Highlights

Over the short four months that I've been here in Madrid working as an Auxiliar, it has been so memorable. I have made so many connections and friends throughout the program and had so many opportunities to be exposed to teaching environments. From the moment I enrolled last spring to the start of this new semester I have found new experiences with each coming week, which I'd like to shed some light on.

The thought of leaving the United States and moving to Europe is in and of itself enough of a huge highlight of the program and in my life. Wanting to enroll to teach and share my knowledge with others who can benefit from it is a whole extra bonus that I have found to be very personally rewarding. Seeing my students progress throughout the months and how my role as an auxiliar is so integrate to the school's benefit shows the value I can bring to those around me.

The smiles and laughs. These are priceless, and by far my favorite part of my experience at Asunción Rincón. These kids can make you want to pull your hair out and give up sometimes, but when you see them filled with joy as you enter the classroom on a Monday morning it really gives you a second wind and an optimistic perspective. This has fostered the connections and relationships that I have made with my students. It's so cool to see them become not only academically successful, but also to see how I can be a positive role model as they continue to grow into citizens of Spain.

In addition to teaching English, this auxiliar program has given me the opportunity to be around the Spanish language, which I have always enjoyed and found value as my second language. I have had the pleasure to meet and talk with some of the parents of my students. These relationships with the parents are very valuable and have furthered my experience here in Spain. All of the relationships I've had with parents have all lead to positive ends.

Being an auxiliar has give me the ability to live in Spain, yielding out of classroom experiences many people in the US could only dream of. There is such a great work life balance working as an auxiliar, that you can't find many other places, especially in the U.S. I have been able to join organizations and meet people from all over the world here in the Madrid community. I believe it would be impossible to find an equivalent experience like what I have had here in Madrid any where in the United States. And for that, I am thankful I can have these experiences now to take with me going forward in my life.

The ability to travel often and cheap is my final highlight. Madrid has such a central location that makes it easy to travel both domestically and internationally. Within three months here I have already been to two new countries outside of Spain and several cities within Spain. This invaluable because as a person I believe traveling can teach you what it means to be human and give you experiences and lessons that you will never find in a classroom or at home. Traveling has been a huge factor on my experiences as an auxiliar here in Madrid.