I took a gap year at 47 years old and moved to Spain

Have you ever thought to yourself (usually during a workday), “I can’t do this anymore?” 

You’ve done everything you “should” through your twenties and thirties.

You’ve tried to do everything “right.”

And yet, a couple of decades on, it feels like you’re just going through the motions. You wonder where all the time has gone and why you feel so unfulfilled.

 Not to mention, your back and knees seem to hurt all the time. When did this happen? 

This was me. 

At 44, I was tired of feeling like this every day. I was a seasoned traveler by this point, but three-week vacations once a year didn’t seem to be enough anymore.

So, in 2019 I quit my stable, long-term job, left my cute apartment, and moved to Zaragoza, Spain to teach English. 

We all know what was to come the following year.

And unfortunately, my time in Zaragoza was cut short. 

Navigating the pandemic in Spain was hard and lockdowns were severe. I did my best. But once the second wave began, I returned home to Vancouver. This wasn’t the experience I left everything for. 

I was devastated. 

But I’m not one to let a global pandemic get the best of me. So, I rode out COVID-19 at home and took it as an opportunity to save as much money as possible. I returned to Spain two years later, at the age of 47. This time, to teach in Madrid. 

I know how easy it is to fall into the expectations set by family, friends and society. Before you know it, the time has passed and life isn’t quite what you thought it would be. And by the time you realize this, you’ve aged out of the youth working visa programs. 

So, now what? Is all hope lost?

It’s not. 

If you’ve been looking to shake up your life, keep reading. I’ll share how I took a couple of gap years abroad in my forties. I’ll tell you about the highs and lows of my experience. And if I’d do it again!

Now, let’s go to Spain!

How I Ended Up in Spain

Working up the courage to move to Europe took me a long time, even though it had been my dream since childhood. 

Once I decided to look into it, I kept coming up against closed doors. You see, I’m Canadian. I’m over 40. I have no ancestry privileges. I don’t have a European husband. And I have no special skills that set me apart for a job sponsorship.

It was feeling impossible.

I decided to get my TESOL certification to teach English. Teaching has never been a calling for me. But I figured this could open up some international opportunities. 

During my studies, a friend sent me a link to one of Spain’s Auxiliares de Conversación programs. I had walked the Camino de Santiago two years prior and loved Spain. So, it was a no-brainer to check this out.  

Auxiliares de Conversación Programs in Spain

English teaching programs can be found all over the world. And they are a fantastic opportunity to experience living and working in a new country. 

There are several Auxiliares de Conversación programs in Spain.

These programs put native (and high-level) English speakers in classrooms nationwide. An auxiliar’s job is to assist teachers with English lessons and support students in their language learning. 

Auxiliares are not the main teachers and are never left alone with the students. They work in their assigned school for 12-24 hours per week and earn a monthly stipend of 700-1200 euros. 

This all depends on which program you participate in, how many hours you work, and where in Spain you are placed. Most also include health insurance. 

I participated in two different programs. NALCAP in Zaragoza and BEDA in Madrid. Their official websites list all the nitty gritty about requirements and application processes.

 I had a good experience with both and found them quite similar. So, I don’t have a favourite. They both have their pros and cons. 

What I love most about the Auxiliares de Conversación programs is the generous age limit for participants. Although most popular with university grads in their twenties, they are open to all ages.

My fellow auxiliares ranged from 21 to 60. And I met singles, couples, and families all teaching in Spain!

Other positive aspects of these programs are that the requirements are minimal, the application process is fairly simple and they set you up with a placement. You don’t have to go job hunting. 

However, a famous complaint about these programs is that you don’t get to choose where you’re placed. 

On the application, you indicate which region of Spain you’d like to be in and if you’d prefer somewhere urban or rural. But that’s where your control ends and nothing is guaranteed. 

For my first year, I chose the region of Aragón and was assigned to Zaragoza. In my second year, I wanted Madrid (Madrid is a whole region) and was placed there. In both cases, I lived in the city center but my schools were around 25 kilometers away, in the suburbs. 

At first, I was disappointed that I wasn’t assigned closer to the city. But I loved my schools, so the commute was worth it. 

Another frustration is the lack of support from the programs themselves. Although, I found BEDA to be better in this regard. 

Once you’re accepted, you’ll be given the paperwork you need for the visa and residency processes, but that’s about it.

You need to get your visa and get yourself there. And upon your arrival in Spain, it’s up to you to find an apartment, open a bank account, arrange transportation to your school, and make appointments for your residency card.

I found this tough in my first year because my Spanish was minimal. It was easier the second time around, of course. But navigating these things alone was stressful both times. 

These challenges were all part of the experience though. They were tough at the time but now make for entertaining stories.

Teaching in Spain

It took me about a month to feel fully settled in Spain. And once I got everything sorted out, it was time to do what I went there for. 

Walking into the classroom for the first time was an intimidating experience. I’m not a trained teacher and I don’t have children of my own. It was scary having all these little eyes on me. And I wasn’t sure how to relate to them, especially with a language barrier.

My role was to support the teachers with their lessons. I worked in both primary and secondary schools and assisted in English, Art, Drama, and Physical Education classes, all of which were taught in English.

I gave cultural presentations, helped with grammar lessons, and worked with the students to improve their speaking and pronunciation. 

Spanish children are like children everywhere except they talk A LOT and are obsessed with football. It’s difficult to keep them focussed and they can seem unmotivated. Some days, they’d drive me crazy. 

But most of the time, they were charming, affectionate, energetic, and funny. And it didn’t take long for them to steal my heart. 

As an auxiliar, it wasn’t my job to discipline (too much) or give my students exams. So I automatically had a different rapport with them, kind of like being an aunt. This allowed for wonderful relationships to develop. 

My goal was to make the students feel comfortable with me. Because if they didn’t feel that way, it would be harder for them to learn English.

It didn’t take too long for them to open up. I felt privileged that they wanted to share things about their lives with me. And I loved the funny things they would say and the questions they’d ask. 

Sometimes, I wondered how much English they learned from me. But we sure had fun and laughed a lot. 

I also worked with some amazing teachers, who I am now blessed to call friends. I am in awe of their dedication to the students and how much of themselves they give to teaching. 

I found the teachers to be supportive and generous. They welcomed me with open arms and made my life in a foreign country much easier. 

Daily Life in Spain

Spain is an easy country to live in. The weather is great, the cost of living is low, the lifestyle is relaxed and the people are warm and friendly. It didn’t take long for me to fall into a lovely routine. 

When I wasn’t working, I loved waking up early (Spain is the best early in the morning), heading to my neighbourhood plaza for a coffee and then spending the day lazily wandering around. 

I’m a huge art lover, so most of my days off were spent in galleries or exploring street art. I couldn’t believe I could just go to the Prado whenever I wanted! 

I also took in lots of concerts, festivals, markets, and outdoor movies. And I loved trying out all the cool bars, cafés and restaurants. There is always so much going on. It’s no wonder Spaniards have a reputation for being so much fun. 

And of course, like in real life, I did my banking, went to the supermarket, and paid my bills. But somehow, even that seemed more interesting than at home!

One of my biggest worries about moving to a country where I couldn’t speak the language was if I’d make friends. 

Socializing and community are big parts of Spanish culture. At any given time, you can stumble upon a fiesta in the streets. 

Spaniards are welcoming. They enjoy connecting with others and don’t take anything too seriously. I always felt like I belonged, even when I was alone. 

It was fairly easy to make friends there. Spain has a large expat community, which helped a lot. People love to get together for language exchanges, hiking, dining out and day-tripping. 

Taking classes was also a great way to meet new friends. Although my Spanish isn’t spectacular, locals were happy to have me join them. 

Teaching was a great job because it afforded me lots of time off. Spaniards love to celebrate and there are plenty of long weekends and extended breaks for major holidays. 

I was able to see lots of the country. I didn’t go around Europe much, but instead took this opportunity to really get to know Spain. 

The country’s transportation system is phenomenal and it was easy to get away regularly. Nowhere is too far on the AVE train. Spain has so many incredible places to explore and the country is so diverse. Each town or city feels completely different. 

Of course, I loved visiting big cities like Barcelona and Valencia, but I discovered there is something so special about the smaller places. You miss a lot of Spain’s real treasures when you’re on holiday trying to see the top sights.  

But life in Spain wasn’t perfect all the time. 

The most challenging part for me was the language. I went to Zaragoza only knowing a few basics. So, it made simple tasks difficult. And sometimes I felt like a small child. 

But I also found that being thrown into the fire was the best way to learn. My Spanish is better now, but I will always struggle with how fast the locals talk!

I also never got used to Spanish timelines. I don’t eat late and, in many places, you can’t even get a proper meal until 8:00 PM. My students were horrified to learn that I eat dinner at 5!

I also found the siestas tough. Not so much in Madrid, but in smaller cities and towns, everything closes for a few hours in the middle of the day and all day Sunday. I always seemed to forget this. I love and hate the siesta!

And, of course, I missed some things about home, like not having my family and friends to share my experiences with. 

Although I was never bored in Spain, I did have the occasional wave of discomfort and loneliness. And as much as I was always excited about the things I was seeing and doing, sometimes I just wanted something familiar. Luckily, that feeling usually passed quickly. 

Would I Do This Again?

Teaching English abroad is generally thought of as something you do in your youth before you settle into “real life”. But for those of us who have experienced “real life” and find out it’s not all it’s cracked up to be, this can be just what we need. 

I would argue that a gap year is even better later in life. My years of travel, work, and life experience made me better equipped to handle the challenges of living in a foreign country.

I felt much more comfortable navigating all the ins and outs of life abroad, even when it was stressful. I don’t think I could have done this in my twenties. 

Because of the low salary, working as an Auxiliar de Conversación isn’t an ideal career path. But if you have a side gig or healthy savings, it’s a fantastic way to live in Spain legally for a few years. 

My biggest piece of advice to anyone who is considering this: make sure you have a financial safety net if you want to do more than just pay your bills. 

However, I loved my life in Spain. And my time as an Auxiliar de Conversación enriched my life in ways money can’t buy. 

I would do it again in a heartbeat. 

I hope to return to Spain one day and it’s nice to know this is something that is always there for me. 

Even if teaching isn’t for you, I hope my story gives you hope and inspiration that a gap year isn’t only for the twenty-somethings. 

It is not so scary once you do it. And you’ll always land back on your feet. Life is too short to be chained to that desk!

📚 Related Reading: The perks of traveling when you’re older

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Want to hear more about Spain? Read Sky’s article about Gràcia, a hidden gem neighborhood in Barcelona.