my next apartment.

Within the apartments themselves, there are things that must be considered. Coming from the U.S, I’ve been spoiled with certain amenities that are not commonly found in Spain. Apartments should have a washing machine but dryers are almost non-existent. If you find a dishwasher and an oven, consider yourself very lucky.

Most student apartments will come furnished by the landlords. It won’t be the most stylish or comfortable, but it’s definitely livable. Many landlords will even provide bed sheets and dishware. Air-conditioning is an added bonus; so don’t be disappointed when you don’t find it, especially in older apartments. Ask about the heating situation even if you’re looking in the dead of summer. Fall and winter nights can get very cold so you want to make sure windows are well insulated or there’s at least some heating system in every room. Internet is pretty much a no-go. If you’re lucky, there will be some unsecured WIFI connection that you can steal from someplace. Depending on how long you want to live in one apartment, you can look into setting up your own internet with the local cable company. However, if you’re living with students or young professionals, they most likely won’t help pay for it. From what I’ve seen, the Spanish are quite conservative with their spending habits especially when it comes to their living expenses. They can most likely get internet from their school, work or local library, so why spend the extra money? I’m currently adapting to this method of thinking, and I feel it will be quite beneficial in the long run. However, my Facebook and Skype addiction is already rearing its ugly head.

When you want to look at an apartment you’ve found, call first and make an appointment. If possible, have a native speaker of that country’s language go with you to check them out. They tend to know what to look for, what questions to ask and can get a feel for the roommates personalities that you may miss. This way you know that you’re getting all the correct information and there’s been no language barrier. Also, be careful of how you present yourself especially as an American. It may not be information you want to give out right away over the phone, but it should be mentioned when you first look at the apartment. The first apartment I looked at was run by an older couple. The old man looked at me and asked “Aleman?” (Are you German?) When I replied, “No, Americana,” he humpf-ed and walked away from me. Try not to be offended, it comes with the territory. After seeing the apartment, it is best to tell them that you will think about it because you’re looking at other apartments, and you’ll call with you’re decision soon. This may help you get some extra perks from the landlord but not always. Also, even if you go with another apartment, it is polite and expected to call or at least text someone from the other apartments to say ‘thank you but I choose another one.’

With apartment hunting in Spain, it’s okay to have standards as long as they are realistic. I liked the first apartment I looked at; however it was on the 5th floor and no elevator. Even for Spain, this was a bit extreme. I couldn’t fathom doing those stairs everyday especially with groceries and whatnot. Another apartment I looked at was with 3 male roommates. I walked in and all 3 men looked at me like they haven’t seen a woman in 6 months. The place was dirty (even though you can tell they attempted to tidy up) and it was not suitable for another male let alone a female. So I learned to give and take on some things. If I didn’t find the apartment I ended up choosing, I would have to sacrifice some things like climbing a ridiculous amount of stairs. On the other hand, I wouldn’t sacrifice my well being by choosing a place that would be like living in a zoo during mating season.

front entrance to my complex

the shared courtyard

my living room

The apartment I choose was the last apartment I looked at. It was a block away from Dani and two blocks from Reconquista (the main road for public transportation). It’s a newer complex with a gated entry way that leads to a courtyard that all 4 buildings share. I live on the 3rd floor and it has an elevator. The apartment has a nice sized living room with a balcony that has an amazing view of the Casco (Ancient part of the city). It has a great kitchen with a dishwasher and oven.

my room

My room is by far the best part: the master bedroom with a queen-sized bed, personal bathroom attached and my own balcony. There’s another small bed in the room that I’m suppose to share with someone else, but for the time being, I have it all to myself. So for now, I have 2 closets, a dresser, a desk, and a television. Most amazing part is that I only pay 175 Euro/ month and then electricity is separate. I live with 2 Spanish female students. We get along quite well and they are extremely patient with my lack of language skills. Overall, I feel like I lucked out with this apartment. I don’t have any access to internet but with Dani so close, I just walk over to his place. Immediately, I felt at home here, and it was exactly what I needed to keep me motivated for the journey ahead of me.

Settling In...

So it’s been a long first week. I’m sitting at Alcazar, Toledo’s library, taking advantage of the free WiFi and trying to remember everything that has happened over the past 8 days. I guess Ill start at my arrival. I had a relatively easy flight: a 2-hour flight to Philly, an hour layover, an hour delay, and a 7 ½ hour flight to Madrid. I pulled an all-nighter the night before thinking I would sleep then whole plane ride. Mmm, not so much! I slept the way to Philly but just couldn’t manage to sleep more than 2 hours during the flight to Spain. I don’t know if it was the excitement, the paralyzing fear or the amazing assortment on free movies American Airlines offered. Well needless to say when I arrived in Madrid, they only thing I was looking forward to was siesta time. I have imagined myself walking off the plane for over a year now in the same outfit I saw Scarlett Johansson wearing in the movie Vicky Cristina Barcelona. So, I run to the bathroom and throw on my distressed jeans, a simple button down cotton shirt, authentic Converse shoes and killer aviators, and I strut like no ones business down to security. I grab my luggage and go find Dani waiting for me in the other side.

Luckily, having gone through the whole traveling with large suitcases on public transportation last year, I knew what to expect. I brought 2 suitcases, a duffle carry-on and my laptop case as my personal item. It was the same amount as I brought the last time, however I didn’t have a strapping young Spaniard to help my carry everything. Plus I’ll be here for much longer than I was before. So if you’re considering living or traveling abroad for an extensive amount of time, picture what you can carry up and down subway stairs and lug around the streets by yourself. Though Europe has amazing and inexpensive transportation, most haven’t discovered the beauty of elevators or even escalators.
Dani and I spent the rest of the day chatting it up and siesta-ing in his car while waiting in a local village for his sister Ana to get done with work so we could all drive back to Toledo. It was a relatively simple day; no parades or angels singing from the heavens like I had imagined it. But it was probably just the jet-lag. I slept the majority of the day and the next trying to my Spanish legs back under me. Dani and his roommates graciously agreed to put me up for a few days while I looked at apartments. Well a few days turned into a week. Not by my choice but by waiting for a stubborn landlord who couldn’t make himself available for me to sign the lease. I’ll go into apartment hunting in more detail in another blog.
The job hunt has been difficult in some aspects and easier in others. I figured until I found a position at an actual school or academy, I would private tutor in my apartment or in the student’s homes. I made up some cartels (flyers) in Spanish before I left the U.S. and posted about 20 of them in a certain part of town. I created a special email address just for tutoring. It’s a better idea than your personal email so you can keep your work separate, seem more professional and not give out too much personal info to the public. I purposely didn’t add a cell number to the flyers for 2 reasons: I didn’t have a cell until I got to Toledo and I was scared of people calling me because my Spanish isn’t what it used to be. However, after a week, I have yet to receive an email. After discussing my concerns to Dani, he told me it was because there was no cell number. The only people that have emails or even use computers are students or business professionals. A housewife looking for an English tutor for her 10 year old son isn’t going to go through the hassle of finding a computer and creating an email just to contact a tutor. I had to get over my fears of speaking Spanish. I do know enough to get by. So after I got my Spanish cell phone, I manually wrote my number on every flyer. Hopefully after I put up more flyers this weekend, I’ll get some calls for private English lessons. This part I expected to be the easy but it turned out to be the opposite. Dani and I went to Madrid on Monday so I could bring my CV (resume) to some English academies. I handed out 4, a relatively small amount but managed to get 1 interview on the spot and a call back for an interview next week. Amazing. I’ll go into more of job hunting and doing interviews in another blog as well.
After a full week here, I’ve already had plenty of ups and downs. Lots of “I may not be able to make it” thoughts but even more “Yes, this is where I’m meant to be” moments. So after my first week, I’m starting to feel at home already. I moved into my first real apartment which is incredible and, as a little sneak peak into a future blog, I already have a teaching position starting on Monday. To end this blog, I’d like to thank Dani and his roommates for giving up so much this past week to accommodate me. Especially Dani: giving up his bedroom, risking the flu, and parting with hours and hours of studying time to help me start my life in Spain. I owe you more than you can imagine Papi!

“The key to happiness is having dreams… the key to success is making dreams come true.”

Making It Happen...

I finally did it. I stopped talking about what I wanted to do and I actually went a did it.

About a month ago, I hit a hard spot in my life. Financially, I am barely getting by. Emotionally, I was getting tired of the same old routines. At work, I reached my breaking point and realized that something in my life had to change. I went to bed one night thinking my life was always going to be like this. Then I had a breakthrough. What was stopping me from just packing up and leaving? I had my diploma, finished my TEFL courses, was dealing with another bad break-up, and had great connections waiting for me in Spain. It became so incredibly clear. Just do it... just buy a ticket and move to Spain.

As soon as possible, I was on Skype with Dani discussing my new found clarity. I simply asked if it was possible for me to move to Spain by June. His response, "Absolutely!" We talked about some possible kinks like finding private tutoring sessions, receiving my british passport, preparing my CV, searching for a flat... But within an hour, everything was set and all I had to do was buy the plane ticket. The plan was for mid-June but airfare was a bit out of my price range. (go figure) So I discouragingly looked at flights later and later in the summer. The prices of airfare rose and rose. Then Dani asked if I could come earlier than mid-June. Sure enough I found a flight leaving May 28th for less than $300! However, it was already the first week of May. But nothing was stopping me now. I booked it!

What next? Breaking the news to my family. Some took it suprisingly well, others were shocked and confused. I've talked about going abroad for so long now that most starting believing that all it would ever amount to is 'talk'. Overall, I was lucky to receive my family and friends support on my decision. I put my notice in at work and they trained my replacement. I finished my CV and made flyers for my private tutoring. I shopped for new professional 'European-style' outfits. Dani helped me out immensely on his end in Spain. He called around for flats (apartments) that needed renters and found me various schools/ websites to send my CV when I arrived.

As the days passed, I worked as much as possible to hopefully get a little cushion of money while I settled into Spain. Then I realized how many of the little things I overlooked. Mostly getting my bills and banking situation figured out. Like: my student loans are overwhelming, what if I dont make enough my first few months in Spain? I called and told the companies my situation and I was eligible for forebearance. Deferrment of a loan means you stop making payments and don't incrue extra interest (usually for medical, educational, military reasons) Forebearence of a loan means you stop making payments but the interest of the loan continues to incrue (usually for unemployment, economic hardship or personal reasons) Deferrment in the better of the 2; however, most people are only eligible for forbearance. This at least gives me a few months to get settled and not worry where I'm going to get an extra $700/mo.

Banking was another situation that caused some headache. My bills and loans must be paid from a US bank so what is the easiest way to get money from a Spanish account to my US account? The only away apart from mailing personal checks home for my family to deposit on my behalf and wait the 1-2 weeks for international checks to clear is wire transfers. They can be done online in minutes; however, each transfer costs $15-50 depending on the bank. But transferring large sums would be less stressful in the long run.

Then I had to call every credit/debit card to inform them of my move abroad. Most banks charge an extra percentage when you use your cards abroad and an extra dollar amount when you go to an ATM. I had to figure out what I was doing with my cell phone. I decided just to get a pay-as-you-go phone in Spain so Im not tempted to call friends from my US phone. This is the preferred cell method for most young Spaniards.

These were the majority of the pains I encountered. Other things like cancelling my gym membership and figuring what I needed to pack were tiny other things that I finished in my last few days here in America.


My family and friends had a great going away party for me. Memorial Day was my last day of work and now I am hours away from departing. Saying my goodbyes wasn't as hard as I thought because I know that I have full support from everyone. Plus, with technology today, I know my family and friends are a click or Skype call away. So my next blog will be from the imperial city of Toledo. The city I have daydreamed about for over a year... a daydream that in less than 24 hours will be my new reality!

My advice for anyone is to follow your dreams. You'll be amazed at where they can take you!

Keeping Focus...

It's been 3 long months since my last update. I have made great discoveries but little progress in that time. I guess my personal life did side-swipe me for a large portion of that time but I always had my mind on my plans for going abroad. Let's start where I left off...



Good News. I finally sucked up all my fears, had 'Spanish month' talking with Dani, studied hours and hours for weeks and finally took that test that was keeping me from my dilpoma. After waiting 15 of the longest days of my life, I got the results. I finally had earned my Bachelor's degree!!!

That was one load off my mind to say the least. Now I could put all my efforts into job searching in Asia and Spain.



I worked with my advisor from Oxford (where I got my TEFL certificate) on creating my CV, the Euro/Asian version of a resume. He also helped me create some very snazzy cover letters to add to my applications. However, the job search Oxford couldn't really help me with so I did most on my own. I found amazing websites for TEFL/ ESL teachers listing thousands and thousands of jobs all over the world. I must have sent out 25 applications to schools in Asia in the first day. By the end of the week, I had over 100 emails replies from schools wanting me to set up an interview.



Any person would have been as thrilled as I was. I thought I would have a job in a matter of days. However, as I started reading thru all the emails, almost every single one wanted me for at least a year. I really wanted to live in Asia for the summer but not an entire year. So it has been almost 2 months since I started summer job searching in Asia and have found little to no success. The summer jobs I did find were only available to English speakers that were already living in Asia. The schools don't provide any accomadations or airfare for just a summer post.



I expaned my search to other continents for summer work and found similar problems especially the pesky EU restrictions. I did take a few interviews with some promising schools and had a few job offers but nothing that really felt right or made sense for me. I was really excited about this summer Englsih camp in Florence, Italy. But after my interview, they told me the only position they had left was for the program for June only and they dont pay airfare. So after June I would be jobless and be too early for jobs in Spain. So unfortunately I had to turn the job down.



I also ran into a lot of scary job offers and scams. A tip: when it comes to working abroad, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Example, I was offered a job in Nigeria by a Swedish family whose father was recently transfered there for work and needed to learn English. They offered me my own apartment and over $7000 a month. How could I turn that down, right? Well I replied asking some personal details. He gave me his work info and even sent a family photo. But I researched the father's company and found it didn't exist. And in my research found out that white slavery is one of the most lucrative businesses in Nigeria. It may sound funny but these things really do happen.



More Good News: with the nice chunk of change I received from my tax return, I can finally finish getting my dual citizenship and EU passport. After researching, I discovered that most schools dont really pay attention to the passport restrictions but are just happy you have one in general. So now I can start searching more schools in Europe once I get my passport underway once again.



Let's end this blog with some Spain updates. I find out April 15th where I get placed in Spain for the upcoming school year in August. I had to send in my police background check and medical clearance to the Embassy of Spain in Washington DC last week. I'm guessing that means I received one of the teaching positions for American within the Spanish government but I just don't know where they are sending me. I put in my CV that I had ready accomodations in Toledo so could work in the general area. Dani and his sister will most likely take jobs in Madrid and commute to work from Toledo, so hopefully I'll get Madrid.



Dani also found me an American institute in Madrid that is at the front of ESL teaching. I sent them my CV and they asked me to come in for a personal interview (in Madrid) as soon as possible. We are in negotiations now to see if I could do more from the States before I fly to Madrid. But I just started talking with them so hopefully next blog I'll be able to give more updates.

If you've lost focus, just sit down and be still. Take the idea and rock it to and fro. Keep some of it and throw some away, and it will renew itself. You need do no more.

-Clarissa Pinkola Estes

Change in Direction

Another few weeks have passed here in Chicago without much change. The holidays have come and gone as usual. I have just passed the one-year mark since my departure to Spain and it is such a bittersweet feeling. I remember being so fearful of leaving the US and now I cannot wait to leave again. I also had such high expectations of what my life would be after college. Needless to say, I have come nowhere near those expectations which saddens me more and more everyday.
I must say that I have been good about keeping on target with my goals for getting abroad and even added some interesting twists. But let's start where I left off...
I've been applying and researching for more grants in Spain. I just finished 2 cover letters in Spanish (a difficult task because I rarely use my Spanish since graduating); I have completed everything for the major grant that Dani found for me and all that is left is to mail it in and wait for a response.
I took a trip to the English Consulate downtown this past week in order to get my dual citizenship rolling. It was pretty much a wasted trip because they told me that everything, even my birth declaration has to go through Washington DC. I was hoping to avoid this time strain but there's is nothing I can do about it. So I have to put this on hold for a bit because I have finally realized that my eyes and my heart are too big for my wallet, and with the final of my student loans beginning this month, I have very little money to spare. But hopefully a better job is waiting for me around to bend so I can finally put all my hard work into action.
I am slowly starting my other TEFL courses. I get to do them on my own time which is a blessing and a curse all in one. With work being slow these next few weeks, hopefully I can motivate myself to get a jump start on them.
Probably the biggest twist and main reason for this post is a decision I made after careful consideration a few weeks ago. I have been so hell-bent on returning to Spain (which has not changed, however...) I never even considered teaching anyplace else in the world. So after much research, I have decided to leave the States a few months ahead of schedule and teach in Asia.... South Korea to be more specific (no they are not the ones that are anti-American). I'm going just for the summer, but the pay is amazing, all accomadations are included, as well as roundtrip airfare. But I have a method to my madness... with the outrageous prices of airfare right now, schools in S. Korea with pay for both flights to and from Korea. Therefore, I figured that I will have my school in Korea simply pay for my flight to Spain. Save myself almost $1000 while gaining teaching experience and learning about a brand new culture. Plus, I figure that the culture shock will be so incredibly massive in Korea, that by the time summer ends, Spain will be the closest thing to America and my adjustment back into the Spanish way of life will be easy. A few people that were in my TEFL courses earlier will already be in Korea by this summer, so I am confident that my transition will not be terrible. I have contacted my advisor from my TEFL course, and he is helping me prepare my resume and getting ready for some interviews with Korean schools. He says that by mid to late February, I should know where and when I will be arriving in S. Korea.
This was actually the easiest part of my journey so far. If I wasn't so smitten by Spain, I may have chosen to remain in Asia for more than just a summer. But with my dream in arm's reach, I am not slowing down. I know what I want and I'm no longer afraid to fight for it. All I have to do is be patient and wait out the winter which already seems never-ending.

Until next time,
<3 Brittany

Reconnecting to an Unknown Past...

It's been an eventful few weeks to say the least. Especially on my journey to get abroad...

Starting off, I finally finished the main portion of my TEFL Certification. I completed my 60-hour course and have my actual certificate to teach ESL. I can't tell you how emotional I was; not only because I finally realized that teaching may be my calling but the irony that comes with getting my teaching certificate before my actual college diploma! However, I've decided to take 2 specializations to go along with my certificate: one being Advanced English Grammar and the second being Business English. These will hopefully increase my marketablitly to Spanish institutions but also open more doors to private tutoring (a very lucrative way to make extra cash in Europe). So within the next 3 months, I will hopefully have both specializations completed and job offers rolling in... but let's not get ahead of myself here.

Probably the biggest decision I have made was based on some heavy setbacks when it came to looking for positions and grants within Spain. It seems a pesky little thing called the European Union (EU) has a problem giving jobs to anyone not a citizen to a country within... the European Union. For anyone that is confused, the United States is not a part of the EU. Therefore, I decided to take on the task of getting my dual citizenship with England. My ancestors including my father were raised in England. I never knew much about my family's life prior to their move to America in the 80s but with my new interest in the European way of life, I figured it was a good idea to look into my past. So I started my search on how to regain a part of my life I never knew about. I did the research online and found that luckily the male side of the family can be linked easily and leagally for citizenship. Any person that has a maternal father or grandfather from a foreign land in the EU can claim citizenship due to birth right. In recent years, a mother's lineage and adoption records can also be used. I was finally on the right track.

The only set back I came across was a lack of documentation on my parent's part. It seems that when my parents first married, they should have filed their marriage with the English government and thereafter, my birth. Because, needless to say, they didn't, I have to do so myself... 23 years after the fact. This is not only time consuming but pricey. All the paper work has to be done to the T and after this is sent in and accepted by the English consulate, I can finally begin my bid for dual citizenship. This should take hopefully 6 weeks. However, I do run the risk of being excluded from many of the benefits of being an EU citizen. One of which is the free labor clause that allows all EU citizens to work in any country that is apart of the European Union (including Spain) Here lies the dilemma. I'm spending so much time and money to get my dual citizenship with England in order to get my EU passport that will allow me to work in SPain freely. However, because I was not actually born in England, the UK government can decide to revoke my EU benefits after a personal interview with me. But it is a risk I am willing and must take.

In the mean time, I am still preparing to take this one last test that will finally give me my Bachelors that I have been longing for. I am also applying for some teaching positions with the hope of having an EU passport shortly. Luckily, Dani, my dearest friend from Spain, found me a possible position that gives student visas to Americans for a short time to teach English. This is the best hope I have if my dual citizenship doesn't work out. The pay is not great, but at least it is a start. The only problem is that I do not get to choose where I get to teach in Spain. I know the phrase that 'beggars cannot be choosers' but I feel that being close to Dani and Toledo is the only chance i have at keeping my sanity on such a life changing journey.

Personally, I am struggling on all fronts. My desire to return to the 'exotic' European life is overwhelming. But my fears and love for comfort are definately wearing me down. As time passes, I feel that I am losing myself again and returning to the careless and naive ways of my past. I find it harder and harder to remember some things that made my time abroad to magical. And I doubt myself and my abilities as Spain becomes a distant memory and even a dream that was too good to be true. All I can do now is trust myself to remember the reason why I started off on this journey to return abroad and to realize that I only have one life that cannot be wasted in conformity and constant protection. Time will only tell...

So it begins...

I've never been much into blogging, but lately, with all my plans heading me overseas, I figured I might as well start. So here we go...

Currently I'm 22 and graduated this past June from Ohio University. With one silly test keeping me from my diploma, I'm stalling on finding a true career. Not because I'm incapable or scared, but because I have no idea what I want to do with my life. My degree (will be) in Spanish and Business Administration. However, ever since my short stint with Teach for America this past year, I'm definately leaning more towards a career in education. Therefore, for the past several weekends, I've been taking classes towards a certificate in TEFL: teaching english as a foreign language. It was by far the best decision I've made in my adult life.

With a few classes left, I'll be able to start looking for teaching jobs. Of course, my first choice and really only desired destination is Spain. I spent my quarter abroad studying in Toledo from January to mid March of 2008. At the time, I was dragging through the days only wanting to go back to the US and finish my senior year of college with my friends. Once I returned home, I realized what a drastic impact Europe really made on my life. I find myself seemingly disgusted with some American practices and yearning for the good ole' days of strolling through ancient cities, exploring new cultures, and seeing the US as the rest of the world does. Now more than ever, I realize that Europe is where I want to spend the next segment of my life.

So hopefully with this blog, I will take you through my journey on moving to Europe, my life abroad, and all the worldly adventures I have yet to face!

"Let your mind start a journey thru a strange new world. Leave all thoughts of the world you knew before. Let your soul take you where you want to go... close your eyes, let your spirit start to soar, and you'll live as if you've never lived before."
-Erich Fromm


Besos-

Brittany