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5 Assumptions New Auxiliaries Shouldn't Make Before the Cultural Ambassadors Program

Source: mecd.gob.es

So you've accepted your position as an auxiliar de conversación in [insert region here], Spain, and you’re ready to make the move. You've got your entire life tightly packed in one or two suitcases, and an overflowing carry-on duffel bag just in case your suitcase is lost in
translation transition. Flight itinerary, check. Visa, check. Official documents, check. Money, check (but leave your traveler’s checks at home). Even though you’re prepared for arrival, how sure are you that you've prepared for what’s to come during your upcoming year abroad? Below is a list of assumptions auxiliaries shouldn't make before moving to Spain:

1. Knowing how to speak Spanish

The days of high school are over, by years now. No more basic conjugations “yo quiero, tú quieres, etc.” If you’re in this program most likely your college days already ended or they will be in due time. If you've got “cojones”, I suggest buckling down on your Spanish conversation skills because it’s about to get really real, really soon. If you thought speaking Spanish was tough back then, don’t hold your breath for what’s to come!

Living in Granada, for example, was challenging despite its pros: free tapas with an order of drinks (beer, wine, soda, etc., most less than €2), an economic price of living, and its dynamic geographic location. Since living here, I’ve adjusted to the heavy Andalusian accent.

Read books or the news in Spanish on websites such as elmundo.es or elpais.com. If you've got Spanish-speaking friends, practice conversation as much as possible. The more you personify the language before you arrive, the better off things'll be. Tsk tsk, I was hard pressed to realize that Spanish skills aren't as refined as I thought. Don’t worry because you won’t have that problem since you’ve been studying, right? *hint*

2. Are you a real estate pro?


It’s easy to read a lease agreement in English, or simply speak with the landlord about the ins-and-outs of a contract. Although I’ve had communication mishaps with leases during college, I could only imagine running into the same problems in another language.

When searching for a piso, contact people that are renting rooms beforehand. Using sites like easypiso.com, idealista.com, airbnb.es, you’re likely get a few responses although you shouldn't expect to hear back from everyone…

Once you've formed a list of potential locations, designate a few days to go visit the apartments. Depending on your arrival in Spain and where you’re placed, this part should take no longer than a week. A hostel or hotel should be sufficient for this time frame. At all costs, don’t get into a situation where you’re renting an apartment you’ve never seen!

Biggest advice: Know what you’re paying up front and what it includes. Up front means, does the lease require a fianza (security deposit)? Is it furnished, does it include a washer/dryer unit, is the kitchen fully equipped, how many rooms and/or roommates, does air conditioning/heating come included? Get a copy of the lease agreement and be prepared to learn some technical Spanish terms. Again, you’re not a real estate pro, just an auxiliar!

3. Grocery shopping – how to make your money count.

A trip to the store for a week's worth of groceries is typically an in-and-out affair. Womp, womp, womp! ––not the case in Spain, especially if you’ve never lived here.

Not that grocery shopping is time-consuming, rather that most of the products are new. The store’s format, the open and close times, and the product selection are all new information to process. 

Most supermarkets chains in Spain can supply a month’s worth of food for around 100€. In my opinion, Mercadona is the most cost-effective for household supplies and groceries, although others shops may be closer to your apartment such as Covirán, which has a good selection of supplies although they are more limited than other stores. Día is another popular supermarket in Spain, however, I leave that judgement to other auxiliares who've shopped there. 

Make a list of essential items, and revise it after each purchase because practice makes perfect. Save your receipts! By doing so you can compare prices from different stores and remember what each item costs for future shopping trips.

Remember: Get all your groceries purchased before the end of Saturday. Explanation below… (#5)

4. Knowing how to cook

This part can be skipped if you’re good at cooking…unlike me! 

Most of the food here is cooked with aceite de olivar, a widely used olive oil (for bread, salad dressing, baking, deep frying, etc.) I've yet to find a store that carries vegetable oil or peanut butter, so be aware of slight differences in the production gap between your country and Spain. Besides that, you can expect to be eating a lot of pan (bread), verduras (fresh vegetables), pescado (fish), and cerdo (ham, beef, etc.) on the general.

Does your apartment have an oven? If you’re a person that likes to bake a lot (cookies, cakes, cupcakes, etc.), then you’ll be a sourpuss with an insatiable sweet tooth pestering you to find a new apartment after only a few months.

5. Knowing how to manage time

Not only is its time zone chronologically distinct, but Spain's most important tradition, the mid-day siesta, of a 2 to 3 hour break from all activities. Businesses and shops close earlier (around 2:00 – 4:00 pm or later), while restaurants discontinue services from 3:00 – 5:30 or 6:00 pm. Rumor has it that the siesta is causing a stir in the job market, and some people want to do away with it…

Along with that you’ll discover that nearly all businesses are closed on Sunday. A few bars and convenient stores will be open, nothing else. This is why getting cooking ingredients, utensils, and household needs before Sunday is important.

Auxiliar Thought #1: Taking Flight

Bienvenidos auxiliares,

By now I'm sure you've become familiar with the politics of the North American Language and Culture Assistants in Spain program. Applying for the visa, gathering documentation, visiting consulates, and spending the money it costs to do all the above--it's all just a test of responsibility, so GROW UP! As hectic as the process can be at times, you've made it this far and I wouldn't recommend you slow down now -- you've got a plane to catch.

First step of this process is to spread your wings and fly! My flight was 8 hours and 25 minutes, one-way from Charlotte, North Carolina to Madrid, Spain. I bought my ticket from www.statravel.com because they gave friendly discounts and even have an airfare deposit program. But before your departure date, make you've packed the following...

Checklist:

• Passport (with Visa sticker inside)
• Copy of passport
• Flight itinerary
• Copy of flight itinerary
• Visa application 
• Medical certificate
• Background check with apostille seal (original)
• Four passport-size photos for NIE appointment
• School placement letter (original or e-mail format)

These are all essential documents you can't leave behind, that your life in this moment depends on, and that you'll need to apply for your residency card. Now hop on that plane and ride like the wind, bull's eye!

Tip - If you're straight-up fancy, wealthy enough, or just plain lucky like I was, you should fly business class:

Boeing jet business class pamphlet 

Appetizers