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Prague, Czech Republic | June 2023

Shot on Olympus OM-1 with Kodak Ultramax 400 and Kodak Gold 200

Developed and scanned by Sunny16 Lab

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Prague, Czech Republic | June 2023

Shot on Olympus OM-1 with Kodak Ultramax 400 and Kodak Gold 200 Developed and scanned by Sunny16 Lab

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Paris, France | April 2023

Shot on Olympus OM-1 with Fujifilm Superia Xtra 400 and Kodak Ultramax 400 Developed and scanned by Sunny16 Lab

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Montmartre, Paris, France | April 2023

Shot on Olympus OM-1 with Fujifilm Superia Xtra 400 and Kodak Ultramax 400 Developed and scanned by Sunny16 Lab

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Florence and Pisa, Italy | February 2023

Shot on Olympus OM-1 with Fujifilm Superia Xtra 400 Developed and scanned by Sunny16 Lab

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Bologna, Italy | February 2023

Shot on Olympus OM-1 with Fujifilm Superia Xtra 400 Developed and scanned by Sunny16 Lab

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Antwerp, Belgium | April 2022

Shot on Olympus OM-1 with Fujifilm Superia Xtra 400 Developed and scanned by Sunny16 Lab

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Brussels, Belgium | April 2022

Shot on Olympus OM-1 with Fujifilm Superia Xtra 400 Developed and scanned by Sunny16 Lab

[pearlaton]

What is expected of an English Language Assistant?

One thing that usually happens with new Auxes is that they are distracted with the novelty of living independently in a new country that sometimes they forget that they actually have to come to school and do their duties as an assistant.

Those Tiktok videos and Instagram reels of people romanticizing moving to a new country, settling in their new apartments, getting groceries, trying to find a regular spot for Sunday brunch or morning coffee, and traveling around Europe – they are only showing a fraction of what it's actually like. It sets the expectation so high for some people that when they come and do the program, they see how challenging it is and they realize that it's not for them. So some of them end up going back home or pushing through the year but dreading going to school and their students and teachers.

Don't get me wrong. I have been in a similar spot when I moved to Madrid. Everything was so new and exciting. The city is so beautiful. It's hard not to romanticize my life. I was fully feeling the vibe of being in my ~living independently girly in España~ era.

The "Oh wait. I actually have to go to school and teach kids English" realization hit me hard when I was several weeks in the school year. I have never taught children (especially Spanish children with different levels of English) in a classroom setting before, so the adjustment was rough for me.

Good thing, my school during my two years under the Ministry's program, was a good one. My students were lovely and sweet. Most of them are brilliant. Some of them are too brilliant for their age haha I had the same batch of kids for 2 years in different grades. I was with them when they were in first grade and again when they were in second grade and they knew me. I still have their drawings and the small scrapbooks that my teachers have bound together for me.

My teachers were warm and welcoming too. They have high levels of English. I never felt like I was not important or excluded from the group. We collaborated a lot and they trusted me enough to do my own one-on-one activities with the kids too.

Although there were some tough days, I still enjoyed my time as an English Language Assistant for three years. I mean, I wouldn't have stayed that long if I didn't actually like what I was doing, regardless of how sometimes you want to pull your hair out because some kid named Alejandro still don't know the days of the week in English.

Yes, you do get to do all the fun stuff about living in Spain and traveling around Europe. But you do have to remember that you're there because the program expects you to do your duties as an English Language Assistant.

So, let's talk about what is expected out of an Aux.

#1 Show up on time and Regularly

I know we Filipinos like to function in our own time. That should be changed because it's just pure disrespect to be late all the time. You're expected to show up on time. Classes usually start around 9AM, so you have to be there unless when there's a good reason. I have arrived late and missed the first few classes unintentionally before and it was always because of train strikes or malfunctions, or traffic. I made sure to let my coordinator and my teacher know.

You are also expected to show up regularly. If you need to skip a day, you have to get a justificante from a doctor if you are sick or from someone in charge if you are processing your government documents.

A justificante is a document that states the date, time, and the reason. If you are sick, it usually states the findings from the check up and the doctor's recommendations. If you fail to bring one the next time you show up or send it to your coordinator, I think it depends on the school on what they're going to do about it. Either your pay will be docked or you need to make up for your missed hours.

#2 Collaborate with Teachers

When you come to school, you might think that your coordinators and partner teachers already know what they want you to do and how you're going to help in class. This isn't true all the time and not true for many schools. Sometimes they just say "Do whatever you want" and that doesn't always work.

As an assistant, you are expected to collaborate with your teachers. You should do more than just walk around and help the kids. Ask them about their lesson plans. Suggest activities that you can do on your own (with your partner teacher inside the classroom of course) or together. Sometimes partner teachers can be hesitant in communicating with their assistants because they can be shy with their English level. This is why you have to ask and talk to them first.

#3 Be One of the Trusted References for English

As an English Language Assistant, of course you're expected to be one of the trusted references for English. You are the native speaker. So any questions about grammar, meaning, pronunciation, and sentence structure, for example, will be directed at you. When in doubt, Google is your best friend.

I remember in my school under the Ministry's program, one of my partner teachers asked me something about the proper pronunciation of a certain word. I can't remember it anymore but I remember we were both confused as to how you should say the word because it was different in the listening part of the activity. We both have very high levels of English but even we were confused. So we checked Google and practiced it all through the class.

#4 Participate in Events or Trips

Now, most schools don't really require you to join in trips or participate in events. It's optional, especially if the event is not something that you practice culturally like Thanksgiving. Filipinos don't celebrate Thanksgiving. So I didn't do a presentation on it or joined in their celebration.

However, there are some events and trips that are so fun that you don't want to miss like Halloween, Christmas, and Carnaval. I made a game for Halloween and the kids loved it. I joined Carnaval too and all the teachers in first and second grade were dressed as trains. The kids were dressed as tourists. Of course, me and my co-aux dressed as trains too. It was so much fun.

There was also this one time when the school went to watch Queen for Kids show and it was so fun! It was a Queen tribute band and I loved it so much.

#5 Interact with the Students in English ONLY

Talking to the kids only in English is probably already a given when Auxes apply to the program. It's what you're there for. When they ask if you speak Spanish, you always have to say no. Once they know that you can understand or can speak it, they will start talking to you in Spanish, which defeats your purpose.

However, in my experience, there are times when I had to pull out my limited Spanish to make them understand a word or the lesson. This usually happens with lower primary like in first grade or younger. But, as much as possible, interact with them only in English.

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That's it! I hope this was helpful. Next time, I'll share about good and bad schools. Yikes! 😬

[pearlaton]

What do Auxes usually do in the summer if they don't get their stipends during those months?

Let's talk about summer!

As I have mentioned in several of my posts about the English Language Assistants program, Auxes DO NOT get their stipends during the summer months. This from July to September – that's three whole months without any Euros coming in.

I think one of the reasons why Auxes don't get any stipend during those months is because well, first, it's the summer break. There are no classes. Second, you are actually expected by the program to leave or go back to your home country after it ends.

You might think, "But I'm renewing for a second/third year!" and I get that but you're not entitled for the stipend (and other benefits like health insurance) when there are no classes, even if you're coming back for the next school year. Remember, you're not a regular teacher. You're just doing an internship.

When you renew for a second or third year, your duties as an English Language Assistant and all the perks that come with it, will only be effective once you start going back to school. For the Ministry's program, that's the first week of October. For BEDA, it's usually the second week of September. Only then will your health insurance be active again and your stipend will be given to you by the end of the month (or the week after).

With that in mind, how do Auxes survive the summer months?

Living Off Their Savings

For one, there are many Auxes who would save a portion of their stipends and they live off of that. They sublet cheaper rooms too. In general, at least in my experience, the summer months are cheaper in terms of rent and utilities.

Teaching in Language Academies

Another option is to teach in Language Academies. They are still open throughout the summer, except maybe for some who close for vacation. Businesses in Spain usually close for a month or longer during the summer. But for academies who remain open, there are still students coming in and Auxes get to earn some money. The pay is per hour and is usually not that high, but it is definitely going to help you survive. I have friends who have earned enough for groceries or utilities.

Here's a bit of disclaimer though: the competition to get hired in Language Academies are quite rough. People usually apply through referrals, or the job postings in Facebook groups, or online.

Joining Summer Camps

Joining summer camps is another option for Auxes too. Most summer camps offer accommodation and meals. Other camps only offer a weekly stipend. You will be a camp monitor for kids and sometimes the work hours and tasks are tough.

I personally don't have an experience with this, but I have friends who have told me how rigid the training is and the actual camp tasks itself. Sometimes they run for 2 months or longer, but you can choose how long you want to participate. You can find people posting about openings around May or June.

Going Home

Some Auxes have also gone back home for the summer to save money. They usually move out of their apartments and rent a space for their stuff. Then they come back in September in time for the new school year to start.

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For me, I've stayed in Madrid for my first summer. I stayed in a cheaper apartment and lived off my savings.

During my second summer, I rented a sublet for a month and flew to Canada for the rest of the summer. I stayed with my boyfriend's family to save a bit on rent and to get to know them better too.

[pearlaton]

Toronto, Canada | January 2022

My boyfriend and I spent a couple of days in Toronto before my flight back to Madrid. It was my first time in the city. I never thought that I'd be in Canada at some point in my life, not only for a visit but to actually settle there. It's strange and funny how life works sometimes.

[pearlaton]

Monte Carlo, Monaco | June 2023

On our last full day in the French Riviera, we started our morning a bit earlier than usual. We hoped to catch the train to Monaco without the huge crowd of people. We also waited for the train in the station near our hotel, instead of taking it from Nice-Ville, which is the main station. We thought that there would be lesser people in the station near us. But maaan! We were so wrong.

We arrived early and there were only a few people waiting. But the train came sooo late that more people came to the station. The train was also packed! Like sardines in a can. I think we missed two or three trains because we couldn't fit in anymore.

One thing that most people won't tell you about visiting the French Riviera during the early days of summer is that the trains get super packed. The trips aren't as frequent as in Italy. Last year, when my friends and I went to Cinque Terre, there were trains like every 20-30 minutes. Since the trips were frequent, the trains are hardly packed.

Anyway, we snuck ourselves inside the third train that we waited for more than an hour. We were desperate. It was either we get an Uber (which was expensive as heck) or squeeze ourselves in the next train. We chose the latter and it kind'a worked. We got in but we were struggling inside.

It took more or less 30 minutes to arrive in Monaco. It was already noon when we arrived. Good thing, we have some sandwiches and pastries as our "baon" because Monaco is expensive as hell.

There's really not much to do in the area, unless you're super rich haha. All we did was take photos and videos. We went inside the Monte-Carlo casino and took photos. There were many luxury brands and fancy people in fancy cars. I mean, it's Monaco. It's a rich person's paradise.

We went to the port and looked at all the yachts docked there. There were a lot of super yachts, the kind that looks like an actual ship.

It was super hot already when we came, so after taking photos and videos, we decided to go back to the train station and head to Menton.

Monaco is okay. Yes, it's fancy and it's crazy how rich people are. It's an okay place to visit once (and like half a day), just to tick it off your list.

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Overall, our visit to the French Riviera was truly a dream come true. I never thought that I'd be there with my friends in my 20's. I've seen most of the places that I've only read and watched videos about. It was surreal.

I would definitely want to visit more of the towns like Saint Tropez, Grasse, and Aix-en-Provence next time. But for now, my French Riviera dream has been fulfilled.

[pearlaton]

Cannes, France | June 2023

My friends and I left Antibes a little after lunch and hopped on the train again to go to Cannes. The trip took only about 11 to 12 minutes since they're not too far from each other.

We've heard about Cannes so many times because of the international film festival that happens every year, so we were curious to see how it is in real life. At this point, we were pretty exhausted from the hiking, travel, and swimming that we did in Antibes, but we still pushed through.

We got off the station and my friends did a quick outfit change. I already did my simple outfit change in Antibes after swimming. I love no fuss button-down dresses. My friend, Faith, and I did a makeshift "dressing room" with our towels so I can take off my bikini. Then I put the dress on and that was it! Easy peasy.

After their quick change, we just walked to the busy town. We went inside a fast food restaurant to get some snacks and hide from the intense summer heat. We needed to charge our phones too. It was a nice breather because we were sweating so much. Summer in the South of France is indeed intense.

We didn't do a lot of things in Cannes other than walk around and take photos. When we walked to Plage du Midi, we saw some construction barriers with photos of celebrities and actors who have been in Cannes for the film festival. It was interesting to see a lot of them and even a young Leonardo DiCaprio. We also amazed by all the yachts that were parked in the port. Oh to have so much money to own a yacht. It must be nice haha

After a long day of literally relaxing and seeing beautiful sights, we headed back to Nice and called it a day.

Next up, Monaco!

[pearlaton]

Antibes, France | June 2023

On our third day in the South of France, we started our day in Antibes. It was a dream come true! I know I've said that a lot but seriously, I used to only watch videos and see photos online of all the places that I've been to. It's still surreal for me that I have memories of those places already.

Anyway, we took the early train to Antibes. The trip only took more or less 30 minutes from Nice. When we arrived, the walk to the town wasn't so bad. We went to Marché Provençal to pick up some food for our picnic. Of course, we couldn't help but take photos and videos of the quaint shops and restaurants that we have passed by on the way to the market.

We picked up some sandwiches and pastries from a local bakery. We also got fresh fruits from the market. Then we went to the bus stop where we took the bus Number 2 to the Bay of Billionaires. It was a bit stressful too. Almost everyone in the bus stop was waiting for the same bus because they had the same idea. The bus came and it was packed quickly. It was also hot inside! For some reason, the bus driver didn't crank up the AC or maybe because it's packed that the AC can't cool the bus enough.

After several minutes, we arrived in Fontaine (which is the bus stop where you need to get off to go to the bay). We then walked to the bay that took about 15 minutes.

I read a review on Google Maps about how you need to wear comfortable shoes because you will do a bit of a hike. I'm glad we followed because the hike was challenging! There were lots of sharp hot rocks and narrow paths that go up and down.

We were supposed to go inside the the Villa Eilenroc but it was closed. It was all good though because all we really wanted to do was to find a good spot for our picnic and swim.

We followed the hiking trail and found a nice spot for our picnic. Then we changed into our bikinis and swam. A bit of a reminder to anyone who will be visiting soon, there are no public washrooms in the area. Also, the beach is pebbly. It's not the same as the tropical beaches in the Philippines. But still very beautiful and relaxing. Think of hot stone massages in spas haha

Being in Antibes felt like I was in a movie. It's like one of those Bond movies or those cinematic vlogs shot in film. I felt super lucky and grateful for being there with my friends. None of us thought that we'd be vacationing where rich people go haha.

Next up! Cannes!

[pearlaton]

Menton, France | June 2023

After spending the morning in Eze, my friends and I went to Menton. It's a charming little town right in the border of France and Italy. The next train stop after Menton is Ventimiglia and it's in Italy already.

Anyway, our visit to Menton was a short one. We were already tired from the commuting fiasco that we dealt with when we went to Eze. Plus, going around the town also robbed us of our energy that we didn't have enough to enjoy Menton. The weather wasn't on our side too because when we arrived, it was hot and sunny. Then it became gloomy and eventually it rained.

Menton in the rain was a different kind of vibe. It was still beautiful but in a moody way. We just walked around the town and saw the Basilica of Saint-Michael the Archangel. It was cool to see it in real life because before we went on the trip, I watched some reels about the place. Then we went down the popular zigzag stairs from the Basilica going to the beach front.

We went to Plage des Sablettes even if it was drizzling a bit. The beach has a nice public esplanade. There are lounge chairs, benches, and showers that are free for use. The showers weren't functioning though haha

We slowly started walking back to the train station to head back to Nice.

On our last full day in the French Riviera, my friends and I decided to go back to Menton since we didn't fully enjoyed it the first time. It was sunny when we went the second time and took tons of photos and videos.

We found a nice street beside the Basilica and took photos. A stranger asked us to take photos of them and in turn they took photos of us.

We went back to Nice and had a nice dinner in Taverne Masséna (Maison Cresci) and I had escargot for the first time. I had an oops moment though because I didn't know how to take the snail out of its shell. I was holding it with the little thongs that they gave us and it popped out and flew across the table. It was a facepalm moment.

It was a nice way to end our time in the French Riviera. It was such a special trip for the three of us, especially because I don't know when I'll be seeing them again.

[pearlaton]

Did you experience any racism in Spain?

This is quite a sensitive topic but let's talk about it.

A few days ago, I got a comment on Tiktok. Vinch asked if I have experienced any racism in Spain.

Yes, unfortunately. It would've been a lie if I said, "No." However, I haven't experienced anything extreme. They were microaggressions.

One time during my first year in Spain, when my roommates and I went grocery shopping, we noticed a security guard would follow us around. They do keep their distance but you know they're following you.

I had a guy message me, "That sounds exotic" on a dating app because he asked where I was from and I said I was from the Philippines. He was an American living in Spain, so it kind'a counts. It still grinds my gears when I remember that.

In my last school before I lef thte program, one of the teachers that I work with made third grade kids guess where I'm from and the clue was the Spanish chocolate covered biscuits called Filipinos. She could have used other references that the kids can still relate to. Seriously! We could've played Hangman or something that the kids can participate in, but instead she chose that. I felt like my ethnicity was "reduced" into a chocolate that's not even from the Philippines.

Some teachers have thought that I was from America or the UK because of how I speak English. In a way, it's a racial microaggression because they probably didn't think that Filipinos from the Philippines can speak good and clear English.

I think the most "extreme" experience would probably be this one time when my friends and I went biking in Casa de Campo. We were biking through a wide street at a moderate pace when two Spaniards zipped by us. I couldn't remember exactly what they said but they were pretty pissed at us for "blocking" them. I remember clearly that they called us "Chinos" which refers to Chinese people. Then my friend yelled "No somos Chinos! Somos Filipinos. Ignorantes!" They didn't look back though and we just left it at that.

To be fair, things like these don't happen exclusively with Spaniards. My friends and I have gotten comments or experienced some form of racial microaggression from other races. Yep, even from other Asians.

Just to add another example, which still bothers me. This wasn't directed at me but it's something that made me realize how much racism is a learned concept. Nobody is born with inherent hate or dislike towards another race.

I did a Reverse Charade game with my ESO or high school students. The way the game goes is that someone will be standing in front of the class with his or her back against the board. That student will have to guess what the picture is and his/her group mates will have to help by describing what it is in English without saying the answer.

There were categories about food, famous landmarks, and countries. Of course, I included some question items there that are related to Asia.

I was in one of my 3rd of ESO class (third year high school) and a picture of a bowl of ramen showed on the screen. The students went crazy. They pulled back the sides of their eyes to make them look chinky.

Then a picture of shawarma showed on the screen and the students imitated how an Indian person sounds when they talk. The class had students from Pakistan and India and some of the students pointed at them and imitated them. It was disturbing.

Honestly, I didn't know what was the proper thing to do because I wasn't in the right place to lecture them about it. I was only an assistant. Talking about racism isn't exactly in my description and I don't think people will be okay with me doing that to the kids.

I can understand if young kids would make some sort of racial microaggression because you can still teach them that it's not okay. But if older kids like those in high school or adults would do that, it's disturbing. Madrid is an international city. It's pretty diverse. You get to be exposed to many races with different cultures, backgrounds, language, religion, and perspectives. There's really no excuse for you not to learn how to be sensitive to other people and unlearn your racial biases. You would think that, but unfortunately, that doesn't happen.

Spain, like all the other countries in the world (yes, including the Philippines), still has a long way to go in terms of unlearning racial biases and learning how to be sensitive and self-aware of how they act towards other people.

[pearlaton]

Can you get residency and then eventually citizenship with the student visa?

Last month, I got a comment on Tiktok in one of the videos that I posted about the English Language Assistant program. It’s all about getting residency and citizenship with the program.

I wasn't supposed to cover that topic because, first, I'm not an immigration lawyer or consultant. I don't have the necessary professional background. Second, honestly, I wasn't interested in applying for Spanish citizenship anyway, so I didn't bother looking it up.

However, I have limited knowledge on this from stories that I've heard, articles I've read, and videos that I've watched in passing. So I'll share them with you.

As far as I know, the years you've stayed in Spain with a student visa doesn't count when you apply for permanent residency and then eventually citizenship. Spain doesn't have a student pathway like what Canada and Australia have.

I cross-checked several articles from some reliable websites that pop up when you do a quick Google search and they all confirmed this information. (Source: Balcellsgroup, Immigration Spain and Spain Guru)

According to Balscellsgroup, the student visa is not a regular residence permit. It's a legal document that will allow you to stay in Spain while you study, or in the case of the English Language Assistant program, while you do your internship.

There are several ways to obtain residency. You can have your student visa modified to get a work visa. If a company has offered you a job (40 hours a week), you can apply to switch for cuenta ajena. If you want to become a self-employed individual, you can apply to switch for cuenta propia.

Other options are the non-lucrative visa, business visa, golden visa, family member of an EU citizen visa (i.e, the pareja de hecho), and the arraigo visa, to name a few. The digital nomad visa was launched this year, so that can be an option for you too.

I highly suggest doing intense research about the pathway that you're going to take. Read articles and cross check information. Of course, consulting an immigration lawyer is best.

Good luck!