To travel on a budget as a Language Assistant is not easy. However, as a recent college graduate without a full-time job, traveling on any sort of budget at this point in my life would not be easy either. But that’s just part of the deal.
Teaching a foreign language in a foreign country is full of challenges. Agreeing to move to a new country, to complete a new program, with new people, is a scary thing. Agreeing to take on the challenge requires a certain amount of courage and an aptitude for taking risks.
As Language Assistants, we must apply this same attitude that led us to embark on this journey in the first place to our personal lives. To make the most out of our time abroad, we must make it a personal goal to travel as much as we can during this short time we are abroad. We must take it upon ourselves to book flights and hotels, travel to other countries, explore small towns and big cities alike, while we are still young, living in Spain (and the flights are cheap).
Here are some of my best tips for travelling while on a Language Assistant’s budget.
Travel in Your Area
Not every trip you take has to be grand. Sometimes the best trips can be just a few hours away. Try visiting the closest major city, taking the train to another part of Spain, or even just going for a hike where you live. Sometimes the best traveling can be done just by walking out of your front door and seeing where the day takes you. If you don’t live in the city you teach in, try sticking around after school one day to see what’s in the area. Try taking a weekend to explore nearby hiking trails, museums, restaurants, and more.
Don’t Be Afraid to Travel Alone
Travelling alone used to be one of my greatest fears, until one day I realized that I can’t wait around for friends and opportunities to find me. Sometimes you have to take a risk and explore something for yourself. Whether it’s trying out that cafe I’ve always walked by but never went into, checking out a museum I’ve been wanting to go to for a while, or shopping at a local market, I can almost always find some way to explore new things alone.
You Can Travel Alone, But It’s Still Important to Make Friends!
While living as a Language Assistant in Spain, friends are our salvation. Time and time again, I have found myself at the end of a busy week with no plans when I receive a text from a group chat of my other Language Assistant friends, proposing we go to a Barca game, or play volleyball at the beach, or just get together for dinner and a nice night out. It is great to build your network here, in a place where everything is so unfamiliar. It can be nice to have friends to rely on and see at the end of a long, busy week.
Money Always Comes Back, but the Experiences Never Do
The most important lesson I’ve had to learn here is that the money will always come back one day, but the experiences never will. My biggest advice is to take advantage of every long weekend, every cheap flight you can find, and book your plans! Go somewhere you’ve never been before! Invite some new friends! Your life will be richer for the experiences.
Author: Victoria T.