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Spain next week!

 
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eteokles



Joined: 28 Jun 2012
Posts: 6

PostPosted: Sun Sep 09, 2012 2:21 pm    Post subject: Spain next week! Reply with quote

So I'm heading to Spain next week to find work. Flying into Valencia. Am a native speaker with a CELTA, but no experience. Have enough savings for a month/two till I get enough hours.
Anyone in Valencia at the moment? Be nice to have some advice!
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Bosstones



Joined: 01 Feb 2012
Posts: 4
Location: England

PostPosted: Sun Sep 09, 2012 11:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm in the same boat as you, also heading to Valencia. Native speaker, got a CELTA, fluent Spanish but no experience. Hope it works out. I'll be staying in a hostal initially.
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eteokles



Joined: 28 Jun 2012
Posts: 6

PostPosted: Mon Sep 10, 2012 11:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bosstones wrote:
I'm in the same boat as you, also heading to Valencia. Native speaker, got a CELTA, fluent Spanish but no experience. Hope it works out. I'll be staying in a hostal initially.


Oh nice. What's the deal with Hostals? They like cheap hotels or what? I was going to grab a hostel, round 10 euros a night, till I find an apartment.
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Bosstones



Joined: 01 Feb 2012
Posts: 4
Location: England

PostPosted: Mon Sep 10, 2012 12:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hostals and hostels are the same thing. Sometimes in Spain they spell it Hostal. So yeh, I have the same plan as you. I stayed before in Red Nest Hostel and while it was fine and I had a good time it was a bit impersonal. I'll probably stay in Home Backpackers this time to try something different.
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eteokles



Joined: 28 Jun 2012
Posts: 6

PostPosted: Mon Sep 10, 2012 1:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sounds good, I'll check em out. Lemme know when you get a Spanish number, we can grab a beer and whine about job searching.
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jonniboy



Joined: 18 Jun 2006
Posts: 751
Location: Panama City, Panama

PostPosted: Mon Sep 10, 2012 5:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bosstones wrote:
Hostals and hostels are the same thing. Sometimes in Spain they spell it Hostal.


Guys, hostal and youth hostel are two totally different things. (Youth hostel in Spanish is albergue juvenil so it's not an alternative spelling.) Hostal is a really no frills hotel: basically a bed and breakfast without the breakfast. I know that cash is an issue when looking for work but if you can I'd see if you can get an Hostal instead to stay in as you're guaranteed a decent night's sleep which is crucial as finding your feet, getting to know the city and finding the necessary accommo and work will keep you busy and therefore very tired in the first few days and the last thing you want is to be stuck in a room with a lot of pizzhead backpackers crashing in at all hours.

Finding somewhere more permanent to stay should be immediate priority. You'll be taken a lot more seriously by employers if you have a local address. I found somewhere after four days looking, Benimaclet and thereabouts has a lot of flats where you can get a room for 150 a month. You can easily move out a few months down the line if you think you're earning enough to afford you own flat or studio. Also, get a local number first day, again it looks better for employers.
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Bosstones



Joined: 01 Feb 2012
Posts: 4
Location: England

PostPosted: Mon Sep 10, 2012 6:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

My bad. I've always stayed in hostels in Spain so never really researched the other hotel type options.

When I was in Barcelona I did use www.airbnb.com which is more for people going on holiday but it allows you to stay and have your own room somewhere and have total flexibility over the length (subject to other bookings made).
Basically people can rent out rooms in their apartments for people on holiday. I stayed for two weeks in one place with my own room.
However it will work out more expensive than renting a place out so you should only use it for shorter stays.
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eteokles



Joined: 28 Jun 2012
Posts: 6

PostPosted: Tue Sep 11, 2012 10:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sounds great. I remember reading that there was a Spanish website that helped you find rooms to rent? Anyone remember what it's called?
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Mrguay84



Joined: 03 Dec 2009
Posts: 125

PostPosted: Sun Sep 16, 2012 2:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm already missing Valencia (sat staring out at the pissing rain in the UK) Sad

I don't plan to go back there though, looking for a new challenge. You guys should enjoy the City though - it's great!!! Big enough, yet nowhere near as daunting as Barca and Madrid.

You should easily be able to find a room with no contract or deposit whilst you're finding your feet - though they can vary from okay to a 'bit dodgy', lol. But hey, it's short term right???

Buena suerte! Say 'Hola' to the beach for me. Gracias.
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eteokles



Joined: 28 Jun 2012
Posts: 6

PostPosted: Sun Sep 16, 2012 2:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

haha cheers, I'll let you know how it gets on. I was a bit worried about forking out deposit/contract, got some viewings for tomorrow though Smile
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eteokles



Joined: 28 Jun 2012
Posts: 6

PostPosted: Sun Sep 16, 2012 3:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Plus the weather is great! Difference between here and Bristol airport was striking Smile
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Hod



Joined: 28 Apr 2003
Posts: 1613
Location: Home

PostPosted: Fri Oct 26, 2012 12:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Did you chaps find any work?
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Bosstones



Joined: 01 Feb 2012
Posts: 4
Location: England

PostPosted: Sat Nov 10, 2012 9:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I did get offered some work but the pay was terrible. One place was offering 8 euros an hour. Another 10. One place could give me 4 hours for 12. So I left to Madrid and got offered 16 euros an hour classes straight away. On the same day I was told about this 'auxiliares do conversacion' program that exists wherby you work in a primary or seconday school for 16 hours a week and get 1000 euros a month for it acting as a langauge assisnt to the normal teachers. It's run by the comunidad de Madrid but the scheme does exist in most of Spain (but not everywhere).

I am currently doing that and it's really easy work. No class preparation needed at all. I also really like Madrid so things ahev worked out. Offers from Valencia have still been tricking in, however I don;t know the rates as I just tell them I am now in Madrid so I can't. The last offer I got was two days ago and I applied to them on September 7th!
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RoisinDubh



Joined: 23 Apr 2011
Posts: 43

PostPosted: Sat Nov 10, 2012 9:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Schools in Valencia REALLY take their time getting back to you. I took a mediocre job back in September and I've since been contacted by loads of big name schools. Quite infuriating, really. I didn't really have a choice but to take what I was offered at the time - who can sit around and wait until November to see if they get a good job?
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jonniboy



Joined: 18 Jun 2006
Posts: 751
Location: Panama City, Panama

PostPosted: Wed Nov 14, 2012 8:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Good to hear you got sorted Boss.

Valencia does seem to be very pot luck in terms of what is offered. If I'd gone back I would have had 19 hours at 16 euro an hour with another 6-8 hours available at 15 euro an hour in another school. It's definitely a place where you need experience and contacts otherwise you can be fobbed off with 11 or 12 an hour. Some places last year didn't get back to me until November also with one even contacting me in March (!) However there are jobs around which do pay in the 15 euro range and I know it's horses for courses but I'd rather hunt them out than go to Madrid where the weather is worse, there's no beach, cost of living is higher and work often involves daily commutes.
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