life after graduation pack 2013
TRANSCRIPT
Life After Graduation June 2012
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 0
LIFE AFTER
GRADUATION
2013
A guide by former students
Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística,
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
August 2013
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB
Table of contents
Introduction 1 CVs and cover letters, 3
About using LinkedIn, 8
Interview basics, 9
Searching for work online, 11
Opportunities for further education 12 1. Professional training opportunities, 12
2. Post-graduate education options, 13
3. Master’s programs offered by the English Department, 14
4. Programs related to teaching English, 14
5. Programs related to teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language, 18
6. Programs related to business, international relations and tourism, 20
7. Programs related with translation, publishing and language, 24
8. Ongoing education when you are already teaching, 29
9. Doing post-graduate studies abroad, 30
Grants to teach and work abroad 35 1. Leonardo da Vinci and Eurodisea (internship grants), 35
2. Auxiliares de Conversación, 36
3. Profesores visitantes en EEUU y Canadá, 37
4. Fulbright lectores de español en universidades de EEUU, 42
5. Lectors i lectores de Català, 44
Teaching grant application calendar, 45
Working abroad 46 1. Looking on the internet for jobs abroad, 46
2. Finding housing and work in the UK, 47
3. Teaching in the UK, 49
4. Working as a supply teacher, 51
5. Becoming qualified if you don’t have the CAP, 52
6. Finding summer work in a UK hotel, 55
7. Living and working in China, 56
8. Living and working in India, 58
9. Teaching in Slovakia, 60
10. Teaching in the Czech Republic, 61
11. Teaching in Poland, 62
12. Teaching in Bulgaria, 63
13. Working in the tourist industry in Norway, 65
14. Living and working in Germany, 67
15. Working in New Zealand, 69
16. Working in Australia, 70
17. Working in Canada, 70
18. Working in the US with the VIF Program, 71
19. Volunteer work, 71
20. Volunteer experiences in Africa, 71
Teaching English to very young learners 77
Becoming a freelance translator 79
Working in the publishing industry 81
Business communication basics 84
1. Communicating data on the phone, 84
2. Useful telephone phrases, 86
3. Email basics, 87
Contributors to the Pack 88
Alumni reports 2012 89-136
Life After Graduation June 2012
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 1
Introduction
If you are just graduating, you haven’t appeared in this story yet, and you may prefer never to have your
name appear in future Packs. But even so, you will still be part of this story, because it is the story of a
group of people who shared a key experience when they were at the very beginning of their adulthood—
passage through the UAB English Department—and then used that experience one way or the other to
make a life for themselves and make sense of that life.
After you graduate, you will be unusual if you do not feel a sense of helplessness, bewilderment and even
panic. No matter how artificial, tedious or even meaningless your university education may have
occasionally seemed to you while you were actually going through it, university provided you with a series
of short-term objectives and responsibilities which served to structure your life. You knew what you were
supposed to do, whether it meant studying for an exam or completing a paper before a deadline. Perhaps
you were able to comply, perhaps not, but the rules and framework were clear. Now that structure is gone.
Be prepared to feel like the floor has fallen out from under your feet. Suddenly, all the choices and goals
and challenges are yours to set and face alone.
The people who contributed to this pack have all been there before and remember that feeling, so they have
decided to help show you the way ahead, hoping that thus you may avoid some of the pitfalls they fell into
and showing you through their own hard-won successes that the struggle is worth it in the end. But do not
expect absolute and eternal satisfaction, or a fulfilling and permanent job. Read the Alumni Reports, and
you will see that for the university graduate there may be no such thing.
Perhaps your family and friends will say, “Now that you are finished with university, you can settle down.”
It may prove difficult for them to understand that precisely because you are a university graduate you will
never settle down, at least not in the way they did or imagine you should. Read these Reports and you will
detect everywhere an underlying restlessness and dissatisfaction. Again and again you will read about one
of your predecessors finally getting a job they like, one that offers them a challenge, where they are
learning new skills. Yet two years later they have learned all they can with that job and are longing for
something else. This is a repeating pattern in this story.
The reason for this pattern is that what a university education gives you, far beyond any specific content
you might have learned, is an appetite for intellectual stimulation. University is a brain massage. You have
experienced the personal growth that comes to an adult when they are learning, and you will discover that
that appetite never ceases to require satisfaction. This means that life will be more complicated for you than
for your peers who have not been through university. But it will also be richer. You are more fortunate than
they are—not superior, just luckier. Because life will have more levels of texture for you. You will be able
to “see more colours”.
Though the first part of the pack provides what is intended to be practical information of all sorts, it is the
collective wisdom of the Alumni Reports at the end that you should devote most attention to. And here you
will see repeated the following messages.
1) Be flexible. Do not rule out professional avenues about which you are ignorant simply because you
don’t think you would like it. Be careful about thinking “I don’t want to teach” or “I only want to
teach”. Remember that working in business will make you a much better teacher if you return to it,
and being a teacher can give you skills that are very useful in a business context should you decide
to move in that direction. Similarly, be very careful about rejecting opportunities when they come
your way. Even a bad job can teach you a lot, such as what constitutes a “bad job”. Never impose
your own obstacles, like “Chinese is too difficult” or “I don’t want to work in an office”. Life is
going to put plenty of obstacles in your way as it is—no need to add your own.
2) Develop a sense of your own worth. Remember that a work contract is an agreement between two
equal parties under the law: the employer and the employee. Yes, equal parties. You have the right
to quit a job if it does not meet your needs just as much as they have the right to fire you if you do
not meet their needs. It is you who must decide your own value, not anyone else. This does not
mean you must insist on a great job as soon as you graduate. But you are worth a lot now, and your
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 2
value will grow steadily. It may be a good tactical move at some point in your life to accept a job
below your abilities, but if you do so, do not lose sight of your own worth. Think, “This company
is not exploiting me, I am exploiting them. When I have finished learning everything I can from
this job, I am going to find something else.”
In more practical terms, as a graduate with a language degree you may assume that you have three main
career paths: a) teaching, b) translating and c) business-related work. This is what the Alumni Reports will
tell you in this regard:
a) At the present moment, teaching is not a viable profession for a newcomer—at least not in the
sense of a full-time reasonably paid job. Even for those who graduated ten years ago, teaching in a
public secondary school was something that might happen after five years of working in language
schools, joining the public school substitution lists, passing the Opos and having enough extra
points to get a post. It was not immediate. But at present, not only are there no new openings in the
public secondary system, but the conditions for teachers are becoming significantly worse. (This
does not mean that there are not occasional opportunities in the private sector.)
b) Very, very few of your predecessors are full-time professional translators. Many have tried it but
discovered that it is not sustainable financially as a professsion—nor is it necessarily much fun.
c) About 35% of your predecessors are in jobs related to business, in which category I would include
the not insignificant number who own their own language schools. The kinds of jobs one can find
in the business community are extremely varied and can be very routine and exploitative or very
challenging and satisfiying. In the current recession, jobs in the business world will be neither very
easy to find nor very permanent. But this enforced mobility may work in your favour because
companies often provide employees with additional training and as your CV grows you will
become more and more hireable. After all, it is more cost effective for a company to take someone
who speaks English and train them in sales than take someone who knows sales and then try to
teach them English.
If you are thinking, “Great, but what do I do right now?” those who came ahead of you would probably
answer, “Prepare as best as you can for anything.” So as an immediate strategy I would suggest the
following.
1. Make sure you know how to apply for a job. This means having a CV that is attractive not only in
terms of contents but also in terms of layout. By the same token any cover email you send to a
company should show immaculate spelling and punctuation. Finally, learn how to give a strong
interview. The next pages of this Pack are devoted to these matters.
2. Having a good command of English is not enough. Develop or perfect as many auxiliary skills as
possible, by which I mean at least one more foreign language beside English and an ability to use
fully and self-confidently all the programs in the Microsoft Office—Word, Excel, PowerPoint,
Access and Publisher. This will give you an important edge over most other novice job applicants.
You can get language and computer training in many local training schools, often at very low
prices (see page 13). Start this now—don’t wait till September—so that you feel that you are
taking control of your life.
3. If you decide to pursue a post-graduate program, choose it carefully. Don’t just rush off and “do a
master’s”. Read what others say in this Pack about the programs they have taken. Weigh carefully
the strength of your interest in the particular field, the cost, the quality of the program and the
likely advantage to your professional prospects.
As a final word, let me say that almost all contributors to this pack ended their message to you with “I wish
you the best of luck”, which I have omitted in the interests of space. But they mean it, as do I and my
colleagues in the Department.
—Michael
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 3
CVs, cover letters and interviews Carol Gómez & Michael Kennedy
English-style CVs versus Europass The advice below will help you prepare a CV that is appropriate for the UK, Ireland and US. The key
to preparing a CV in this style is to make it concise and attractive. The Europass is different in style
and uses a standardized format that can be used anywhere in the European Union. Spanish Human
Resources directors tell me that both styles are acceptable here, though they admit that an English-
style CV tends to attract the eye more. You can find instructions and a template for creating a
Europass at http://europass.cedefop.europa.eu/en/documents/curriculum-vitae.
GENERAL ADVICE
A CV should be typed on a word-processor, well laid out, and printed on a good quality printer
(unless you email it). Use Word carefully. Do not leave extra spaces or irregularities in
formatting. Sloppiness will tell a potential recruiter that you do not pay attention to details.
Likewise, use the spell-check on your computer. Or check that the spelling is correct in some
way. This may sound obvious but if you are applying for a job requiring English even one
spelling error can send your CV into the trash.
Use bold and/or underline print for headings. But do not use lots of different font types and
sizes. Use plenty of white space, and a good border round the page.
Employers do not want to see CVs which are all written in exactly the same way. So follow the
standard CV samples, but try to make your CV your own, personal, and a little bit different.
But do not decorate it or make it extravagant. Keep it sober but attractive.
Make your CV visual. Make sure the company will automatically go to the important data in
your CV. Well organized CVs are easier to read than those which are not. If possible, make
sure your work experience and language skills appear on the first page. That goes for
anything else that constitutes one of your special strengths.
Before you apply for a particular job, research the job and the company or institution that is
offering it: their structure, products, successes, and approach. A great deal of information can
be obtained from a Google online search. Then make sure your CV highlights the skills that are
most likely to make you the successful candidate for that job. Do not automatically send out
exactly the same CV to every job.
Do not exceed two sides of a page. In fact, many professionals try to keep everything on one
side of the page, even at the price of very small type.
When you have written a first attempt at your CV, ask several other people to check it, not only
for typographical or spelling mistakes but also to suggest ways to make it better. Ask your
friends, teachers or family friends in business. What you have written may seem simple and
obvious to you but may not to an employer.
Send your documents as PDF files. A Word document can be easily modified and sometimes
the layout is disrupted if the receiving computer is using a different version of Windows.
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 4
WHAT TO INCLUDE IN YOUR CV
Photo
A photo is not mandatory, and if applying for a job in the US do NOT include one. (The idea is
to ensure that people are hired because of their qualifications, not their looks.)
Keep the size modest, e.g. 2.5 X 4 cm.
Use a photo where you appear relaxed but fairly formal. Guys: wear a shirt with a collar, even if
you don’t wear a tie. You are trying to get a job, not make a statement about freedom of
expression.
Smile.
Make sure the lighting is good and the resolution appropriate.
Do not use a photo taken when you were at a party or are part of a group, or having lunch at the
farm. Do not crop a photo so that someone’s arm is around your shoulders. Take this seriously.
Personal details
Make your name prominent—more prominent than “curriculum vitae”, for example.
If you are using the CV abroad, hyphenate your two last names to avoid confusion. For
example, call yourself “Laura Ros-Balcells” instead of “Laura Ros Balcells”.
Current street address, city, country, postal code, phone number, email address, date of birth. If
it is a CV in English, please spell “address” correctly.
If you have an email address like [email protected], change it to something that is
more sober and reflects your name, such as [email protected].
Remember to include the country code for phone numbers just to show that you know that there
is a world out there.
Education
List most recent education first.
Only indicate your secondary school if your CV is very short. Every employer will assume that
you completed secondary school if you have a university degree. More importantly do NOT
include your primary education.
If you have done an internship or practicum, what company you worked for, your
responsibilities and what your learned.
If you have just finished university, include the title of your Treball de fin de grau and a one-
sentence summary that makes it sound interesting.
Work experience
List your most recent experience first.
Give job title, company name (with the business sector in parentheses if the name of the
company does not make it obvious), and the city—there is no need to write the exact street
address. Most important, indicate briefly what your responsibilities consisted of.
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Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 5
As you acquire more types of experience, try to shape each CV for the particular job you are
applying for. In other words, include only those jobs that might have given you relevant skills.
The more experience you get, the less need to list all jobs.
Include part-time and summer jobs. “Monitor/a” in English is “children’s activities leader”
(UK) or “camp counselor” (US). Include private classes and babysitting only if you have
nothing better to put.
If you have been involved in any type of volunteer work, give details—it is important. You can
even list it in a special section titled “Volunteer work”.
Languages
Specific language courses do not need to be listed, since you describe your language skills.
Give names and years for all formal language certificates, but if you are using your CV abroad,
do not mention levels or names that will not be understood abroad, e.g. “EOI level three”.
One possible formula is:
Bilingual native speaker of Spanish and Catalan
English: C2 (Cambridge First Certificate, 2003)
German: B1
Interests
Employers will be particularly interested in activities where you have leadership or
responsibility, or which involve you in relating to others in a team, such as sports or music.
Only list things that help to characterize you as an individual. Do not write “Listening to music”
or “Going to the cinema”. These are universal forms of entertainment, not special interests. If
you can’t think of anything better, personalize it by writing “Listening to music, particularly hip
hop and blues” or “Reading. Favourite authors: XXX and XXX”.
Other skills
Here is a good way to describe computer skills: “User-level skills with Word, Excel and Power
Point”. Do not put “User-level skills with the Internet”—this does not make you special unless
you are someone’s grandmother.
References
It is not essential to list references on your CV. Instead, you can write “References will be
provided on request.”
However, if you do list references, give two or three names, of which one should be from a
recent place of study and another from a recent work situation.
Make sure that referees know you have listed them and are willing to give you a reference. As a
courtesy, if possible, before you send out CVs, warn referees that they may be contacted
shortly—and send them a copy of your CV to refresh their memory.
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Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 6
Footer
Add a footer at the bottom left corner of your CV (and on the right, insert the page number—but only
if your CV is longer than one side of a page). Use Word’s “Header and footer” function from the SEE
menu to do this—it will show that you know how to use Word well.
J. Fernández-Pont (2-05) 1
The footer is useful information for you, but it also suggests that you are a person who pays close
attention to detail and systematic organisation of files. If you include month and year as in the
example, it will show that this version of your CV is up-to-date.
THE COVER LETTER (or COVERING LETTER) When sending in a CV or job application form, you must include a cover letter (which may be the
email that accompanies your CV).
Start your letter with an underline heading giving the job title you are interested in.
Start out by saying clearly what job you are interested in and why you want that particular job
with that particular employer. If you saw the job advertised, say where you saw it.
Then draw attention to one or two key points in the CV which you feel make you suited to that
particular job.
Also mention when you are available for an interview. Try to be as available here as possible.
Don’t forget to include your contact information below your name.
If you are sending a paper (as opposed to digital) covering letter: remember that your signature
should not just consist of your first name. If you are sending a PDF file, use a digital
signature. It shows that some extra dedication has been put into the letter.
The letter should not be longer than what would be one side of a page. The employer is going to
scan it, not read it.
Important Systematically keep copies of all letters, applications forms, and CVs sent, and records of
telephone calls and names of those you spoke to.
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Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 7
Sample CV in English by a recent graduate
Curriculum Vitae
Josefina Bou-Matias
Address: Carrer Santa Clara 59, 1-1
08208 Sabadell
Barcelona, Spain
Telephone: (0034) 600 98 22 12
Email: [email protected]
LinkedIn: Josefina Bou Matias
Nationality: Spanish
Date of birth: 1 March 1990
Education:
2008–2013 Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain
Degree in English Language and Literature
Employment:
2013-pres. Administrative assistant, Electrodomésticos Candy, Sabadell, Spain.
Receiving phone calls from customers and suppliers, administrative jobs in
general (preparing and checking analysis certificates, invoice, order delivery,
etc.) at the export and national departments.
2010-2013 Teacher of English, Learn-Up Language School, Reus, Spain.
Teacher to primary-school, intermediate and upper-intermediate students, also
one-to-one business English classes to management staff and on various subjects
to primary and secondary-school students.
Aug. 2011 Summer camp children’s activity leader, World of Fun Camps, Puigcerdà, Spain.
Children at these camps were spoken to entirely in English.
Languages:
Bilingual native speaker of Spanish and Catalan.
English: C2 (Cambridge Advanced English exam, 2004).
German: B2
Italian: B2
Other skills: User knowledge of Word, PowerPoint and Publisher.
Have licence for and use of car and motorcycle.
Interests:
Football. Played for several teams in Sabadell. In the teen division, Captain of the Mercantile
Sports Club team when it won the first division teen category championships in 1999 and 2000.
References will be provided on request.
J. Bou-Matias (7-13)
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Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 8
About using LinkedIn Note that in the sample CV, the person has included the fact that they are on LinkedIn (it is
pronounced “linktin”). LinkedIn is a professionally-oriented social medium that is becoming
increasingly important. It serves as a kind of permanent advertisement for you as a professional. You
can also use it as a database of your own personal contacts.
It is important to treat LinkedIn very seriously—it is not Facebook—and remember that everything
that appears there and everyone that you are connected to form part of the profile that a recruiter will
see. And recruiters increasingly check to see if candidates have a LinkedIn profile.
So here are a few basic guidelines if you set up a profile.
Make the profile as complete as possible and make very sure there are no spelling or grammar
mistakes.
Indicate your aspirational goal, not necessarily your current job, especially if your job is not very
impressive. Remember: this is your personal advertisement, a place to call attention to your
strengths, not a place to be modest or minimize your talents.
Do it in English or bilingually.
Put in a quality photo. NEVER put up a funny or “joke” photo.
Likewise, NEVER use LinkedIn for chitchat postings. If you do that, your contacts will most likely
remove you from their connections.
Only add as connections people whose profile will add value to yours. Do NOT just add family and
friends automatically.
Add as a connection anyone you know or meet that you think MIGHT at some point be a useful
professional contact. They should be people whom you have actually met in person, though not
necessarily people that you know very well. If you are not sure whether to add them, look at their
profile: is it an impressive profile that will add value to your own? Then ask them to connect.
It is not about getting as many connections as possible, however. There should be some coherence
to the set of people you are connected to. If you are a teacher, consider carefully before connecting
to your favourite waiter.
Feel free to remove connections.
Ask people to post a recommendation on your LinkedIn profile whenever you feel comfortable
doing so.
Join groups. You can see what groups others have joined to get some ideas. Set the settings so that
you receive updates from the group only weekly, not daily. A lot of the postings will be of no
interest, but occasionally there will be something of interest. Even so, when you get tired of a
group, just leave it.
Keep your profile active, as much as possible. Your profile photo will appear in your connections’
opening page whenever you do anything, such as tweet, join a group, comment in a group or add a
connection. This will remind all your connections of your existence and show that you are active.
LinkedIn is especially important if you are in the phase of job-searching.
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Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 9
Interview basics
Prepare for the interview extensively: review your application, go to the company or school
website and learn as much as you can about it. Anticipate the questions that they might ask you
and prepare answers.
Practise with simulated interviews until you can handle all types of questions confidently.Practise
with older family friends and tell them to try to intimidate you. Really: practise and practise.
Also be prepared to ask some questions yourself during the interview, preferably about the
company’s sector or the school’s philosophy of teaching.
Dress carefully for an interview. This does not necessarily mean super-formal. But do not dress
casually.
Be punctual, that is, make sure you are there a bit before the scheduled time so that you are not
just rushing in the door. This does not mean that your interviewer will be punctual, however. Be
prepared to wait. It is not a bad idea to bring a newspaper or novel to read that will distract you
and relax if you need to wait.
Turn off your mobile phone before you go in for the interview.
Walk into the interview with an air of confidence and professionalism. Sit straight, not too
formally but not too casually. Monitor your nervous body language like tugging on your hair.
This is something you can learn to avoid by practising. Make sure that you are relaxed enough to
smile. A smile can make s huge difference.
Listen carefully to the interviewer’s questions and answer accordingly. Don’t babble incessantly
about a related topic or answer the question you wish s/he had asked
Be yourself. If your answers are ambiguous or inconsistent, the interviewer will likely consider
you a poor candidate.
Don’t try to set conditions at this point. Some things might be negotiable after you have been
hired. But if they ask you if you are prepared to do something that you really are not, just politely
explain why not. The interviewer may just be testing your reaction. Or it may be an important
condition for the job, in which case you don’t really want it anyway.
If you are applying for a teaching job be sure to remember the names and authors of the materials
you have used in the past, and be prepared to offer a reasoned opinion about them.
Everyone has “a life”. You should neither offer up the details of it nor apologize for it if it comes
out in the interview. For example, you may not wish to mention your family in an initial
interview, because the interview is about you, not about your family. But if asked, give a polite
but limited response.
Never be negative about previous employers or jobs. No one wants to have to work with someone
who is negative. If you are negative about your former job, sooner or later you are going to be
negative about your new workplace too. In fact, never be overtly negative about anything during
an interview.
Though you can explain why you think you could be an asset to the company, it is best not to
suggest that you know ways they could improve what they do. No one wants to hire someone
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Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 10
who walks into a job and within a couple of weeks feels they know “what is wrong with it”.
Things are the way they are in companies and schools for reasons which are not always
immediately obvious. The rule of thumb for being new at a job is to keep your mouth shut and
learn why things are the way they are—over the course of a long time, like a year. After that time
the company might be willing to listen to suggestions from you because by then they should
know your real worth and respect your views. Or you may have discovered that your original
assessment was wrong.
Be honest. But do not say more than you need to. If you had a previous bad work experience, try
to explain it in terms of the eventual positive outcome that resulted.
Remember that a contract is a legal agreement between two equal parties: you may want the job,
but they should also want you, because you know you are worth it.
Some classic interview questions
1. Why did you choose this particular field of work?
2. Why are you interested in this particular position?
3. What do you know about this school/company?
4. What experience and skills do you believe that you bring with you?
5. What education or training have you had that qualifies you for this position?
6. What’s your current position like? What are your responsibilities in this role?
7. In your current job, how do you make sure that your work is of the highest quality?
8. What type of people do you like to have working with you?
9. If you were hiring someone for your current position, what qualities would you look for?
10. When you started your current job, which duties did you have previous experience with, and
which duties were new for you? How did you cope with them?
11. What was the best job you ever had? Why?
12. Why are you looking for a new job? Why did you leave your last job?
13. What do you like most about your present job or jobs held in the past?
14. What would you describe as your major strengths?
15. What would you say is your main weakness?
16. Have you ever been a member of a work team? Explain how you feel about working in a team
environment. Tell me about a team that you have worked on or been a part of. What did you do to
contribute to the success of the team?
17. Give me an example of what you have done in previous positions that shows initiative and
willingness to work.
18. Describe a problem you encountered on the job and how you overcame it.
19. Have you ever been asked to do something that you did not regard as part of your job, and if so,
how did you react?
20. Describe an accomplishment that you are especially proud of.
21. Describe a time when you were faced with problems and stresses that tested your skills. How did
you handle the problems?
22. Give me an example of an important goal that you set in the past. How did you go about
achieving it?
23. Give me an example of a time when you sought to educate yourself about something.
24. Tell me about a time when you had a new idea for something that was not yet being done. Tell me
about the idea. How did you go about implementing the idea?
25. Is there anything in particular that you would like a future employer to know that would aid them
in making a hiring decision?
26. Where do you see yourself in five years?
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Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 11
Searching for work online Elaine Higa and others
Consells
Us heu de donar d’alta a les pàgines per apuntar-vos a les ofertes. L’alta sempre és gratuïta.
Després, podeu mirar l’estat de les vostres sol·licituds.
És una bona idea adjuntar el vostre CV complert en comptes d’omplir els camps donats per les
mateixes pàgines, que és molt més limitat.
Mireu cada dia les ofertes. De vegades, les ofertes es pengen per poques hores.
En comptes de Professor d’Anglès, hi ha moltes ofertes que busquen “Formadors d’Anglès”. Es
tracta d’empreses que necessiten els serveis d’un professor d’anglès per unes hores determinades.
Webs
1. www.infojobs.net
És la pàgina més coneguda i que té més ofertes.
Cerca per: Categoría: Educación-Formación / Provincia
2. www.escolacristiana.org
“Borsa de treball” Many teaching jobs in private schools
3. www.profesores.com
The name is self-explanatory.
4. www.educajob.com
Cerca per: Nivel educativo: Profesor de Idiomas / Provincia
5. www.infofeina.com
És una pàgina en català en la que pots trobar feina per comarca i fins i tot per localitat.
Cerca per: Àrea Professional: Professionals-Llicenciats Subàrea: Docència (mireu també
Traductor/Corrector/Intèrpret) Provincia/ Comarca/ Població
6. www.monster.es
Cerca per Comunitat Autònoma amb el criteri “Enseñanza”.
7. www.yaencontre.com
Cerca per: Àrea Professional: Educación y Docencia / Provincia
8. www.laboris.net
Cerca per: Categoría: Educación-Formación / Provincia
9. www.oficinaempleo.com
Categoría: Educación-Formación y Comercio Exterior/Idiomas/Traducción / Provincia
10. www.primerempleo.com
Cerca per: Professores/Monitores (sense opció de cerca per Provincia)
11. www.infoempleo.com
Cerca per: Àrea Empresa: Formación-Educación / Àrea Geogràfica
12. www.trabajos.com
Cerca per: Àrea: Ciencias Educacionales / Provincia
13. www.empleo.net
Cerca per: Perfil Professional: Formación-Educación / Provincia
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 12
Opportunities for further education
1. Professional training opportunities
Many students have taken such courses when they were between jobs. Often they are enough to
greatly expand the range of jobs for which you are qualified. They are free if you are on the dole.
Many of them are offered in an online modality.
Some of the most useful sites to find such courses are:
Generalitat de Catalunya, Empresa i Ocupació
www20.gencat.cat/portal/site/empresaiocupacio
Click on “Ocupació” and then “formació”.
Generalitat de Catalunya, Servei d’Ocupació
www.oficinadetreball.cat/socweb/opencms/socweb_es/home.html
Cambra de Comerç de Barcelona
www.cambrabcn.org/formacio
Foment del Treball Nacional
www.foment.com/formacion
If you live outside Barcelona you may also find similar sites with courses offered by the local
Chambers of Commerce (Cambras de Comerç) in smaller cities that are closer to you.
Sandra Torres’s comments: The programme of courses offered by the INEM is available
online or at the INEM offices in any location. One needs to plan in advance of course so as to
register in time and get a place in the group. They offer computer courses, language courses,
and courses on secretarial and administrative tasks, amongst others. Some of them take 2
months, others 3 and others 4 or even more. The course I took was a 365-hour intensive (5
hours per day) that covered the Microsoft Office Programmes (Word, Excel, Access and
Power Point) as well as accounting as applied to information technology.
Esther Codina’s comments: I did two online courses offered by la Cambra de Comerç de
Barcelona. The first one was focused on accountancy and it was really useful to learn new
things. Though obviously I could only learn the basics of accountancy, it was a good
introduction. I really enjoyed it because it combined practice and theory and I felt that I learnt
a lot. The second course I did was about how to start in exports, which was not as interesting
and practical as the other one. Overall, I think it was a positive experience, which let me learn
at my own pace and I was able to enjoy learning new skills.
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 13
2. Post-graduate education options Tanit Carré
1. Màsters d’especialització: Estudis adreçats a persones que tenen una graduació universitària
superior. Normalment són dos cursos acadèmics.
2. Diplomatures de Postgrau: Estudis adreçats a persones que tenen una graduació universitària
superior o mitja. Habitualment és un sol curs acadèmic.
3. Cursos d’especialització: No requereixen titulació universitària. S’imparteixen dins d’un mateix
curs acadèmic.
4. Doctorat.
ES POT TROBAR INFORMACIÓ A:
1. Pàgines web de caràcter general on hi trobaràs informació del màsters que s’imparteixen a tota
Espanya. A més et proporcionen l’opció de demanar informació per telèfon o via email.
www.emagister.com
www.mastermania.com
www.educaweb.com/masters-
posgrados-doctorados/
2. Universitats
UAB www.uab.es/postgrau (o passar personalment per l’Escola de Postgrau)
UB www.giga.ub.edu/acad/npost/pub/index.php?tip=mst
UPF www.upf.edu/postgrau/masters
URL www.url.es/cont/estudis/programespostgrau.php
UOC www.url.es/estudis/masters-i-postgraus-propis UVic www.uvic.cat/mastersuniversitaris
UGirona: www.udg.edu/tabid/8438/language/ca-ES/Default.aspx
UJI (Castelló) www.uji.es/CA/infoest/estudis/postgrau/
UValencia: www.uv.es/postgrau/index.htm
Illes Balears: www.uib.es/ca/infsobre/serveis/generals/postgrau/cep/estudis_oficials.php#4
CAL TENIR EN COMPTE:
1. Habitualment es demana una entrevista personal per seleccionar els alumnes del màster o
postgrau.
2. En la majoria dels casos la data límit per les inscripcions és el 31 de Juliol. En alguns casos el
termini pot restar obert fins el mes de setembre en funció de les places disponibles.
3. Normalment es demana presentar els següents documents per a fer la inscripció:
a. Còpia del títol universitari o una acreditació
b. Còpia compulsada de l’expedient acadèmic (demanar a la secretaria de la facultat)
c. Fotos (de 4 a 6)
d. Currículum
4. A vegades es requereix fer un pagament no reembossable en el moment de formalitzar la
inscripció, que es dedueix de l’import total de la matrícula si s’admet l’alumne/a.
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 14
3. Master’s programs offered by the Departament de
Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB
Remember that the department offers an official master’s degree in “Advanced English
Studies”. Just do a Google search for “Màster Oficial de Estudis Anglesos Avançats”.
Jordi Morera’s comments: The M.A. in Advanced English Studies of the department is divided in two
branches: Literature and Culture on the one hand, Linguistics on the other. In both cases it is a yearly 60-credit
course. To me, this master’s program felt like the natural continuation of the Filologia Anglesa degree, with the
added benefit of being focused exclusively on those subjects I enjoyed the most (literature). All in all, I enjoyed
the seminars and found all the subjects extremely interesting. The workload is quite demanding, though, since
there is a huge pile of reading and writing to be done, and it can be difficult to combine it with a part-time job.
However, this high standard in my opinion is a positive thing, since a large part of this M.A. consists of
preparation for the extremely competitive and demanding world of academia. Prospective students should be
aware that the professors will expect greater initiative, self-reliance and personal commitment than during the
degree. Evaluation is based exclusively on research papers and oral presentations, though the lack of exams did
not make it any easier. At the end of the course, the students have to write and present a Master’s Dissertation
and defend it in front of a jury. The Dissertation must include original research, and therefore it is a central
element of the program. My advice to future students would be to begin thinking about it from the very
beginning: finding a good topic to research is extremely difficult, and leaving it for the last minute is a recipe for
disaster. The choice of supervisor is also really important, as picking the right supervisor for your dissertation
can make a big difference for the better. Try to choose not only the best expert in the field you want to write
about, but also someone who seems genuinely passionate about it and who you think you can get along with—
you’ll be seeing him or her quite a lot.
Noelia Sánchez’s comments: This MA adds up to 60 credits. It begins in October and ends in June. All the
classes are in the afternoon. There are different modules, taught by professors specialized in different fields. The
modules provide a thorough study of different literary periods, from early periods, such as the Renaissance and
the 19th century, to Postmodernity. One of the modules is called Advanced Academic Skills, and this is
particularly useful, as it provides strategies to correctly use academic writing. Every year a Fullbright professor
teaches a module on American literature, which is really interesting. The classes are very interactive and
dynamic; student participation is strongly encouraged. The evaluation is based on essays and a final paper.
Students doing this MA are required to do a dissertation on a topic of their choice under a tutor’s supervision. I
strongly recommend this MA to those who enjoy literature and who wish to specialize in this area.
4. Programs related to teaching English
Universitat Pompeu Fabra + UOC
Màster de Formació del Professorat d’Educació Secundària Obligatòria i Batxillerat, Formació Professional i Ensenyament d’Idiomes (speciality in English) http://www.upf.edu/postgrau/master-secundaria/presentacio/ / Former students who have done it (though in its earlier version): Mercè Coronado, Laura Monerris, Iván
Matellanes, Àngels Oliva, Cristina Pérez, Thaïs Bayarres
Àngels’ comments: This teacher training course is very intensive. I chose it rather than the CAP because it
promised in the leaflet to be more thorough and in-depth, and it certainly delivered. It consists of two parts:
theoretical lessons Monday to Thursday during the winter and the summer terms, and a practical three-month
stay in a public school under a tutor’s supervision during the spring term.
There are many readings and assignments to do, so it is a bit tough to do it while working part time, as was
my case. However, talking to my classmates at the time, I realized that those who had never worked as teachers
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 15
were having a hard time following lessons and joining discussions, and did not seem to get much out of the first
term lessons.
The best thing about the CQP is that it opens up your scope because you see a bit of many methods and
opinions: CLIL, Communicative methods, use of CIT, assessment methods, and so on. It’s not pricey compared
to other post-graduate courses, and you get to meet many different professors and build a good network of
contacts.
Cristina’s comments: The full program adds up to 60 credits (600 hours = 20 hours/week for 30 weeks) from
October to June, and includes a four-month Practicum in a secondary school selected by the Department of
Education. An inspector/a is the person in charge of selecting the IES where you will do your Practicum.
However, she interviews you previously and you both decide on the school. Consequently, you don’t have to
panic because she takes lots of things into account such as your working timetable and the place where you live.
This course includes lots of different subjects and you have to attend class from Monday to Thursday (10–2).
Although there are some subjects that are really tough and boring, some others are very interesting. The truth is
that the three first months are very stressful because the master is very demanding but once you start the
Practicum everything changes. I am doing this course this year and I’m learning a lot about teenagers such as the
way they may behave on some occasions and how the teacher needs to react. The Practicum is when you really
learn lots of thing related to the world of teaching. The fact that you have a teacher who helps you to understand
what is going on in the high school is very useful because you can discuss all the different issues that arise while
you are teaching. It lasts 4 months so you end up feeling like a secondary teacher yourself.
I strongly recommend this course but even more the master, which is the one which covers the long
Practicum experience, because you will discover lots of things about students and about yourself that you have
never realized before.
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Formació de Professorat d’Educació Secundària Obligatòria i Batxillerat, Formació Professional i Ensenyaments d’Idiomes http://www.uab.es/servlet/Satellite/estudiar/masters-oficials/informacio-general/formacio-de-professorat-d-
educacio-secundaria-obligatoria-i-batxillerat-formacio-professional-i-ensenyaments-d-idiomes-
1096480139517.html?param1=1236065658068
Former students who have done it: Zoraida Horrillo, Ana Rueda, Montse Gómez
Montse’s comments: The Practicum lasts a total of 8 weeks.
Aside from the different assignments and papers throughout the year, at the end of the course we have to do
some exams and hand in a portfolio about the practicum, a teaching unit (students and teacher’s book) and a
Master’s Dissertation. The MD has to be defended in front of a jury.
This Master is completely incompatible with having a job. I had to give up mine, otherwise it would have
been impossible.
Universitat de Barcelona
Màster de Formació del Professorat de Secundària Obligatòria i Batxillerat, Formació Professional i Ensenyament d’Idiomes /www.ub.edu/masteroficial/mastersecundaria/
Former student who has done it: Esther Codina
Esther’s comments: Having done other Methodology courses during the degree, this MA was sometimes a little
bit repetitive because some modules covered aspects which most students had already dealt with before.
I think that the most positive point of this master, in comparison with the CAP, is that there are two practice
periods and they are longer. In the first one, you are supposed to observe various groups in a high school,
including aula d’acollida and diversity groups, and in the second one, you are in charge of teaching students a
whole didactic unit which is designed on your own, obviously following the guidelines of their usual teacher.
I guess the organization will have improved by now and will continue improving. However, the amount of
assignments we had was really demanding and it was very difficult to have a job during the MA.
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 16
Blanquerna-Universitat Ramon Llull
Màster Universitari en Professorat d'Educació Secundària
http://www.blanquerna.url.edu/web/interior.aspx?alias=fpcee.masters-
universitaris.professsecund&idf=2&id=2552
Former students who did it: Laura Crespillo, David Soler
Laura’s comments: At first I thought that it would be something repetitive from the degree or something similar
to the CAP but I have to admit that it is very interesting and I learned a lot. We studied things which can be used
in the classroom and new methodologies I haven’t heard about before. The situation in education is changing and
the master’s includes new tips for understanding where the education system is going. I could not work at the
same time, though, since there were a lot of assignments to do.
Universitat de Lleida
Màster de Formació del Professorat d’Educació Secundària Obligatòria i Batxillerat, Formació Professional i Ensenyament d’Idiomes (speciality in English) http://www.udl.cat/estudis/masters/secundaria.html
Andrea Gutiérrez Martínez
Andrea’s comments: When I left the UAB I took this master’s in order to become a teacher. Like some of my
classmates, I had already taken some subjects about methodology during my degree and they were similar to
some classes and topics of the master’s. For me, the program was very theoretical and we took a lot of classes
about linguistics, applied linguistics (which I think don’t have much to do with teaching) and teaching English as
a second language. However, we didn’t do so many classes on how to teach properly or how to face situations in
high schools nowadays where there’s so much diversity. I did a 10-week internship in one of the poorest areas of
my city and at first I was really afraid because I had the feeling that I knew how to prepare a unit of work but not
how to face a class of 35 students with so many problems. Fortunately, I learnt a lot from the other teachers.
They really helped me and made me realized that I wanted to become a teacher and not only teach students but
also help them as much as possible.
Universitat Oberta de Catalunya—Institut Internacional de Postgrau
Màster oficial d’Educació i TIC (e-learning) http://estudis.uoc.edu/ca/masters-universitaris/elearning-educacio-tic/presentacio
Former students who have done it: Esther Gómez, Sanae Ortiz, Àngels Bladé
Àngels’s comments: That this Master is very interesting if you are really interested in applying ICT to
education. However, don’t expect advice or examples about how to create small activities for the classroom
since this MA is about how to create and develop an e-learning project: its characteristics, design, methodology,
support and service systems, etc. and also the legal and economic aspects that are involved in this process. It is
also quite expensive, and the methodology they use is reading, debates, summaries and cooperative activities in
small groups. You must have time because it is very demanding, especially if you are not used to working
virtually with such methodology. There are three important aspects you should take into account: 1) It is very
general, that is, it not about creating activities you can apply in an English class in secondary (or primary)
education; 2) You can take the number of subjects you want/can, so you can work at the same time; 3) You
really learn how to work cooperatively in virtual environments.
Sanae’s comments: I expected to get more practical lessons instead of just readings on pedagogy, e-learning
organisation and so on. You need to devote quite a lot of time to handing in assignments on the readings you had
to read each week. I wouldn’t recommend the MA to people who like to attend lessons and are not too keen on
working online. You have to be very well and the fact that everything is online means that you have to check the
virtual campus every day. Apart from the normal assignments there were also “forums” in which you have to
discuss different topics suggested by the teacher with other classmates. I didn’t enjoy it that much as there were
many students and if you forgot to check the forum one day, you already had many contributions to read and
answer. I think this type of thing would work better in smaller groups.
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 17
FUNIBER
Master in Teaching English as a Foreign Language http://www.funiber.org/areas-de-conocimiento/formacion-profesorado/master-in-teaching-english-as-a-foreign-
language
Former student who has done it: Estel Planas (did it in 2010-2012)
Estel’s comments: I had a great time while studying and some of the subjects were really interesting. Although I
have to say that I did not learn much that was really new, it has been very useful to reconsider and reflect on my
performance as a teacher, to feel more confident about it and to analyse other ways of working. On the whole, it
has been positive for my career as it enabled me to get a job at the UOC, which has been enriching (in both
senses!). Moreover, doing the course with another former UAB student helped us decide to set up an online
academy (www.up2learn.com) with our own material and courses. We are working hard with it and expect to be
able to “open doors” very soon.
Besides, it was the most complete course I found when I enrolled as the rest were much shorter, which may not
be a disadvantage for some, but I was looking for a complete course. Another positive point is that, given the
scope of the course, it was good value for money. I am not saying it was cheap, though. The price was 4500 €
and they offered me a grant of 1500€ -if I remember correctly. The problem with this grant is that, with it, the
master course can not be validated to Bologna -if I want this validation, I have to pay the 1500€ back.
On the negative side, I have to say that the materials are a bit old. Just as an example; when doing a subject on
Computer Assisted Language Learning, in the introduction I read something like "the most popular search
engines are Yahoo and Altavista", I almost had a stroke!
Besides, not all the teachers are as involved as one would expect. In fact, I had some problems with one teacher
because her replies to my questions were "read the materials", which was not really helpful as I had already done
that several times. Others are a bit more helpful and motivating, of course!
Another drawback was that, although students are expected to have good mastery of the language and experience
as teachers, that was not always the case and this affected negatively the quality of the debates we held. Actually,
in many cases, there seemed to be two debates running at the same time.
Finally, I found an obsession with Communicative Language Learning that was a bit annoying. I do not have
anything to say against it, quite the opposite, but I don't like dogmas. I prefer to adapt myself to the group I have
to teach, rather than expecting them to adapt to my methodology.
So, to sum up, would I recommend it to other teachers? Yes, if they have more than two years to dedicate to it
and their motivation is high. They just have to be prepared to work a lot on their own and handle some
frustration.
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 18
5. Programs related to teaching Spanish as a Foreign
Language
International House Barcelona
Curso de formación de profesores de ELE www.ihes.com/bcn/formacion/ele/index.html
Trafalgar 14, Barcelona.
Former students who have done this: Miriam Rodríguez, Maria Rosa Garrido, Carme Torras, Natàlia Ribas,
Ibana Larrubia, Alicia Montenegro, Fernando Romero, Sanae Ortiz, Samuel Rísquez, Diana Hernández, Estela
Valderrey, Núria Frías and many others.
Diana’s comments: El curso de formación de profesores de ELE de IH Barcelona viene en dos modalidades:
extensivo e intensivo, y su precio es el mismo (1.250 euros). Es muy caro, especialmente para los bolsillos de los
estudiantes. Sin embargo, es un curso de prestigio, de reconocimiento internacional y sobre todo de muy buena
calidad. Todas las personas que han hecho el curso coinciden en que es una experiencia muy valiosa.
Básicamente es un curso de formación profesional, en el que te preparan para comenzar a trabajar como
profesor de ELE. Consiste en clases teóricas que te enseñan (y te hacen reflexionar) sobre la enseñanza de
lenguas en general, y en particular sobre la enseñanza del español como lengua extranjera, y sesiones prácticas.
La teoría incluye cosas tan diversas como aspectos del manejo de la clase (organización de la pizarra, posición
del profesor, la manera de hablar), métodos de corrección de errores, la preparación de la clase, elaboración de
ejercicios, así como sesiones sobre puntos gramaticales problemáticos (por/para, subjuntivos), clases
particulares, etc.
Las sesiones prácticas consisten en preparar y dar clases a un grupo de estudiantes de español, seguidas de
sesiones de feedback donde se comentan los (muchos) errores cometidos y diversas soluciones para mejorar la
clase. Estas prácticas son la parte más recomendable – y dura – del curso. Para empezar, das clases a alumnos de
verdad, que según el nivel tienen dificultades para entender y expresarse en español, así que las prácticas te
sitúan en la realidad a la que deberás enfrentarte por tu cuenta en el futuro. Las prácticas son una oportunidad
para aplicar lo que te han ido enseñando en las clases teóricas, y te permiten comprobar las técnicas y métodos
que has ido estudiando. En las prácticas es donde realmente se aprende. Para los que tenemos una especial
sensibilidad a las críticas, las sesiones de feedback pueden llegar a ser muy duras, pero aún así son muy útiles
para tu formación como profesor/a. Al fin y al cabo, cuanto más dura sea la formación, mayor preparación
tendrás para tu vida profesional.
Una desventaja de estas sesiones prácticas es que estás obligado a preparar las clases en equipo, y
dependiendo de con quién te toque, puede dar muchos dolores de cabeza. Con las personas adecuadas puedes
contrastar ideas, pensar nuevas posibilidades y trabajar rápidamente, pero también puedes acabar discutiendo
durante horas cada punto de la clase en un infierno de frustración. A pesar de todo, la necesidad hace que al final
cedas o llegues a algún acuerdo, y sigas adelante. Además, la composición de los grupos va cambiando y
probablemente te tocará con alguien con quien puedas trabajar bien.
Una crítica que se hace frecuentemente es que en IH te enseñan un método de enseñanza bastante radical,
con una visión determinada de cómo presentar la gramática, corregir a los alumnos, y planear la clase. Los que
han hecho este curso y han comenzado a trabajar como profesores de español admiten que no siempre hace falta
seguir el método que te enseñan estrictamente:
“Desde que acabé el curso he enseñado en varios sitios y me he formado en un par de sitios más, incluyendo
el Instituto Cervantes, y puedo decir que efectivamente en IH son muy radicales con el método comunicativo,
que no todo el mundo acepta una aplicación tan radical y que de hecho en muchos casos simplemente no va a
funcionar. En cualquier caso, ya va bien que te pongan al límite y te tengas que espabilar. Sólo así estarás luego
en posición de juzgar lo que te han enseñado y decidir qué partes del método adaptas, relajas o cambias
directamente en las distintas situaciones con las que te encontrarás en tu vida profesional.” – Samuel Rísquez.
El curso intensivo: para los que prefieran hacer el intensivo en los meses de verano, el curso intensivo tiene la
ventaja de estar concentrado en un solo mes. El intensivo te obliga a concentrarte 100% en el tema, y tu
rendimiento es muy alto. Sin embargo, es de dedicación exclusiva. No te permite compaginarlo con un trabajo u
otros estudios: por la mañana asistes a las clases de teoría, por la tarde tienes prácticas y feedback, o reuniones de
grupo para preparar las clases. Es muy posible que tengas que trabajar también por la noche o en fines de
semana.
Cinta Llorente in Germany adds that you can also do an online version of this course. It takes 3.5 months.
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 19
Universitat de Valencia y el Instituto Cervantes
Curso de metodolgía y didáctica del español como L2 y LE: http://postgrado.adeit-uv.es/11312040?pdf=11312040
Former student who has done it: Noemí Fernández Sánches (did it in 2011)
Noemí’s comments: This course is perfect because it introduces you how to teach Spanish in one month at a
cost of 850 euros. The postgradute course is intensive: form Monday to Friday from 9.30 to 14.00 and from 16 to
19.30 h. The teachers are Spanish and have a lot of experience. Some of them are working at different
universities in Spain but other teachers are working in universities abroad or Instituto Cervantes in Holland,
Germany, etc., or in high schools around Europe. Every single day is different in the course because every day
you have a different teacher and a different topic. In the morning you will get the theory and in the afternoon you
can practice your new knowledge with your classmates. In the course there are around 50 students and they are
different ages, from different parts of Spain and from different fields: physical education teachers, chemistry
teachers, German teachers and English teachers like you. Many of them want to work abroad as Spanish teachers
and some of them are already Spanish teachers working abroad but they want to recycle their knowledge. I f you
keep the contact with them, they can help you in future to find a job abroad because, after that course, a lot of
classmates are working abroad right now. Moreover, it is an opportunity to make new friends. You know that
after one month spending 8 hours a day in class, your classmates are your friends and you meet them to go to the
beach, to have a drink, etc. You are going to work hard in Valencia but also have fun.
During the course, you have to attend the lessons but at the end of the course you have to hand in a “Unidad
didáctica de español como lengua extranjera”. The didactic unit has to follow some specific patterns learnt
during the course you have to explain which methodology you are following and why. The final grade for the
course is Pass/Fail and you will find out as soon as they correct all the didactic units, which is around September.
I think it is quite easy for you to prepare a didactic unit in Spanish if you did this before at university. Moreover,
during the course, there are publishing companies which come to promote their books and you can get free
materials there, materials which can be very useful for your didactic unit.
It is true that finding your own accommodation in Valencia is another expense. Fortunately, Valencia is full
of students and many of them leave in July and they want to rent their rooms while they are on holiday. I posted
an advertisment in Loquo in June (one month before the course) and a lot of people sent me an email offering to
rent out their room. You can find a room which costs 250-300 euros for the whole month of July, with all costs
included and no deposit. Moreover, life in Valencia is cheaper than in Barcelona, it is full of Mercadonas and the
beach is there. (Here you have the webpage Loquo where I posted my advertisement:
http://valencia.loquo.com/cs/vivienda/compartir-piso-alq-habitacion)
If you are interested in this postgraduate course, you need to send your application form and a letter of
motivation before the 18th of June 2012. But that date is not real because the course is for only 50-60 people and
as soon as they have that number of application forms, the enrolment period is closed.
Universidad de Deusto (coordinadora del programa)
Máster Erasmus Mundus en Aprendizaje y Enseñanza del Español en Contextos Multilingües e Internacionales http://multiele.org/
Former student who is doing it: Núria Frías Jiménez
En primer lugar, hay que puntualizar que este máster tiene una duración de dos años. El primer semestre se
realiza en Bilbao mientras que el segundo es en Barcelona (las clases se hacen tanto en la UPF como en la UB).
El segundo año ya es más específico, porque se dedica el primer semestre a las prácticas en contextos
universitarios y el segundo se dedica a escribir la memoria de máster.
Formo parte de la tercera promoción de este máster y lo cierto es que este año ha habido más alumnos sin beca
(cada curso vale 4.000 euros aproximadamente) que en otras ocasiones. La beca Erasmus Mundus (que ofrece la
Unión Europea) se convoca siempre en otoño. Si no se recibe ninguna beca, se trata de un máster bastante
costoso aunque los que somos de Barcelona podemos ahorrar un poco durante el segundo semestre del primer
año, si no tenemos que contar con los gastos de alquiler, etc.
Para el segundo año hay varios destinos en Europa (Gronningen, Berlín, Reykjavík, Moscú) y fuera (Japón,
India, Brasil, Maryland [US]), aunque es cierto que pueden haber destinos más solicitados y hay que competir
por la plaza con los demás compañeros. En los destinos europeos (menos Moscú), la estancia dura todo el año
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 20
pero los que eligen ir a destinos no europeos realizan las prácticas allí pero siempre deben volver a Europa a
escribir la memoria, es un requisito obligatorio.
Como todavía no he terminado, no puedo valorar la parte más práctica del máster pero hasta ahora puedo
decir que estoy satisfecha con las asignaturas realizadas en Barcelona, más que las que hemos cursado en Bilbao.
Aquí hemos ido a observar a instituciones donde se enseña español y hemos hecho más parte práctica pero, como
digo, todavía nos falta realmente ganar experiencia en ELE en contexto universitario, una vez estemos en nuestro
país de destino.
Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED)
Master Universitario de Enseñanza del Español como Segunda Lengua http://www.fundacion.uned.es/web/actividad/idcurso/98
Former student who has done it: Xavier Espejo
Xavier’s comments: This is a two-year, 80 credit, online master’s degree. It is structured in two modules with a
total of 12 courses and does not require a dissertation. It has a really hands-on approach believe it or not and it is
really engaging. The professors teaching the different courses are active teachers specialized in different fields
with lots of experience that offer you a great teaching experience and a great amount of resources to use in your
classroom. You can learn more about it by visiting the web site.
The whole degree costs € 4,100. This includes the tuition as well as all materials that are sent to you in the
mail. The WebCT portal gives you a lot of resources to complement your courses and has different sections such
as a “job center” where you can find different job position announcements in different countries. I love it and I
have learnt a lot. The professors have given me a lot of materials and ideas that I have used in my class. They
really take it very seriously to “individually” meet your needs.
Finally, some useful websites to go about looking for information regarding courses for people who want to teach Spanish to
foreigners: www.aselered.org and www.elenet.org
6. Programs related to business, international relations
and tourism
Escuela de Administración de Empresas y IL3 – Universitat de Barcelona
Curso Superior de Business Assistant – Assistant in Business Administration (online) http://www.eae-deusto.es/programa-secretariado/inicio.html?c=I10111M3008
Former student who did it: Elisabet Julià Pereña
Elisabet’s comments: The master’s cost me €2000. They send the material to your home. It consists of reading
and CDs so as to practice and at the end of every issue you have to take an online exam on the net that you can
do whenever you want. More than an exam it is just for practising. Then you have two years to finish everything
and you take the final exam in Barcelona. It has been useful to me because I am working for a maritime shipping
company.
UAB
Master in Global Business Management www.uab.es/servlet/Satellite/postgraduate/master-in-international-business-management/basic-details-
1217916968009.html/param1-1727_en/param2-2004/
Student who has done it: Carolina Balada
Carolina’s comments: It is mainly focused on Marketing, but they offer an brief overview in 8-9 months of the
international business world. Cost: €4380.
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 21
Universitat de Girona
European Master in Tourism Management (Master en Direcció i Planificació de Turisme)
http://www.udg.edu/tabid/8439/Default.aspx?ID=3108M1010&language=ca-ES&IDE=51
Former student who did it: Laura Bujalance
Laura’s comments: This 2-year master’s degree is offered at a public price (1,700€ / year) if you do it fully in
Girona, but now there is also the option of making it Erasmus Mundus, which means students follow a
mandatory mobility scheme through Denmark (Esbjerg), Slovenia, (Ljubliana) and Spain (Girona)
(www.emtmmaster.net). Main areas studied during the first year include cooperation and innovation in tourist
organizations, territorial tourist development, economic analysis of tourism,
image and identity of tourist destinations, legal aspects of tourism, new technologies and information systems
applied to tourism, strategy and competitiveness of tourist organizations and cultural tourism. The second year
includes a specialized training module, with different itineraries, of which I did Tourism Marketing, and a final
research project.
I enjoyed all the classes, because it was all new for me and I learned practical stuff I can relate to the
professional world. I guess the worst thing about it was that it was a relatively new degree, and there seemed to
be a lack of coordination among professors—they repeated concepts, or they gave us way too much work.
However, this was some time ago, and because I’ve been in touch with the professors, I think the schedule is
much more under control now.
The UdG has a very efficient Borsa de Treball, and many public and promotional institutions in Girona are
related to the university, so it’s easy to get a job or an intern position. I worked as an intern at the CRIIT (Centre
the Recerca i Innovació de les Indústries Turístiques), and then I spent two years working as media relations
manager at Grup Costa Brava Centre, a tourism association that helps promoting tourism and gastronomy of the
Costa Brava. Some of my classmates have had experience working at the Patronat de Turisme, the Diputació,
tourist offices, town halls, or also as interns with professors of the department carrying out research in other
areas related to tourism such as economics or psychology.
If you see yourself in the tourist sector, whether public or private, this degree offers a very broad and
interesting view of all the opportunities out there, as well as many useful tools and concepts you need to know if
you want to have a little more to offer. I also have to say that it is very demanding, so sometimes it can be hard
to combine with a full-time job. I have to add that this master’s degree, combined with the knowledge of English
(and French) gained at the UAB, earned me a very well paid position as an intern at the Spanish Tourist Office in
Toronto, where I spent two years.
ESDEN, Escuela Superior de Negocios y Tecnologías. Associated with the British Council .
Máster en Dirección y Gestión de Comercio Exterior + Cambridge International Diploma in Business www.esden.es/es/masters.asp
Former student who did it: Cristina Abánades López
Cristina’s comments: It lasts one year and is a semipresencial course (i.e. online and twelve in-class sessions).
This year I am going to Madrid, but next year it will be done in Barcelona, too. In general terms, it provides a
broad overview of how to conduct a business activity both national and internationally. It is focused on issues
such as International Marketing, Hiring and Finances. Each module is taught by a different professional. The
goal is bring it all together to finally be able to create one’s own International Marketing Plan. There is also the
possibility of doing a practicum, as well as taking advantage of the ‘Bolsa de trabajo’. A lot of different
companies collaborate with the School (e.g. L’Oreal and Billabong).
Finally, it is also important to mention the Cambridge Diploma. It is internationally recognised and you have
a book and practice exams in order to prepare yourself.
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 22
idEC (Universitat Pompeu Fabra)
Màster en Direcció de Comunicació www.idec.upf.edu/master-en-direccion-de-comunicacion
Duració: un any acadèmic.
Former student who is doing it: Rebeca Garcia
Rebeca’s comments: This is a 9-month master degree which starts in October and ends in June. This master is
offered by idEC, which belongs to Pompeu Fabra University, and it costs 7,200 euros.
The master consists of two postgraduate programmes: the first one on Business Communication and the
second one on Communication Management. At the end you obtain the master’s degree in Communication
Management. The good thing is that you can do the first postgraduate and then you have up to three years to do
the second one. La idEC also has a Borsa de Treball and they help you find an internship in a company.
The master gives you a general overview of the business world, and it deals with subjects such as Marketing,
Web 2.0 technologies, internal and external communication, etc. At the end of each programme you have to do a
final project, which is quite demanding, but the teachers are very helpful.
Although most students come from Journalism and Communications, everybody can attend the lessons
without problems. There are two classes (one in Catalan and the other in Spanish) with 25 students per class, so
everybody has chances to participate. You have to do quite a lot of presentations, which is good because you
learn to talk in front of an audience and to be self-confident. I am learning a lot and I feel very satisfied!
Institut Barcelona d’Estudis Internacionals
Máster en Relaciones Internacionales Elisabets, 10. 08001 Barcelona
www.ibei.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=category§ionid=1&id=2&Itemid=3&lang=ca
Former student who has done it: Diana Gasol
Diana’s comments: The program is full-time and it lasts one year. Courses are basically about International
Politics, Economics and Law. There are also optional courses on Cooperation, International Peace and Security,
Conflict Resolution, Political Economy in different regions, etc. You have to work very hard and it is very
demanding. I think it is more difficult for people who do not have a background in Political Science, Economics
or Law. The great majority of students come from these fields. In fact, the program is mainly addressed to them.
Of course, it all depends on your motivation.
Some of the possible professional possibilities would be international analyst; to work in an international
department of a multinational firm; to work in an international organization; and a variety of possibilities that I
have not yet explored. I would say it provides you with quite a good academic background as well as a fairly
good understanding of current issues in the international sphere.
One drawback is that it is a very new program and they do not guarantee any kind of internship. They do not
have any bolsa de trabajo either. At the moment, I would say that everyone will have to look for his/her own
opportunities. They can provide you with good sources of information, though. I would recommend this master’s
program to people really interested in all topics related to International Relations, i.e. International Politics,
Economics and Public Law.
Fundació Universitària del Bages
Postgrau en Comerç Internacional i Márketing http://efc.fub.edu/index.php?lang=ca
Former student who has done it: Maria Velázquez
Maria’s comments: For me it has been very useful, it will only take you from September to June and it is a two-
day course in the afternoon. A lot of the subjects helping me at work (I’m in sales) while I was doing it, I would
strongly recommend for it people who are in the business world, or want to have a career in business. They also
offer scholarships, for which you have to take an exam in International Commerce, an English test and a
personal interview. I got one of the scholarships and they paid for 50% of the total tuition fee.
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 23
ESERP Business School
Máster en Dirección de Comunicación, Relaciones Públicas y Protocolo http://www.eserp.com/es/masters-y-mba/barcelona/master-en-direccion-de-comunicacion-relaciones-publicas-y-
protocolo.html
C/ Girona 24, Barcelona
Former students who had done it: Marta Carrillo, Elena Florit
Marta’s comments: The first module deals with protocol, official events, event organization, conventions and
congresses. The second module is about internal and external communication in companies, marketing, non-
verbal communication and anything related to the press and the media (advertising) and finally Public Relations,
as part of the external communications within a company. The program is opening up several possibilities in the
business world where languages are needed and useful. For protocol English is important, but for communication
and public relations it is an absolutely essential prerequisite, and still not many people are fluent or proficient
enough to do these jobs properly. The program set up a practicum for me and then helped me get a part-time job.
Elena’s comments: I was not happy about it in the end. At first, it seems that it will be very interesting,
organised and so on, but you end up dealing with different aspects in general and with a feeling that you have not
learnt anything. Furthermore, most of my classmates complained and had the same feeling, too. The possibilities
for a practicum are not interesting and they do not offer you good perspectives for the future. For instance, the
job I found after the master was not due to a practicum through ESERP, but because I looked for it. I do not
recommend this Master to anyone. There are many other optionsr, and one should think about it carefully
because it is a considerable investment.
Universitat Oberta de Catalunya-UIB (online post-grad course)
Dirección y marketing de empresas turísticas www.uoc.edu/masters/esp/web/turismo/empresas_turisticas/postgrau/direccion_y_marketing_de_empresas_turis
ticas_uoc-uib/
Former student who has done it: Belén Sánchez
Belén’s comments: This is an 8 month online intensive postgraduate course, and I admit that I really enjoyed the
course since the topics were very interesting. At the end you get to know everything but not in detail since you
have the impression that the course is very general; it is focused on understanding how a tourist business works,
and in fact, the final project is free but related to a new business, so I chose to prepare a marketing plan for a low
cost online travel agency specialized in trips to Australia.
The online educational methodology is very flexible and dynamic in the sense that you can work at your own
pace and from home, but I still prefer the traditional face to face methodology and having direct contact with the
teacher and rest of students. For example, in the traditional methodology questions are answered immediately
(you don’t have to wait for an e-mail, as in the online mode), you can live interact with other students and learn
from discussions (you can also do this with your computer but in the end is impossible to read all the messages
and you get tired of reading, or you have no time), and you directly learn from the teacher since he/she
immediately corrects you (again, in online mode you have to wait for teacher’s availability to write an e-mail).
What I disliked most about this course was that most of the time you don’t obtain exercise feedback from
teachers, you just send the exercise on time but never receive it back corrected. In this sense, you don’t really
learn, you just do exercises and research papers but never know if they are right or wrong, or why the teacher
gives you a C instead of a B. You have to be very proactive and send e-mails to the teacher if you want to know
your mistakes, and my opinion is that they should send the corrections spontaneously. As a whole, it is a good
introductory course, but don’t start it thinking you are going to turn into an expert, you just learn general ideas
and perhaps if you combine it with a second postgraduate course it gives you a more specific learning. My
advice is that you don’t do this course if you are not familiar with online methodology or if you still prefer the
face to face educational model. Cost is ok, 2,300 euros.
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 24
BES La Salle, Barcelona
MIB. Master in International Business http://www.beslasalle.net/portal/masters/area/Controller?mvchandler=portals&action=show-
screen&screen=workspace&idSection=17465&area=mba&tipo=masters
Barcelona Duració: 1 any acadèmic
Horari: Dilluns de 19h. a 22h. Divendres de 18h. a 21h. i dissabtes de 9h. a 14h.
Former student who has done it: Meritxell Caparrós
Meritxell’s comments: This is a 9-month master degree which starts every year in October and ends in July.
This master is offered by La Salle Business Engineer School, which belongs to Ramon Llull University. The
price of this master is relatively high (€9.000-10.000) but it is very similar to the prices offered by other
universities -not many in Barcelona, by the way. I only know one university –ESCI, UPF- which has a very
similar master.
The goal of the master is to cover all the areas included in the process of internationalization of small and
medium companies (PYMES). The master begins with very interesting sessions on cultural dimension. Then, it
moves on to international politics and business. All this is followed by statistics and mathematics which I have
personally found very difficult to follow. However, it is true that good Export Managers need to have a basic
command of these issues.
The master covers also Advertising, Marketing, Price policies, Distribution channels, Human resources,
Management skills, Logistics and International payments forms, amongst many other issues. The end of the
master is a Business plan, and an educational trip to one of the universities world-wide with which LA SALLE
has agreements. I know former students who visited the USA or India. This year, we are going to Shanghai. La
SALLE also has an efficient Borsa de Treball, and they help you re-orientate your professional career.
Almost all my colleagues studied Economics or Administration before taking this master (and only 1 out of
my 21 colleagues is from Spain.), so the effort that a person from Filologia Anglesa needs to make, compared
with these students, is tremendous. Everything is new, literally. So for any of you who are really interested in
working in international departments, I strongly advise you to work 5 or 6 years in private companies before
studying this specialisation.
I have to say that many things could be improved: from organization to selection of lecturers and even
students. But the overall feeling is of enormous satisfaction.
7. Programs related to translating, publishing and
language
UAB
Assessorament Lingüístic en els Mitjans Audiovisuals (UAB) or Màster en Correcció i Assessorament Lingüístic http://www.uab.es/servlet/Satellite/postgrau/postgrau-en-assessorament-linguistic-en-els-mitjans-
audiovisuals/dades-basiques-1203328491238.html/param1-1654_4_ca/param2-2001/
Former student who has done it: Alba Vindel (2010-2011)
Cost: €1,800 Alba’s comments: Assessorament Lingüístic als Mitjans Audiovisuals can be done as only a postgraduate or, if
you pay a bit more and do a treball de fi de master (TFM) you get a master’s degree. However, it must be said
that it is not an official master, but a títol propi of the UAB. I decided to do this postgraduate course because I wanted to get the equivalent to the Catalan K-level
(which no longer can be obtained by sitting an exam) and I also wanted to specialize in oral texts or in texts
related to the media. Actually, the UAB organizes another postgraduate course in Correcció i Qualitat
Lingüístiques and the UB offers the postgraduate course Assessorament Lingüístic i Serveis Editorials
(http://www.ub.edu/algmse/), but both of them focus on written texts, not oral ones. The postgraduate course is structured in two types of subjects: those that are more general (which were on
Tuesday, and are common the Correcció i Qualitat Lingüístiques postgraduate course) and those that affect
directly the linguist that works in the media (which were on Friday). Attendance is compulsory, and the sessions
are 4 hours long, divided into two subjects.
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 25
My opinion about the postgraduate course is that it is useful because it allows you to obtain the equivalent
to the Catalan K-level. Regarding the contents, some of the subjects are very interesting and they give you quite
a lot of information, which will be useful if you work as a proofreader or language consultant. Given the high
degree of specialization of some subjects, sometimes you may feel that they are not useful, because you know
that you never will work in a given area. And sometimes there is a subject that you are very interested in, but you
may feel that it is not sufficiently explored. All in all, I would recommend this course to anyone that knows that they want to work as a proofreader or
language consultant in the media. In the event that you feel that you are more interested in written texts, perhaps
the first of these two postgraduate courses would be more appropriate.
Universitat Pompeu Fabra. Roc Boronat Building (Campus de la Comunicació - Poblenou)
Màster en estudis de traducció http://www.upf.edu/postgrau/traduccio/presentacio/index.html
Former students who did it: Laura Clarasó & Núria Sabater
Cost: €3,400-3,600 euros (depending on the subjects you choose)
Laura’s comments: I studied English in UAB and on balance, I liked it, but I had always been interested in
translation. So, as soon as I ended up this degree, I decided to enroll in this Master’a on translation. In my
opinion, only one 50% of the subjects were interesting and useful. We did subjects on linguistics, interpretation
and translation (you had to choose which kind of translation you wanted to get involved in, I particularly decided
to study legal translation, but you can choose between legal, literary or scientific and technological translation).
This subject on legal translation was the most useful one, as well as the practicum. I started my internship on
April, 2012 and I finished it 3 months later (you had to work 300 hours at least). It was not really well paid, but
at least it was paid. I learned a many things related to the translation world such as the use of the typical
automatic translation programs like Trados, Workbench and so on. I also did some corrections and final eye.
Nowadays, my job has nothing to do with translation since, after the internship, I decided that it wasn’t a job for
me because basically, you have to work with new technologies and perfectly manage them. That’s why I’m
teaching English now in an English school, and I’m very glad working in there.
I would recommend this Master to everyone who is interested in translation and new technologies and who
wants to discover how this world works since mainly the internship allows you to work and get involved (300
hours at least) in the translation business. Then, if you work really hard, they can allow you to continue with the
internship or hire you at the end just like it happened to some of my classmates who are currently working in
these kinds of business.
Núria’s comments: Para entrar en el máster, los requisitos son: título de licenciado/graduado, tu CV, una carta
de motivación, nivel de inglés B2, nivel de catalán o castellano C1.
Hay tres itinerarios: investigación (para hacer luego un doctorado), académico y profesional (el que yo hice, más
enfocado para trabajar como traductor). Para los tres itinerarios se puede escoger una (obligatorio) o más de estas
especialidades: literaria, juridicoeconómica y científica (este año no se ha cursado por falta de alumnos). Yo hice
las dos primeras y en las dos aprendí mucho, y como asignatura optativa hice traducción audiovisual.
Los contenidos de este máster son: traducción en rasgos generales, herramientas tecnológicas que se usan para
traducir, cómo traducir para los diferentes campos, teoría de la traducción, lingüística aplicada a la traducción,
gestión de proyectos, etc. El único problema que he encontrado es que por el precio que pagas podrían ofertar
más asignaturas. En este link encontraréis las asignaturas más detalladas:
www.upf.edu/dtcl/formacio/postgrau/assignaturesMET.html
En el tema de las prácticas estoy muy contenta ya que estoy en una empresa donde las prácticas son remuneradas
(atención: para la mayoría de alumnos de la UPF siempre pagan las prácticas de máster, y esto es un punto muy
positivo, ya que aprendes pero a la vez recibes un sueldo). Para este itinerario las horas de prácticas son de 340
aprox. Es el itinerario con más horas pero a la vez haces menos asignaturas y el trabajo final es de sólo 20
páginas.
En general creo que podría haber aprendido más si la organización de las asignaturas estuviera mejor, pero he
visto cómo es y he traducido mucho (y ese era mi objetivo principal), y puedo decir que sí me ha gustado. Si
quieres dedicarte a esto, tienes que tener en cuenta que en España es un campo muy difícil y muy mal pagado
(pagan mejor en el norte de Europa o en países no europeos), y es una profesión solitaria (generalmente tienes
que ser autónomo para poder trabajar en esto).
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 26
idEC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra
Máster en Edición http://www.idec.upf.edu/master-en-edicion/contenidos-academicos
Former student who is doing it: Maria Moreno
Cost: €6,900
Maria’s comments: When I finished my degree last year there was one thing I knew and that was that I wanted
to work on something I was passionate about and that was literature. I talked with Carme Font about my options
and about working in a publishing house and she told me that nowadays it’s very difficult to get into this world if
you don’t have an MA. So I enrolled in this master’s program. I found it perfect for me because as the classes are
during the evening I could work during the day. Of course it’s not cheap but with some help and money I had
been saving I decided it would be a good investment. So far it’s been very interesting and I have learnt a lot from
it. Although I haven’t been able to benefit from it because I’m already working and I couldn’t make the hours
work for me the MA is helpful in that it comes with an internship programme that lets you gain practice and start
making connections (which we are told is everything in the publishing world!). The MA deals with all the
aspects of the publishing world and all the teachers are professionals working on the field right now and they are
always available if you need to ask them questions.
UVic
Màster Universitari en Traducció Especialitzada http://www.uvic.cat/estudi/traduccio-especialitzada Former student who is doing it: Carolina Balada
Cost: €4,973
Universitat de Barcelona
Màster en Assessorament Lingüístic, Gestió del Multilingüisme i Serveis Editorials (ALGMSE) www.ub.edu/algmse/
Former student who did it or are doing it: Alba Vindel Bonet & Laura de Francisco
Alba’s comments: The postgraduate course in language policy and multilingualism management is one of the
two postgraduate courses that make up the Master in Assessorament linguístic, gestió del multilingüisme i serveis
editorials. The other postgraduate course, Assessorament linguístic i serveis editorials is equivalent to the former
K-level in Catalan, which qualifies you to proofread texts in Catalan.
The postgraduate course I have took deals mainly with issues related to language policy and management
and focuses on the situation in the Catalan domain (it is not a general perspective). You attend lessons once per
week and the classes last four hours. Over the academic year you cover different aspects of the topic, and each
session is given by some expert in the area (so you hardly see the same professor twice). On the one hand, this
structure is positive in the sense that all the professionals that come are very specialized in the topic they explain;
on the other hand, you do not have one professor that can be considered a reference and there is quite a lot of
work to do. It is also positive that the postgraduate (and also the master) includes 50 hours of pràctiques at some
company or institution related to the programme you follow.
However, the postgraduate has been redesigned for next year: it will be structured in modules and each
module will have a coordinator, you will not have to hand in exercises every week following the sessions
because some exercises will be unified according to the modules and some sessions will be done through the
campus virtual (the UB moodle platform).
In general terms, I am quite happy at having done this postgraduate: it enables you to work in public or
private institutions related to language policy and planning, and if you do the full master programme, you can
also work as a professional proofreader. I also think that the problems we encountered this year (the first year the
program was offered) will largely be solved for the next. So all in all, I would recommend it to anyone interested
in this topic.
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 27
Laura’s comments: I have been doing this MA throughout all this year (2012-2013), and to be honest, it was
not what I expected although I must admit that I’m quite satisfied with having finished it. As explained above,
this MA is composed of two postgraduate studies: Assessorament Lingüístic i Serveis EditorIals and Gestió del
Multilingüisme. I was personally more interested in the former as I thought I would get a deep insight into
Catalan grammar. However, it wasn’t exactly like that as the MA didn’t offer a syllabus based on grammar and
syntactic studies but mainly on lessons of typographical issues. The module on Serveis Editorials disappointed
me very much since the lectures I received were poor in content and quite boring. Yet it is compulsory to hand in
an imaginary editorial project at the end of the module. The assessment of the module of Assessorament
linguistic is mainly done by means of exams and projects.
The postgraduate study Gestió del Multilingüisme is in general pretty interesting. Sessions are scheduled in
different modules, and each module deals with different aspects of the Catalan language, culture, economics,
law, administration, etc. The assessment consists of handing in an activity at the end of each module. The
coordinator of each module varies according to the topic you have been dealing with. The projects are meant to
be written in pairs or groups of three.
Overall, I would recommend not to take the MA but instead the postgraduate studies independently (I’d
recommend only the one on Gestió del Multilingüisme). If you take the MA as a whole, it is compulsory to hand
in and present a final project in September, so realistically enough you don’t really finish your MA until the end
of September, once you have defended it. Most of the teachers in the MA have a strong and wide knowledge of
the issues dealt in class; however, not all of them know how to get this knowledge across. To get into this MA it
is compulsory to have a degree on Catalan Philology or the Superior Certificate in Catalan (nivell D); if not, you
will have to take it throughout the course. This MA is quite demanding. The price of the master is 2.400€.
Universitat Pompeu Fabra
Màster en Lingüística Teòrica i Aplicada www.upf.edu/postgrau/masters/comunicacio/linguistica/presentacio/index.html
Sílvia Rustullet did the second cycle version of this program (not the Master’s)
Sílvia’s comments: I chose this linguistics program because it was more applied to new technologies.
At Pompeu Fabra, you will have to adapt to their methodology: 10 weeks of lessons and then exams, with no
pre-exam study week; trimesters instead of semesters and theoretical lessons once a week. Moreover, there were
many more projects to hand in and presentations to endure. However, once you have adapted, there are plenty of
good things. In addition to linguistics subjects like Phonetics and Pragmatics, you do Computational subjects
like Statistics, Logics or Speech Treatment. Other subjects introduce you to new fields in linguistics such as
Language Industries, Applied Linguistics or Forensic Linguistics. You also have a compulsory training period at
any company you choose. In my case, I worked in a Language Engineering company here in Barcelona. I really
enjoyed it.
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Facultat de Traducció i Interpretació
Màster en Traducció Audivisual http://pagines.uab.cat/mtav/
Former students who have done it: Sílvia Anguera, Carol López, Silvia Quiles, Koré Arques, Olga Parera,
Noemí Ortego
Noemí’s comments: The master’s prepares students to work in all the different fields related to audiovisual
translation: dubbing, subtitling, voice-over, audio-description, software and videogame localization, etc. All the
teachers are talented professionals and have a lot of experience. Most of them are eager to show students the
insights of the profession and their lectures are informative and practical at the same time.
In general I am pleased with the program. However, I was disappointed that both dubbing and subtitling took
only one semester each because there is really a lot to learn. The last weeks of the master’s were filled with
lectures and while some of them were very useful, others were very repetitive. So I feel we could have used
those credits to learn how to adjust text and image in dubbing. Traditionally there has been a translator and an
‘adjustor’ but nowadays companies want someone that can do both in order to reduce expenses, but we did not
learn to do that.
Another reason for disappointment was my internship. I had to translate and subtitle the video of a conference
for the Centre de Cultura Contemporànea de Barcelona. I did it at home and I never got any feedback, so it did
not feel like an internship but more like working for free.
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 28
Universitat d’Alacant
Màster Oficial de Traducció Institucional (Màster virtual) www.ua.es/dpto/trad.int/estudios/master_instit/master_instit.html
Preu Especial: 1.500 euros Former student who has done it: Núria Hernández
Núria’s comments: This master’s degree is aimed at students with a degree in Translation or Linguistics who
want to specialise in translating legal and financial texts. It is offered online by the Universitat d’Alacant (UA)
with the collaboration of the Universitat Jaume I (UJI) and the Universitat de València (UV). It is a truly
interesting sixty-credit course, which offers two possible itineraries; a professional one, which includes practical
work experience in a law firm or translation agency and a research-focused module.
There are three language combinations: Spanish/French, Spanish/German, and Spanish/English, all of which
include four common subjects, five compulsory subjects according to language pair, two optional subjects, and a
final project. In addition, students will have the chance to learn from leading researchers in their fields, as the
professors involved are extremely professional, and helpful. However, the workload per subject is considerable.
Therefore, it can be difficult to combine this course with a full-time job. Fortunately, it can be done in more than
one year. As it is a dense online course, I would only recommend it to students who have work or academic
experience in translation.
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Postgrau de Traducció Jurídica http://pagines.uab.cat/traducciojuridica
Preu Especial: 2000 euros
Former student who has done it: Núria Hernández
Núria’s comments: The programme aims to provide learning and training in the field of legal translation. It is a
twenty-credit course which includes a basic introduction to the Spanish legal system, the Common Law,
translation basics, translation practice, and practical work experience in law firms or institutions. For this reason,
entrance requirements involve having earned a degree in Translation, in Linguistics or in Law. I would
recommend it to students with no previous experience in translation at all, as it highly theoretical and brief —the
time allotted per subject ranges from nine to twenty-four hours. For this reason, it is compatible with a full-time
job. Some of the lecturers involved are foremost researchers in their field from different universities, namely the
UPF, the UB, and the UJI.
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 29
8. Ongoing education once you are already teaching Elaine Higa
1. Col.legi Oficial de Doctors i Llicenciats en Filosofia i Lletres i en Ciències de
Catalunya (www.cdl.cat/cursos/formacio_permanent)
Courses about teaching and preparation for Oposicions.
2. International House (www.ihes.com/bcn/tt/tefl-courses.html)
International House offers workshops throughout the year, as well as a wonderful
conference in February.
3. Associació de Professors d’Anglès de Catalunya (APAC) (www.apac.es)
APAC holds a very interesting conference in March.
4. Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Spain (www.tesol-
spain.org)
TESOL-Spain also has a yearly conference, usually in March.
5. British Council (www.britishcouncil.org/ca/spain-education-teachers-corner.htm)
The British Council holds free talks and workshops for English Teachers, especially in
October.
6. Institut de Ciències de l’Educació (www.uab.es/ice)
The Institut de Ciències de l’Educació also has many courses and “Jornades” on TEFL
7. Several publishers offer talks about English Language Teaching (ELT). You need to
check their websites from time to time or even call their Barcelona delegations to see
what’s available.
Some ideas:
Oxford University Press: www.oup.com/es/educacion/oxed_eventos/
Pearson ELT: http://www.pearsonelt.com/
Burlington Books: www.burlingtonbooks.es
MacGrawHill: www.mcgraw-hill.es
IT’s magazine: www.its-online.com
MacMillan: www.macmillanelt.es/Teacher_Training.teacher-training.0.html
Cambridge University Press: www.cup.es/emea/default.asp
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 30
9. Doing post-graduate studies abroad
Doing a Master’s degree in the UK Cristina Delgado
Estoy cursando un Máster a tiempo completo en la Universidad de Manchester. Se llama MA in Post-
1900 Literatures, Theories and Cultures. Según mi experiencia, estudiar un Máster en una universidad
británica es muy duro pero también muy gratificante.
¿Por qué hacer un Máster en el extranjero?. Con un curso de postgrado, aprendes métodos de
investigación que te serán útiles si quieres empezar a labrarte una carrera académica. Además, es una
manera fantástica de adquirir un grado de especialización en la materia que has escogido. Cursarlo en
el extranjero tiene un plus de prestigio, sobre todo si quieres trabajar fuera de España, donde en
algunos casos se tiene la obligación legal de pagar sueldos acordes con el nivel de estudios. El único
caso en que NO recomendaría hacer un Máster es si realmente no tienes vocación académica. El
tema que has escogido tiene que motivarte tanto que te haga levantarte cada día y ponerte a trabajar en
él por tu cuenta, porque NADIE te vigilará. Haciendo un Máster estás “solo ante el peligro”, así que
no pierdas tiempo o dinero haciendo un Máster si lo único que quieres es simplemente llenar un hueco.
¿Qué tipo de Máster?. Existen dos tipos de Máster (taught and research masters) y los puedes cursar a
tiempo completo y a tiempo parcial. Según el grado de autonomía que quieras tener, puedes escoger
entre un taught (con asignaturas) y research (enfocado a tu propia investigación). Hacerlo a tiempo
completo significa completarlo en un año, normalmente, es decir: mucho, mucho trabajo. En cambio,
un Máster a tiempo parcial te permite estudiar y trabajar, y quizá dedicarle mucho más tiempo a cada
asignatura. También tiene la ventaja económica de que la matrícula de inscripción se paga en dos
veces. Que no te engañe la etiqueta “taught master”: básicamente, significa que tendrás asignaturas
con unas lista de lecturas inicial determinada por un profesor. Aún así, a nivel de postgrado, el nivel de
autoaprendizaje es altísimo.
¿Cómo escogerlo?. En mi caso, encontré el Máster que quería hacer en la web www.prospects.ac.uk.
Verás que muchos títulos de Máster son similares, incluso el nombre de las asignaturas que ofrecen.
Te recomiendo que indagues un poquito acerca del profesorado, el ranking del departamento con
respecto al de otras universidades, etc. Uno de los puntos fuertes de la universidad de Manchester
era que Terry Eagleton, una eminencia en el campo de la teoría de la literatura, daba clases a los
estudiantes de Máster. Pero no sólo eso: me gustaron las facilidades para escoger asignaturas de
diferentes departamentos, el interés por ciertos temas (echa un vistazo a los “reseach interests” del
profesorado o a los centros de investigación dentro del departamento), me gustó ver el número de
conferencias y seminarios que se organizaban a parte de las clases... También tienes que pensar en la
ciudad y los costes, no es lo mismo vivir en Londres que en Swansea.
Requisitos. Al no ser del Reino Unido, el papeleo burocrático es significativo -¡pero vale la pena! Ten
preparado tu expediente académico en castellano/catalán, más una traducción al inglés (te recomiendo
los servicios del SIMTRAD en www.uab-idiomes.com/simtrad.html, son rapidísimos y ofrecen
precios especiales para estudiantes de la UAB). También necesitarás dos cartas de recomendación de
profesores. Si has estado en una universidad extranjera, pídele a uno de tus profesores una carta de
recomendación: a las universidades les gusta ver que un estudiante ha hecho un buen trabajo no sólo
en casa sino también en otros sitios. Por último, tendrás que redactar una carta de motivación (no te
preocupes: hay plantillas en la web) y entregar dos trabajos de unas 3,000 palabras relacionados con el
curso que quieres hacer. En mi caso, reutilicé dos trabajos que había hecho durante la carrera para que
tuvieran una mayor relación con el Máster que quería hacer. Es posible que te pidan tener cierta
puntuación en el IELTS o en el Proficiency, pero si no tienes esos títulos en el momento de solicitar
plaza en el curso, te pueden aceptar provisionalmente y esperar a que lleguen esos resultados.
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 31
Las clases. Si estuviste fuera con una beca Erasmus sabrás que en otros países el número de horas
semanales de clase es mucho menor que en España. En el caso de los cursos de postgrado, estas horas
se reducen muchísimo más (entre 6 y 2 horas semanales, según semestre), porque se considera que el
alumno debe dedicar el resto de horas a la investigación. Tendrás tiempo para todo, pero el Máster
consume muchísimo. Aún así, es maravilloso estar en grupos reducidos (máximo 10 personas) con las
que el debate va mucho más allá de lo que podría ser un “club del libro”. Prepárate para lucirte en
clase, porque no sólo esperan de ti que hayas leído los textos, sino que seas capaz de ser crítico con
ellos y demostrar que puedes pensar “outside the box”. Una de las primeras cosas que te dicen al
empezar el Master es que ahora los profesores van a aprender tanto de ti, como tu de ellos. Eso,
obviamente, es una mentira (encantadora), pero sirve para entender que ya no esperan que reproduzcas
lo que ellos digan en clase, sino que aportes tu propia visión. En mi caso, el cuerpo de estudiantes de
la universidad es tremendamente activo, y organizan muchísimos grupos de lectura, con o sin
profesores. Es una oportunidad increíble para aprender sin la presión de tener que entregar un trabajo
al final del curso.
Fuera complejos. No te dé miedo pedir plaza en una universidad extranjera. Que el inglés no sea tu
primera lengua no quiere decir que estés en inferioridad de condiciones. Te recuerdo que un hablante
nativo de inglés no tiene por qué saber más (o incluso, escribir mejor a nivel académico) que tú. A
menudo venir de otro país es una ventaja, porque inevitablemente cuentas con un bagaje cultural y, por
lo tanto, otra manera de ver las cosas. Curiosamente, los estudiantes no-británicos que hay en mi curso
son los que mejores notas están sacando.
Meritxell Simón adds: If you are planning to do a MA or PhD in the UK, I strongly recommend
www.jobs.ac.uk. All vacancies are posted there. It is worth preparing the application form well in
advance. An excellent research project that fits the research lines of a lab is crucial. Also, good letters
of recommendation help too! My advice if you are considering doing a PhD: (1) take your time to
think about your topic (you must be obsessively interested in it because it will be your best friend for
at least four years and you won’t be able to get rid of it until you finish, not even in your sleep!); (2) A
department specialized in your topic; (3) funding. You had better wait one year or two until you get
funding and a good research unit. Doing a PhD under good conditions is almost the only guarantee for
the completion of such a demanding project. Good luck!
Javier Fernández adds: MA and MRes programmes in linguistics in the UK are generally very good,
so if you wish to pursue an academic life I’d strongly recommend you give it some thought. There are
major drawbacks to living in London, however. London is an overpriced city: for example, a monthly
Oyster card (public transport) for students is around 80 quid, which is 100 euros. Obviously this is
only for zone 1&2. Rents are also very expensive: living somewhere decent can cost 500 a month –
and by that I mean double (not huge) room relatively close to the centre. So unless you have a good
scholarship, London should be the last place in the UK to consider. Sure, you could also work and
study part-time, but then be aware that you will have to pay council tax, which will cost you at least
800 a year.
I am saying all this because for some reason, people tend to equate London and UK. If you are
interested in getting an MA or MRes in Ling, and you cannot afford to spend a huge fortune, there are
very good departments all around the UK. Here I list some (note that I can only talk about linguistics, I
am rather clueless with respect to programmes in literature):
University of Essex: the linguistics department in in Colchester, 45 minutes from London by train
and 30 minutes from Stansted Airport. They have several research groups: theoretical linguistics
(both from formal and functional perspectives), applied linguistics (SLA, TEFL…), discourse
analysis, sociolinguistics… Andrew Radford is teaching there (those of you who have taken
syntax courses at UAB must know him, I am sure!)
University of Kent: also pretty close to London (as you can see, I am giving you alternatives
always thinking of those London fans!). The department of Culture and Language, and more
specifically the division of English language and linguistics offers more theoretically-based
approaches to language (they have a good Syntax Group), but they also cover L1 acquisition and
psycholinguistics.
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 32
For those of you who like TEFL, check out Bristol or Lancaster, they focus pretty much on that.
Cambridge and Oxford both have amazing departments of linguistics, but a word of warning:
living there will cost you as much as living in London given that you have to pay college fees
plus tuition fees. In any case, for those Chomskyans like me, Cambridge is your option. If you
prefer a funcional approach to language, Oxford is your place, then.
If you don’t mind getting further up north I would suggest you checked out York, Newcastle and,
especially, Edinburgh. I went there for my Erasmus and the department of languages is absolutely
amazing. They work on computational linguistics and evolutionary approaches, but they have a
great Syntax/Semantics reading group. Also, for those of you who are interested in language
acquisition/language impairments, Edinburgh is worth a look!
In a nutshell: if you wish to get into an MA in Linguistics, the UK is a great place to do that, but do
not focus on London exclusively.
In terms of scholarships, once you narrow down your choices for programs, check out the
section on funding, which every department should have on their website, and you will see there are
plenty of options. Bear in mind, though, that if wish to be eligible for funding you have to apply by
January for entry in September.
Applying for a post-graduate program in the US Juan Meneses
You may be thinking about going for an MA or a PhD in the US, and that’s a great idea. And your
main concern, right now, is funding. The economic situation is bad, but don’t get discouraged, the
universities need you: they need MA and PhD students, and they need teaching assistants (TAs).
TAships (teaching assistantships) are something you really want to take a look at when considering an
MA or PhD, because you’ll be exempt from all academic fees.
Also, American universities embrace certain policies with respect to gender, ethnic and
international diversity, which means you’ll be taken into account in ways you are not in most countries
in Europe. I would say that approximately 20% of my colleagues who are TAs (teaching assistants)
are international students. Also, don’t discard being a Spanish/Catalan language Teaching Assistant
while pursuing another degree. Departments usually have agreements (e.g, Romance Languages-
English) so they can provide funding, and grad
students do that constantly.
There are fellowships and grants that you want to apply for. Give yourself plenty of time to work
on those. I’d say 6 to 12 months. And don’t get discouraged by the high degree of competition. These
are hard things to get, but if you don’t try, you will certainly not get them. The best advice I can come
up with is to seriously believe in what you want to do. This is especially important during the
interview processes. Very often, interviewers get highly underwhelmed by people that just want to go
abroad, and that’s where you really show them how great it’ll be for them to give YOU the money for
your studies/academic project..
If you intend to take a degree in English (as an academic area, that is) you will be expected to
perform as well as a native student. The equivalent would be to study Catalan or Spanish at the UAB.
But don’t let this daunt you in the least. You’ll see that making mistakes in written (or even oral)
English is not necessarily indicative of your being a non-native. Secondly, a graduate degree is just as
hard work as a ‘regular’ job, though obviously the pressure is higher. Be sure of what you want to do
and why you want to do it. Third, I would stress that the Anglo-Saxon academic tradition emphasizes
self-reliance, individual work and personal commitment, as has been encouraged in this department
for years. This implies a high degree of involvement in seminars and papers, where you’ll develop
your own distinct voice.
Finally, read through www.theprofessorisin.com. It is to my knowledge the best website to
consult all things pertaining grad school and professional life in academia.
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 33
Applying for an assistantship at a US university
In many US universities, graduate students (perhaps called “post-graduate” students elsewhere) pay
for their own studies (as well as room and board) by being Assistants, which can be administrative
assistantships, research assistantships or teaching assistantships (TAs, who help teach basic
undergraduate subjects—the most common post). In other words, if you get that sort of position in
advance, you will not need to get any grants or save huge amounts of money before you go.
If you have been away from studying for a number of years, do not assume that you are at advantage.
Many US graduate programs actually prefer applicants who have been working for a while over recent
graduates, on the grounds that the former will be more focused and have more to contribute.
Deadlines for applications are generally between December and March, but you should start getting
your act together well in advance (September is not too soon). Here is what you should do if the idea
appeals to you.
1) Try to find information about 10-15 different master’s programs at US universities that might
interest you. The best way to do this is online at www.gradschools.com.
2) Get information online about each program of interest from the respective university websites and
study their application forms (which should also be available online). Then narrow down your
choice to the 3-7 universities or programs which look most interesting—and which offer TA
positions (remember that it will be strictly illegal to work in the US outside the university
context).
3) You will probably have to take the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) and/or GRE
(Graduate Record Exam) exams, depending on the university. Find out how and where you can
do this in Catalonia, and plan to take the test(s) AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
4) Apply to the programs in your short list. As part of the application process, most universities will
ask you to send 1) a personal essay, 2) your official university transcript, 3) a report from your
bank, 4) an example of a paper you wrote while at university, and 5) your TOEFL scores and
possibly also GRE scores. Deadline for application may be as early as January, so it is important
to get these documents ready before Christmas.
5) Then wait for replies, which should start to come in after February, depending on individual
university deadlines. If you are accepted in several places, weigh the offers. Some universities
may not offer TA positions. Those that do will offer different salaries.
6) Once you accept an offer, the university will send you an information pack that will enable you to
apply for a visa to the US. This process can be complicated and you should get help with it to
avoid mistakes.
If all of this sounds complicated, just ask yourself if you have anything to lose by trying!
For a site that ranks US colleges for quality, see
http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/usnews/edu/college/rankings/rankumregion_brief.php
Note: Ruth Gómez Layola was given a Teaching Assistantship at University of Maryland Baltimore
County which enabled her to do an MA in Intercultural Communication without paying for tuition.
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 34
Post-graduate studies in Canada Laura Monerris Oliveras
For those of you interested in doing a post-graduate program abroad, the University of Alberta (top 5
Canadian university) has a good program in TESL at the Master’s and Doctoral levels. See
www.edpsychology.ualberta.ca/GraduatePrograms.aspx
The application deadline for a graduate program in a Canadian university, either M.A. or
Ph.D., is usually during September-December and only sometimes until February/March to start the
program the following September. Make sure you browse their programs on their websites based on
your interests first, but give priority to those universities that provide funding (e.g. scholarships,
graduate research or teaching assistantships, international tuition supplements, recruitment awards,
etc.) with their graduate programs. Being accepted at a graduate program without funding is going to
be extremely challenging due to the continuous rise in tuition fees and the cost of living (which varies
depending on the Canadian province).
Once accepted at a graduate program at a Canadian university, getting a Study Permit is pretty
easy and straightforward. During your studies, you can work on campus with your study permit, or
off-campus with a specific Work Permit for students. http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/study/index.asp
NOTE: If you become an international Ph.D. student and complete at least two years towards
your degree, in good academic standing, you will be eligible to apply as a Skilled Worker and
become a Permanent Resident. As a Permanent Resident, you have the same rights and privileges as
a Canadian citizen, except for the right to vote. Thus, your tuition fees will become domestic (you will
stop paying international student fees) and you will not need a Study Permit or Work Permit anymore.
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/skilled/apply-who.asp
Just a few of the academic post-graduate programs abroad done by former students.
Former
student
Years
attended
University Degree Area of interest Grant
Clara Guasch 1999-2000 University of Essex Computational
Linguistics
Batista i Roca
Eva Fité 1999-2000 University of Hull, UK MA English Literature Self-financed
Maria Sabaté 2005-2006 University of Toronto,
Canada
MA Linguistic
anthropology
La Caixa
Laura Monerris 2006-2008 University of Alberta,
Canada
PhD Applied linguistics Teaching
Assistantship
Cristina
Delgado
2007-2008 University of
Manchester, UK
MA Post-1900
Literature
Self-financed
Xavier Aldana 2007-2008 Birkbeck College,
University of London
MA Modern and
Contemporary
Literature
Laia Arnaus 2008-2009 Bergische Universität
Wuppertal
PhD Bilingual language
acquisition
La Caixa/DAAD
Juan Meneses 2008-2009 Purdue University, US PhD Literature La Caixa
Meritxell Simón 2006-2012 Université Paris IV-
Sorbonne
PhD Literature/Women’s
Studies
French government
grant
Aida Ribot 2011-
present
University of California
at San Diego
MA Linguistic
Anthropology
Javier
Fernñandez
2011-
present
University College
London
MA Research in Syntax La Caixa
Yúlia
Kovalchuk
2011-2012 Queen Mary
University, London
MA Literature grant
Ruth Gómez 2012-2014 University of Maryland
Baltimore County, USA
MA Intercultural
communication
Teaching
Assistantship
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 35
Grants to teach and work abroad
1. Leonardo da Vinci and Eurodisea (internship grants)
All the information about these two grants as well as application forms can be found online at:
Eurodysee: www.eurodyssee.eu/es/que-es-eurodisea.html
Leonardo: www.uab.es/servlet/Satellite/programas-de-movilidad-e-intercambio/leonardo-da-
vinci/becas-euroaccion-1096482016588.html
Former student Carol López was awarded one of these grants and worked for several months in Wales
in a job related to translation and publishing. Elena Díez went to Italy (and from there to Egypt).
Sandra Torres got one and worked for the UN in Vienna. Rebeca García got one to work in Italy. Most
recently, Paula Jiménez was employed in France.
Elena’s comments: I applied at the Oficina de Treball: very easy, just basic information about studies
and work experience, preferences of countries in Europe to work in and fields of work preferred. The
first year I heard nothing from them. So after a year I renewed the application (compulsory step if you
want to keep on the database). Three months later I was offered the chance to go through a couple of
interviews to go and work in Torino, Italy. I passed, which meant 3 months there: a 1-month intensive
course in Italian and then a 2-month internship in the field I chose (Development NGO), a total of 9
weeks working 35h/40h a week. It was not paid for but they offered accommodation (a flat
downtown), a public transportation pass for the 3 months, a ticket to Italy and back, and €6 pocket
money per day. So I learnt Italian and got work experience abroad without getting paid, but getting
much more than I would have if I had done it here in Spain. Moreover, it opened the doors to further
work opportunities.
Projecte Euracció
Information about this similar program as well as the application form is available at:
http://www.uab.es/treball-campus (Look under “Beques Euroacció”)
CARACTERÍSTIQUES GENERALS DE LES BEQUES
L’estada es pot realitzar a partir del febrer de 2009 i la durada de l’estada és de 14 setmanes
L’import de la beca és de 2.600€ per persona beneficiària, quantitat que podrà variar en funció del país d’acollida.
La beca inclou:
• 13 setmanes de pràctiques (la primera setmana d’estada és d’adaptació)
• Cerca de l’empresa, sinó ho ha fet el/la sol·licitant
• Preparació lingüística personalitzada, al Servei de Llengües de la UAB, de l’idioma que s’utilitza al país de destinació
• Despeses del viatge (anada i tornada) al país de destinació
• Assegurança de viatge i de malaltia
• Despeses d’allotjament
• Ajut per a manutenció
• Tutorització durant les pràctiques
• Gestió
El projecte Euroacció compta amb socis de acollida que s’encarregaran de trobar una empresa adient que respongui a les
expectatives de cadascun dels beneficiaris.Per a les estades de l’any 2009, hi ha socis d’acollida a Alemanya, Austria, França,
Grècia, Itàlia, Polònia, Portugal, Regne Unit i República Txeca.
You can also by yourself find a company that is prepared to let you do an internship, and then request
the grant.
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 36
2. Auxiliares de conversación
http://www.mecd.gob.es/educacion-mecd/areas-educacion/actividad-
internacional/convocatorias-trabajo-formacion/para-espanoles.html
Students in their last year of university can apply, though in general successful applicants have had
several years of teaching experience—even if just in language schools. The International House course
in teaching Spanish is excellent preparation for this.
NOTE: Even if you are not on the official selection list which appear in June—or even the waiting
list—you might be called. Several of the people listed below were called in September because the
selected candidates had decided not to go.
Former students who have been awarded this grant (though not necessarily accepted it):
2002-2004: Laura Monerris
2005-2006: Mariona Salvador, Júlia Fradera
2006-2007: Núria Tuda, Ibana Larrubia, Ingrid Villanova
2007-2008: Marta Soria, Samuel Rísquez, Meritxell Simón, Pablo Ortigosa, Mercè Guixà, Anna Pascual
2008-2009: Irene Cuenca, Aloma Breu, Alba Gómez, Sanae Ortiz, Noemí Fernández, Olga Herrera, Iria Crespo,
Laura Viader, Ester Mundo
2009-2010: Christina Martín, Alícia Carreras, Susana Padrosa, Rafa Gallego
2010-2011: Adrià de Gràcia, Meritxell Ballús
2011-2012: Adriana Boada, Núria Frias, Meritxell Ballús, Cristina Estanol
2012-2103: Vanessa Dachs, Marina Checa, Verónica Ruiz, Neus Luna
2013-2014: Pere Borrull
You can read what many of these people write in the Alumni Reports section of this pack. Their
experiences have been universally positive.
Basic information:
a) Càrrec: Auxiliar de conversa d’espanyol, col·laborant amb el professor titular d’espanyol en un
centre docent.
b) Tasques: Pràctiques de conversa d’espanyol amb els alumnes d’espanyol del centre, col·laborant
activament en el seu aprenentatge de l’idioma així com en la seva coneixença de la cultura i
tradicions d’Espanya. Estats Units i Canadà: de 16 a 20 hores setmanals. Resta de països: 12 hores
setmanals.
c) Països de destí: Àustria (10 places), Bèlgica (7), Canadà (3), Estats Units (37), França (435),
Irlanda (12), Itàlia (15), Nova Zelanda (3), Regne Unit (350), República Federal d’Alemanya (100).
d) Requisits:
Nacionalitat espanyola
Ser estudiant d’últim curs o tenir el títol d’una de les següents titulacions: Filologia Alemanya,
Filologia Francesa, Filologia Anglesa, Filologia Italiana, d’acord amb l’idioma del país
sol·licitat. També Traducció i Interpretació o Magisteri amb especialitat de llengua
estrangera.
IMPORTANT: En el cas d’Estats Units i Canadà només hi poden participar llicenciats. En el
cas de França, s’accepten estudiants d’últim curs o llicenciats de qualsevol titulació
d’humanitats, sempre hi quan al·leguin coneixements de la llengua del país de destí.
g) Durada del programa: 1 any.
It is true that competition for these positions have increased greatly as a result of the recession.
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 37
3. Profesores visitantes en EEUU y Canadá
www.educacion.es/horizontales/servicios/profesores/convocatorias/espanoles/visitantes-EEUU-
canada.html
For experienced teachers only, because you will be teaching full-time in the US public school system.
However, once you get adjusted, this grant represents a real professional option because it is a well-
paid full-time job that can lead to a permanent position and will qualify you to teach at US-style
international schools all over the world. Former students who have been awarded this grant: Meritxell
Pons (04-05), Xavier Espejo (04-07), Júlia Fradera (05-06), Mercè Guixa (07-10), Sanae Ortiz (08-11,
13-14), Núria Tuda (13-14), and Ana Rueda (13-14).
a) Funció/Treball: Professor titular d’espanyol a nivell de primària o de secundària en un centre
docent.
b) Tasques: Les pròpies d’un professor d’espanyol en un institut. Preparar i donar classes a alumnes
que estudien espanyol com a primera llengua estrangera. Implica involucrar-se plenament en el
sistema educatiu nord-americà, amb la possibilitat d’impartir altres assignatures de tipus optatiu.
c) Requisits generals:
Nacionalitat Espanyola
Domini de l’anglès tant oral com escrit, i del Francès si es sol·licita plaça a Canadà.
Tenir alguna d’aquestes titulacions: Títol de llicenciat i el CAP (Curs d’Aptitud Pedagògica)
O Títol de mestre
A més pot ser que els diferents estats demanin uns requisits específics com el carnet de
conduir, o tres anys d’experiència docent, etc.
e) Procediment i termini de la presentació de la sol·licitud:
El candidat seleccionarà plaça a Canadà o Estats Units. Dins d’Estats Units seleccionarà una
demarcació (zona) i un estat de preferència (Exemple: Demarcació Nord-est, Nova York). Tot això
quedarà indicat a la sol·licitud que obtindrà a la pàgina web del MEC i que omplirà degudament.
Llavors, enviarà la sol·licitud i tota la documentació que l’acompanya (CV, certificat acadèmic,
certificat metge…) al MEC. Una vegada enviada tota la documentació, el candidat rebrà un
missatge per correu electrònic per confirmar que s’ha rebut.
Tota la documentació s’ha de fer arribar o enviar per correu al MEC abans del dia 15 de
desembre. Si s’envia per correu postal, és important que la segellin i li posin data, per confirmar
que s’envia dins del termini convingut.
Posteriorment (uns dos mesos més tard) sortirà a la pàgina web del MEC una primera llista
d’admesos i exclosos al programa i els motius.
Una vegada s’entra a la llista d’admesos, només cal passar les proves que tenen lloc a Madrid
el més d’abril. Aquestes proves consisteixen en una entrevista personal i en alguns estats, una petita
prova escrita que normalment consisteix en una redacció, per valorar el nivell de domini de
l’idioma. Les proves les realitzen les autoritats educatives de cada estat. El procés de selecció final
dels candidats, que el duen a terme les autoritats educatives nord-americanes, es fa en funció del
resultat d’aquestes proves. La llista definitiva de seleccionats es publica al BOE i a la pàgina web
del MEC cap a finals del mes d’abril.
Els candidats seleccionats, les respectives comissions i els districtes escolars acordaran la
manera i la data per a formular la contractació del candidat.
g) Durada del programa: Aquest programa ofereix un contracte com a professor titular durant un
any, prorrogable fins a un màxim de tres anys.
h) Horari lectiu i retribucions: L’horari lectiu pot variar lleugerament a cada centre docent, però
normalment és aproximadament de dilluns a divendres de 8:00 del matí a les 13:00 o 14:00 de la
tarda.
En quant a la retribució, és d’entre els 30.000 i els 70.000 dòlars anuals, que equivalen a uns 25,000
i uns 50,000 euros anuals.
i) Nº de places: 500
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 38
On being a Visiting Teacher in the US
Comments by Mercè Guixà
At the time I graduated, I had already been accepted in the Visiting Teachers Program in the US, so I knew
that my first experience after graduation would be teaching in Oakland, California. The best aspect of this
program is that it gives you the opportunity to fully develop yourself as an educator in a completely
different education system setting. And I say fully, because you are hired under the same conditions as if
you were a US teacher. It is very challenging and it means a HUGE amount of work but it is an amazing
experience. Also, the salary is good and it allows you to live well, travel and save.
The selection process is slow and it takes a few months. You apply between November and December but
you do not know if you have got the position until the interviews have taken place, usually May. Once you
are accepted you need to be ready to leave two months later. You have no chance to get to the interviews if
you do not fulfill the requisites they list in the application form. Lots of people apply for it and they are
quite demanding in this aspect. Interviews are held by different school district representatives looking for a
particular teacher profile. This varies depending on the available positions they have and the type of state or
district you are applying for.
Once you get the position, the program guides and helps you with all the legal issues that the US requires
from foreign visitors. After your arrival, they also provide you some guidance and preparation to start
working in US schools. It is important to know that we are given the positions that American teachers—
who can choose—refuse to take. I’m talking about schools which are located in unstable neighbourhoods.
We work with socially and economically disadvantaged communities. Teaching here is a completely
different experience, tough and highly demanding but exciting and very rewarding at the same time. The
first year may be especially challenging but it is really worth it in the long term.
For this reason, I would not personally recommend this program to those people who only want to spend a
single year abroad. Coming here involves a big personal and economic investment.
I have just finished my fourth year here and it’s been a really good year. I cleared my California teacher
credentials last year, the Multiple Subjects and the Crosscultural Bilingual Credential. So now I’m
considered a highly qualified teacher. This is a requirement if you want to continue working in the country
after the third year. The length of Profesores visitantes program is 3 years as it is also the J1 visa we get in
order to come here to teach. Once the program is over and the J1 visa expires, you still have the option to
continue in the school, as long as the school district agrees to sponsor the new H1B visa. This is a long and
costly process. Personally, it has not been easy but I really wanted to continue working here so I went for it.
I got my H1B last November and I’m really pleased! I have become tenured in the district, which gives me
stability in the midst of the current economic crisis (you become tenured on your fourth year in the district).
Also, I will be able to teach here for three more years with my new visa.
The state of California is cutting lots of funds in Education and it’s been a year with many lay-offs. It is not
easy to keep your job here either, especially if you are a first or second year teacher but now that I have
acquired a little seniority I feel that I need to take advantage of it. This is such a great experience and I am
constantly growing both professionally and personally. I still don’t see myself staying here for good but for
now I think it is one of the best options, especially looking at the economic situation back in Spain.
Oakland school district is not offering any positions to Profesores Visitantes teachers for the next school
year 2011-12 due to the economic crisis. I think only some districts in south California are offering a few
positions right now. However, I believe this will change in the future once the situation gets better because
bilingual teachers are highly needed in this area.
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 39
Comments by Sanae Ortiz
The selection process
The selection process might be a bit stressful but I’m sure anyone having finished the degree in English
Studies will be easily hired. The selection process consists of two parts, an English exam in order to prove
your English language proficiency and a job interview that takes place on a different day. Be prepared to
travel to Madrid several times for a few months. The exam has three parts. First, there is a grammar
multiple choice that has to be completed in a short amount of time (no time for going through the exam
twice). The second part is a writing (easy enough after having done millions of essays for Llengua Anglesa
I and II), and finally a third part involves having a conversation with someone. They ask you questions
related to your motivation for going to the US—that sort of thing.
Why is the US hiring so many Spanish teachers?
First of all, the US has a shortage of certified bilingual teachers, especially in elementary education. You
can also be hired for a high school but the chances are low. There are a lot of Spanish speakers in the US.
Nevertheless, only a few are certified and have a good command of written Spanish language. You will see
many teachers that cannot spell words right. Apparently, the “Profesores Visitantes” program also recruits
in other countries such as Puerto Rico and Mexico, but the Spaniards have proved to be better prepared and
more likely to meet the high expectations and requirements of the schools here, and so the schools are very
interested in hiring us.
The Latino impact on education
The Latino population in the US is quite large. In Chicago, where I live, the Mexican population is
considerable in comparison to other minorities. In my school, for instance, 98% of the students are
Mexican. Parents have the right to choose whether they want their child to attend regular or bilingual
education. If in a school there is a certain percentage of a minority, it is the duty of the school to provide
bilingual education in both English and Spanish. However, the amount of English input the children get is
small, since the backbone of the curriculum is entirely in Spanish with the exception of Math and Science,
which are taught in English through mini-lessons that hit the important content vocabulary children need to
know. The idea is for children to acquire good academic competence in their L1, that is, a good grounding
in content areas in their native language in order to build on their previous knowledge through the L2.
Being a bilingual teacher is harder than being a regular teacher. You need to design lesson plans that take
into account both languages. However, it is also an advantage because schools are in need of us and there
aren’t many bilingual teachers. In my district they are getting rid of many regular teachers for next year,
due to staff layoffs. On the other hand, they are keeping all bilingual teachers.
Differences between teaching ESL to Spanish kids and Mexican kids
It is not easy to teach these kids English. They have a very good pronunciation but they lack lots of
academic vocabulary. Everyday language or grammar is not taught, and academic language is taught
instead. They write English by ear, which is completely different from what happens to kids in Spain. The
latter are normally good at spelling, bad at pronunciation.
Be prepared for the shock
If you decide to come to work as a teacher here, be prepared to work extra hours and attend million of
meetings, workshops and conferences. It is really hard at the beginning but as the months go by, especially
after February, things start to roll smooth. You have to learn a whole new system of work:
The principal is the law, anything he/she says has to be done (at least this is how it works in my
school),
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 40
Decorate, decorate, decorate. In the US they love decorating classrooms with the students’ work
as well as reference walls made by the teacher. This is what they call “rich print environment”.
3rd and 4th grade teachers are especially stressed out. They have some state exams called ISAT and
both students and teachers are under pressure since the schools get different amounts of money
depending on the results of these tests. The problem is that teachers start to teach to the exam
rather than what they should really be teaching.
There is little studying by book. Everything is based on reasoning, and memorisation is done
using kinaesthetic learning (learning with movement).
No grammar whatsoever is taught. Students have little knowledge of what an adjective, noun or
adverb is.
Formal observations will take place over at least three years. Your job contract renewal is based
on these formal observations. The principal or someone from the district comes to evaluate your
teaching. Then you get feedback on it. You get observed at least three times in a year. It is a
nuisance but it is useful in order to know what they expect from you as a teacher and how the
principal likes the lesson to be taught. Do not worry about them too much; you have to do really
bad for them not to renew your contract. Normally all Spaniards get renewed.
Reading and writing are extremely important. There is one full hour for reading workshop and
another for writing. Students have different reading levels and books for them to work with have
to be at their level. In 2nd grade writing (7 year old kids), children learn how to write narrative,
persuasive and expository essays (very different from Spain!)
Americans work a lot. Don’t be surprised to see workmates going to school on the weekends or
volunteering to do things for the school. You are to some extent obliged to do it sometimes but do
not take it as something you must always do. Your personal life is also important. Do the extra
work now and then, because they like to see that you are engaged in the school affairs.
Can I stay longer than 3 years?
Yes, you can. After your 3 year visiting program, you may be offered a tenured position by the school and
you would be able to apply for a longer visa without the sponsorship of the MEC. This means that you will
exit the program to be a regular employee. Schools are in need of us, so many schools will consider hiring
you for more than 3 years.
It is a good option to pursue a teaching career here in the US. Each year of experience (whether here or
from your previous experience in Spain) counts in order to help you move up the salary scale. With our
degree and one year of experience you get about $42,000 a year before tax.
Economic recession
Note that there is economic recession in the US, like everywhere else, and some districts that participated in
the program last year to recruit Spanish teachers, are not doing so for the coming year. So there might be
fewer positions available this year. My distict, like many around the area, did not go to Spain to recruit this
year 2010-11 because of the bad economy. All the regular teachers (not bilingual) of three years of
experience or less have been laid off. I have two years of experience here only but the fact that I am
bilingual has helped me keep my job. Other districts have adopted more severe measures and are laying
off also bilingual teachers. As you well know the situation in Spain is no better and this means that more
people are trying to apply for different grants and programs to get out of Spain. This has happened with the
Profesores Visitantes Program this year. The number of candidates has tripled and the number of vacancies
has been reduced to a third. So there has been fierce competition among candidates. Since most of the
vacancies are for elementary education districts are now giving preference to those candidates that hold a
Magisterio degree. I had to take a test to become “highly qualified” for elementary education this year since
I am qualified in Secondary Education not Elementary. There have been some problems with our Spanish
degree this year so be prepared to take some tests while you are here and want to stay longer than a year.
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 41
The American Lifestyle
As I said before, Americans live for their jobs. In my school, most people tend to follow the same pattern.
They get married young: most of the girls in their mid twenties are already married or engaged. They are so
much in debt (mortgages and loans) that they are in need of working a lot in order to get money. Some
teachers even have two jobs. But don’t worry: I can assure you that you will have enough to live on your
salary and be able to travel quite a lot.
I live in Elgin, which is 45-minutes ride from Chicago. The suburbs are quite boring, and there is not much
to do. You can always go to Chicago the weekends, though. There are always things going on there. The
city offers a wide range of museums, concerts, cinemas, parks, art exhibits and so on.
Unless you live in a big city, you will certainly need a car. I have not driven more in my life as I’m doing
now. The bad news is that you get less exercise and you might put some weight on! There are gyms open
24 hours, so there’s no excuse!
My first year experience
My first year was hard but it got better over time. I teach bilingual 2nd grade. My kids are mostly American-
born but from Mexican parents with a low socioeconomic status. My students are very low and I have
struggled a lot with them. I have kids with learning problems and for your first year of teaching, it is a bit
too much. Luckily, two months ago I got an assistant to help me with these kids, and since then I have been
less stressed out. Mexican parents work a lot in this country and can hardly take care of their children
properly. This is shown in their kids’ performance in school. However, both Mexican parents and students
have a lot respect for their teacher and this makes everything easier.
Everyone agrees that the first year is the worst. Everything has to be done from the scratch, you don’t have
materials, you don’t know the curriculum, you are not familiar with the system, and so on. The second year
is relatively easier and I can already see, although the year has not finished yet, that next year will be much
easier, so I’m thinking of staying another year. There are many reasons why I want to stay here.
The US is great for travelling; you can get cheap national flights as well as international flights to
Central and South America.
You earn enough money to live well and travel, something you would not dream of in Spain.
You learn new methodologies and strategies that you can apply to your future teaching in Spain or
anywhere you go.
You can save some money.
You get to know a new country.
Working with children is very rewarding. They cheer your up when you feel down. On other
occasions, you would kill them (just kidding!).
My second year experience
Your second year experience will be much easier. All the materials are already done, you know the system,
the curriculum etc. It is definitely worth the first year’s suffering and work. I had a huge class this year (29
students) and it seems that the ratio in the classes is going to increase for next year because of the budget
cuts that the educational system has suffered. They are talking about classes of 35 students or so. One of the
things that caught us Spaniards off guard was the sudden problem with our certification from Spain that
was supposed to be valid for the three years of the Profesores Visitantes Program. I and many other
Spaniards who were teaching Elementary but did not hold an Elementary teaching degree were required to
take a test to become highly qualified. The test is called Basic Skills which is not difficult but very long. It
has Reading, Grammar, Math and Writing and you need to pass all parts with a grade of 240 out of 300. I
passed it but if I wanted to stay longer then I’d have to start thinking about taking other tests next year, not
to mention the paperwork for getting the next visa H1B. Now I’m starting to believe people that have been
here a long time when warned me not to get too comfortable here because it is easy to get used to the life
here. Good job, good salary, prospects of jumping the salary scale etc. It is definitely a good experience
that I would recommend to everyone.
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 42
4. Fulbright lectores de español en universidades de
EEUU www.fulbright.es/programas/programa-espanol/lectores-de-espanol/2012-2013
The selection process is competitive. Former students who have been awarded this grant: Tanit Carré
(07-08), Auba Llompart (08-09), Alba Adell (12-13).
a) Dotació de la beca: 4.000 US$ en concepte de despeses generals i de viatge. Les universitats
contribueixen amb un quantitat que pot variar entre 250 i 500 dòlars mensuals. Amés, les
universitats també proporcionen allotjament i manutenció en el propi campus, i finalment hi ha
l’assegurança mèdic i d’accident.
b) Duració de la beca: 1 curs acadèmic. No es pot renovar.
c) Procés de selecció: El Comitè de Selecció estarà format per representats de les delegacions
espanyola i nord-americana de la Comissió Fulbright. Els sol·licitants que hagin obtingut una nota
favorable en la avaluació i passat el procés de selecció, seran convocats amb suficient antelació
per a realitzar les proves d’anglès i l’entrevista personal a Madrid.
d) Informació: www.fulbright.es o al Servei d’Informació Acadèmica de la Comissió
E-mail: [email protected] Tels.: 91 702 70 00/ 91 319 11 26
On being a Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant Comments by Tanit Carré Cardona
Susquehanna University, Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania (2007-2008)
La experiencia como lectora fue muy buena. En el ámbito personal la experiencia está siendo
relevante. Primero, debo decir que tuve mucha suerte con mis compañeras de casa, otras lectoras, que
hicieron que la convivencia fuera muy agradable. A parte de esto, el contacto con la sociedad
americana fue muy gratificante. Pude llegar a conocer a la gente, adentrarme y adaptarme a su cultura
y apreciarla en muchos aspectos. Algunos profesores del campus nos han ofrecido su ayuda y
hospitalidad. Por ejemplo, el primer mes estuvimos yendo a la iglesia cada domingo con una pareja
que son profesores en la universidad. Fue una experiencia inolvidable.
Como profesora el hecho de enfrentarme con un grupo grande (25 alumnos) fue todo un reto. Al
mismo tiempo hay que considerar que la asignatura era obligatoria, por lo tanto, no todos los
estudiantes estaban motivados. Con la ayuda de la lectora argentina, podimos superar la mayoría de las
situaciones referentes a la clase. Ambas habíamos asistido previamente a clases de metodología y
también teníamos bastante experiencia. Por lo tanto, preparar las clases juntas fue bastante ameno.
Tuvimos que preparar material de todo tipo para hacer las clases lo mas dinámicas y comunicativas
posibles. Ejemplos de ello han sido la utilización de presentaciones Power Point, clases de baile,
anuncios y telenovelas encontradas en YouTube, role plays, juegos de competición como el dictado en
carrera o gymcanas. La verdad es que nos lo solemos pasar bastante bien tanto preparando como
dando la clase, aunque la preparación lleva su tiempo.
Mis responsabilidades como lectora eran varias. Como especificaban en mi Terms of Agreement, en
el primer semestre di una clase de nivel 103, estudiantes que habían tenido algunos estudios básicos de
español en el instituto. Además, con Romina dábamos la parte de conversación de una clase de nivel
300. Eran 6 grupos de 4 alumnos y la clase era de media hora. En ella analizábamos la película que
veían en clase, organizábamos debates o otros juegos. Por otra parte, a nivel más informal, cada jueves
participábamos en las Language Tables, donde a la hora de comer los estudiantes de todos los niveles
podían reunirse con nosotras y comer mientras hablábamos con ellos en español.
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 43
También Romina y yo decidimos participar en las actividades organizadas por el club HOLA
(Hispanic Organization for Latino Awareness), como el Latino Symposium, Pre-Gala Dinner,
International Food Night, Gala Dance, etc. En estas actividades solíamos ayudar en la preparación de
comidas, decoración, recepción de conferenciantes y venta de libros de éstos. Para terminar, este
semestre conseguimos organizar una cena del departamento que nos gustaría se implantara como una
tradición de cara al futuro para poder encontrarnos en un ambiente informal y sin prisas. La verdad es
que salió muy bien y algunos profesores ya se han animado a hacer una el próximo semestre.
Fuera de lo estrictamente acordado en el contrato, colaboré en diseñar y dar un curso sobre España
junto con una profesora del departamento, ocupándome de un bloque dedicado a las zonas de habla
catalana (Valencia, Cataluña y Baleares) y preparando actividades sobre la historia y cultura de estas
zonas. A lo largo de este curso también veremos la situación del estrecho de Gibraltar, el País Vasco y
Galicia.
Por lo que respecta a las asignaturas, hice Metodología y American Literature and Culture. La
asignatura de metodología fue un requerimiento de la jefa de departamento y coordinadora. Solo
éramos las tres lectoras como alumnas y la clase se basaba en leer un libro sobre la aplicación del
método comunicativo en clase y comentarlo. Algunas veces aprovechábamos la hora para hablar de
nuestras clases, ya que nos fuimos turnando para observarnos mutuamente y llevar a cabo el feedback
pertinente. Este curso no fue nada nuevo para mí, las ideas del libro ya las había estudiando
previamente y también había hecho observaciones y feedback. Sin embargo, la segunda, fue realmente
muy instructiva. Las clases no se basaban solo en ver películas, sino que analizamos la sociedad
americana desde el punto de vista de las minorías o grupos sujetos a discriminación (African-
Americans, homosexuales, mujeres, latinos, asiáticos, etc.). Discutimos de muchas maneras diferentes
temas sobre la raza, los prejuicios, los abusos, etc.
Comments by Auba Llompart
Pacific University, Forest Grove, Oregon (2008-2009)
I have been in Oregon, in the United States, for two months now and this is one of the most interesting
experiences I have ever had! I am working at Pacific University of Oregon as a Teaching Assistant,
and my job here is not only to teach the Spanish language to American students but also to teach them
some cultural aspects of Spain. I am in charge of two language laboratories, in which students have to
put into practice what they learn in their Spanish class; two language tables, which are for students to
improve their speaking skills; and, once a week, I have to prepare a cultural evening. For example, I
can show movies or teach them how to cook some Spanish traditional dish. Moreover, I am also
auditing some courses, which makes my stay here a good studying experience too, and complements
what I learnt at the UAB.
I am living on campus and it is very interesting for me to see how different it is from the UAB.
Students are very active and they are always organizing activities, parties, and all kinds of events on
campus, which is a bit surprising and it seemed rather childish to me at first, but I am getting used to it
now and it is actually a lot of fun. Another thing which I like about this program is that we have to
attend workshops in other parts of the US, which is a great opportunity for travelling and meeting
other Teaching Assistants from many different parts of the world. Before going to Oregon I went to
Indiana for a pre-orientation week, and in December we are going to Washington D.C.!
I strongly recommend this experience to anyone! Don’t be afraid to go abroad! Integration is much
easier than it seems. In my case, I have not felt lonely or homesick at all during these first two months.
Right from the very first day, people were extremely friendly and helpful. Of course I have had some
culture shock! But it is also interesting and enriching to see things you do not fully agree with, and
which are different from those in your home country. I really think that more Europeans should go to
the United States (and vice versa!).
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 44
5. Lectors i lectores de Català www.llull.cat/_cat/_convocatories/lectors.shtml?seccio=tramits&subseccio=lector)
Requisits a) Ser ciutadans comunitaris.
b) Estar en possessió del títol de llicenciatura (preferentment en Filologia Catalana).
c) Estar en possessió del Certificat de nivell superior de català o equivalent, per al supòsit en què la
persona aspirant no sigui llicenciada en Filologia Catalana.
d) Acreditar coneixements de l’idioma oficial del país de destinació (anglès, francès, alemany o italià).
Sol·licituds
Les sol·licituds formalitzades d’acord amb el model d’instància que consta a l’annex 4 d’aquesta
convocatòria s’hauran d’adreçar al/a la director/a de l’Institut Ramon Llull mitjançant la seva
presentació al Registre de l’Institut Ramon Llull (Diputació 279, baixos, 08007 Barcelona).
Els impresos de sol·licitud normalitzats es podran obtenir a l’Institut Ramon Llull o a través del web
de l’Institut –www.llull.com–.
Sites: Universitat de Massachussets (US), Universitat de Georgetown (US), Universitat de Provença
(França), Universitat de Paris 8, Universitat de Tolosa (França), Universitat de Széged (Hongria),
Universitat de Trento, Universitat de Venècia, Universitat de Bristol, Universitat de Cardiff,
Universitat de Durham, Universitat de Newcastle.
Most sites have different specific preferences, such as doctoral studies or a knowledge of Catalan
literature.
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 45
Teaching grant application calendar
If you are interested in any of these grants, it is important to keep checking the appropriate website
every day about a month before the application period opened in previous years, because as you can
see below, with the exception of the Fulbright grant, the application period varies considerably
from one year to the next.
Grant
Requirements for
2011-
12
for
2012-
13
for
2013-
14
MEC Auxiliares de conversación de lengua española http://www.mecd.gob.es/servicios-al-ciudadano-mecd/catalogo-servicios/profesores/convocatorias/espanoles/exterior/auxiliares-conversacion.html
Be in the last year of your Degree or have a Llicenciatura in English, Spanish, or a Degree in Translation.
USA and Canada: only with
a Llicenciatura.
9 Dec 2010 – 3 Jan 2011
22 Dec 2011 – 10 Jan 2012
15 Dec 2012 – 17 Jan 2013
MEC Profesores visitantes en centros escolares, EEUU y Canadá http://www.mecd.gob.es/servicios-al-ciudadano-mecd/catalogo-servicios/profesores/convocatorias/espanoles/exterior/visitantes-EEUU-canada.html
Substantial teaching
experience
Spanish nationality
Excellent command of
English
Degree (preferably Spanish or English) and CAP, or Degree of “mestre educació primària” (specialized in English)
9 Dec 2010 – 27 Dec 2010
23 Dec 2011 – 29 Dec 2011
20 Dec 2012 – 22 Jan 2013
Fulbright lectores de español de español en universidades de EEUU http://www.fulbright.es/convocatorias/ver/1404/lectores-de-espanol/2014-2015
Spanish nationality
Degree in English or Spanish
TOEFL (550)
Language teaching
experience
12 April 2011 – 17 May 2011 (for 2012-2013)
22 March 2012 – 26 April 2012 For 2013-2014
29 May 2013 – 29 June 2013 For 2014-2015
Lectors i lectores de
català www.llull.cat
EU citizen
University degree
(preferably Catalan Phil.)
Nivell superior en català
19 May 2011 – 3 June 2011
15 May 2012 – 30 May 2012
2 May 2013 – 15 May 2013
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 46
Working abroad 1. Looking on the internet for jobs abroad Mònica Salvador, Adela Mena & Esther Piqué
United Kingdom
www.hotrecruit.co.uk (temporary jobs)
jobsearch.monster.co.uk
www.jobserve.com
www.workthing.com
www.anyworkanywhere.com (summer jobs)
www.guardian.co.uk/jobs (The Guardian)
www.telegraph.co.uk (The Daily Telegraph)
www.independent.co.uk (The Independent)
www.tes.co.uk (published every Friday, includes advertisements for teaching posts)
For jobs where Spanish is required or desirable, type “Spanish” in the space for keywords.
Ireland www.fas.ie (official website)
www.nixers.com
www.irelandjobs.ie
www.irishjobs.ie
Germany www.monster.de
www.jobs.de
www.jobpilot.de
www.jobsuche.de
www.jobware.de
www.jobcafe.de
www.jobrobot.de
www.germanien.net
For writing a CV:
www.mmcberatung-heikomell.de
www.focus.msn.de/jobs
Also visit the websites of the cities or universities in Germany where you would like to go.
Sites that Elena Diez and Núria Curto found useful for finding work abroad:
http://europass.cedefop.europa.eu
http://ec.europa.eu/eures/main.jsp?acro=job&lang=en&catId=7576&parentCategory=7576
www.jobsuche-regional.de
www.jobworld.de
www.bremen.de (for jobs in the city of Bremen)
www.sueddeutsche.com (Sueddeutsche Zeitung—jobs in southern Germany)
www.rheinmainclick.de (jobs in the Main/Rhein areas)
www.mvweb.de (jobs in northeastern Germany)
www.praktika.de (internships)
www.randstad.de (temporary employment agency)
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 47
2. Finding housing and work in the UK Carme Valls & Anabel Arcos
Where to go?
If you are planning to go to Britain for a year or longer to get a job, I would recommend that you go to
big cities or towns that have a university, such as London, Edinburgh or Dublin, to name just the
typical ones.
ADVANTAGES
more job offers of different sorts (as an administrative assistant, a teacher, a waiter, a barman,
a sales advisor, secretary, etc.).
more chances to meet people from different parts of the world.
more possibilities of continuing with your education by enrolling in part-time or evening
courses and meeting other students.
lots of cultural events going on regularly.
DISADVANTAGES
lots of foreigners who are also looking for a temporary or permanent jobs (Spaniards are to be
found everywhere), which means that there is considerable competition to find a job,
especially in the peak seasons such as summer or Easter.
How to find accommodation?
There are basically two ways to find a room or flat to rent: 1) search on the net or 2) go to cafeterias or
university buildings where there are usually lots of ads from both students and professionals. It is
almost guaranteed that within the first week you will find a room to rent.
Two good free web pages where you can find lots of ads in different cities of the UK are:
www.gumtree.co.uk (I really like this one)
www.clickflatshare.co.uk
www.easyroommate.com
Points to bear in mind:
The UK is quite expensive in terms of room and flat rentals. In Edinburgh, for example, a
room can cost you from £300 to £370 a month, without including the bills and Council Tax.
For most flats, you do not sign a contract; everything is just a verbal agreement.
You will usually have to pay a deposit (one month’s rent) and the first month’s rent at the
same time. Therefore, be prepared to pay around £600 or more at once!
In Edinburgh, you can basically find three different types of rooms to rent; I would guess in
the rest of the UK the situation is more or less the same. The first one is to live with your
landlord and his/her family or partner, the second one is to live with students and the third one
is to live with professionals. Some student flats do not want a professional as a flatmate
because of Council Tax reasons (students do not pay CT), but it depends.
Whatever choice you make, I would recommend renting a room in a flat that has a living room
or some sort of place in common where you can socialise with your flatmates. I found that in
Edinburgh there were several flats that did not have a sitting room or a big kitchen in common
where you can meet your flatmates and speak to them, which I found a bit depressing.
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 48
About living in London (by Gemma Serra):
Good places to find flats: www.moveflat.co.uk & www.gumtree.co.uk
You need something like 4 or 5 weeks rent as a deposit for normal flatshares and then the
first month of rent. So you need around £800 to £1000 up front. However, prices depend a
lot on the area, number of people in the house and size of the room.
Average price of a room for a month can go from £300 to £500 plus bills.
Besides normal water bills (£400 a year to share), gas & electricity bills (around £300 a
year to share), all UK residents have to pay council tax, which varies depending on the
council area you live in and the size of your house. Because I live in Richmond, which is
rather expensive (but the location & quality of life is great) we pay £200 among three people.
However, when I used to live in Tooting, we paid £70/month among 4 or 5 of us.
A TV licence costs £130 a year and then you need to add cable or satellite fees if you
want to see a decent number of channels!
How to find a job?
There are different ways to find a job.
Web pages: there are hundreds of web pages where you can register your CV and look for
vacancies in the UK and apply directly to them, but the best are www.tes.co.uk,
www.toplanguagejobs.co.uk, www.reed.co.uk, www.eurolondon.com, www.alsit.com,
www.jobsite.com or www.gumtree.com. You can look for jobs by language, industry/sector
and location. Once you have uploaded your CV on one of those websites, many other job
agencies contact you offering jobs.
Recruitment agencies such as Kelly Services, Select Appointments, Addecco or Quantum (to
name just a few). It is a good idea to do a recruitment agencies “tour” and hand in your CV and
ask for the type of vacancies they have alive at the moment. The good thing about them is that
once they have found you a job (probably temporary for 1 to 3 months), they try hard to find
you another one (temporary as well) if you have proved to be a good employee. The bad point
is that you never have a stable job. But this means you may end up with experience in different
sectors and learn new things from the different jobs!
At least in Edinburgh, the Council (city government) had lots of job vacancies for learning
assistants in primary or secondary schools, library assistants, or administrative assistants,
among other things. Have a look at the following web page
www.edinburgh.gov.uk/CEC/Jobs/Jobs_List.jsp I applied for lots of positions as a learning
and teaching assistant and was called for an interview only once and was not successful.
However, I do think foreigners with a good command of English and some teaching experience
have a good chance of getting a job from the Council of Edinburgh.
Finally, the other option is to hand in your CV at shops, restaurants, language schools, pubs,
etc. This was actually the first thing I did once I arrived in Edinburgh and, believe or not, I was
never contacted! I think it was partly because of the large number of people looking for a job in
September here in Edinburgh. But no one even called me for a possible interview! However, I
know of some people who were indeed contacted and got a job through this approach.
If you happen to find a job this last way, make sure that you get a contract and all the paperwork
sorted out within the first 2 weeks. I know of some people who were cheated and only paid after
having quit the job.
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 49
Before going back to Spain
With your first paycheck, you will see that your salary is much lower than you expected. Taxes in the
UK are quite high, about 20% of your gross salary and National Insurance can be between 8 -11%.
However, depending on how much you have earned, you can reclaim part of your tax money once you
are about to leave the country. You need to go to the Inland Revenue office and fill in an application
form. You can either have this money sent to you in your home in Spain (by cheque) or have it paid
into a UK account. This process is quite slow and will probably take a long time but you can be sure
that in the end you will have your tax money back. So you could say it is a method of saving!
3. Teaching in the UK Míriam Rodríguez & Silvia Imbernón
If you want to be a teacher in the UK, you will need to obtain Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). This is
required to work as a teacher in both Primary and Secondary schools — though you may be able to
work in Independent Schools or as an assistant teacher.
Before 31 March 2012, the General Teaching Council for England (GTCE) was the governing body
issuing QTS certificates. However, from 1 April 2012, the Teaching Agency, a new executive agency
of the Department for Education (DfE), will be the body responsible for awarding the QTS (Qualified
Teacher Status).
More information about this to be found at
www.education.gov.uk/schools/careers/traininganddevelopment/qts/b00204081/award-of-qts/training
Please note the GTCE Teacher Enquiry Service has now closed. If you have a query or need
information or guidance about the award of QTS or a query regarding your own QTS, please contact:
Teaching Agency
Department for Education
53-55 Butts Road
Earlsdon Park
Coventry
CV1 3BH
UK
To get an idea of what MIGHT be required, the following documents were previously needed when
applying for the QTS through the General Teaching Council for England (GTCE):
1. Application Form (to be found on the webpage)
2. Proof of nationality (e.g. photocopy of your passport)
3. Photocopy of your teacher training qualification certificate (i.e. CAP)
4. Certified translation of the teacher training qualification certificate (i.e. CAP)
5. Photocopy of your degree certificate.
6. Certified translation of your degree certificate.
You can translate the documents yourself and then find a former UAB teacher to add an authentication
statement and Departmental stamp. (Michael has sample translations that you can modify to suit your
own data.)
You will probably also need to get your Certificat d’Antecedents Penals since this is extremely
important to work with children. You can download this document, called Formulari 790, from the
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 50
Ministeri de Justícia website. Then take it with you to the Ministeri de Justicia in Barcelona. Be aware
that the payment has to be done beforehand. Visit the website or call 012 for detailed information.
Then you will also have to make sure your document is “apostillado” which is basically an official
stamp they put on the back side of your Certificat d’Antecedents Penals. They usually do it in the
Ministeri de Justicia, but ask anyways once you are there just in case you have to go to the Palau de
Justicia to get it, as it used to be.
IMPORTANT: Please note that the documents listed above are only an indication of what could be
requested. For a list of the correct documents make sure you contact the teaching agency to have
them ready BEFORE coming to the UK.
By doing all this before coming to the UK, you will make your life easier from the beginning, since
the whole “finding a job” procedure will be faster.
Here is a list of just a few of the many agencies that find work for supply teachers. Most of them will
be more than happy to have an interview with you if you say that you are waiting for your QTS and
confirm that you have your Penals.
www.twrecruitment.com
www.randstadeducation.co.uk
www.limetreeproducts.com
www.classroomteachers.co.uk
www.dream-education.co.uk
www.gsleducation.com
www.teachuk.co.uk
www.soloeducation.com
www.msmjobs.co.uk
There are other web pages where you can look for jobs offered directly by schools. Here are some of
them: www.tes.co.uk (I really recommend this one)
www.tda.gov.uk/Home/Recruit/becomingateacher/lookingforajob/leavacancies.aspx?loc=london
www.teachernet.gov.uk
www.teachernet.gov.uk/teachinginengland/index.cfm
With websites, just select what kind of job you are looking for and the areas you are willing to work.
They show you the vacancies as well as what you need to do to apply for the jobs.
If you want to work as a Spanish teacher, doing the course in the International House is going to be
very helpful, not only because it is a good course but also because it is has a good reputation in
language schools here.
Also, start studying French intensively. In England, they have one teacher for Modern Foreign
Languages, so if you only know Spanish it will be quite difficult to find a job. It is necessary to have a
second language, preferably French or also German.
And if you want to start working in September, consider sending your CV and application forms the
previous February or March.
www.itnteachers.com
www.kellyeducation.co.uk
www.keystone-jobs.co.uk
www.markeducation.co.uk
www.masterlock.co.uk
www.soseducation.co.uk
www.roc-education.co.uk
www.quaygroup.uk.com
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Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 51
4. Working as a supply teacher Anabel Arcos
There are advantages of working as a supply teacher, such as flexibility (you chose which days you
want to work), the different range of students you get to teach, experience and the many things you get
to learn from the schools, staff, students, etc. But there are also disadvantages like the uncertainty of
not knowing how many days you are going to be teaching a week or how much income you'll have in
your bank account at the end of the month. Also, there are very busy periods like, for example, during
OFSTED inspections because all teachers are busy getting ready for the inspections, and very
quite months, such as January and the weeks before and after the midterm holidays since all teachers
make sure they don’t miss a day of work. My advice is to keep your options open and take anything
the agency offers you at the beginning. This may mean a lot of travelling but even UK qualified
teachers encounter on overage 9 to 12 months of supply work before finding a permanent job. So, try
not to be disappointed if you find yourselves doing temporary work for a long period. This might be
inconvenient but in the long run it’s what will give you the widest experience of UK teaching, since
you are going to be teaching in every environment, to all ages.
I’m registered with 9 different agencies but it has only been Tradewind Recruitment and Randstad
Education that have been giving me the most work. When you register with an agency, they usually
ask you to bring the following documents:
1. Passport or ID
2. Valid Visa (if required)
3. Overseas Police Check (Certificat d’Antecedents Penals) from every country you’ve lived in for
more than 6 months.
4. Enhanced CRB Check (most recent): You must get one in order to be able to work at schools. The
first Agency you apply with will help you to get it. It is the same as an Overseas Police Check but
within the UK. You sometimes need to show it at schools when you work there for the first time.
5. Proof of Address: They usually ask for 2 proofs of address such as a utility bill (gas, electric,
water), bank statement, telephone bill, etc. They must be issued within 3 months.
6. Original or Certified copies of ALL Qualifications (Degree/ Certificate/ QTS): Make sure your
certificates are translated. If you are ever asked, be aware that a “Llicenciatura en Filologia
Anglesa” is compared to a British Bachelors (Honours) Degree in English. This is very important
to know since they will propably ask you what the equivalent tittle of your degree in the UK is.
7. References: You will need to provide the contact details of your last two places of work to get
references from your previous employers. This is standard practice in the UK and essential to start
working.
The sooner you have all the documents above sorted out, the sooner you will be able to start working.
Primary and Secondary Teaching You may find yourself teaching in both Primary and Secondary Schools, even if you are only trained
in one of the two. You may be lucky and find that the agencies offer you work in Secondary schools
from the beginning; just tell them that you are available to teach in both Primary and Secondary
schools, but make sure you let them know which your priority is. However if you find yourself out of
work for a long period, keep your options open. If you are offered Primary work, bear in mind that you
will need to teach from Literacy to Maths, Science to PE, but you don’t necessarily have to refuse it.
You might not feel confident doing this, especially for those who are Secondary trained, but you
should be able to adapt yourself appropriately and the more you do, the more your confidence will
grow. This will also benefit you as a supply teacher as the Agency will recognise that you can do more
work and may well contact you more often because of it.
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Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 52
Remuneration If you are working in and around London as a supply teacher for an agency you will find yourself
earning around £120 to £150 (gross) per day. It is likely that you start by earning £120, which after
taxes and National Insurance leaves you with approximately £100, depending on the agency you are
working for and the payment method they use. Some agencies use a payroll contractor that helps to
reduce the amount of tax you pay on your income. Depending on how much you earn during your time
in the UK you might be able to claim taxes back. I would recommend you to visit the following
website before coming to the UK:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/Taxes/index.htm
This is a great website for details about information on taxes and income. It also tells you about how to
claim any taxes back if you are eligible among many other useful topics such as housing and
employment.
One main thing to bear in mind as a Supply Teacher: it is unpredictable. You can’t always be sure that
you will get work and is therefore not the most suitable way to sustain your daily life. It’s definitely a
good idea to have some savings before you decide to move to the UK, just in case there are quiet
periods and work is scarce. If you are fortunate enough to receive regular work then generally, in and
around London, by working 3 days a week as a teacher for an agency, you will be able to live
comfortably, paying all your bills, rent and food. If you want to really enjoy yourself, just make sure
you work a 4th or even 5th day every week!
5. Becoming qualified if you don’t have the CAP Ibana Larrubia & Raül Jiménez
Hay dos opciones: en ambas es importante dominar dos lenguas extranjeras, no sólo el español.
Hacer un PGCE (Post Graduate Certificate of Education) This is a prestigious teaching qualification in England and it enables you to teach in English
secondary schools. It is a 10 month-course roughly. I began in late August 2009 and finished in mid
June 2010.
There are lots of universities that offer the PGCE and there are PGCEs for all subject areas. Our
area is MFL (Modern Foreign Languages). I did my PGCE with the University of Cumbria which has
a partnership with Universitat de Barcelona. Every year the University of Cumbria PGCE leaders
come to Barcelona and interview the candidates. As far as I am know they don’t have a fixed number
of candidates to choose from so you may be selected if you meet the requirements they are seeking.
Which requirements do you have to meet? As you will be doing a PGCE in languages they wish
you are able to offer at least two main languages. The three main languages in secondary schools in
England are French, Spanish and German. The current situation is that German is losing ground—
many schools that in the past offered German have changed to Spanish. However, French remains in
first position. So work on your French because if you can offer Spanish and French (even at a basic
level) you will be fine in the selection process. You will have more chances to be hired if you can
teach two languages. In England they are looking for a languages teacher rather than a Spanish
teacher, a French teacher or a German teacher.
The PGCE will provide you with a greater perspective of the English educational system. You’ll
be doing your teaching practice in two schools over the year. You will get to know how schools are
organised and what the teachers’ responsibilities are beyond the classroom. Teaching is quite a
demanding profession in England. All PGCE students receive a bursary. Your university will give you
further details on this.
Websites of interest:
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Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 53
- tda.gov.uk
- http://www.cumbria.ac.uk/home.aspx (University of Cumbria webpage)
- Universitat de Barcelona, Department de Filologia Hispánica
[N.B. Silvia Moreno obtained her PCGE through the University of Chester.]
Hacer un GTP (Graduate Teacher Programme) Es un año de prácticas remuneradas en un colegio. Se combinan las clases en el colegio de
lunes a jueves con las clases en la universidad los viernes. El estudiante tiene un mentor en la
universidad y otro mentor en el colegio. El GTP requiere dedicación absoluta por lo que se
recomienda no tener otro trabajo. El sueldo es de unos £14.000 al año dependiendo de las
responsabilidades, experiencia y ubicación de la escuela. Y también hay distintas formas de
financiación del GTP. Para más información sobre ayudas, consultar: www.studentsupport.co.uk
En el colegio, el estudiante empieza haciendo observaciones, luego colaboraciones y finalmente
está a cargo de lecciones enteras. Al principio suelen ser 4 lecciones a la semana y al final pueden ser
10 lecciones semanales o más. Al final del año se adquiere NQT (New Qualified Teacher) estatus por
el cual el estudiante está habilitado para enseñar.
Para hacer el GTP se puede responder a un anuncio para el GTP programme (en periódicos o webs de
trabajo) o hacer la petición directamente a un proveedor de GTP como por ejemplo CILT.
Para información general sobre GTP, consultar:
www.tda.gov.uk/Recruit/thetrainingprocess/typesofcourse/gtp.aspx
CILT/ British Council GTP Es un curso de GTP especial que organiza CILT en colaboración con British Council.
No hay limite de edad
Hay un curso introductorio de 2 semanas en julio.
Un año de prácticas en un colegio
14 sesiones en CILT los viernes.
Sueldo de £14.000 (profesor sin cualificar)
Consultar : www.britishcouncil.org/learning-graduate-teacher-programme
www.cilt.org.uk/training
Plazo de solicitud: 31 de marzo
Entrevista con CILT en mayo
Entrevista con los colegios en junio (en principio CILT recluta colegios y los colegios eligen
al estudiante. Si el estudiante quiere hacer prácticas en el colegio donde ya está trabajando,
debe hacer la petición al jefe de estudios de lenguas modernas y el colegio debe ponerse en
contacto con CILT.)
CILT, the Nacional Centre for Languages
20 Bedfordbury, London WC2N 4LB
Telf. 020 7379 5101
e-mail:[email protected]
website: www.cilt.org.uk
For advice on the CILT/British Council GTP, the number is 020 7379 5101 ext.261. E-mail:
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Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 54
Other addresses of interest
TDA (Training and Development Agency for Schools)
Teaching info line: 0845 600 0991
E-mail:[email protected]
Website: www.tda.gov.uk
The TDA is the government agency for information about teaching in the UK. The Teaching
Information Line is a useful source of information and advice on all matters related to Initial Teacher
Education.
Graduate Teacher Training Registry (GTTR)
Rosehill, New Barn Lane,
Cheltenham, GL52 3LZ
Tel: 0870 112 2205
Website: www.gttr.ac.uk
The GTTR handles applications to PGCE and some SCITT courses in England and Wales, and
produces a handbook to assist with selection.
British Council
World Links and Partnerships
Education and Training Group
British Council
10 Sping Gardens, London SW1A 2BN
Tel 020 7389 4447
e-mail: teachers. programmes@ britishcouncil.org
website:www. Britishcouncil.org/ learning-graduate-teacher-programme.htm
The British council manages Foreign Language Assistants’ Programme and handles applications for
CILT / British Council GTP scheme for native speakers of French, German and Spanish.
Alba Miquel adds:
A couple of non-teaching related contacts which might be useful in London: ICIC London (Institut
Català d’Indústries Culturals) and Copca. Their aim is to advise Catalan companies, so they’re not
going to get anyone a job, but the people working there are really kind and they’ve given me some
helpful tips on getting information and contacts:
www.gencat.cat/cultura/icic/internacional
and www.copca.com
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Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 55
6. Finding summer work in a UK hotel Sabrina Ferré
Working in a hotel is sometimes hard but it is great! You meet a lot of people, you can work
as a waitress, receptionist or housekeeper, and the hotel provides food and accommodation.
www.anyworkanywhere.com is a website where you can find all kinds of work in many
different countries (and not just Europe), though most of its jobs are in the UK. The
advantage is that you apply for the job directly to the workplace rather than through an
agency or website. You can find the description of the job, how long you can work there,
and even how much you are going to be paid. Moreover, you can also see whether the
workplace provides accommodation or not. (This is very important.)
If you don’t want to apply for a job through this website, take note of all the places you
are interested in and email or phone them directly. The phone is always better but you
will need to email them your CV.
The second option is going to a travel agency which offers a program on ‘working
abroad’. This is the easiest because they will find you a job and accommodation for you.
But it has also its disadvantages. First of all, it will cost you about €600, and there is no
guarantee that if you pay they will find a job for you. Another disadvantage of travel
agencies is that in most of the cases you cannot choose the place you will work. One
travel agency that offers you this program is ASATEJ Barcelona at Rambles 140, 5º C.
There is one very important advantage in going to a travel agency like ASATEJ. A lot of
travel agencies work with the English company TWIN and they offer you a certificate
called ‘Work Travel Experience Certificate’ and it is an official Cambridge certificate
(like the First Certificate, Advanced, and Proficiency), which is good for your CV.
However, if a hotel is satisfied with your work, it will give you a reference, and references
are as important as any certificate if you want to get a job abroad again the following
summer, for example. Getting a second hotel job will be easier once you have a good
reference.
The third option is to simply surf the Internet, choose a geographic area you like, search
for hotels located there and email all of them asking if they need more staff. You will
almost certainly get an answer from some of them.
It is important to start looking online in March. This is when most hotels are hiring for
the summer.
It is a good idea to apply to many places simultaneously. Then if several of them offer a
position, choose the one that offers the best job.
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Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 56
7. Living and working in China Alba Avellaneda Canals & José Manuel Cabello Cotán
China has been growing very fast over the last decades, and since the Olympic games in 2008, China
has a lot of job opportunities for foreigners who want to go there and teach foreign languages,
especially English. In the biggest cities, there are plenty of English schools that offer jobs teaching
English to small groups of kids or families that want private classes for their children. However, most
of the time they want native English speakers. For non-native speakers two things can happen: one is
that they pay you less money than they would pay a native speaker (usually 11 - 16€ per hour); or,
they wait to find a native speaker first, but if they can’t, then they hire. Nonetheless, this tendency to
prefer native English speakers will depend on the location. That is, in big cities such as Beijing or
Shanghai, which are quite cosmopolitan and therefore have a large number of foreign residents, they
will have little trouble finding native English teachers. But China is huge and there are many
“unknown” places where there are no foreigners at all. So in such places non-natives can work as an
English teacher even without a proper degree and if their English is not that good. Sometimes schools
just want their teachers to have a “Western face”. And I am not talking about schools or language
academies, but also about bigger institutions such as colleges or universities.
In terms of teaching Spanish as a foreign language, opportunities are more limited for the moment.
However, the number of people who want to learn Spanish right now is growing. There are more and
more universities offering Spanish language courses and opening Spanish Departments. At the
moment, you do not need to have a PhD to become a university Spanish teacher in most places in
China, because China lacks Spanish native teachers so the required qualifications for the teachers are
not high. A master’s degree is enough and, in some cases, even just a university degree will suffice.
Spanish is an attractive language for China for several reasons, one of them (apart from the fact that it
is one of the most spoken languages in the world) being the fact that China is trading more and more
with Latin America. At the university I was working last year [José Manuel writes] the number of
students of English, Japanese, Korean and Spanish was increasing very quickly, while interest in
German, French and Russian was decreasing. Many of my students left the university before they
finished the degree because they were already offered jobs in companies where Spanish was required
(most of these companies are in Guangdong province, Southeastern China, famous for trading). This
will give you an idea of how important Spanish is becoming in China.
There are also some job offers to act as extras in films. Also, if you are a woman, you may be able to
get work as a hostess at conferences or public ceremonies. Foreigners attract Chinese people and they
give more prestige to the place. If you come here to work I suggest you check out these two websites:
www.aecid.es/web/es/becas and hispanismo.cervantes.es/empleos.asp.
Money: If you teach Spanish at a university, the avarage salary is between 4000 and
5000 yuans (which is more or less 410 - 510 euros) per month, but they will give you accommodation
and medical insurance and usually also pay for your flight from Spain to China. This may sound like a
low salary, but it is enough to live here. You may also be able to negotiate to earn more on the basis of
your experience or skills. Remember that the Chinese love to negotiate and bargain!
Cost of living: Life in China is very cheap. You can eat at a normal restaurant for 1.5€, so sometimes
it is cheaper to eat out than to cook for yourself. A night at a hostel can cost as little as 6€. (Hostels in
China are really good! The first time my friends told me to sleep in a hostel, I was a little bit afraid of
what I might find, but in fact it is often difficult to tell the difference between a normal hotel and a
hostel, which can sometimes offer better facilities despite being cheaper.) Public transportation costs
at most 0.22€. In addition, taxis are really cheap and you can find them everywhere. And clothes are
very cheap too if you know how to bargain: shoes (like Converse, Adidas or Nike) and designer
clothes for 10€. Nevertheless, although China in general is cheap, you have to be careful and know
where to go shopping. The stuff you find in little shops or street markets is cheap, but if you go to
normal supermarkets and shopping malls everything is more expensive and, depending on the product,
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Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 57
it can be as expensive as in Europe. You have to bear in mind that while “rich” people in China
constitute a relatively small minority, but that still means more than 200 million people, which is
enough to make such high prices possible for this country.
Housing: If you come on your own, the best thing you can do is first decide which area you want to
live, and then, try to go to every agency you find (usually they are all in the same street). At the
beginning they will probably show you flats that you would never think existed, but don’t panic!
Middle class or even prosperous families can also live there. Then, when you start explaining what
you really want, they find something suitable for you. For example, I’m sharing a duplex apartment
with 4 bedrooms, big living room, kitchen, bathroom, toilet, terrace for more or less 160€ per person. I
would love of an apartment like this in Barcelona with such a good price! Nevertheless, it is better to
have a Chinese friend who can help you to talk with the agency. There are some cities where you also
have to pay to the police extra for renting.
Language: If you thought that in Spain we are very bad at speaking foreign languages, you have to
come to China. Communication will be a big issue: very few people can speak English. In the biggest
cities such as Beijing or Shanghai you can find young people who can speak English, but if you go
somewhere else you can’t communicate with anyone if you don’t speak the language. Even in Hong
Kong it is not unusual to ask a question in English and receive no answer. In addition, do not expect to
have, for example, the menu in a restaurant or the stops of the buses in English. Instead, you will only
find Chinese characters (I repeat that in the big cities this is different, at least in the tourist and
centrally situated areas of the city). Of course, this situation is changing since the government has
realised how important English is for the development of the country and is starting to make important
efforts. So I would strongy recommend that you take a course in Chinese before or after you arrive. Do
not expect to speak it in a year, the main difficulty being pronunciation and the tones. During your first
year of Chinese lessons, you just get used to the tones and learn some basic communication skills. It is
actually during the second year that you more or less understand and speak the language.
However, many foreign teachers arrive in China without knowing a single word of Chinese, and they
still manage to learn it.
Safety: Believe it or not, China is a very safe country, especially for foreigners and especially in areas
where foreigners are uncommon. The Chinese are generally quiet and innocent people. What is more,
people usually treat you really kindly when they see you are a foreigner. It is relatively safe to walk
around late in the night alone almost anywhere. The government is very serious about this, so any sort
of aggression is severely punished here, especially if you are a foreigner (although—like anywhere—
even if they are foreigners women have to be more careful). In addition, you are unlikely to be cheated
over prices when shopping or taking taxis. You have to bear in mind that there are many places where
foreigners are rare, so they have not even thought about this idea of tricking tourists. Obviously, in the
cosmopolitan cities the situation is different and you have to be careful.
There is a blog for those who want to go and live in Asia, where you can ask for or find information of
all kinds (work, housing, etc.). It was very useful for us, especially before arriving and during the first
few days we were here: www.expat-blog.com/es/directorio/asia
Getting there: Flying to China is not as expensive as one might think. If you book the ticket in
advance you can find offers for 550€ to Beijing or Shanghai. Most of the largest companies fly to
China, but the cheapest one right now is Aeroflot (Russian airlines).
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 58
8. Living and working in India Diana Hernández
How to get a job in India?
If you follow sites like todoele.net, you have access to publications of job offers for Spanish teachers
and other language-related jobs all over the world. I had been applying for jobs abroad as a Spanish
teacher for more than a year before an offer was published on January 2013 for New Delhi, specifying
an interest in Latin American teachers. I applied, I received a reply requesting an interview and I was
offered the position two weeks later. What helped me get the job? Previous experience teaching
Spanish (although my experience with groups was limited), a good command of English, and the fact
that I was one of the few Latin American applicants who covered the requirements.
Which jobs are best in India?
Employment visas for India normally require a minimum yearly salary of USD 25,000, with the
exception of “(a) Ethnic cooks, (b) Language teachers (other than English language teachers) /
translators and (c) Staff working for the concerned Embassy/High Commission in India.” Which
means language teachers and translators can expect to be paid Indian salaries. However, the amount
will depend on each school / company. Instituto Cervantes might be a better option than private
language institutes. Also, private schools offer a much better salary than Spanish institutes, about
50,000 rupees a month. Working for a company could also be a higher paying option, but the
conditions will vary greatly from one company to another.
Visa Requirements
You need to get an offer of employment to get an employment visa, the only way to work legally in
the country. Please note that employment visas can only be extended by your current employer. If you
want to change jobs, you’ll need to go back to your country to get a new employment visa. Once in the
country, an E-visa can only be changed to a) medical visa, or b) an X visa, in the event of marriage to
an Indian national. Neither of these visas will allow you to work legally in the country.
(More info at www.immigration.ind.in/)
How are the working conditions in India?
Speaking from my personal experience in the Spanish institute I'm working in, working conditions are
tough and demanding. The economic crisis in Spain has made Spanish teachers from Spain readily
available (and disposable), and therefore employers have less need to keep us happy. I work in the
institute six hours daily for six days a week, including weekends. I also get assigned extra work, such
as translations or – very occasionally – interpretations, which in some cases have been month-long or
week-long projects and have taken up all of my free time. Some teachers are assigned to in-company
classes, which require hours of transport stuck in Indian traffic. We have one month of paid vacation
offered at the end of the 12-month contract, with only the possibility of 2-3 day “casual leaves” before
that. The school has a “guesthouse” for foreign teachers, which saves money on rent and saves us the
hassle of arranging our own housing. It also means, however, that someone might be sent to live in
your bedroom without hardly any warning and definitely without asking for your permission. The
work itself – teaching Spanish in group or private classes – is fun, although you have to adapt to their
curriculum, the class schedules and their way of teaching, which requires a frequent use of English.
My salary is more or less 400€/month, although I regularly make a bit more than that, thanks to the
extra work (translations, interpretations, extra teaching hours). Combined with a thrifty lifestyle,
avoiding expensive clubs or restaurants, buying cheap clothes, cooking at home, etc. it's allowing me
to save 50% or more of my earnings.
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Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 59
Working conditions, salaries, etc. will vary from school to school and company to company, especially
for foreigners, but in general, hard work for little pay, late hours, 10-hour workdays, very few holidays
(forget about puentes) and rude, greedy bosses seem to be the norm in India.
And what about living in India?
Living in India has its own compensations and complications. The food is great, the city is very green,
the clothes are cheap and pretty, the culture is fascinating... But many things make it a hard country to
live in: the traffic, noise and pollution, the dirty streets, a sharp division between rich and poor, a
disregard for the suffering of others, traditional gender inequality, the constant stares of men
(especially hard for women), and the very hot, humid weather, coupled with rainy months where
streets flood and going anywhere turns into a challenge. Expect a long-lasting culture shock, from
dealing with bureaucracy and vendors to work culture, dating culture, and language learning methods.
For more information and questions, you can e-mail me at [email protected]. Also, if
you are considering work at INSTITUTO HISPANIA in India, please feel free to contact me for
information and an insider’s perspective.
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Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 60
9. Teaching in Slovakia David Checa Gómez
In Bratislava, where I live, both English and Spanish are becoming more and more trendy and teachers
are needed.
Work. If you come to Slovakia you will not find yourself unemployed for long. For finding work in
Slovakia, the most important website is www.profesia.sk. This website is also in English and is
basically like infojobs. You can choose region, occupation and so on. A quick look at the website will
show you how many offers there are for English teachers. Spanish is also in great demand, with
opportunities in language schools, some bilingual schools which offer a third language, usually
Spanish or German, or private lessons. directory.spectator.sk also has a directory of language
schools.
Schools generally want teachers for the full year. The regular school year starts the first week of
September, but the best time to look for teaching work is in June. Classes in the summer (June-
August) will depend on demand. When I started out, I was teaching at a high school, and they
only asked me for my degree certificate—I needed nothing like the CAP or any certificate to prove
that I was a qualified Spanish teacher. In my experience, when you apply to work at a school, you are
interviewed (in English or Spanish), and then if they are interested, you may have to prepare a mock
lesson with students or teachers.
Many foreigners are working for multinational companies because they need English or in some cases
Spanish teachers or simply Spanish-speakers. These multinational companies usually give you the
specific training you will need to work for them.
Money. If you teach Spanish, as a native speaker you get more money than a Slovak. The average
salary is €600 gross and I earn €1000/month working around 10 hours per day, depending on the
month, because I teach private lessons and so on. In other words, with a bit of luck and time you can
make a good living. In language schools, wages vary considerably (as usual) but typically pay 8 – 12
euros gross per lesson (usually the lesson is 45 min. but can be 60 min.)
Cost of living. Though the salaries may sound low to you, bear in mind that for the moment the cost
of living is also lower than in any country in Western Europe. Though Bratislava is getting expensive,
yesterday some people told me that they were renting a room in a flat for around €220. So renting a
whole flat might cost around €550, depending on the part of town. Public transport costs about 45 euro
cents. Cheap hostels or hotels cost €12-40/night in Bratislava. You can eat well for relatively little
money, even if you eat out. Soup + starter will cost about 4 euros. A drink costs about 1.10 euro. Yes,
beer is cheap!
Housing. For housing information, search www.reality.sk/foreign/eng/detailsearch.aspx. You can
read it in English or German.
Language. Many people speak English or German, especially young people, so language will not
really be a problem.
Getting there. Try Ryan Air or Easyjet for cheap fares. The farther in advance you book, the cheaper
the fare is likely to be, i.e. 6 months in advance, if possible. Remember, Bratislava is very close to
Vienna.
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Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 61
10. Teaching in the Czech Republic Dani de Rueda Garzón
There is a great demand for English and an increasing demand for Spanish in the Czech Republic.
Work: Language might be a problem when finding jobs in the Czech Republic but I managed to find
several language schools by doing the following: go to http://www.seznam.cz/ and type “jazyková
škola” and the city you want to go to. You will find an extensive list of language schools so the only
thing you have to do is send a curriculum to the ones you are interested in.
I worked in Brno for ASCHOOL and AMIGAS. ASCHOOL was a great language school since they
have a library full of teaching materials, an excellent methodologist who every two weeks offers very
useful teaching seminars, a big office to work in and share opinions with other teachers. The
atmosphere was simply great. You will probably have to prepare a mock lesson and show that you
know something about methodology so it’s wise to do a training course on teaching, whether for
teaching English or Spanish because, however good they are, the courses taught at the UAB are not
enough.
I suggest you start looking for the job very early and contact the language schools in person before
September. Then you will be able to find many Spanish courses that need teachers. I appeared at the
schools relatively late (15 September) but still managed to find many English courses and a few in
Spanish. There are also many big companies like IBM who need native speakers to answer calls from
customers and you don’t need much of a curriculum for that since they provide the training.
Money: The situation of teachers here seems the contrary of Spain since language school teachers get
really a lot of money. I got 160-200 crowns (25 crowns is 1 euro) for 45 minutes of class, and classes
often lasted an hour and a half. That is a lot of money here: people usually get 16,000- 17,000 crowns
(640-680 €) per month for working 8 hours per day. I got 13,000 or 14,000 per month and I didn’t
work more than 18 hours per week every month (that is about 4 hours per day plus the time of
preparation of the classes which is included in the salary). I personally got paid for the hours I do, so if
I fell ill for a week and coudn’t do the classes I did not get paid for that week.
Cost of living: Prices in the Czech Republic are comparatively lower than in Spain, but if you live in
big cities the prices will be obviously a bit higher than in the rest of the cities. Renting a room in a
shared flat should cost you less than 160 € per month without internet, and you can even share a room
(here it is not unusual for students to share bedrooms) with someone, which should cost you around 80
or 100 € per month.
I suggest trying to work in Brno since it is the second biggest city in the Czech Republic after Prague
and although it is not very big, it might be interesting enough for one year at least. Everyone here says
one lives much better here than in Prague, I guess because of the tourists, the cost of living, etc. Brno
is quiet and pleasant, one can go everywhere on trams and buses (they’ve got an excellent
transportation system). You can get a 3- month transportation ticket for about 2000 crowns (80 €).
Language: Here young people usually know some English and some German, and older people know
German. I haven’t had many problems in communicating with people in my everyday life. Otherwise
you can always try to learn Czech!
Getting there: The cheapest and easy way is to travel to Viena or Prague and from there take a bus. I
suggest you try with www.studentagency.cz. Rayanair might also have direct flights to Brno from
Girona if you decide to go there.
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Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 62
11. Teaching in Poland Danny Hidalgo Brenes
Just as it is different to work in Gelida than in Barcelona, I cannot generalise about working in Poland.
I have no idea what it’s like working in Warsaw or Krakow, but I can tell you about my experience
working in Torun, a small city half-way between Warsaw and Gdansk.
Teaching: If you have finished your degree in English studies and you intend to move here in order to
teach English, my advice is: DON’T COME TO TORUN! Torun has a university which provides
around a hundred English teachers yearly. Torun’s population is around 208,000 inhabitants, so the
proportion of English teachers per citizen is quite high, and the chances of getting a job as an English
teacher are very low in Torun and also in the surrounding towns. Their English is excellent so
competition is fierce and survival difficult, because Polish teachers have the advantage that they speak
Polish.
However, if you intend to teach Spanish things change, since you’re a native speaker. The average
salary is around 30zl (4zl=1€ approx.) per 45-minute class, which is quite a good income by Polish
standards. On the other hand, come prepared from home as most schools don’t have any materials for
teaching Spanish. In most cases, you will be in charge of designing the whole course, finding and
selecting materials for the activities, preparing your class and finally teaching it, which if you’re
inexperienced is quite stressful and time-consuming.
Working conditions: So far I think I have worked in all possible ways, from illegally uninsured to
legally contracted with health insurance (like our social security). However, there are different types of
legal contracts, some of them include health insurance some other don’t; in that case it is the worker
who has to pay for any illness or medical issue and these services are quite expensive. For legal
working, a NIP is required (fiscal identification number).
Cost of living: Prices here are low compared to Barcelona. However, once you are paid in zlotys this
cheapness obviously disappears. The average monthly salary here is around 2,000 zl (€500), though in
other cities such as Warsaw, Gdansk, Poznan, or Lódz this can go up to 5,000. Some prices:
A carton of milk is around €0.50
Half a litre of beer –€1 (in a bar) €0.70 (in a supermarket)
1 kg of sausages around €3
Housing: Renting a flat is around 600-800 zl (€150-200). Renting a room costs around 250-300 zl
(€60-72) plus sharing bills. It is also advisable to know the area you are going to live in, as there are
certainly some dangerous neighbourhoods that should be avoided.
Language: Although young people usually speak English, it is very difficult to communicate and get
help in this language on a daily basis. In most public institutions or public services like trains or buses
stations, no one speaks English at all. So ordinary life may be extremely difficult if you don’t speak
Polish (as in my case). Therefore, a crash-course in Polish would be helpful before moving here;
otherwise, make sure to have friends who can help you when needed.
Getting around: The Polish transport network is obsolete to say the least. Few motorways exist, and
roads are poorly maintained. Trains are old, uncomfortable, slow and often delayed.
Getting there: There are several air companies flying to Poland. However, the cheapest flights can be
booked through Ryanair and Wizzair. If you book in advance and are not picky with the dates you can
get a very low fare for a round trip.
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Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 63
12. Teaching in Bulgaria Marta Ros Montañá
I have recently started working as a Spanish teacher at the Instituto Bilingüe Miguel de
Cervantes in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. In Bulgaria, bilingual high schools are a type of
schools in which 13-year-old students do a whole year of introduction to a foreign language,
in this case Spanish. During this year they only learn this language and nothing else, meaning
that it takes them an extra year to graduate. After this intensive year, they go on with 8th, 9th,
10th, 11th and 12th grades, studying all the usual high school subjects in Spanish (except for
Maths, Science and Bulgarian language).
Looking for work: Usually there is demand for language teachers in Sofia, either in public
schools or in private academies, if one does not mind an average-low salary.The best moment
to look for teaching jobs here is before the academic year starts, that is, during summer, but
throughout the year teachers are needed to cover for sick or absent teachers. In my case I was
very lucky: I gave my CV to this school, and the next day they called me with an offer. But
ordinarily it could take you months before you receive an offer.
These are the main job-searching websites in Bulgaria:
http://www.jobs.bg/
http://www.jobtiger.bg/
Consejeria de Educación en Sofia:
http://www.mec.es/sgci/bg/es/home/index.shtml
Instituto Cervantes de Sofia:
http://www.sofia.cervantes.es/es/cursos_espanol/estudiantes_espanol/material
es_didacticos.htm
Teaching conditions: A teacher's salary is quite low, but it is enough to get by as the cost of
living is also low. In order to supplement my low salary, I will do some private lessons, which
are very well paid—around €15 euro for a 90 minute lesson, which is a small fortune here.
Other facts: Bulgarian high schools work in intensive shifts, either in the morning (7:30am to
12:30am) or in the afternoon (13:30 to 19:30). Something that might seem strange to a
Catalan is that Bulgarians do not do puentes as in Spain. If there is a holiday on a Thursday,
for instance, in order to have that Friday off they need to have worked the previous Saturday.
Also important for teachers: Bulgarians adore bureaucracy. Absolutely everything, from a
substitution to student absences, has to be written down and signed, and many copies given to
different people.
Getting here: Since Bulgaria belongs to the EU there is no need to get a visa. Spaniards can
travel here with just an ID.
The best way to travel to Bulgaria is by plane, using either Bulgaria Air or WizzAir, both of
which have direct flights from Barcelona which last about 3 hours 45 min. Other companies
such as Lufthansa, Alitalia, Czech Airlines, Malev and AirFrance also travel to Bulgaria, but
they stop in other countries first.
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Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 64
Once at the airport of Sofia, the best way to get to the city is by taxi. Taxies are incredibly
cheap here. For example, an average ride from the airport to the city centre is about 7 leva (=
€3.5).
Money: The currency in Bulgaria is the Lev (1lv = 0.50 euro). As far as I know, there is still
no way to exchange levas outside Bulgaria, so it has to be done at the airport. When I arrived
for the first time, credit cards were not used, in fact many people did not have one. Nowadays
many shops accept them if the sum is over 20 leva (10 euro), but small shops still keep their
money in plastic boxes and accept only cash.
Cost of Living: Bulgaria is cheap for groceries, but imports such as shoes, clothes, electronic
gadgets and so on can be really expensive. It is very cheap as well to eat in restaurants. One
can have a 3-course meal for 4-5 euro, depending on the place.
Health services: The Bulgarian public health system is not the best in the world, and
hospitals look really creepy (dirty, old, very communist-like). However, one can go to a
personal doctor by paying only about 1.5 leva per visit and unless one has a serious illness,
they are doctors, after all.
Language: Bulgarian has been a challenge for me for the last few years, but like all languages
it can be learned. The alphabet is Cyrillic, and as Slavic languages have nothing in common
with the Romance ones, it is difficult, but there are many courses in Bulgarian as a foreign
language. I have taken three at the Sofia University Kliment Ohridski, where I studied
alongside Erasmus students from all over Europe.
Weather: Winters in Sofia are really, really cold, reaching -20 degrees in January-February.
By contrast, between June and September temperatures can reach 35-40 degrees.
Public transport: In Sofia there are buses, trolleys, tram, a few lines of subway,
and marshrutkas, which are a kind of small van which stops by request at any point of the
way. Tickets cost 0.50 - 1 lev (0.25 – 0.50 euro) in buses and trams, and twice as much
in marshrutkas. They are all usually quite dirty, old and creepy, but usually with the right
combination you can get to any part of the city.
Leisure: In Sofia there are cinemas, theatres, opera, expositions, museums, all of them really
affordable. Cinemas have an advantage for foreigners: most films are in the original English
version with Bulgarian subtitles, so they are easy to follow.
For nature lovers, Bulgaria is full of amazingly beautiful mountains, woods, lakes and fields,
and guided excursions are usually cheap.
Summing up, nobody will get rich teaching in Bulgaria, but given the situation in Spain I
think it is better to have a modest job abroad than nothing at all in Spain.
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 65
13. Working in the tourist industry in Norway Carlos Verge Ferré
If you are considering Scandinavia as an option, and specially Norway, I would definitely recommend
that you look for a job within the tourist industry. The reasons are undisputable: the large workforce
needed, the relative importance of having some previous experience, and the indulgence regarding
your Norwegian language skills. Demand is high during the whole year, especially at the beginning of
the seasons, April for summer and October for winter. Summer sees the arrival of hordes of tourists
looking for some of the most spectacular landscapes in the world; winter, on the other hand, is the time
for Norwegians to go skiing, turning mountain resorts into thriving places in need of staff.
Hotels, campsites and wooden cabins (an institution in Scandinavia) are good targets when looking for
a job—there are thousands of them spread all over the country. However, don’t rule out other more
innovative possibilities: work in an ice-hotel that melts when the summer comes, be a crew member in
Hurtigruten, the 100 year-old coastal cruise, guide tourists on dog-sledges or over cracking glaciers,
drive a quad or a snow-scooter or become a northern lights hunter (with a bunch of tourists at your
back, of course).
Cost of living and housing: The cost of living in Norway is outrageous. It always comes as a shock,
no matter how prepared you are, and is a really serious difficulty for those looking for a job in Norway
from Norway itself. That is why I strongly recommend that you already have your job set before
travelling to the country. If that is not your case, if you are the “knock-on-the-door” type and you find
yourself unemployed in Norway for a while, try to hold out as much as you can. Remember that even
the worst paid job will easily allow you to cope with the cost of living, and remember the crazy prices
for alcohol and tobacco will make you contemplate abstinence as something other than an option.
Expect to pay 10 Euros for a beer, and from 500 Euros a month for a bedroom in a shared apartment in
the capital or in other cities in the country. A one-course meal at the restaurant can easily amount to 50
Euros, drinks not included, nor coffee or desert. Prices for fruits and vegetables are ridiculous as most
of them are imported products. Again, a job within the hotel business will help you to solve both food
and accommodation problems since meals and apartment/room are provided by the companies.
Language: If you speak German, you are likely to learn Norwegian quite fast—a few months will
suffice—and you will probably understand the written basics from your first landing at the airport.
Otherwise, don’t worry, because everybody in the country speaks perfect English. Try to learn the
language if you want to stay in Norway for a long period of time or if you want to improve your
working status; Norway is a very young nation and its inhabitants are very proud of their land and
their language: you can be expected to speak only English when working as a waiter, but you will be
required some kind of language mastering when applying for other jobs with different responsibility,
for example teaching. And above all, don’t think of Norwegian as a waste of time: it opens up for
working possibilities in both Denmark and Sweden, since the three languages are highly mutual
intelligible.
Work permit: Norway does not belong to the EU area, but it is a member of the Schengen treaty.
That allows any Spaniard to travel to Norway and work there uninterruptedly. Once you get into the
country and within a period of three months, you will have to register yourself at the nearest police
station. This procedure does not limit your job search and you will be free to travel all over the country
in search of a job no matter where you registered. Processes are straightforward, in a way we are not
used in Spain. By the way, do not even think about working off the books in Norway; their level of
seriousness about it is extreme.
How to find a job? The most widely used internet webpage is nav.no. It belongs to the state work
department. You will have to register your CV like in so many other similar web pages. Nav.no is also
available in English. Another popular web page is finn.no. Offers in this one are usually posted in
Norwegian, so you will need to have some patience or narrow your search with words like “Spanish”
or “English”. Jobzone.no is a third option worth a look, though its offers are only listed in Norwegian
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and Swedish. Come what may, when looking for a job within the tourist industry, try to contact the
employer directly; it is usually quicker and it gives better results.
A tip from my last Norwegian job: I made a trip through Google maps to some unknown tiny
Norwegian locations I had never heard of. I chose them randomly; I could well have chosen some
others further north or further south. After that, I checked whether those locations had some kind of
hotel or accommodation, and once I found out they had them, I googled the accommodation name, I
got the contact address and I sent my CV to the owners. Deals are commonly made over the internet
and they can be trusted. Sometimes, contracts are even sent online for you to sign and send back.
Interviews are rare; at the most they consist of a few words spoken on the phone, but be aware
references that on the CV are always required… and they are always contacted.
Your chances to get a job will increase the further north you travel and the farther from the big
cities you are, above all if you have no experience in the hotel field. Big hotel chains in the cities will
usually hire trained native waiters, while small family-owned businesses in the countryside will be
packed with temporary, inexperienced students. Don’t be afraid to go north or spend some time in a
tiny village. Some of them lie amidst Middle Earth-like landscapes. Your life can be very different
from what you are used to in Barcelona, but once you get a liking for fishing, canoeing, climbing or
mountain biking, you’ll have a hard time leaving.
What can I expect from Norway?
Do not expect Norway to be as cold as you imagined. It is a land of never-ending forests,
waterfalls, lakes and mountains, but not the land of ice. Despite its latitude, the Gulf Stream
softens the Norwegian climate, making its winters resemble those of New York or Boston.
Summers are mild, but they can be hot as well, especially in the south.
If you enjoy nature, you are lucky: the range of outdoor activities in the country and the
possibilities for engaging in any of them are simply outstanding.
Do not expect to see people raining from the windows every now and then. Most Norwegians live
very happy lives away from the problems the mortals in other nations go through. Norwegians
have huge state support and enormous benefits exist for the workers, retired people, students and
single mothers.
This one is true: days during the winter are short—or simply don’t exist at all in the north of the
country- which is a good excuse to spend Christmas in Spain—but then they are long in the
summer and the sun does not set.
Not everything is fabulous in Norway. Coffee tastes awful and serious non-sensationalist press
does not exist at all. Mosquitoes are huge, really annoying and, from June to September, found
everywhere where there is a source of water. Taxes are scandalous and you might expect to pay, at
least, the 36% of your salary. Rules cannot be broken and sometimes they can seem to make no
sense (for example, you will have to pay for an appointment at the hair-dresser or at the mechanic
even if you didn’t show up!). For a Spaniard, the constraints and strictness of society and laws can
be daunting at first. For more lax societies, like the Mediterranean ones, many rules can be
perceived as freedom-threatening. Nordic control may seem abusive and one can feel trapped at
times. And there’s a certain detachment from the problems of the world; a certain feeling things
happen in another sphere. Some advice: don’t try to fight against the others’ disdain; it simply
doesn’t work. Worse than anything, some extreme right-wing attitudes are on the increase, making
the Populist Party the second most voted option at the elections.
Money: But for those who manage to adapt to Norwegian society, or simply don’t care, the country
offers good job opportunities, possibilities to develop a career and good wages. When working as a
waiter in a hotel, you can be expected to receive around 150 crowns/hour (gross), around 19 Euros,
plus some extra crowns for night shifts, weekends and national holidays. Bearing in mind that food
and accommodation are included in your contract, the amount of money you can save is considerable.
A basic salary will prove not only to be much higher than in Spain, but also to be rational and
proportionate, with a good balance between earnings, taxes, expenses and savings. All that wrapped in
seven-hour continuous shifts, a formula unknown in Spain, something that allows you to have the
most precious of all commodities: time.
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 67
14. Living and working in Germany Laura Buitrago Barroso & Meritxell Ballús
This might seem like a somewhat pessimistic opinion about moving to Germany at the moment, but I
would just like to picture what the real situation is like, and thus maybe partly remove that idealized
idea that most Spaniards have about the country. It is true that Germany may be a pioneer country,
which can manage to better handle a situation of economic crisis, but that does not mean it can offer a
solution for every country that is bankrupt. It might therefore become a bittersweet experience to just
move to Germany, for those whose main objective is just to escape the financial situation in Spain.
Some truths about the country are that they are looking for people, also Spaniards in particular, who
come and work here. However, they are looking for people with training and skills, professionals who
are specialized in very specific fields, such as engineers. For such people, it might not be that relevant
to know German very well, since they might have to do a very specific task, which does not require a
very good command of the language. This is, however, the great minority. Most of the Spaniards I
have randomly seen/met, came here without having a clue about the language, the country or the work
situation itself, thinking that they could just take a one-month language course in German, with it be
able to “chapurrear” the language and then work as a waiter, just to give an example. This does not
work! Of course, you might just be lucky (I have seen such cases), but in general it is not the best idea,
especially at the very moment, when everyone is doing the same. German takes years to learn. I started
learning it when I was 14 and it is still not perfect!
Germany is not like England, especially London, where you can just go and work as anything (as in
“easy-to-get” jobs, such as waiter, sales person, etc.). Germans want successful, qualified people for
everything! (It sucks, I know) Even to work in a supermarket you have to have done an “Ausbildung”
(apprenticeship, vocational training)!
So my advice is if you really want to come and work in Germany, first learn the language in Spain, at
least get to level B1-B2, which is not much (I had level B1 when I first came to Berlin three years ago
and I could hardly manage to understand people and have a normal conversation) and then keep
improving it here. A good option would be to get a grant/internship already organized from Spain and
do it here. I did an internship thanks to the European programme Leonardo Da Vinci and it was very
useful, it helped me introduce myself in the German labour market.
Of course I can only speak about the situation in Berlin, since I have only lived here, but what I have
said above speaks for the whole Germany. Though it is the capital, Berlin is at the same time the
poorest city in the country and therefore has the highest unemployment rate. You can see lots of
homeless people around. Most of the people who come here just think of Berlin as the capital, the cool
city, the place to party 24/7, and it is like that of course, if you come as a tourist, but it is probably not
THE place to make a living.
Working: For those who want to teach Spanish in Germany, I cannot really tell, what the situation is
like. I do have a couple of friends who are doing it, but do not really know if the demand is high or
not. What I do know, through two friends of mine who have done it, is that the Instituto Cervantes
offers twice a year (in February and September) a two-month course to prepare people to become
teachers of Spanish. You get an official certificate and are able to teach, but of course have some
limitations in comparison to people who have done a degree in that. The course is pretty cheap, around
€300. Just have a look at the website, the course is called D.E.L.E:
http://www.cervantes.de/nueva/de/ueber-uns/das-instituto.php
As for websites to find “easy jobs”, try www.promotionbasis.de, especially to work as a waiter,
hostess, flyer promoter, and the like. Promotion is very common in Berlin, especially as a student job
and for foreigners, whose mother tongue is different than German, since your task is generally to
approach tourists. It is normally well paid and flexible. A nice possibility to get started! Learning the
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Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 68
language by doing. Of course, even for such “easy jobs”, you need a pretty good command of German,
since knowing just English is not usually enough. Germany is not precisely like other northern
countries, where English is spoken everywhere; not all Germans can speak fluent English, especially
middle-aged or elderly people.
Just another tip is to find Spanish companies/chains, which usually want/do not mind having Spanish
workers, which makes the company even more representative of Spain.
The translation field, in which I am personally interested, is oversaturated, because there are too many
translators, and we are consequently not well paid. I work as a proofreader from home, thanks to the
Leonardo grant, but I cannot make a living of it. I randomly saw some time ago that the publishing
company Cornelsen offers internships for qualified English linguists.
Cost of living: Life in any city in Germany is pretty expensive. However, Berlin is very cheap. Food,
eating out, shopping and partying is in general a lot cheaper than in Barcelona. Nonetheless, transport
is very expensive, for which reason many people go by bike, myself too! Single ticket: €2.30, one
week ticket: €27, monthly ticket: over €70. Of course if you are a student you get a discount.
As for finding accommodation, it is not that easy. If you are a student, you are allowed to live in
dorms, which tends to be cheaper. However, you normally need to be enrolled at university/school or
in some cases do a language course. Non-students tend to live in shared flats (WG =
Wohngemeinschaft), which is the easiest, cheapest option. The prices have risen a bit since last year,
but still, an average monthly price for a shared flat is €250-300 (at the cheapest), utilities included.
The general difficulty with finding a shared flat is that many hosts want people who at least can
manage to have a conversation in German. If you only speak English, it gets difficult, though not
impossible! Another difficulty is that everyone wants to move to Berlin, which makes the demand here
higher than the supply, so you often find yourself in a “mass casting” instead of an individual
interview, when visiting a flat. The most well-known websites to find a flat are www.wg-gesucht.de
and http://www.studenten-wg.de/ Once you find a WG or Wohnung (flat) you need to register with
the town council and the formality is called “Anmeldung”.
Salaries: Salaries tend to be better than in Spain, very generally speaking. In my case, working at
Desigual as a sales woman, I earn a bit more money here than doing the same in Spain. The promotion
field is not bad, since you are freelance and therefore pay no taxes unless you earn a lot of money. As
for other fields, I cannot really tell.
Getting here: The cheapest flights Barcelona–Berlin tend to be on Easyjet. Vueling is now new in this
route and also has nice prices. AirBerlin is expensive, but you might find nice deals. There is a website
which looks for the cheapest flight options: www.billigefluege.de
Studying: Study in Germany is in general very cheap in comparison to Spain. You can do a Master’s
Degree for as low as €1000. In most cities, you pay around €500/semester in fees, plus less than €300
for things like a monthly transport ticket, student ID and a couple more things. So taking into account
that a master’s will take you two years, you can study for a total of €2500-3000 Euros. In Berlin it is a
lot better, you pay no addition feels (i.e. no €500)! And as noted, if you are a student you get lots of
discounts everywhere.
For information about post-graduate programs in Germany, see
www.daad.de/deutschland/studienangebote/international-programmes/07535.es.html
Meritxell Ballús adds: It is very important to speak German if you want to live in this country. The
Goethe Institut in Barcelona offers good courses to prepare yourself and then be examined before
coming here. See http://www.goethe.de/ins/es/bar/deindex.htm?wt_sc=barcelona
Once you are here, the Volkshochschule (popular university) offers cheap German courses from A1-
C1. I was also able to teach Spanish there giving Spanish lessons (see http://www.vhs.de).
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 69
15. Working in New Zealand Marta Heredia
Life in New Zealand is very quiet. Auckland and Wellington are the 2 main cities in the North Island
and Christchurch and Queenstown are the 2 main ones in the South Island. Life is very peaceful and
quiet in both islands and the landscapes are amazing. Cities have nothing to see but once you are out
you discover paradise. Furthermore, if you like hiking, walking, skiing, bungee jumping, kayaking,
parachuting and so on, New Zealand has it all.
Teaching: If you want to come and work in New Zealand as a teacher you need to follow a number of
steps. First of all you need to get all the degrees, diplomas and certificates translated into English. This
includes translating also the diplomas you have from school and high school. You also need to get
translated a police clearance record. Basically, any papers that may help you to get registered as a
teacher in New Zealand have to be translated into English. Furthermore, in order to teach in New
Zealand it is compulsory to take the IELTS exam. It has to be the academic one and you need to score
a minimum of a 7.0 in each part of the test. Once you have all these, you need to send all the
documents to the NZQA: http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/ They will match your studies from Spain to the
ones here in New Zealand. This process costs around 400 euros and it takes around 2-3 months. The
NZQA will make a report on your qualifications and you will have to send this report plus all the rest
of the papers to the New Zealand Teachers Council: http://www.teacherscouncil.govt.nz/. In New
Zealand you need to be registered in order to teach.
This process costs around 150 euros and it takes 6 weeks.
Once you get your provisional card you will be able to teach. However, as you might all know, to be
able to work in New Zealand you need to have a work permit. It is a little bit difficult to get one, either
you get a job offer, you ask for the working holiday (which alllows you to work only 6 months in a
year) or you can ask for guidance at immigration so they can help you out.
So far I have done a substitution job in a school and I might start working for Unitec: Institute
of Technology as a Spanish teacher. I also work in a language school. So, once you have the degree
and the papers it is quite easy to find a job. Furthermore, if anyone who has magisterio wants to come,
there are many offers in primary schools. It is a little bit more difficult if you want to do Spanish
because it’s more specific, but there are offers in the market.
Housing: To find an apartment or a house (kiwis live mainly in the suburbs, in the city center there are
mainly foreigners) you might check 2 webpages: www.nzflatmate.co.nz and www.trademe.co.nz and
also in the NZ Herald.
Getting here: There are different companies that fly to New Zealand. You can check Air New
Zealand, Korean Air, Fly Emirates, Singapour Airlines, China Air, Lufthansa and many others.
Cost of living: New Zealand currency is New Zealand dollars. Life is not very expensive if you
compare it with the one in Barcelona. However, things like tobacco and alcohol are very expensive.
Also, forget about Jamon Iberico and similar, because New Zealand has a very strict policy if it comes
to food from overseas and you won’t be allowed to bring any type of food. However, you can find
some cheap accommodation. There are different options available if you don’t want to spend a lot of
money in housing because people offer a room in exchange of some work. Once you have a job, even
if it’s not teaching but just working in a bar, it is enough to pay all the expenses. If you go to Australia,
even though salaries are better the cost of living is enormous.
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Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 70
16. Working in Australia Alba Carmona Giralt
Citizens of almost all the European Union countries can obtain a Working Holiday Visa which allows
them to work in Australia for a year, and only costs around AUD 250. However, Spanish citizens
cannot get this visa as easily as citizens of other countries. You can apply for it once or twice a year
and few people get it. So if you want to go to Australia with this visa you not only need to apply in
advance but also get a lot of information about the application process.
Another possibility is to get first hired by a company here because if they sponsor you, you can get a
Working Holiday Visa.
If you are studying here and have a Student Visa you are allowed to work 20 hours a week.
All the information about visas is in the website: http://www.immi.gov.au/
I didn’t have time to apply for one of these visas, so I arrived here in Sydney, Australia, in late
December on a Tourist Visa. This means that I will have to leave the country every three months.
The cost of living in Sydney is extremely expensive, so I thought that aupairing for a family would be
the best solution for me. After three days of searching on www.aupairworld.com, I found a family. I
am now working between 30 and 35 hours/week, earning around AUD250/week. Moreover, they pay
for all my food and accommodation (room, toilet and kitchen). Once I had that for sure, I tried to find
something else. So now on Tuesdays I do reading groups at a local school and also organise some
Spanish lessons.
I must say that Australia is a good place to be right now. If you want to work, there are plenty of job
offers and much better paid than in Spain. The Asian economy is keeping the Australian economy
really strong, so salaries here are really high. Simple jobs, such as bar attendant and waiter, are paid
AUD22 per hour.
17. Working in Canada Laura Monerris Oliveras
1) If you are between the ages of 18 and 35, you can obtain a Working Holiday Visa. This
will allow you to experience Canada, without many restrictions on the type of job, location
and time, for up to a year. Be aware that the number of applications processed each year is
limited.
As a Spanish citizen, you may participate in the International Experience Canada
program only twice and each time under a different category. There are three categories:
working holiday, young professional and international co-op (internship). See
http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/spain-
espagne/experience_canada_experience/index.aspx?view=d
2) If you obtain a valid offer of employment from a Canadian employer, you will be able to
apply for a Work permit, for the duration of your contract. See
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/work/index.asp
If you want this job opportunity to become a more “permanent” situation to allow you to
immigrate and get established in Canada, you may be eligible to apply as a Skilled Worker
and become a Permanent Resident. With such a status, you will enjoy the same rights and
privileges as a Canadian citizen, except for the right to vote. See
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/skilled/apply-who.asp
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 71
18. Working in the US with the VIF Program www.vifprogram.com
Former students who have done it it: Mariona Salvador (2006-2008), Felix Comella (2007-2010).
This is a private organisation that places foreign teachers in public schools in several US states.
Teachers from Spain typically teach Spanish to English-speakers or English to Spanish-speakers (our
veterans recommend the latter). Teachers are given good orientation and support by the program and
may participate for 1-3 years. The salary is based on that state’s public school salary scale, so it will be
very good and even excellent if you have a lot of prior experience.
19. Volunteer work
If you not sure what you really want to do, do volunteer work these organizations can help you decide
what you are really interested in—and let you develop your foreign language skills. It’s probably the
best time of your life to try something like this.
Secretaria General de Joventut de la Generalitat de Catalunya (C/ Calàbria, 147. BCN)
www20.gencat.cat/portal/site/Joventut
Service Civil International, SCI (Carrer del Carme, 95) www.sci-cat.org
Barcelona Voluntària (C/ Pelai, 44) www.barcelonavoluntaria.org
Asociación WAFAE (www.wafae.org/cms) Wafae needs teachers of Catalan and Spanish as
well as activity leaders for immigrant children. It also sometimes organises summer work
camps in Morocco.
Camps de treball internacionals COCAT (Calabria 120, baixos, Barcelona) www.cocat.org
Work camps all over the world, lasting from two weeks to six months. Activities range from
environmental work or archeological excavation to construction work or summer camps for
children. You pay a single participation fee and your travel expenses, but then food and
lodging is covered when you are at the site. English is the language used at most sites.
Registration period is mid-March to mid-November.
Servei Voluntari Europeu (www6.gencat.net/joventut/catala/sgj/internacional/accio2.htm)
Associació Sociocultural La Formiga www.laformiga.org/ (C/ Elkano 74 baixos (metro L3
Poble Sec) 08004 Barcelona Telèfon:93 443 82 07) Teaches Catalan and Spanish to
immigrants.
20. Volunteer experiences in Africa
Christian Justicia and Annaïs Vázquez
Even before finishing the degree we had been thinking about volunteering in Africa. As we progressed
towards the end of the degree, we looked for some NGOs that could offer an interesting project to be
involved with. We thought our experience as teachers of English and camp activity leaders for
children or teenagers would be of interest, but we were open to other kinds of jobs too. It was also
important for us that the NGO could help us financially; we wanted to volunteer for a year more or
less, and we had heard that for a long stay some NGOs financed all the costs. But in the end we could
not find a NGO that would assume the costs. In fact, we found lots of NGOs in which you had to pay a
lot of money up front in order to be able to work for free.
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However, we finally found an NGO called CCONG that, though it did not give us any financial
assistance, did not force us to pay high costs for volunteering, just the basic ones. Besides, CCONG
said they would let us work as English teachers and anything else related to education that we might
come up with once we were in West Africa. We agreed to go to a little village in Mali called Hombori.
The NGO had been working there for several years and the director of the NGO was highly popular in
the village for having constructed a school there and having promoted fish farming and other things.
He said that just by virtue of the fact that we were coming through CCONG all the locals there would
be very nice to us. With the financial help of family, friends and institutions (including the UAB
Department of English), we decided to go to Hombori and spend six months as teachers and/or
children’s activities leaders.
We arrived and Hombori and soon we suffered from the heat, new food habits and lack of cold drinks.
However, we were very enthusiastic about starting our classes since all the children and teenagers we
met around the village were very happy about our presence there. After a couple of misunderstandings
that made us spend two weeks doing nothing, we started teaching classes of Spanish for teenagers and
English for children. Soon we realized the huge difficulties involved in teaching there, largely due to
cultural reasons. We were white and had a very fun attitude. The local teachers there were very serious
and respected people, nothing to do with the image we projected. Being a white person meant being
almost an alien, and all the children stared at us as if we were something unique. If you add our natural
fun attitude to that, the response of the students was a mixture of fascination and extreme amusement.
In addition, most of the children did not have notebooks or pens and did not attend class every day.
Furthermore, when we were in class there was a constant flow of children of all ages coming into the
classroom and jumping through the window. They were all very excited because there were some
white people teaching in a very strange way. All of this was a huge challenge for us. Sometimes, for
no apparent reason, class did not happen at all, and we were never warned the day before. We learned
that in the traditional areas of Africa, such as Hombori, there was no sense of distant future; they lived
according to an everlasting present. It was a good attitude, but it was hard for us to adjust to.
We asked for some advice from the only teacher and person that spoke English there, a young man
that could understand our way of thinking better than the rest. He basically said that we should do
language drills very often, and provide all the input very slowly. We carried on with the classes, but
our dissatisfaction persisted. We felt that we were making huge efforts to make them learn, yet seeing
little in the way of results. Nevertheless, after watching things with more perspective, we came to the
conclusion that the physical and cultural conditions there made things difficult in themselves, and our
way of teaching was something that they were not used to. Besides, in observing the other classes
there, we realized that the common way of teaching was the typical one that prevailed in the Western
world 70 years ago. We found ourselves in a world in transition from the educational point of view.
They were abandoning an “Islamic” and traditional way of educating, that is, based on the teacher and
his or her straightforward explanations as the base of education), and adopting a more modern and
“Western” one. Hombori was a village in a rural area; these new influences were becoming felt only
slowly and in a very dysfunctional way. Whether this process is morally right or wrong is another
matter, too complex to be discussed here. At any rate, almost all the children ended up speaking the
basic introductory sentences in English that we taught them. Any time they saw us they said anything
they remembered from class as if it was a game.
Apart from the odyssey of trying to teach and the difficult living conditions, there was something that
really complicated our stay in Hombori: the family we lodged with. I could write a book about what
happened with them but I’ll summarize it by saying that they were only concerned with the money we
paid to live with them, not much by our standards but a lot by theirs. And our ways of considering the
world were totally different, at an emotional level. This made living side by side very difficult. They
were not the family that our NGO had described. So we called the director of the program and
described our disappointment. Though we liked Hombori and our volunteering in the school, it was an
exhausting thing, and the fact that the family was bullying us all the time when we were paying them a
lot of money made matters unsustainable. We said that we wanted to leave and quit our volunteering.
This was at the beginning of January. So our director proposed that we go to Ouagadougou, the capital
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of Burkina Faso, where there was an association of handicapped people in which we could continue
teaching. He said that he felt sorry for what had happened and that it was a pity to leave that way, and
he even proposed to pay for the costs of the bus and the visas to compensate us. We thought about it
and finally accepted.
In Ouagadougou we found a much more comfortable place to live; less heat and a lot of fruit and
vegetables available, apart from a lot of “boutiques” in which we could buy cold drinks and chocolate.
In the association we found a lot of friendly handicapped people that were very anxious to start
working with us. We had two tasks: classes of English and Spanish for adults, and stimulation for
handicapped children. The latter ended up being our favorite thing to do; we fell in love with those
handicapped children that laughed instantly at anything we did with them. We carried out some
exercises of stimulation, which meant playing with them by showing them colors, or making them
grasp some sponge balls and putting them in a basket. We also tried to follow up the progress of some
handicapped children in their homes or at school. Their disabilities were physical, psychological or
often both. All the children were very specific in their needs, and working with them required a lot of
energy, but we loved it.
The classes of English and Spanish were very difficult to carry out; a lot of people came to learn, but
some were illiterate, some others knew some English or Spanish and others knew a lot of either one or
the other. They came all together in one class and attendance was very irregular. Whenever I could I
split the class in two because it was crazy to teach English with so many different levels in one group.
As I have already noted, these adversities were considered natural in Africa, and we had to adapt
ourselves to that. It was strange, because we were adapting ourselves to becoming relaxed and calm,
and we were not used to it.
Everything went fine. We carried out our activities with a lot of energy and enthusiasm and I think that
the results were good. Besides, all the citizens of Ouagadougou were the nicest people in the world,
even more than in Hombori. Their nobility was something that came more from their childish
innocence that from conscious attitude. We should stress that we spent our whole volunteering
experience among the “lowest classes”, who still do not have a Western way of seeing the world.
Being a Western volunteer in such a situation means thinking about the millions of things that could
be easily done to improve things there. But soon, you perceive that Africans worry very little about
everything, and trying to tell them to start worrying is really complicated. They are used to living in a
very simplistic way physically, mentally and emotionally. We did not tell them how to do things, we
just did what we thought might help them and if they wanted to learn from our way of working and
living, it was up to them. It must be remembered also that the Western society is being implanted there
principally through its darker sides, like the urge to get rich, the cult of physical appearance and
obsession with electronic devices. When we arrived there and tried to tell them that we did not care
about that, and that there were other things more profound to consider, they did not believe us or
simply did not understand us. I insist on saying that everything is very complex to explain. Anyhow,
sooner or later they will have to face life the way we do it, more or less. Fortunately or not, their
model of society is becoming a Westernized one.
In the end, we returned home very happy about our experience, with all the smiles of the children we
have been with in our minds, and hoping that our work there might prove useful for their future. It was
a truly worthwhile experience, and we strongly recommend it.
Judit Besora Tondo (written in 2011)
I started thinking about what I wanted to do after graduating during my last year at university. I had
been to South Africa the previous summer volunteering with an NGO, and the experience had proved
very rewarding, so I wanted to do something in that direction. I contacted the NGO I had worked with
and told them that I would like to spend one year teaching English somewhere in Africa. They got me
in contact with another NGO in South Africa who suggested we could start a project to give extra-
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curricular English classes in a township called Khayelitsha. English, they told me, was a basic tool to
get a job there and most people did not speak it fluently.
I did not have the means to pay for a year living in South Africa and to fund the project, so I started
looking into ways to make money. I spend the summer working at a campground at the seaside and
devoted my spare time to organizing fund-raising events. I made a webpage where I explained the
project and, helped by friends and family, I organized concerts in my town and talks around the
province. I also wrote a dossier explaining my project and contacted companies and public institutions
that I thought might be willing to contribute. I calculated that I needed to get together roughly 7500€
in four months. At times it seemed impossible, but eventually I got the sum (and even a little more)
and, very proud of myself, left for South Africa.
When I got to Khayelitsha everything that could go wrong did. Everything the NGO had promised me
(accommodation, a building where I could teach, hundreds of students who had supposedly already
enrolled for the classes, etc.) turned out to be just a huge lie. This did not discourage me, however. I
thought I would just have to start from scratch and look for everything myself. But during my first
days there I realized most people spoke English, if not perfectly, at least fluently enough to hold a
conversation. I told the NGO that I could not see the need for free English classes there, to which they
rapidly agreed. They said I should forget about teaching English and we should use the money I had
raised to start up a project to clean the township’s trash bins (it sounds like a joke, but, sadly, I’m
being completely serious). I considered their suggestion, but decided it made no sense because it
would not be self-sustainable in any way (once we ran out of my money, the project would die out).
So I said I would not do it. Fed up, disappointed and frustrated I tried to think positively again and
look for solutions instead of regret my luck. I thought that there had to be a place in the country where
my project made sense, so I decided to spend some time looking for that place. I left the township and
set up my base-camp in a hostel in Cape Town. I got in touch with other NGOs and started visiting
other places where I could work. But then the real nightmare started. The NGO in Khayelitsha said the
money I had raised in Spain belonged to them, and I said that that money was for my project. I was
sure that all the donors would agree with me on that. Among other very nasty things, the NGO
contacted donors saying that I had been doing fraudulent stuff and they threatened to take legal action
against me. I contacted a lawyer and, to make a long story short, the NGO blackmailed me until I was
forced to leave the country to save my ass—and the money for the project.
So two weeks after leaving for South Africa for a year, I was back home, completely devastated and
unable to believe that an NGO could do something like this. For the following few months I had no
idea what to do. One side of me thought I should not give up and I should try again, but the other side
told me I should just stop thinking about helping others and start helping myself. I started looking for a
job in Catalonia without much success, until some three months later I got a really good job offer. At
that point I had to make a tough decision. I knew that if I took the job, it would mean the end of my
African dream. The night before signing the contract I could not sleep. The next morning I got up and
contacted Christian and Annaïs (two former students who I knew were volunteering in West Africa).
That very same day I went to talk to the president of the NGO they worked for, told the company that
had hired me I could not take the job and I booked a plane ticket for Ouagadougou, in Burkina Faso.
I have been here since April working in an association for handicapped people. I teach English and
Spanish, I help five deaf kids study and try to stimulate children with mental and physical disabilities.
My work is very different from what I thought I would be doing when I first planned my year in
Africa, but it is proving nonetheless well worth it. Apart from the teaching and stimulating I am trying
to use the money I raised (and my time) to improve people’s lives here. I am setting up a course on
traditional African music and if everything goes according to plan we will already be able to offer
small concerts by the end of the year. I am also planning on setting up free courses at the association
so that its members can find a way to make a living by knitting and sewing, hair-dressing, making
African jewelry, growing vegetables, making furniture, and anything else they are willing to learn.
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After two months here I can say I am for sure one of the happiest persons walking on planet Earth at
the moment. Burkina is an amazing country and it is a pleasure to work with and for its people. I still
do not know how much of what I plan I will eventually achieve (surely also here there will be
obstacles to overcome), but I am really looking forward to finding out.
Ruth Gómez Layola
I had always wanted to go to Africa with an NGO since I was a child. Last year I started to think about
it seriously and I decided to start looking for an NGO which looked interesting. I finally found an
association from Figueres called Children of Africa which seemed reliable. I thought it was very
important to find an NGO which could help you at any time, before and during your stay abroad.
Many people are sceptical about the real work NGOs say they do and the fact that you cannot see
where the money goes and to whom. When I saw and read the website and all the information I found
about Children of Africa I realised it was reliable a 100%. None of the people working for the
association was getting paid at all and all the money was for the people in Kenya. The volunteers had
to pay for the flight ourselves and once we were there we just had to pay for some food and transport.
In the autumn I sent in my application to go to Kenya for the following August. I had already talked to
the president and she put me in contact with other volunteers that were going there in August as well. I
bought the flight with two other girls who were also flying from Barcelona. I was very excited because
I had been in contact with all the volunteers and the association itself via e-mail for the preceding
months. We were all informed about every necessary step we needed to follow before getting there
and also when we arrived to the country. We were also told about all the things we needed to bring.
We organised some charity events to raise money before going to our destination. I was vaccinated
and packed my bags and finally flew to Kenya.
Once we got there the president of the association and some volunteers were waiting for as at the
airport. This was extremely important since the country was completely unknown to me. The president
was very kind with us and she explained us all the things we needed to do before getting to the village.
She went with us to buy everything that was necessary and we changed our money there as well. I
found it very safe to be there in the middle of the chaotic city of Mombasa with a person helping us in
every little thing. I realise now how important this simple action was, supporting the newcomers in our
first day in an absolutely different world for us.
I felt the cultural shock but I got used to it easily. The thing is that I had imagined the worst and when
I was there I realised it was not that bad. When we arrived at the little village of Tsunza we were all
welcomed by the kids there who helped us to carry our luggage. It was from the very first moment that
I realised it was the best experience I would have in my life. People in Tsunza were all very
welcoming and nice to all of us. They showed us the accommodation for the volunteers which was a
hut that we had to share with one of the families. I did not find it was going to be difficult for me to
spend a month living there and it was not. I quickly got used to the food habits although the first days I
was a bit hungry. People from Tsunza used to cook for us and we used to eat all together. They also
taught us how to cook typical Kenyan food. I really got on very fast with all the volunteers and the
people from the village. They were all very easy-going and we had no coexistence problems in the
whole month I spent there.
The president of the association was there giving us advice about any single thing we needed and she
told us we were free to organise our days there however we like. We decided to organise a class
timetable and we started teaching the kids some English, music and Spanish. They were all very happy
and interested in everything we did. It was the month of holiday for them and we spent almost the
whole day with the children. We encouraged them to study hard and we used to give them homework
every day for them to practice and improve their skills for their return to school in September. The
relationship with all of them was amazing. The teenagers I taught there are the best pupils I have ever
had. They were very interested and eager to learn. Even the small ones were incredibly eager to learn
more and more new things. I can guarantee that teaching there was a very rewarding experience to me.
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Apart from the lessons we also played with the children as they were not used to it. Playing time was
like a reward for their everyday work at class and at home studying and doing the homework. While
we showed them many games and songs they showed us local songs and dances as well. There were
many projects taking place there and I helped with the ones I could as well. I finished painting the
library that was built there for them to have a studying area and I helped to organise all the material we
brought for it. I also painted a new kitchen that was built for them to cook in healthier conditions and a
workshop that was going to be open for them to learn new jobs and crafts. We also organised a
football league and talks about AIDS. People in Tsunza were very positive about it all and they took
an active part in everything. There was a sponsoring program as well. We went to the city to buy all
the material for the sponsored kids and we gave it to them. I realised at that moment that sponsoring
was truly effective and that all the money sponsors had sent to the association reached their kids.
People there were very grateful to us and the point is that at the same time we were helping them they
were actually helping us as well. Only seeing their smiles when they had almost nothing, it was one of
the things about being there that made the greatest impression on me and it taught many values to us. I
really think this experience as a volunteer has changed me. I have realised that many material things
we think here to be indispensable to us are not even necessary at all and I have learnt that you can be
happy without anything. Actually, I can say I was for sure one of the happiest persons on Earth after
having been in a volunteer experience like that.
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Teaching English to very young learners Thanks to Elisabet Pladevall & Virginia Moreno
Teaching very young learners is a completely different profession from teaching adults or teens. Some
of you may find yourselves suddenly asked to do it without having had any proper training. The
following advice is intended to give you a very superficial orientation in the event of such an
emergency—it is not intended to be used as a comprehensive guide.
Routine is very important. Always follow the same sequence of activities. Example: 1) story-time
2) colouring time 3) puppet time 4) song and dance time
Begin with the same little ceremony and always end with another little ceremony. Make up your
own little rhyme and actions for these ceremonies, e.g. “Turn around and 123, touch your head
and touch your knee, touch the floor and touch the sky, now it’s time to say goodbye.” The
function is to mark opening and closure of the class. Before the closing make sure that everyone is
attentive and does the closing together.
Use different parts of the classroom for different activities. One corner is the story corner, another
is the colour corner, this is the weather wall, etc. That way kids when you move to a story corner
they will be ready for a story. Kids need a lot of “signposting” to help them follow routines.
An alternative is to put on different items, like a different hat, for different activities. When the
teacher puts on the story hat, they know it’s story time.
Repeat activities a lot. They like and need this (unlike adults). Do a lot of repeating. Read the
same story several days in a row.
Get them to interact as much as you can (within their linguistic means). Ask them questions for
which they know the answers: “What’s the monkey’s name?” Read or tell the same story several
days in a row, always asking the same questions.
Use your body and physical gestures for EVERYTHING.
Give them very short model dialogs that they can memorize easily. For example: At the market: Good morning.
Good morning.
How much are the potatoes?
Three euros.
Thank you.
Goodbye.
Teach them basic classroom phrases from the beginning. “Good morning.” “May I go to the
bathroom, please?” (whatever they typically need to say). But if they are tired and need to go to
the bathroom and can’t remember the English, let them speak their native language.
One way to deal with translation is to use puppets. The puppet will speak their language and you
speak English. So you can say something in English to the puppet and then the puppet will address
the students in their own language and explain what you just said.
Find an alternative to “Please be quiet!” like “123, listen to me” (point to ears and yourself).
Find books and tapes/CDs of English rhymes for little children. You can order many online from
Amazon.co.uk. Some possibilities:
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Wee Sing Children’s Songs and Fingerplays with CD (Audio) (Wee Sing (Paperback))
Pamela Conn Beall, Susan Hagen Nipp (Price Stern Sloan
Move Over Mother Goose: Finger Plays, Action Verses and Funny Rhymes by Ruth I. Dowell,
Concetta C. Scott (Gryphon House)
Get yourself a set of children’s books in English. Amazon will give you suggestion lists for
young learners. It is best if the text is simple, but you can ignore complex text and tell your
own simplified version. However, always tell it exactly the same way, and interact with
students as you go. Some classics: The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle (for very small kids)
Curious George takes a job (or any other Curious George book)
Goodnight moon
Where the wild things are
Stories featuring Madeline (various)
Stories featuring Babar (various)
The Gruffalo
Any of the many books by Dr. Seuss
Any of the many books by Richard Scarry
Any version of Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes (these are a good length for little kids)
Don’t teach them things they are unlikely to be learning at school in their native language
classes. If you can parallel what they are doing in their native language classes, so much the
better.
Do lots of physical activities that have them move and point and touch and repeat.
Get them to do what you want by carefully showing how to do it while speaking in English so
that they can see what you are doing and don’t need to understand everything of what you are
saying.
They also like to do tasks in small groups of three or four. Colouring or cutting and pasting,
for example. That way they have room for a bit more independence.
Don’t expect little kids to learn much. The most they will get out of the class will be slightly
greater comprehension later in life—but only if they continue to go to English classes. With
little kids, foreign language acquisition is “easy come, easy go”.
Resource books:
Teaching Languages to Young Learners (Cambridge Language Teaching Library) by Lynne
Cameron (Cambridge University Press)
Very Young Learners (Resource Books for Teachers S.) by Vanessa Reilly, Sheila M. Ward
(Oxford University Press)
Young Learners (Resource Books for Teachers S.) by Sarah Phillips, Alan Maley (Oxford
University Press)
The Primary English Teacher’s Guide (Penguin English Guides) by Gail Ellis, Jean Brewster,
Denis Girard (Cambridge University Press)
You may be able to find useful resources at these websites: www.billybear4kids.com,
www.eslkidstuff.com, and www.learnenglish.org.uk.
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Becoming a freelance translator Víctor Rodríguez Casafont
Becoming a freelance translator is quite a long task that requires considerable patience.
Should any of you want to become a freelancer, I would strongly recommend doing a postgraduate
course in translation. That way you will be able to enrol in any of the associations for translators
available in Spain (see www.atic.cc). English philology students who do not have a postgraduate
degree or 5 years of experience translating will not be accepted.
The next step is to decide what type of translation are you willing to do (the main possibilities are
technical, scientific, literary and legal translation). Your income will vary depending on the type of
translation you choose, and most probably you will need some type of additional training and/or
education in the target field. For example, you will need to read technical or legal books in order to get
yourself accustomed to the vocabulary you will work with. Customers are very, very demanding.
It is also very important that you consider translating from another language apart from English.
There are millions of translators worldwide and this has two major consequences: on the one hand,
you will have to lower your rates quite a lot in order to compete with South American translators, who
usually work much cheaper than we do; and on the other hand, there are so many English-Spanish
translators, that finding work is getting more difficult every day. I would recommend learning
German, Japanese or Chinese (no joke!).
Also, you will need to familiarise yourself with some of the translation tools available in the market.
These tools consist of the so-called “Translation Memories” (translation tools which “remember” all
translated sentences and give automatic translations whenever the same sentence is repeated later on in
the file). They are very helpful to speed up your work and they are definitely necessary to get
competitive rates. (Your customers will require you to apply discounts on the repeated segments!)
Explaining these tools in full depth would be too space-consuming here, so if you are interested, visit
some of the following websites:
www.star-group.net
www.trados.com
www.translationzone.com
www.proz.com
www.translatorscafe.com.
Once you have got familiar with some of these translation tools, you will face the greatest problem:
lack of experience. Finding customers is very difficult if you do not have enough experience; most
translation agencies make it a prerequisite for accepting résumés that the translator has 5 or more years
of experience, and even then they usually require a translation test before including you in their
database. Also, experience is very important for yourself: at first it is very easy to produce translations
that are too direct, i.e. they are more like an English text written in Spanish than a Spanish text, and
your goal will be to write texts which sound totally native in Spanish.
Of course you can practice at home, and the best way to achieve this goal is to review your
translations two or three times once they are finished and make all necessary adaptations. You will be
amazed at the number of sentences you will modify slightly in order to make them sound “more
Spanish”. This sounds very obvious, but I myself have found that it is more difficult than it seems.
The best option is to try to get into a translation agency as a permanent for three or four years and
then decide if you want to become a freelancer or if you’d rather not take the risk.
Before deciding to go freelance, I would recommend that you first build up quite a wide client
portfolio. (It took me about 4 years of translating nights and weekends before I reached that point.)
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Most agencies will not send you regular jobs till you’ve been working with them for approximately a
year, and also, at first you will have to lower your rates quite a bit. I would recommend starting with a
word rate not less than €0.035 (although most South American translators work for €0.02–€0.025—at
that rate, you would have to work too many hours for this job to be profitable). And I would not
recommend that you become a freelancer till you can earn a gross income of at the very least
€1500/month.
In order to become a freelancer (which is just like any other “autónomo” in Spain), you will need to go
to the Treasury Office and the Social Security Office. There you can get all the information you need
to become a translator, what you must do, and everything you must pay for. For more information, see
the following link:
www.atic.cc/preguntes.htm
Note item 11: “Què he de fer per treballar com a traductor autònom?” There is a very useful .pdf
“dossier” available here.
Arantza Elosua adds: If you want to become a professional translator, you generally need a
specialisation, which you can gain by doing a specialised postgrad translation program or by having
equivalent working experience (as full-time worker only).
In order to become a member of any Chartered Institute (which I highly recommend), you need
references from two mentors at least, and a Master’s is always a good idea for linguists (if you are an
engineer wanting to translate about engineering, you do not need it, as you make up with the
specialised knowledge).
The Col·legi Oficial de Llicenciats en Filosofia i Lletres i en Ciències posts a webpage that lists
recommended fees for translating and proofreading. However, you should probably regard these rates
as the ideal high end of what you can expect to charge, especially when you are just beginning.
See www.cdl.cat/serveis/honoraris_professionals
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Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 81
Working in the publishing industry Carme Font & Alicia Carreras
Carme’s comments:
If you love literature and writing, if you are an avid reader, are interested in culture and have a creative
slant, publishing might be the right thing for you. As in other fields of endeavor, beginnings are never
easy and it may take some time (from six months to two years) before you land in relatively safe
haven. Also beware that working for publishers does not mean that you will translate or edit first-rate
authors, that you will socialize with big shots in literature or that you will receive a substantial cheque
for your first novel. It is a highly competitive career which requires a series of less glamorous
activities: negotiating contracts and foreign rights, organizing budgets, drawing up marketing plans,
scheduling marketing campaigns, working under very tight deadlines, laying out texts and negotiating
your niche in bookshops.
If you definitely want to have a hand in this area, the first thing to do after graduation is enrolling in a
master’s program related to publishing. Some of these program are very expensive (like the one in
Pompeu Fabra University), and others are more modest in their approach. Paying more does not
necessarily mean receiving a better training, so my advice would be to pick a course you can afford
which at the same time offers a complete look inside the different trades in the publishing sector.
After your master’s, whether this entails practicums or not, send your CV and cover letter to as many
small, medium and large publishing houses and literary agencies you can. Send it both to their Human
Resources departments AND to specific publishers by name. You will need to call to remind them of
your existence and your willingness to work with them. Your CV should highlight the following
items: your degree in Philology, your Master’s, your practicum hours or final master project, as well
as the languages you write and speak. If you know the rudiments of electronic design and lay-out, for
example, that’s a bonus for you.
Many publishers are eager to hire young graduates because they can pay them less than senior workers
and because they can teach them the trade. Publishing is still a trade in the old sense of the word: you
learn it while you are working. Usually, you are first hired as an “junior editor”. If you are much more
interested in a particular aspect of the trade, you have the option of working FOR publishers, and
becoming a freelancer. These are some of the most common trades.
Translation. A word of caution here: translating books is a fascinating but difficult job, and it takes
several years before you are given quality literature to translate. Good translators are nearly always
good writers. So you have to demonstrate the following abilities as a translator:
a) A command of the language/s you translate from. I recommend you be able to translate from
two or three languages (no more): English, French or German (there’s a shortage of good
German translators) and any other language, preferably an “exotic” one (why not Russian,
Chinese, Arabic or Portuguese?). You must connect in a creative way with the text and shape
it into your mother tongue.
b) A command of the language you translate into. ALWAYS translate into your mother tongue.
MAKE SURE that your Spanish and Catalan are impeccable, that you don’t make mistakes
and that your discourse is rich in style and resources.
c) An ability to adapt to your publishers’ needs. I always knew, from a very tender age, that I
wanted to work with books and literature. I love writing, reading, translating, researching and
teaching literature. This is my life and my passion, and this has allowed me to endure all sorts
of obstacles and disappointments before I could forge myself a specific name in the Spanish
publishing industry (sorry for the sermon). I say this because, before you come to translate
English classical authors and writing prefaces, you will be asked to translate all kinds of
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Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 82
fiction and non-fiction works from self-help books to cooking manuals, political biographies,
books on fine arts, traveling guides and prenatal textbooks. You should be prepared for the
best and for the worst. But remember that every project is a stepping-stone to demonstrate
your ability as a writer and translator. Eventually, you will be entrusted with high-quality
projects.
d) An ability to meet deadlines. Publishers are obsessed with deadlines. Welcome to the real
world! You have to meet deadlines, without excuses.
e) An ability to manage your projects and your finances. As a freelancer, you have to keep track
of your finances, taxes and clients.
f) You are normally paid 8-10 euros per 2,100-spaces page.
Reading. Reading for publishers (becoming a “lector/a”) means that a publisher gives you books and
manuscripts to read. You are asked to write a report on each book/manuscript and be able to form a
literary and a commercial opinion. Some books are good from a literary viewpoint, but are a poor
commercial investment. This requires the following abilities:
a) You need to enroll first in a “Professional Reading” course. Some of them are on-line.
b) You need to read in several languages (English, French and German, preferably), apart from
Catalan and Spanish, of course.
c) You need to read fast and well (several books per week).
d) You need to be acquainted with literary trends, home and abroad.
e) You need to assess a book/manuscript taking into account both its literary and its
commercial value.
Correction and proof-reading. Some freelancers specialize in correcting and proof-reading texts
from publishers. Usually, manuscripts and texts go through a long and tedious correction process.
Good style proofreaders, for example, are difficult to find. First you need to enroll in a proofreading
course (some of these are online), and demonstrate your absolute command of the Spanish/Catalan
language, apart from a fine eye for detail.
There are other jobs for freelancers, like becoming a freelance publisher.
If you need help and advice in order to begin your career in this sector, you can contact me at
Alicia’s comments:
Yo trabajo en Difusión, una editorial de lenguas que, si has hecho el curso de ELE de la IH, ya
conocerás. No hacemos literatura (aunque me gustaría muchísimo!), pero yo hice antes unas prácticas
en Cabaret VOltaire, una editorial de lite mayoritariamente francesa, muy bonitos.
El funcionamiento de estas dos es muy distinto entre si. En Cabaret Voltaire se hacían novelas y
ensayos, y se trataba de una editorial pequeña, independiente, por lo que sólo había un editor principal
y otro que trabajaba en sus ratos libres. Por eso, se suelen todavía servir de becarios para sacarles
trabajo durante una temporada, como hice yo. El ritmo era bastante tranquilo, sacan unos 8 títulos al
año, y más que nada era controlar un poco el Indesign, y comunicarte con las editoriales francesas para
negociar los derechos, etc., además de un poco de “prensa y comunicación”, contactar a críticos,
enviarles nuestros libros, mirar en sus blogs, saber qué saca la competencia, etc. Fue muy bonito pero,
claro, como becaria se me quedó corto. Eso es todo lo que puedo decir de editoriales de literatura.
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 83
En cuanto a las de lenguas, es otro mundo. Para mí, más entretenido y con más posibilidades, aunque
sí que echo de menos no tener literatura. Y aquí, ya no son dos o tres editores, sino 30 o o 50 o 100, o
más, depende de la editorial. Ser editor de libros de texto significa coordinar un proyecto, digamos, de
inglés o de ELE o de francés, para cierto nivel del marco, y ser responsable de todo el proceso, desde
un inicio hasta su entrega en imprenta, es decir, contactar y gestionar diseño, maquetación, autores,
correctores, traductores a veces, documentalistas... haces un poco de todo. Planteas unidades
didácticas con un hilo temático, te reúnes con los autores y se discuten los contenidos, luego el editor
recibe los manuscritos y los pasa a la maqueta, retoca, elimina o pide más contenidos, escogiendo las
fotos de bancos de imágenes, la tipografía, colores, buscando derechos de textos o citas en fuentes
diversas, etc... en fin, tocas un poco de todo y todo el mundo pasa por ti, lo cual es muy divertido pero
también muy estresante. Las fechas “deadine” suelen ser muy apretadas, todos solemos hacer horas
extras de vez en cuando para acabar el proyecto, y todo recae sobre ti, en menor o mayor medida. Pese
a todo, es un trabajo muy bonito, aunque, como siempre en este mundo, mal pagado. Si te quieres
dedicar a la edición, hay que tener eso en cuenta también.
En relación a los cursos, mira, yo hice el máster de “Creació literària” de la UPF, que era más de
escribir, pero en el que había dos asignaturas o tres de crítica, el oficio del libro y el mundo editorial, y
te enseñaban los signos de corrección, un poco todo el funcionamiento interno, etc, aunque sin
profundizar. Eso sí, como hice las prácticas voluntarias en la pequeña editorial, entendí un poco más
todo. Lo normal es hacer el máster de edición directamente, el de la UPF-IDEC (pero es muy caro), o
el de la UAB.
También es interesante el de “libro digital” de la UOC, de hecho me estoy planteando si hacerlo en
algún momento, ya que la edición tiende inevitablemente al proceso de digitalización de los libros
(que nosotros ya hacemos en la editorial). Si te inicias en el mundo, creo que es una buena opción, ya
que ahora y cada vez más, el perfil que se busca/rá es el de alguien con capacidad crítica-humanista
(un filólogo, traductor) pero con conocimientos técnicos (páginas web, blogs, lenguaje html, xml, e-
books, etc.). Otra opción es el de “gestión de contenidos digitales”, también muy buscado ahora, pero
se aleja un poco de la edición en si, que es lo más atractivo, en mi opinión.
Si no quieres pagar un máster, aunque creo que para dedicarte quizá es lo más apropiado, hay cursos
sueltos de corrección, de edición, etc, en cibernarium de Barcelona activa (gratis, cortos, no muy
especializados en el ámbito), o en Editrain, que es la página del gremio, y suele ofrecer formación
continua a los que ya trabajan en edición pero también a desempleados. Todavía no he podido cursar
ninguno, pero me gustaría mucho. Si no, he escuchado hablar de Cálamo & Cran, aunque ya son
escuelas privadas, supongo que es caro, No sé, échale un vistazo a todo a ver qué te parece. Ah,
también, claro, es una muy buena opción probar los centros cívicos de Barcelona, que suelen ofrecer
cursos de Indesign, el programa de maquetación que seguramente te piden en cualquier editorial.
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 84
Business communication basics
If you find yourself in a business-related job, you might find the following pages useful.
1. Communicating data on the phone
The alphabet
Be especially careful to pronounce these letters right: A/E/I/Y J/G B/V K/Q H
If you use proper names to clarify, make sure your listener will understand, e.g. don’t say “V for
Valladolid” unless the other person is familiar with the name Valladolid.
The NATO spelling alphabet: Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo, Foxtrot, Golf, Hotel, India,
Juliet, Kilo, Lima, Mike, November, Oscar, Papa, Quebec, Romeo, Sierra, Tango, Uniform,
Victor, Whiskey, X-ray, Yankee, Zulu.
Punctuation marks
: colon ; semi-colon , comma - dash or hyphen
. in text “full-stop” or “period” . in numbers “point” . in email addresses “dot”
’ apostrophe “open quotes ”close quotes (open parentheses )close parentheses
CAPITAL LETTERS (or upper case)/small letters (or lower case)
new line space _ underscore / slash or stroke
Numbers
1. The conventions for the use of commas and points are reversed relative to most European usage:
two thousand dollars = $2,000.00
2. Numbers to the right of the decimal point are read individually, not as tens and hundreds: 42.39 =
“forty-two point three nine”
3. In isolation, 0 is read as “zero” or “nought” or “oh”
4. Before decimal fractions, we do not necessarily say “nought” or “zero”: 0.67 = “point six seven”
5. We say and after “hundred”: “Two hundred and ten thousand, four hundred and three.”
6. We don’t say “three millions of dollars”. We say “three million dollars”
7. In US usage, a “billion” means a thousand million, not a million million
8. Currency symbols are written before the quantity but read afterwards: €400 = “four hundred
euros”
9. In amounts of money, we often don’t say “point”. For example, €14.60 = “fourteen euros and
sixty cents” or “fourteen euros sixty” or “fourteen sixty”
Examples
1,432.69 “one thousand four hundred and thirty two point six nine”
€3.5m “three point five million Euros” or “three and a half million Euros”
Phone numbers
1. We read them in groups of two, three or four, with pauses between
2. We don’t read phone numbers as tens or hundreds.
WRONG: twenty-four ninety-three sixty-six. RIGHT: two four nine---three six six.
3. Double numbers may be read as such, e.g. 44 “double-four”
4. If there is a country code, we usually describe it as such
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 85
Example:
34-937-303031
“Country code three-four for Spain [pause] then nine-three-seven [pause] three-oh-three [pause]
oh-three-one”
Dates
There is variation in the way they are written
1. 7 January 2006
2. January 7th, 2006
3. 7/1/06
4. 1/7/06 (US system)
a. On the phone, this date can be read as “January seventh two-thousand-six” or “seven January two-
thousand-six” or “the seventh of January two-thousand-six”.
b. In face-to-face conversation, we prefer “January seventh two-thousand-six” or “the seventh of
January two-thousand-six”.
Times
16.30 (or 16:30 in the US) can be read as
1) “four-thirty PM”
2) “half past four PM”
3) “sixteen-thirty” (especially on the phone)
16.27 is read as
1) “sixteen-twenty-seven”
2) “twenty-seven past four”
16.45 can be read as
2) “sixteen-forty-five”
3) “a quarter to five (PM)”
4) “fifteen to five”
Email addresses or websites 1) @ is “at”
2) . is “dot”
3) _ underscore or underline
4) domain names may be read as acronyms, but make sure they will be understood. For example,
if you read .es as “dot es”, an English speaker will write “.s”.
In all cases, it’s a good idea to confirm that the information has been correctly received
1) by repeating the dictation
“OK, so let me repeat that number/ that name/ that address/ the whole thing…”
2) by requesting that the other party confirm.
“OK, so could I ask you to read that back to me?”
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 86
2. Useful telephone phrases
Making a call
Hello. This is ____. Hola. Soy ____
Could you put me through to ____, please? ¿Me puede pasar a ____?
Could I speak to ____, please? ¿Puedo hablar con ____?
I’d like to ____. Me gustaría ____.
How’s everything going? ¿Como va todo?
Do you know when he’ll/she’ll be back? ¿Sabe cuando volverá?
When will I be able to reach him/her? ¿Cuando puedo encontrarle?
Well… (≠ good. Use it to hesitate.) Bueno…
Could I leave a message, please? ¿Puedo dejar un recado?
Ready? ¿Preparado/a?
Would you like me to spell/repeat that? ¿Quiere que lo repita/deletree?
Have you got that? ¿Lo ha cogido?
Would you read that back to me, please? ¿Me lo puede repetir?[para confirmar]
That’s right. Exacto.
That’s all. Nada más
That’s OK/Never mind. I’ll call back later. Es igual. Ya llamaré luego.
Great. Muy bien.
Thank you. Bye. Gracias. Adios.
Receiving a call
Hold on. /Just a minute, please. Espere./ Un momento, por favor.
I’ll put you through (to____). Ahoro le paso (a ____).
Speaking. Yo mismo—soy yo
Who’s calling, please? ¿Quien llama? ¿De parte de quien?
What can I do for you?/ How can I help you? ¿Como puedo ayudarle?
(I’m afraid) he’s/she’s busy right now. (Me parece que) está ocupado/a en estos momentos.
He’s/she’s not in at the moment/today. No está en este momento /hoy.
She’ll/He’ll be right back. Vloverá pronto.
Shall I have him/her call you back? ¿Quiere que le pida que le llame?
She’ll/He’ll call you as soon as she/he gets back. Llamará tan pronto como vuelva.
Could I have your name again, please? Me repite su nombre por favor?
Could you spell that, please? Me lo puedes deletrear por favor?
He/She should be back at __ o’clock/ Volverá a las__ /dentro de__ minutos
Would you like to leave a message? ¿Quiere dejar un recado?
OK, go ahead. [to begin a dictation] Sí, diga.
Let’s see…. A ver...
Sorry, I didn’t catch that. Perdon, no le he entendido.
Got that. Vale, ya lo tengo. De acuerdo.
Yes... I see...OK...Good...Fine...Right…etc. Ya, ya, si, vale, de acuerdo, si...
The thing is, … Es que…
Sorry. Could you speak a bit slower/louder, please? Podría hablar un poco más despacio/ fuerte?
I’ll make sure that ____ gets your message. Ya me encargaré de que ____ reciba su recado.
Listen, I’m really busy at the moment. Oiga, estoy ocupadísimo/a en este momento.
Can I call you back in two minutes? Te puedo volver a llamar dentro de dos minutos?
Thanks for calling. Gracias por llamar.
I’m afraid you’ve got a wrong number. Me parece que se ha equivocado de número, ¿eh?
Have a nice weekend! Buen fin de semana.
You too! Tú también.
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 87
3. Email basics Based on Paul Emmerson’s Email English (Macmillan 2004)
IMPORTANT Sp. “un mail” = Eng. “an email” If an English-speakers says, “I’ll mail it,” they
mean they will send it by paper post (correu normal). If they mean electronic mail, they’ll say,
“I’ll email /:/ it.”
English “mail” is noncountable. “You have some mail.”
“Mail” is often referred to as “snailmail” (because it is slow relative to email).
When you receive an attachment by email, it is always a good idea to immediately confirm
receipt.
We don’t write “Here you have the report” or “Here you are the report.” We write “Here is the
report.” (We use “Here you are” or “Here you go” when with speak, but note that we do not
include the object.)
We don’t write “I have attached you the report.” We write “I have attached the report.”
Formal or neutral style Informal style
Dear Mr/Mrs/Ms Sanders [you don’t know the
person]
Dear Claudia [you know the person]
Hi Claudia
Hello Claudia
Claudia
Thank you for your email of 7 March Thanks for your email.
Further to your last email, …
In reply to your last email
Re your email
I apologise for not having contacted you sooner. Sorry I haven’t written sooner.
I am writing with regard to your delivery, …
I am writing in connection with…
Regarding your delivery, …
We would like to point out that… Please note that…
I’m writing to let you know that… I just wanted to say that…
I’m writing to confirm that…
We are able to confirm that…
Just a quick note to confirm that…
I am delighted to tell you that… Good news!
We regret to inform you that… Unfortunately,… /I’m afraid that….
Please find attached the documentation you
requested.
I’ve attached the documentation you asked for.
I’m sending you the report as an attachment.
I have attached the report as a PDF file.
Here is the report.
Could you give me some information about…?
I would like to know…
I’m interested in finding out…
Can you tell me a bit more about…?
I’d like to know…
Please send me…
I’d be grateful if you could…
I wonder if you could…
Would it be possible for you to…?
Could you…?
Would you mind [gerund]?
Thank you in advance for your help in this matter. Many thanks in advance.
I will discuss the matter with…
I will investigate the matter and…
I’ll talk if over with…
I’ll look into it and…
I will contact you again shortly. I’ll get back to you ASAP.
I’ll let you know ASAP.
I will forward your email to… I’ll forward this to…
Would you like me to…?
Let me know if you would like me to…
Shall I…?
Do you want me to…?
Thank you for your help.
Many thanks indeed for [gerund or noun]
Many thanks for…[gerund or noun]
Do not hesitate to contact us again if you require
further information
Please feel free to contact me if you have any
questions/require further clarification.
Let me know if you need anything else.
Just call me if you have any questions.
My direct phone line is… My number is…
I am looking forward to [gerund or noun] Looking forward to [gerund or noun]
Give my regards to… Say hi to…
Best wishes
Best regards
See you soon./Talk to you soon.
Bye for now.
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 88
Contributors to Alumni Reports 2013 or other parts of the LAG pack
2012
Manuel Arnedo Sánchez
Meritxell Baz García Laia Castañón Abad
Sofia Chtchepetova
Yvette Corominas Plans
Pau Donay López
Laura Dorado Martorell
Ruth Gómez Layola
Maliki Konteh
Neus Luna Barrabés Estel Mandri Martínez
Jordi Morera Herrero
Núria Sabater Liesa
Adriana Soto Corominas
2011
Maya Ávila Martínez
Ariadna Boada Riera Jorgina Bolde Farelo
Alba Carmona Giralt
Antonella Cittanti Ostrowicz
Cristina Cusidó Bayó
Núria Frías Jiménez
Daniel Hidalgo Brenes
Vanesa Juárez Paris Javier Fernández Sánchez
Josep Antoni Jiménez Velázquez
Jeehye Kim
Marc López Martínez
Aida Marin Mora
María Mercedes Márquez Hernández
Sara Martín Ruiz
Maria Moreno Herrero Laura Moreno González
Silvia Moreno Silvestre
Francisca Osorio Troncoso
Ksenia Ouzioumova
Silvia Pèlach Roca
Mireia Pla Bosch
Aida Ribot Bencomo
Laura Romero Sastre Noelia Sánchez Campos
Glòria Tost Gascó
2010
Alba Álvarez Holgado
Meritxell Ballús Antonell
Judit Besora Tondo Carmen Cavia Garrido
Adrià de Gracia Ortiz
Paula Denari
Carles Güell Bou
Mireia Ilarri González
Paula Jiménez Martínez
Christian Justicia Sánchez
Cristina Pardo Valls David Soler Ortínez
Oleksiy Zarubin
2009
Zara Aguilar Torra
Anabel Arcos Coca
Sònia Barroso Sàez Anna Bernal Díaz
Àngels Bladé Castells
Guillem Blasco Garriga
Carles Brosel i Oliu
Laura Buitrago Barroso
Ana Isabella Byrne Bellorín
Mireia Cañadell Monton
Ester Cervero Martín Esther Codina Potrony
Laura Crespillo González
Cristina Estanol Hugas
Miguel Ángel Fuentes Arjona Laura Izquierdo Torres
Elisabet Julià Pereña
Marta Madrid Ribas
Núria Marco Rodríguez
Àngela Masià Sola
Noemí Ortego Jódar
Verónica Paez Fuentes
Olga Parera Bosch Ariadna Puig Cabeza
Alexandra Tejero Canal
Alba Torres Álvarez
Annaïs Vázquez Vega
Isabel Vila Casas
Teresa Maria Xiqués García
2008 Cristina Abánades López
Alba Avellaneda Canals
José Manuel Cabello Cotán
Silvia Cerezo Jiménez
Irene Cuenca Sánchez
Daniel de Rueda Garzón
Carol Gómez López Mariela González Gómez
Aaron Herrero Hidalga
Cinta Llorente del Àguila
Cristina Martín Parareda
Carolina Padrosa Trias
Marta Ros Montañá
Carlos Verge Ferré
Anna Vidal Calbet
2007
Xavier Aldana Reyes
Laia Arnaus Gil
Koré Arques Burgos
Carolina Balada Pérez
David Checa Gómez
Mónica Cordero Peñas Belinda Costa Olivares
Cristina Delgado García
Vanessa Fernández del Viso Román
Rafa Gallego García
Cristina García-Verdugo González
Mercè Guixà Casellas
Marta Heredia Rodríguez Núria Hernández Castillo
Diana-Aurora Hernández García
Auba Llompart Pons
Virginia Moreno González
Alfonso Olmedo
Pablo Ortigosa Pastor
Sanae Ortiz Nakamura
Jordi Pagès Espuña Cristina Pérez Padilla
Iolanda Reig Malé
Samuel Rísquez Aguado
Sílvia Suárez Carrión
Ana Tallon
2006 Laura Bujalance Planigumà
Natàlia Casal Fernández
Noemí Fernández Sánchez
Sabrina Ferré Julià
Rebeca García Jimeno
María Rosa Garrido Sardà
Sílvia Garriga Galobardes
Montse Gómez Laredo Judit González López
Silvia Imbernón Ramírez
Raül Jiménez Justo
Juan Meneses Naranjo Núria Navidad Navidad
Mónica San José Martín
Laura Viader Roger
2005
Marta Carrillo
Judit Espinosa Marsal
Elaine Higa Zoraida Horrillo Godino
Susana Pérez Martínez
Ana Belén Sánchez Montero
2004
Maite Caicedo Valentí
Tanit Carré Cardona
Arantza Elosua Francia Ibana Larrubia Rovira
Miriam Rodríguez López
Maria Sabaté Dalmau
Mariona Salvador Jaumà
Juanjo Sánchez Belmonte
Meritxell Simón Martín
Sandra Torres Mensat Carme Valls Anguera
Maria Velázquez González-Nicolás
2003
Elisabeth Castillo Fàbrega
Eva González Berruezo
Mamen Hidalgo Villén
Iván Matellanes Fresnadillo Estel Planas Pascual
Elisabet Pladevall Ballester
Núria Tuda Carro
2002
Diana Gasol Nykvist
Susan Hernández Hernández
Josep Jutglar Company Masha Kubyshina Salvado
Eduardo Martínez Timón
Alba Miquel
Laura Monerris Oliveras
Esther Piqué Coll
Víctor Rodríguez Casafont
Mònica Salvador
2001
Cecilio Alarcón Ortiz
Teresa Aulí Llinàs
Tània Garriga Luzón
Rosana Martínez Fernández
2000 Miriam Urgellés Coll
1999
Eva Fité Martínez
Òscar Ros Joven
1997 Adela Mena García
1995
Carme Font Paz
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 89
Alumni reports 2013 Many thanks to all contributors. This pack was compiled by Michael Kennedy-Scanlon. If you detect any errors or omissions,
please accept my apologies and inform me of them immediately at [email protected].
2012 Manuel Arnedo Sánchez
I began looking for a job last summer as a recent
graduate. I wasn’t very lucky, maybe because summer
positions were already taken or rather due to the huge
recession we’re currently experiencing. Therefore, I tried
to survive by teaching individual private classes which I
found both among acquaintances and on the internet. At
first this may sound a bit awkward but I found it
challenging as well as rewarding: I truly improved my
teaching skills and what is more, I developed a powerful
creativity (I created my own lesson plans). My client list
was becoming so positive that I even thought about
becoming self-employed officially.
I learnt how to create a webpage and I created
www.englinea.com, a site where I often upload my own
lesson plans (so that I have them ready to use in
classroom with a projector).
From September to December I worked in an
academy named Northon School, where I taught both
children and adults. I had a great time and experience
there, but I found a more appropriate position for me in
Maristes la Immaculada, a school in Barcelona where I
still am. Although it’s only 8 hours per week, I’m
combining this job with the individual private classes,
with which I get by in these tough times.
One of my main objectives after I finished my major
was to get a Master’s degree. During my last academic
year in the U.S., I was lucky to study subjects from a
field called Literature and the Mind, and I would love to
expand my knowledge on that but I haven’t found
anything related to it here. However there is a Master’s
program offered by the UPF, “Creación Literaria”,
which I want to do when I get the chance (that is, the
money). Meanwhile, I am taking some free University
courses online from www.coursera.org.
Meritxell Baz García
I have not had many changes from my former life as
a student. I continue working in a language school as an
English and Japanese teacher. But there is not much
work in a language school and I really think we should
start considering going to another country. I would also
really like to do a master’s in literature, but I still have to
save some money for that.
It is true, though, that I have published a book (that
is, I had to pay to have it published) thanks to the
encouragement of David Owen, and I have participated in
some literary competitions. For the moment I am the only
one selling my book because I still have to pay the ISBN
and the Depósito legal which I hope to pay by the end of
July and I will try to start selling in my town and see how
it works. In the meanwhile, I have been selling it through
my Facebook so if anyone is interested I can send
it through the mail or in person if they are from
Barcelona. I am very happy because all the people who
have read it really liked it so I can consider myself a
lucky person. Three chapters are available in my blog at
alotroladomb.blogspot.com and the webpage is on
facebook: www.facebook.com/meritxellbaz. I try to offer
contests on a regular basis the prize for which is a free
book. So feel free to participate!
Laia Castañón Abad
When I started studying English Philology I knew
for certain two things only: I wanted to go on an Erasmus
year and I didn’t want to be an English teacher. Now, five
years later, I’m working as an English teacher and did not
go abroad on an Erasmus year for financial reasons.
When I graduated last year I suddenly felt very lost:
I had a well-paid weekend job, but after four years I was
fed up with it. Instead of waiting to be sure of what I
really wanted and thinking things through, I decided to
try my luck and go to England to work as an au pair, so I
looked for a host family in the website www.aupair-
world.net. Many people are very lucky with their
experience on this website, but that was not my case as I
was made to work more than agreed and not much with
the kids. So after a very short time there I came back
home. I felt like a failure, I was jobless and I had the
feeling I’d be a “ni-ni” even if I already had a degree.
Then I sent my CV to a few places and less than a
week later I had two job offers as a part-time English
teacher. Not the job of my dreams, for sure, but over the
last months I’ve gained perspective about my life and
I’ve been able to enjoy lots of free time. During this time
I’ve also been studying Norwegian, as I found I needed
some sort of intellectual challenge after so many years in
the educational system. Now I intend to study the UAB’s
MA in Advanced English Studies (Literature & Cultural
Studies) which probably won’t help me much to find a
job right now, but I know it is what I really want to do.
Sofia Chtchepetova
When I graduated I decided to live in Canada for a
while. It all started when I came to Toronto on exchange
in the last year of university. The exchange experience
was great, I loved the people and the city. So I said why
not try working here for a year? I applied for a Work on
Holiday Visa which I got in two months and then I
started the job hunting. I applied for all kinds of jobs,
even the ones I did not believe I would ever get. I had
many interviews in one month and I finally got the job I
currently have. I am a Bilingual Emergency Assistance
Specialist at Zurich (a travel insurance company). Did I
ever imagine myself working in an insurance company
after graduating in English Studies? Of course not! I
basically got the job because I speak several languages
and I have some experience in customer service. I did not
need any insurance experience since they give you
intensive training about the basics of travel insurance.
I like the position because it is challenging at times
and there is always something new to learn but most
importantly the pay is quite good. Since going back to
Spain right now is not the best option, I applied for the
Young Professional Visa for next year and for now I am
staying in Canada. Toronto is one of the most
multicultural cities in the world with about 50% of the
population being foreign-born and it is also one of the
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 90
world’s safest big cities to live in. My plan is to go back
to school in a couple of years but for now I just want to
get some work experience and save up some money.
Yvette Corominas Plans
Some months before graduating, I started planning
my next move. I wanted to go abroad since I thought my
Erasmus did not provide me with a real idea of what
living abroad meant, and also I wanted to challenge
myself. I loved my Erasmus in London, but I was willing
to push my limits further. Europe was out of question
since it felt like home, so I decided to go to China.
It all started when I decided to start studying
Chinese. I thought it would be a good idea to spend a
month in China doing a language course, but soon I
realized it was not what I needed. I contacted an agency
called Travel Work. They help you find internships
around the world, but it is quite pricy, to be honest. I had
to pay about 1,400 euro to get an interview with a school
in China. I was successful and got a five-month
internship in Shanghai Experimental School CIE. And
eventually, this internship became a two-year contract to
teach English, Spanish and help in the students’ affairs
office—which basically means making timetables,
scheduling exams and some other very basic stuff.
Although Travel Work gave me this huge
opportunity to make a living in Shanghai, I would not
recommend this agency to anyone. During the five
months I was an intern, I got interviewed by the police
several times and they refused to extend my visa. To cut a
long story short, Travel Work told me I should get an F-
visa to go to China. A couple of weeks after I got there, I
realized that it was not a legal visa if you were getting
paid. Although there were no documents showing it, I did
receive a salary from school and that attracted the
attention of the police. The Travel Work agency in
Shanghai told me I should lie to the Police and under no
circumstances should I let them know about the agency. I
decided not to contact the agency any more and get a
legal contract directly with the school.
Pau Donay López
I graduated after many years of struggling with my
degree and just a couple of months before finishing it, I
already got a job teaching in a language school in
Castellbisbal. It is far away from home but, fortunately, I
bought a small motorbike which makes transport cheaper.
My bosses are quite good, every single euro I earn pays
contributions to social security in 12 payments and, what
is best, even in August and December I receive all of my
salary. This is the current situation you will find when
working in language schools, working in the afternoons
with a low salary and earning part of it under the counter
so the bosses make sure you are going to teach even if
you get ill.
Nevertheless, I am trying to apply for work as a
translator. The handicap is that I have no experience. So I
have decided to get training in translation. There are
many master’s degree programs in translation but if you
don’t have the time or the money, there is a company
called ‘Cálamo & Cran’ that offers many courses on
translation and editing even online and, more
importantly, practicums. Prices are reasonable.
If there is advice I can give you for college and
everyday life is stay hungry. Stay Hungry for your
dreams, for job opportunities, for getting what you
deserve. Times are difficult but you should not sell your
soul to the devil. I have seen friends or even my partner
with university degrees and working for free for some
unscrupolous business owners who are taking advantage
of other people’s situation. Remember, you and I have
been studying for many years and we have made many
sacrifices to get our degrees. ‘No’ and ‘I had enough’ are
powerful words which can lead you being fired but the
world is too big to not find anything else better.
Laura Dorado Martorell
After I graduated, I returned to Palma, my
birthplace. I wasn’t sure what to do next, and so I decided
to take sort of a ‘gap year’ to think about what I really
wanted to do. I wanted to take up a new foreign language,
and I decided to start learning German since it’s quite
popular and useful here in Mallorca. I took several
intensive courses on a monthly basis, from October to
April, and in May I took the official examination offered
by the Goethe Institut for the B1 level.
At the same time, the language school for which I
work during the summer as a group leader at summer
camps abroad offered me a group to teach but it was far
from home, they didn’t pay for gas, and I was only going
to earn €9/h. That’s when I decided to start something on
my own: I talked to a couple of friends, former teachers
and relatives, who recommended me as a private English
teacher and it went really well. I had on average two kids
a day, in the afternoons, who came to my house and since
I am a college graduate I was able to charge €15/h. This
money gave me the opportunity both to save and to spend
on my leisure, and not to ask my parents for more.
During this time, a concertada school called me for
an interview to fill a substitute position, but when I was
doing the interview they realized I didn’t have the
CAP/MPF and so they did without me (even though it
wasn’t on my CV, they had called me anyway).
And so after a year doing all these little things, I
decided that it was best for me to take the CAP/MPF, get
it over with and then decide what to do next year. So I’ve
applied to do it at the Universitat de les Illes Balears and
I’m waiting to see whether I’ve been accepted. The next
step will probably be to do a MA abroad, though I’m not
sure yet what or where, but I still have this year to figure
that out.
Ruth Gómez Layola
In the autumn before I graduated I applied to be a
Teaching Assistant at the University of Maryland
Baltimore County in order to be funded for their Master’s
in Intercultural Communication program (that’s right, I
don’t have to pay any tuition costs). So here I am, doing
the master’s while teaching Spanish to a class of 30
undergraduates. The program I'm in is really good but
they expect so much from me! That's a bit scary.
Graduate programs seem very serious here. I need at least
a B in each course, which scares me a bit. I'm taking my
first course in intercultural communication and it is
interesting to see how the things that we read and discuss
in class are what we are experiencing every day! I'm
taking a teaching foreign languages' course as it is
compulsory for TAs and I am learning a lot. I also
decided to follow the ESOL track and after taking 4
courses in that I'll be able to have the certificate. The
course I'm doing from that program is also very helpful
for my Spanish classes.
I must confess that the first months in the US were
very tough. I experienced a very big culture shock, not
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 91
least because you need a car for everything. And I think I
am on my way to becoming a workaholic!
Maliki Konteh
As an English Philology graduate in 2012, you can
predict my likely career in recession-struck Spain: either
underpaid English teaching at some language school or
unemployment. I felt I was about to bang my head on a
brick wall if I stayed. I was either out for a silent killer,
by not going any further in my professional/academic
career while getting underpaid or sudden death on the 6.3
million breadline.
I did my final year at the University of Birmingham
and was free to stay longer as I had no need to take any
modules at the UAB. Hence, I stayed over the summer
and worked at the London 2012 Olympics and applied for
an MA at the same university where I had done my
Erasmus. Unfortunately, I couldn’t do it in the end as I
had no cash for the fees, so I had to defer my offer for the
following year. Now, I was left with £5000 to raise
before September 2013 on a minimum wage job; it never
happened.
Finally, I had to bail myself out with a last minute
plan: teaching Spanish in the UK’s mainstream schools.
For that you need the ‘CAP’ from here or you take a
state-funded PGCE (Post Graduate Certificate in
Education) there. There’s loads of routes into that but the
best one I reckon is school direct, you get school
experience from the word go, and you also get your
PGCE certificate, allowing you to teach worldwide,
including in mainstream Spanish schools when the
recession wanes. Most importantly, you get paid from the
day you start training (up to £2000 x month) and
employment prospects are very good considering that you
are a native Spanish teacher. Especially for those doing it
through school direct, since they just keep you and
employ you after your training.
For more information about getting the PGCE, see
www.education.gov.uk/get-into-teaching/subjects-age-
groups/teach-mfl/teach-spanish.aspx
Neus Luna Barrabés
While I was finishing my degree, I heard about the
Auxiliares de Conversación grant. I did not have much of
an idea of what I wanted to do once I finished my degree
and I thought that a year abroad would help me decide
what to do in the future and whether I enjoyed teaching
or not, and so I applied for the grant.
When I graduated in summer 2012, I was told that I
was the first on the stand-by list to go to Australia, and so
I would have to wait and see if one of the people that had
been given the grant would reject it. While I was waiting
I worked as an English teacher in a language school in
my hometown and kept thinking about all the options I
had if I didn’t get the job in Australia. I have always been
very passionate about phonetics and, even though I knew
that that was a difficult path to follow, doing an MA in
phonetics was one of the options I had in mind.
In the autumn they called me saying that a person had
rejected the grant and so I would be going to Australia on
January. I spent most of autumn doing paperwork. Before
leaving to Australia,Juli Cebrian offered me the
opportunity to work with him from home. It was an
amazing opportunity and I learnt a lot.
I have been here in Melbourne, Australia for 5
months and I am really enjoying my experience here. I
am learning lots of things about teaching,yet working in a
primary school confirmed my previous thoughts that I do
not like teaching that much and that I would love to study
more about phonetics. I am now looking for MAs in
phonetics that I could do and I spend my spare time in the
library reading about the topic so once I get back home I
will be prepared to study again.
Estel Mandri Martínez
As soon as I graduated I applied for an MA program
in Public Relations at the London College of
Communications – University of the Arts. I really
recommend this course for those of you who would like
to start a career in business. I chose the communications
path since having good foreign language skills is crucial.
We live in a globalised world in which being able to
communicate in several languages gives you huge
advantage for business. I speak French and Italian and I
am going to start with Chinese as soon as I finish my
thesis!
This MA is a full-time one year course. It is a bit
expensive (7,500 pounds) but London is THE place to
study PR, since they treat PR as business
communications and not as part of Advertising and
Marketing. Moreover, even if it is a full-time course
don’t panic! You will be able to work at the same time
since you only have lectures 3 days a week. Living in
London is very expensive but I managed to find a job
here (not the job of my dreams but a job that paid the
bills). It did take forever to find one, though. Most
company’s selection processes last up to two months! So
I decided to apply for a job in Zara, where the policy is to
employ at least 70% Spaniards. It was a bit frustrating to
be working in a retail job with a degree, but then I said to
myself: “Come on, you just need to pay your bills and a
better job will come once you have your master’s!” And
it wasn’t that bad in the end, because I met a lot of
amazing people from all over the globe and I was even
promoted.
Jordi Morera Herrero
I was a latecomer to university, beginning my
degree when I was 33. It was a bit of a leap in the dark,
motivated primarily by the opportunity to finally pursue
those matters that had always interested me the most, and
I must admit that I enjoyed (almost) every second of it. I
finished my degree last year, and immediately afterwards
I enrolled in the official master’s degree in Advanced
English Studies: Literature and Culture, offered by the
department. My personal circumstances made it quite
demanding time-wise, but since doing something you
enjoy is never a chore, and sleep is overrated anyways, I
made it through and now I’m writing my M.A.
dissertation.
Simultaneously I’ve been taking my first tentative
steps towards the kind of jobs that attract me the most,
with the hope of being able to someday switch my career,
abandon my old, badly paid and extremely boring day job
and make a better living for my family and me. To that
effect, I have written literary reviews for a digital
magazine, exploring the opportunities offered by the
publishing industry, and right now I’m negotiating the
working conditions for a job as a translator in a small
publishing house. From next year onwards, I also intend
to advance farther along the academic road by pursuing a
PhD in English Literature at the UAB.
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Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 92
Adriana Soto Corominas
When I finished college I felt the pressure of not
knowing what to do, but this only lasted for a short while.
I knew I was not exactly fond of teaching, so getting into
that was not my priority. On the other hand, I was very
interested in linguistics, in which I specialized during the
last years of degree.
In my last year of philology, one of my professors,
who is part of this group, told me they were looking for
somebody for that position temporarily. I immediately
told her I was interested and after being interviewed, I
was hired (temporarily). It was a great experience. In
October, Grial, which is an inter-university research
group, hired me as a linguist and this soon became an
invaluable experience from which I have been learning a
lot. I combined this job with teaching English part-time,
like most of us do. In addition, I have occasionally helped
some linguists out as their research assistant. Some of the
tasks I have had to carry out are data recording,
transcription or analysis. This has not always been
financially compensated, of course, but it has been
extremely enriching and rewarding in many other ways. I
have gained a lot of experience in this field, I have also
known many interesting people and I have found out
what it is what I really want to do: linguistics, namely.
At the beginning of 2013 I was awarded a
scholarship by the University of Western Ontario, in
Canada, to pursue a Master’s Degree in Hispanic
Linguistics. This MA focuses on many aspects of
linguistics in Spanish. The reason why I will be working
on Spanish and not English is quite straightforward: in
America, a scholarship for Hispanic Linguistics is
significantly less competitive than one for Linguistics.
Because of this MA, I will be moving to Canada this July
for two years, hopefully.
2011 Maya Ávila
I started teaching in English academies a year before
finishing my studies. The truth is that I never dreamed of
becoming a teacher, but I can’t really complain. Currently
I work for two English academies, Fiac in Sabadell and
Mary’s Language School in Cerdanyola. Most of my
students (I teach all levels) are amazing, the money is not
bad ( I earn about €1300/month) and I have mornings free
to do whatever I want. Also, I occasionally do some
translations for my boyfriend’s company. However, as I
said before, I’m not planning on teaching all my life, and
that’s why I keep studying languages. Last Saturday I did
the exam to obtain the Nivell C of Catalan and I am also
studying French. I’m learning quite fast, and I hope I’ll
be able to get level C soon.
I’m aware that I’m very lucky to have two jobs
while many people can’t find one. My advice for the
newly graduated is to look for opportunities abroad. If I
weren’t tied by affective (my boyfriend) and economic
(my mortgage) bonds here, I would do it. Believe me, I
arrived here alone from Mexico with $1000 in my pocket,
and now (economic crisis and all) I can say that I am
happy. But I still want more, and that’s why I’ll keep
studying and sending out CVs.
My working situation this year is pretty much the
same as the previous year. Recently I applied for a job at
the UAB English Department but, sadly, I was rejected (I
presume it was due to my lack of post-graduate studies).
That dismisssal has encouraged me to carry on with my
education and my plan is to start an MA program this
coming school year. Since I haven’t really been able to
find a course that suits my working hours (and since I
can’t afford to stop working) my plan is to look for an
online MA, in a good university; preferably a French one,
since I want to improve my knowledge of that language.
What I’ve learned this year is: always take
something positive from the recruiting processes, even if
you’re not taken. When possible, try and ask the recruiter
what the weak points of your application were, so you
can do it better next time!
Ariadna Boada Riera My life after graduation and after an Erasmus year
in Berlin hasn’t been as bad as I thought it would be.
After graduating in 2011, I got a grant to work as a
Spanish assistant (Auxiliares de Conversación) overseas.
I worked about 20 hours a week in Washington
International School in Washington DC. It was an
amazing experience, which I totally recommend to all of
you who love teaching and kids. It was a great
opportunity to learn new methodologies and get teaching
experience in a different education system. I had different
duties and responsibilities at school, such as presenting
relevant aspects, celebrations and traditions of the
Spanish and Catalan culture, telling tales to kindergarten
kids, helping the teachers and the Spanish coordinator,
going to the fieldtrips as a chaperone, etc.
I was also able to work with the different grades at
school (from Kindergarten to 5th grade), which was really
interesting since I could learn from all the teachers and
get new and different teaching ideas. The atmosphere at
school was lively and the school community was really
kind and nice to me. As for the accommodation, I stayed
with a host family from the school. They were lovely and
helped me feel like home from the very first day! I also
had the opportunity to travel a lot around the USA, which
made my experience more enjoyable! I just have thankful
words for what future brought me that year. In summer 2012 I came back to reality and after
giving it some thought, I decided to study the Master’s
degree “Formació del Professorat de Secundària
Obligatòria i Batxillerat, Formació Professional i
Ensenyament d’Idiomes” at the UB. I have to say that I
am happy with my decision now that the academic year is
over but I am not really satisfied with the organisation of
the master’s. We had too many problems throughout the
course, which made my classmates and me lose the
positive attitude and energy we had at the beginning. If I
could go back in time, I would probably do it online since
sometimes I had the feeling that I was wasting my time
(lack of organisation, lack of purpose in some courses,
etc.)! And this feeling is not just personal, as it was
shared by almost all the students in my class. And now here I am, sending my curriculum vitae to
schools, hotels, companies, etc., and hoping to get a job
somewhere soon.
Jorgina Bolde Farelo I have been living in Copenhagen for three years
now, and I feel much better than when I first moved in
2010. With studies and stable job, I have gained a routine
and structure in my life, which makes me feel better yet
not perfect in Copenhagen.
In February 2012, I got accepted to study a Master
in English studies at Copenhagen University (Faculty of
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Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 93
Humanities in Amager)., which differs greatly from what
I was used to at UAB. At UAB, we are very used to many
classes per week where the teacher gives lectures with
limited interaction and class discussion. However, in
Denmark there is another culture. Here, students are
included as a resource in the classes and they participate
actively with questions and comments to the teacher (It
looks like students are the ones who teach the lesson).
The teacher likewise asks many questions in class and
expects the students to raise their hands and discuss
internally in groups.
However, in Denmark there are significantly fewer
classes and I have experienced only having 2 courses per
semester (each course equivalent to 2 hours per
week/15ECTS). Students are on the other hand expected
to study and read a lot although not all materials are
reviewed. I would like to add that there is a wide range of
courses offered by the University (from British,
American to Australian studies).
I am currently reading and studying for my Master
thesis, which takes around 6 months, meaning that I will
graduate in February 2014. At the same time, I am
working in a company (I have a student
job/studentermedhjaelper), in which I can decide more or
less when and how many hours I want to work. Acquiring
a decent job in Denmark is very hard as many companies
or job placements require a relatively good command of
Danish. Through the free Danish lessons offered by the
Danish government to foreigners, who have a social
security number, I have reached a level of Danish that
enables me to work in Danish and live well. Apart from
that, the University offers an annual grant, which I have
been lucky to receive the three years.
What happens after graduating, I do not know, but
my time in Denmark has shown that with a lot of hard
work, persistence and a bit of luck you can manage to
create a good life. However, you definitely have to be
patient with everything as the good things do not come to
you overnight.
Alba Carmona Giralt
When I graduated from college, I realized that I
needed to travel and see the world. My Erasmus stay in
London was only the beginning. So I worked for four
months as an English teacher in Girona, and then I
packed my bags and moved to Australia. Everything was
perfect, but it was a risky decision, since I only had a
tourist visa and the chances of getting a decent job were
very remote.
I worked as an Aupair in Sydney for 8 months, and
every 3 months I had to leave the country. So this, as bad
as it sounds, was a chance for me to travel to countries
such as Thailand and New Zealand. While in Australia,
apart from surfing, I applied for the MSc in International
Business that the School of Management of Barcelona
(BSM) offers. Although this master costs about 15,000
euros, it is like an investment, since it may open a lot of
doors to the future.
In September 2012 I started studying business. It
was a big change for me and I had to work really hard for
the whole school year, but it was really rewarding. I
learned a lot and I am currently (August 2013) doing a
trainee program/internship with a company called
LAKME. It is a manufacturer of hair care products that
operates in over 80 different countries. I am working in
the export department, as an Assistant for the European
market. This internship will last for 6 months and it is
divided in 3 different projects. The one I am doing now is
focused on the Baltic Countries. I need to develop a
market research and find the best way to open a new
market in Estonia and increase our sales in Lithuania.
This gives me the chance to travel to these countries in
September.
This is a little bit what I am doing now, and I would
like to encourage you to keep working hard and never
stop learning. I know we are in a big recession, but
people who complain and are full of negativity will never
achieve their goals. Things will not come to you. You
have to make things happen.
Antonella Cittanti Ostrowicz I always thought that having a degree was important,
but the truth is that when I finally got mine I felt lost,
disillusioned and like just one more in a million. The
feeling already started during the last year of my degree
while I worked as an extracurricular teacher. None of my
previous working experiences had upset me as much as
those months did. For this reason, when I graduated I
decided I did not want to work as a teacher (at least for
the next few years).
My job hunt was quite discouraging at first and
made me feel worthless, but I got lucky when I applied
for a job in the private health area. As I had to pay my
tuition fees by myself, I worked at Sanitat Respon, which
belongs partly to the state. So I had the experience and
the knowledge of many languages. I was hired and have
been working already for ten months. Right now I am not
considering registering for any courses. I am enjoying my
family, my life and the long list of books I have compiled
during my years of degree. It gets better once you start
discovering your priorities and not going crazy while you
try to figure out what you want to do with your life. So
don’t feel depressed, search for things that might interest
you and explore!
Cristina Cusidó Bayo I graduated when I finished my Erasmus year in
Vienna and did not really know what to do next. It was
clear for me that I did not want to go back to Barcelona. I
had a thirst for adventure and just wanted to continue (in
a clearly different way) the life I had started in Vienna.
However, I had no money after my Erasmus and
unfortunately my family could not support me to continue
my adventure, so I had to go back home. Back in
Barcelona it took me a couple of months to set a couple
of goals. The first one was to get money so that I could
go abroad again and the second was how and where to
continue my studies, as it was clear for me that I wanted
to continue studying. I found jobs very easily, so I didn’t
really feel the recession, fortunately. All the time I was in
Barcelona I had a job and it was I who quit it to go
abroad, in February. I decided to study my M.A. in Saarland, Germany.
This is the smallest region of Germany but has lots to
offer, especially to students. We are on the border with
France and Luxembourg so it’s kind of multicultural and
one can easily get to these other two countries for work
or pleasure. I decided to go there for personal reasons and
also because when I was in Vienna I was engaged in a
project with the University of Saarland and Bradley
University from the US. During the project I met some
professors from Saarland and others from Vienna
lecturing in Saarland and they encouraged me to go there
to do my master’s. The professors’ encouragement and
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 94
my growing interest in Cultural and Transcultural Studies
helped me decide about my academic future. The master’s is called “English, American and
Anglophone Studies” and you can choose your point of
interest, For example I’m taking courses only from
American lit and culture and transcultural courses. I hope
I can start Spanish next October. From the second subject
you only take 27 ETCS, which is 4-5 courses, so not that
much. And this is usually in German whereas in the
English Department everything’s in English. However, in
order to be accepted to German Universities you must
have some kind of certificate to prove your German
language competency. I had level C1, a certificate I
gained at the University of Vienna. I think they ask for at
least level B2. Doing a master’s in Germany is quite different from
doing it in Spain. In the first place, it’s nearly free. I paid
only €153 for the whole semester and with this money I
got my transport ticket for the whole region. When it
comes to academic issues, here you need much more
initiative and do more independent work than in Spain
and there are a wider variety of courses. Professors have
more freedom and usually courses are not repeated term
after term, so there are new courses with new insights
every semester. When it comes to the working opportunities at
University level, after what I’ve seen so far, there are
many more possibilities, if one networks properly. It’s
not such a closed system as in Spain and of course they
offer many more financial resources (in general, in
Germany there are no unpaid internships, for
instance). Fairly soon I started working as an English and
Spanish teacher at a Volkhochschule, which is equivalent
to an Escola Oficial d’Idiomes. It’s a well paid job and
well recognized as well. Moreover, I teach some private
lessons and with the money I get I can pay for my rent
and my expenses (I work only 12 hours a week). In
Germany having a university degree gives you many
more opportunities than in Spain. When it comes to the living expenses, like
everywhere in the world, if you live in an important city
such as Munich or Cologne the prices go up but here in
Saarbrücken, which would be comparable to Girona, in
terms of the size and student atmosphere, flats are really
cheap. In a shared flat, a room costs between €200-300 or
a small one room flat is €300 with costs, which is not
much. Food is cheaper than in Spain, and the quality is
not that bad. In fact, some time ago there were statistics
published where it was stated that Germany was the
European country where the shopping cart was the
cheapest.
This year I am still working as an English teacher
and I was offered a place as a HiWi and tutor by a
professor so I am part of her team doing research and
teaching supporting classes for undergraduate and
graduate students. Being a HiWi means that you are a
research assistant for a professor and do research for
his/her future courses (as here the courses change every
semester), prepare trips for the students, help students to
understand what was not clear in the Prof’s lectures and
help them to write their seminar papers and prepare their
oral presentations. This semester I’ll be done with all my
courses and next semester I’ll be writing my M.A. thesis,
for which I have already started my research.
Vanessa Dachs Parras
First of all, I must say that you are lucky because
your passion for languages has led you to choose the
degree in English and being a philologist has opened
many doors to me after finishing University.
My first experience was working in the MMVV, the
Mercat de la Música Viva de Vic, as a language hostess
at the airport, since the local government needed a person
who had a good command of languages in order to
receive music groups and their professionals from
different countries. The interesting thing is that when
doing this work you have the opportunity to meet people
and make contacts. I say ‘this work’ because I have
worked at the airport for 11 years and I am still working
for the festival.
Then the same company hired me to work in a
language summer camp but before that, I got the official
certificate to be a children’s activity leader. After having
some experience in this field, I decided to get the official
certificate in summer camp management and when doing
the course I met the person who would later become my
boss. I taught English and other subjects in his language
school for 3 years and that helped me build my self-
confidence.
After that, I quit the job because I wanted to go to
Australia to study and work for 3 months and when I
came back from ‘Down Under’ I ended up in another
language school for 2 years. You will probably be
wondering why only 2 years? Because I decided again to
work and study abroad: this time it was Italy’s turn. I
spent 3 and a half months in Rome; a beautiful city, by
the way!
Once I finished my experience in Italy I ended up in
another language school where I taught for 3 years and I
had the opportunity to translate texts. Everything was
great until I realized that I wanted a change of scenery in
my life and the Spanish Teacher Assistant grant from the
Spanish Embassy was a very good option to go abroad
again, and work in a public school. I returned from the
USA a week ago and it was an awesome experience in all
respects since I learned how the American education
works and what their culture is like, and my English is
even better!
A couple of days ago I had an interview with a
person I met in Australia and I am part of his wonderful
new project called ‘Vámonos Australia’! I am very
excited and I know it will not be easy, but the greater the
effort, the greater the reward.
In conclusion, as you can see the world takes many
turns and you never know where you will end up. My
advice is clear: just follow your dreams, believe in
yourself and you will get good and surprising results!
Laura de Francisco Torres
By the time I finished my degree two years ago, I
had worked in different places. During most of my degree
I worked as an English teacher with young learners, teens
and adults in British House, a language school in Rubí (I
worked there for four years). Then I worked in a school
in Barcelona as an English teacher of extracurricular
classes (basically primària) and I’ve been working there
during the current academic year. Last summer, I worked
for Kids&us with very young learners (children aged 4-6)
as an instructor in a summer school. This summer it’s
going to be pretty much the same.
During all these years, I’ve tried to combine work
and education. I really think it’s important to keep
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 95
updated and active as much as possible, especially now
that we’re still young, although I know this may be hard
since the economic crisis doesn’t help much. As a result,
I took classes in German for two years and attended a
language school to get the Proficiency Certificate.
Therefore, it wasn’t until this year that I decided to do an
MA (the Màster en Assessorament Lingüístic, Gestió del
Multilingüisme i Serveis Editorials, described in the
Further Education secction of this pack). The truth is that
I didn’t know what to do at all so I preferred to wait until
I had no doubts about what I wanted to study.
Javier Fernández Sánchez
My short postgraduate experience may help those
who wish to have a place in the academic world. In the
last year of my B.A. I applied for a La Caixa scholarship
aimed at graduating students who intend to pursue
postgraduate studies at European universities. I wanted to
go to University College London (UCL) because they
offered a highly specialised Master’s in Research (which
is similar to an M.A. but entry requirements are usually
more demanding) in Syntactic Theory. The La Caixa
scholarship is very prestigious and generous, which is
why it is extremely competitive (but so is academia!).
Getting the scholarship enabled me to study at UCL, an
otherwise difficult option (you may know how expensive
housing, transport or tuition fees are in London). The
experience was well worth the effort, though!
I read my M. Res Thesis in September 2012 and
since December 2012 I hold a fully-funded, four-year
PhD position at the Centre de Lingüística Teòrica here at
the UAB. The paying institution is the Ministerio de
Economía y Competitividad, and my scholarship is called
FPI. The experience here is absolutely wonderful. I mean
let’s face it, PhD life is everything but easy and comfy:
salaries are not very high (especially in the current
economic context, where R&D is so ill treated, let alone
R&D within the humanities and social sciences!) and the
work load is inmense. However, I am being paid for
doing research on what I like the most, I get to travel to
present my own papers at conferences, I am allowed to
stay as a visiting student at any university I want and I
constantly meet new people with similar interests from
around the world which, to me, really pays off.
So in sum, if doing research is your thing and you
like the academic world, explore the funding possibilities
that governments and private institutions have to offer
and enjoy!
Nuria Frías Jiménez
Last year I worked as a Spanish Language Assistant
in Scotland. I have been told that they are not going to
hire any LA in the area I was located next year, so I am
afraid the number of assistants in general has also
decreased. We were only 8 Spanish in Scotland, which is
not really a big number and that’s why we were a lot on
the media during last year.
Spanish assistants work both with the British
Council and la Consejería de Educación of the Spanish
Consulate (located in Edinburgh). I was very happy with
both institutions because we had the chance of doing
extra activities with them that you can add to your CV
later on (the ones with la Consejería count as training
hours and are signed and stamped by the Spanish
Consulate, so it’s quite official!). For example, the BC
asked us to do a project with whichever class we wanted
(mine was the filming of how to bake a Roscón de Reyes
for Christmas time). And from the Consejería we took
part in an immersion day for higher-level pupils and a
PowerPoint presentation on Spanish language and culture
for A levels.
The problem with Scotland (apart from the weather,
of course!) is that you cannot choose a particular region.
In my case, I lived and worked in Inverclyde, on the west
coast of Scotland (close to Glasgow). Even though you
cannot compare living there with living in either Glasgow
or Edinburgh, people were very nice in our schools and
you felt at home. The location was pretty good for
visiting some Western islands. They also helped us with
accommodation and banking. I guess that is the good
thing about being in a small community. But again, your
final destination is something you cannot really choose
and it still counts as work (you definitely save more
money in small communities than living in big cities).
Considering that there are less assistants every year, you
must feel lucky to have been selected!
It could happen that you are asked to work in
primary schools, but the syllabus there is more informal
and you do not normally have a Spanish teacher with
you. So in some ways you have more liberty to do what
you want. I do not know the background of the future
assistants but my degree was in both Spanish and English
so I was interested in teaching Spanish as a foreign
language. Even if your plan is to teach English, this is
still a great way to gain teaching experience.
As for extending your stay, the BC persuades the
schools not to renew the LA contract because that means
fewer people will be able to take your position. It is
almost impossible to renew if you happen to work in a
state school but I know about some people that have been
able to stay in their public/boarding schools. Others have
decided to take a post-graduate in Teaching at a Scottish
university, as you cannot be a Teacher of Spanish if you
don’t hold the similar CAP from there. In Scotland it is
still important to know other foreign languages, as those
positions are usually for Spanish/French or German.
Now I’m doing a post-graduate program called
Máster Erasmus Mundus en Aprendizaje y Enseñanza del
Español en Contextos Multilingües e Internacionales
(described in the Further Education section of this pack).
I am now in Barcelona because the classes of the second
semester take place here but during the first semester I
was studying in Bilbao. At the end of August I’ll be
leaving for Iceland as I’ll do my teaching practice there. I
wasn’t expecting to continue studying after my year as a
language assistant but it was difficult to find a proper job
so I decided to take a post-grad instead.
Josep Antoni Jiménez Velázquez
I have been teaching English for nine years now.
However, in the last few years, I have been ‘forced’ to
become a self-employed teacher. The days when one
single school or academy could supply you with loads of
well-paid teaching hours are gone. Or maybe they can
offer you those hours but they are not interested in having
to pay your social security and other taxes. Becoming a
self-employed teacher solves the problem for them. The
bad news: the monthly fee for self-employed
professionals in Spain is outragingly high—more than
€250, and this payment usually becomes troublesome
during those months in which teaching drops to its lowest
(July, August, and months including long holidays, such
as Christmas or Easter).
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 96
The good news: you may work for as many schools
and academies as you want at a time, and you can
complement your salary with private lessons. Also,
language teaching is a VAT-exempt task, so you will not
have to present the usual VAT statement every three
months. Another advantage is that you can actually sign a
contract with another company and thus become their
employee, and remain a self-employed professional at the
same time.
Actually, I have been in the Generalitat’s llista de
professors interins with the speciality of Spanish
language and literature for five years now, but I have
never been contacted to fill in a vacancy. I considered
signing up with the speciality of English language and
literature, but the alternative is not so appealing anymore.
I have had the opportunity to teach students of all
ages—from four-year-olds to retired people—ranging
from beginner to FCE level. Future candidates, make
really sure teaching is really what you want to do. It can
be a very rewarding dedication, but it definitely is an
exhausting job. Do not jump into teaching just because
you have a good command of English and people tell you
“that is something you could do”: being good at English
is not a reason to become a teacher—just a requirement.
It will not turn you into a teacher overnight. Working
hard every day will... maybe.
Jeehye Kim
After graduating, I moved to Madrid in order to
work for LG Electronics in the TV Department as the
assistant of the Product Manager. It is true that knowing
languages, especially Korean, gave me a huge advantage
when it came to being selected, but my command of
English and a course that I took at Foment Formació in
Barcelona in “Marketing Strategies” were really
positively considered by the interviewer.
Some of my duties were: controlling the budget and
the samples stores of the department, drafting daily,
weekly and monthly reports and presentations for the
Manager, taking care of my superior’s personal
duties, controlling purchase orders and deliveries from
the TV factory in Poland, Korea and Europe, etc.
I worked there for a year, and then I quit and was
hired by Cheil Spain (a Samsung Agency) in the Events
Department as the assistant to the Events Executive, and
my task is supervising important events (like the Mobile
World Congress) for Samsung Electronics.
In sum, throughout my short labour experience I am
aware of the fact that English is essential, and it is also
important to know an unusual language (like Russian,
Chinese, etc.) and doing courses no matter whether they
are master’s degrees or short courses.
Marc López Martínez
Right before graduating, I was hired for a job in a
shipping company. This would at first last for the
summer. When it was over my contract was extended for
two more months. Unfortunately the contract then
expired and I had to walk the streets hunting for a job. I
had never before found myself in a situation in which I
had nothing to do but to build my own timetable with
whatever job or courses I could find. For about six
months I looked for work and took some UOC online
courses.
As the next summer arrived, I knew it was the
moment for me to find a job. During the time I had spent
sitting around without putting much effort into my
search, I did meet some big fish. Then I realized the
world turns around faster than I thought. I started
working in a summer school in Barcelona only for the
sake of it. This, however, happened to be much more
important than I could ever imagine.
Being employed put me back in the working wheel.
After spending a busy summer I accepted another crappy
job in an English school. This would at least pay for the
German course I had just signed up for. Four months
later, two more offers came to me. These were more like
to what I had been looking for. It was probably luck or
the wheel effect. All that mattered was that I was
properly employed.
After this long professional trip, I have come to
know working not only gives you some income at the end
of the month, it also helps you broaden your mind and
meet new people. Now, two years after graduation, I am
about to start a Master’s in Multimedia Design while I
teach English in the afternoon. I still have a long way to
go.
Aida Marin Mora
While studying at UAB I was working as an English
teacher at a language school, which was great at that time
because I could earn some money and I still had time to
focus on my studies. However, once I finished the degree
I started to panic because I had too much free time. I
applied for several grants such as Auxiliar de
conversación, but I didn’t get any of them, which was
very disappointing too.
I found some interesting courses for unemployed
people at www.oficinadetreball.cat, and I decided to
enroll in one on Human Resources. At that time I wasn’t
sure if I wanted to be an English teacher, so I thought it
might be good for me to try something different which
could enable me to work in different fields and where I
could still use English.
Just after some months I got a phone call from
another language school and I started to work in the
mornings teaching English in different companies. I had
to quit the course, but it was worth it since I really
enjoyed teaching business people.
By the end of the course I felt kind of stuck in
Barcelona so I decided to leave Spain. I came to Dublin
last summer and started working as an au pair while
doing the Máster de Profesores de Secundaria online
(offered by the UNIR). Last February I started my
internship at a school here in Dublin, and I left the
family. I’ve already been at the school for 4 months so far
and now they have offered me a job working during their
summer camp.
María Mercedes Márquez Hernández
I started my degree in Philology not wanting to be a
teacher and I graduated in 2011 dreading the world of
teaching. But inevitably as a novice in the labor world, I
began to look for a job as a teacher. At first it was quite
difficult because some language schools ask for
experience, but I was lucky to find a part-time job at a
language school in Cerdanyola. My experience was
positive and encouraging. I started to discover that
teaching was something that I actually enjoyed.
Nonetheless, after a whole year struggling with
commuting problems, I decided to look for another job in
Barcelona, closer to my home.
Surprisingly, it was not difficult to get job
interviews. I was offered different part-time jobs in
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 97
different schools, but I wanted a full-time job in teaching,
which may sound utopian. I finally had an interview for a
full-time job, but it was not a complete success.
Apparently I was the youngest and most inexperienced
teacher that had been interviewed so far, but three days
later I was told that the job was mine. I have been
teaching for one year already and my view of teaching
has changed dramatically. I love teaching and I want to
continue to do so for the coming years.
Drawbacks? A lot of work in and outside the school,
a lot of pressure to follow the teaching method and to
meet the expectations of the directors of the school. A
positive side? Learning, gaining experience. This is not
about teaching English, it is about dealing with people,
students, bosses, pressure, stress, yourself. The salary is
not the best there can be, but for a beginner it is not so
bad either.
My advice? Even if you think teaching is not for
you, do not be reluctant to try it, you may be wrong.
Different jobs open different doors, and they allow you to
check or cross out what you want or not want to do. I
cannot consider studying or going abroad right now, so I
will probably be teaching in the same school for a couple
of years more. However, there is always room for new
future experiences.
Sara Martín Ruiz While finishing English Philology, I started another
degree at the UAB: Teoria de la literatura i literatura
comparada. It was not really what I was expecting—too
much theory and too little literature, in my opinion.
However, I decided to spend one more year there
and finish that second degree. After that, I decided to do a
Master’s in Textual and Cultural Studies offered by the
University of Zaragoza. The Master’s, like any other
Master’s right now, I think, was quite disappointing for
me in the sense of not learning many new things.
However, I had a few really good teachers who made
up for the whole course.
Right now I’m working on my MA dissertation on
postcolonial Irish literature, and after that I will start my
PhD on postcolonial literature—I still have to decide the
geographical area. The economic and job situation at the
moment is quite awful, so I think the best I can do is to
continue studying and preparing myself as much as I
can for when it gets better. If instead of that the
apocalypse comes, at least I’ll be a satisfied zombie,
having done what I thought was the best for me.
Laura Moreno González
Right after I finished my degree I moved to London
without a moment’s hesitation. At first I stayed at the
London School of Economics halls near Farrington. They
have cheap rooms available right before the students
move in for their new year so if you plan to go to London
and want to stay in a nice cheap room in the summer,
have a look at their website After that, while looking at
pages such as gumtree.com and spareroom.com, I found a
room in a nice house in East London, I found a nice flat
from a private landlord. Agencies are OK when you just
move to the city (they can help you out with the area and
have different flats and rooms available for you) but in
the long term a private landlord will be easier (and
cheaper!) for you.
Since I moved, I’ve worked in many different jobs
but, funnily enough, I always ended up working on the
phone, whether it was charity work or doing telephone
surveys. I found most of the jobs through
www.reed.co.uk, www.jobsite.com or www.gumtree.co
m. Once you have uploaded your CV on one of those
websites, many other job agencies contact you offering
jobs. So after three months changing from one company
to another, one of those job agencies (www.alsit.com)
contacted me and told me that they needed a native
Spanish speaker. The interview process was quite easy. I
first did one on the phone, just as a quick explanation of
my CV, then I did two interviews in person and got the
job.
I started working as an Event Coordinator at
Intercall in Croydon. This position means that I
coordinate conferences on the phone for banks and other
big companies such as RBS or Deutsche Bank. I’ve been
working there for a year and a half so far. I am now also
responsible for the Event bookings from both the
Croydon and Gloucester offices that the company has in
the UK. Thanks to this position I have also been working
with the Web Conferencing Department, which deals
with the webcasts and video calls from our clients.
Because of that and my interest for the new technologies
I decided to start an online course on Web Design. I got a
great offer thanks to a website called Groupon.
Hopefully, this will open new doors to a future job
position and the start of a new career.
Maria Moreno Herrero While I was doing my degree the only thing I
thought I knew for sure was that I did not want to teach.
While at university literature was what I enjoyed the most
and I wanted to work in something related to it. After I
finished my degree a couple of years ago I did a Master’s
Degree in Publishing to steer my career in that direction
but I think I had a romanticised view of the field and the
degree was a bit of a let-down.
Because it was almost impossible to find work in
that field I found myself teaching. I started with some
classes here and there and now I spend my whole day
from place to place. I teach extra-curricular English at
Maristes La Immaculada in Barcelona and then I work
with ACTIVA, a company that works with schools
throughout Spain. During the school year I’m at Col.legi
Shalom, where I teach curricular and extra-curricular
English to Kindergarten and Primary children and now
during the summer I’m doing Urban Camps at Col.legi
Jesús María in Barcelona. I’m enjoying this immensely
and I’m considering doing the Grado de Meastro en
Educación Primaria online through UNIR. I’m finding
that working with small children is very rewarding and
there is never a dull moment with them! I’m also working
with adults; in the morning I teach in-company classes to
businessman in a company in Barcelona and in the late
afternoon after I finish from school I work at a language
school where I teach a Beginner’s course for adults.
My experience clearly shows that what you think
you are going to be doing (or want to do) and what you
end up doing are not always one and the same. I had clear
ideas about my future and thought teaching was not for
me and now (though I have not forgotten my passion for
literature) I’m really enjoying what I do and I’m learning
a lot every day. My teaching schedule also allows me to
collaborate with the cultural magazine El Bombín
Cuadrado, for which I translate some of its numbers into
English and also write articles about literature.
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 98
Silvia Moreno Silvestre
After graduating, I moved to England and started job
hunting here, but it didn’t take long until I realised that it
was also difficult to find a job here. I ended up searching
for all sorts of jobs, without a focus—a big mistake!
Finally, I took some time to think about what I
should concentrate on and after some research I realised
that the best option was to take a teaching course here in
England (the PGCE, similar to CAP in Spain but more
practical), as you get a bursary which allows you to live
here (you can also get a loan!). I did this at the University
of Chester last year. You can also do the GTP, which is
more school based and allows you to earn more money as
you are basically working in schools (with help from
teachers)
There are quite a few Modern Foreign Language
teaching jobs here, due to a new government policy that
has introduced the EBAC (languages until 16),
which hadn’t been in place until a couple of years ago.
Spanish is also being preferred by students to French and
German now so there is a bit of a shortage of new
Spanish teachers, as the traditional career path as an MFL
teacher here was to teach French and some German.
I was lucky and found a job during my training.
Most of the people I trained with have eventually found
jobs as well, even if they are temporary, such as covering
for maternity leaves, at least they are gaining experience
in the field. I think when looking for a job it is important
to keep a positive outlook (however hard it is!).
I found it is also important to think openly of what
your options are (whether in Spain or abroad). I never
thought when I started studying at university that I’d end
up being a teacher. When I was in secondary school I
always said to my mother “I don’t want to be a teacher!”
Now I am a secondary school teacher and although it was
stressful at first (I was sent to some rough schools and I
am not exactly an authoritative person), I have now found
the right school for me and I am enjoying being a teacher.
So I think it’s important not to close yourself and say “I
will only do this job” as you never really know if you’ll
enjoy something until you give it a go.
María Francisca Osorio Troncoso
After graduating in June 2011, I worked as a Course
Leader in Oxford for the company EF. I spent a month
organizing and leading activities for teenage students.
After that, I worked for a month at RACC as a
telemarketing phone operator.
In August that year, I decided to go back to Chile
after spending the last six years in Europe. I started
teaching Business English in different companies. I also
worked as a Tour Guide in Santiago and in the Fifth V
Region. Those were seasonal jobs, so after a while, I
found a steady job as Press Assistant at the Taipei
Economic and Cultural Office.
While I was working there, I started learning
Chinese at the Confucius Institute. I got a scholarship
from the Institute, so I’m going to learn Chinese for a
month at the Nanjing University in August 2013.
In September 2012 I moved to New Zealand with a
working holiday visa. It wasn’t that easy to get a job,
basically because I didn’t want to do fruitpicking or
cleaning (typical jobs for working holiday visa holders).
In the end, I found a job as Quality Control at Heinz
Wattie’s. I worked there for seven months.
However, I’m moving again in ten days, this time to
Australia. I’m going with a working holiday visa as well,
so I’m very excited, and hoping to have a great
experience there.
Ksenia Ouziomova I was still working in a small private language
school, when I graduated. I worked only 3-4 hours a day,
so my salary wasn’t high. When I finished university I
thought that I needed to find a more serious job with a
higher salary. I started to look and in December I was
called for two interviews. The former was to be a Team
Assistant at real estate agency Engel & Völkers, and the
latter one was with Mango for the position of Russian-
Spanish-English translator for Development Department.
It was quite attractive, so no wonder I was very happy.
After having had three interviews (with HHRR and
managers of Mango) and done several tests on
translation, they told me I was the perfect candidate and
that the job was mine for sure. However, later I received
a call and I was told that the senior manager preferred to
take an intern, so she can be paid less, of course. So I
took the former job. Team Assistant was not a bad job, but you had to do
all kinds of things: administrative duties, translation, etc.,
and the salary was very low. I also didn’t like the
timetable, because it was from 10 to 7 and it took me
almost 2 hours to get there, so I spent the whole day
either on transport or working. However, I think it was
being constantly told what to do is that I hated most. I
realized that I couldn’t be someone’s secretary with my
character and knowledge. For me it’s almost painful to
answer “I’m a secretary”, when somebody asks me what I
am, so I always add, “but I’m also a Russian and English
teacher”. So I wouldn’t be lying if I said that I almost lost
the meaning of life. However, bad situations make you move and think,
so I realized that if my life from now on was going to be
mostly working, then I needed to get a job that I was
going to love. Therefore, I decided to find a new job,
where I would have either more time or more money.
More and more I’m hearing from here and there that
there’s nothing to do in Spain anymore and it is a great
experience to go abroad to live and work. Well, I already
had that experience: my mother and I left everything in
Russia and started a new life in Spain. It was as hard as
hell for a 15-year-old teenager, but I worked hard and
achieved a lot, so I don’t want to move anymore and start
everything from the beginning. I have a boyfriend and we
bought a flat, and someday I want to get married and
have children, so I don’t want to go and live somewhere
far away. So I spent a year trying to get a job with Mango,
starting by applying for translating positions. I was then
offered all kinds of positions in different departments.
After the failure of my first try, the HR woman liked me
and called me every time a vacancy appeared. I went to
around 10 or 12 interviews, with a particular test in each
one: languages, maths, logic, response and aptitude tests,
etc., but each time there was something that did not fit in
the profile they were searching for. The worst thing was
lying and inventing excuses for my ex boss, each time I
needed to go to an interview. I’m proud of having been so
persistent and I have learnt a lot from each interview. At
first, I got upset, but finally I treated going to interviews
as a new hobby. I only knew that I was not going to stay
with the real estate agency for longer than a year. And,
indeed, after a year, I had that final call, offering me my
current position.
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 99
So now I’m working in Mango Customer Service, in
the Head Office, located in Palau Solitá i Plegamans. We
do not answer clients’ calls (we have a call center for
that), but mainly work with stores from all around the
world and also deal with the most difficult customers’
issues. Working in Mango is not my utmost goal in life,
but it is a good job for recession time and for my CV. I
have some personal projects in mind, so I’m going to
study Psychology at the UOC and I really hope that
someday I’m going to live a life, built and shaped as I
want and stop working for others.
Silvia Pèlach Roca
I finished my degree at the VU in Amsterdam. Since
I always wanted to spent some time in the UK, and now I
had a very exciting excuse (bf) I discovered that in the
UK they require a diploma called CELTA, so after much
consideration I decided to apply Oxford House College in
London. I had an interview over skype and they accepted
me! So I did the CELTA when I came to London in
October, a full time course that lasted a month.
Then the plan was to look for a temporary job. I did
this through www.monster.co.uk, creating a profile, and
updating and uploading my CV. I did the same
with www.reed.co.uk/ abd
www.multilingualvacancies.com, among other sites. That
was after going for an appointment to get a “national
insurance number” which you need that to work legally
in the UK and every serious company will ask for it. I
registered with the National Health Service and opened a
bank account (for which you need a proof of address).
Housing is expensive. We pay around £350 each,
utilities included, for a big room and balcony at a house
with four other housemates, and to be honest I’m more
than pleased to pay what I pay for what I’ve got. You
have to be careful because London is full of places you
don’t really want to live in, so check out the area before
deciding on taking a place. Also check the deposit: we
had to chip in £400 each and a minimum of 6 months
stay. We found the house on www.gumtree.co.uk.
As for the job hunting, every day I applied to about
10 jobs by just typing “Spanish speaker” into the job
sites. Sometimes I didn’t even know what I was applying
for, but I didn’t care! To be honest, I was pretty stressed
out, but after two weeks I finally got a call and they
interviewed me the following Monday. After English
tests, and IQ tests, and two interviews, I got the job. It is
with a serious international company that works in
market research, and I’d be working in the department
where they get products from all over the world. My job
consists of translating from Spanish, French and now
even Portuguese and Italian to English. It’s Monday to
Friday 9-5, and I get around £1300 a month after tax, we
work with targets so according to your performance and
quality you get more or less money.
The company is very funky, and I work with people
from all over the world, something I really enjoyed in
Amsterdam, and now it is the same but in a working
environment. I was promoted last January, and now I’m a
Proofreader/Assistant Editor; I have to give feedback to
my colleagues, check the grammar, punctuation, and
make sure that everything follows the in-house style
guidelines, as well as recognising a big list of marketing
claims. With this job I get to work about three days a
week from home, and even though I really enjoy the
office, working from home gives me much more free
time and therefore I’m more relaxed. We also have
flexitime, which means that I can start work at 7.30-
10am and finish at 3.30-6pm. So overall everything has
changed slightly for the better!
Mireia Pla Bosch
I graduated in English and Spanish Philology in
2011. I never had any doubt about my vocation for
teaching and I was sure I wanted to become a second
language teacher, teaching English to Spanish students.
When I was just graduated I panicked, as usual. I felt
an urge to start working in something useful for my
career and also as means of experimentation. I did not
want to do a master’s until I knew the exact direction I
wanted to give to my professional career. So I spent my
first year working through a language company which
offered me several positions in different schools, teaching
English to ESO students in private schools, and also
teaching some extraescolares. I spent that year talking
and listening to everyone’s experience to broaden my
thoughts about the future.
While working, I enrolled myself in the course
offered by the International House, Formación de
Profesores de ELE, and that made the difference. I
discovered a new world I had never considered before.
Immediately after finishing the course I found a job at a
private language school in Barcelona and I have been
working there for a year now. I love my current job
because I work in my home town and every day at work
we create a multinational environment which makes my
job very interesting. Moreover, I am a native speaker and
that is so much valuated by the companies and the
students. The only but important disadvantage is that
working as a Spanish teacher for foreigners in Spain is
very complicated since it is a seasonal job; there is huge
demand in summer but very little the rest of the year. My
future plans are to study the Master offered by the UB in
Formación de Profesores de ELE and then probably
emigrate.
Aida Ribot Bencomo
Since I graduated in English Philology in 2011, I
have been studying in a PhD program in Linguistic
Anthropology at the University of California, San Diego
(UCSD). I am also teaching Spanish grammar and
conversation courses at the Linguistics Department at
UCSD. This is the only way to fully fund my studies at a
US university whenever there are no scholarships
available.
During my last years at UAB I discovered some
fields of research that became interesting to me. I started
reading articles and went to some international
conferences. This gave me a sense of the topics that were
primarily more interesting and of those that were not.
This is an enriching experience if you plan on doing
research—or at least if you feel it might be of any
interest—because you start meeting students and
professors and they can tell you about their own
experiences.
Since I started the program, I have learned theory,
methodologies and practices regarding the field of
anthropology and linguistics. There area a large number
of seminars, colloquiums, and workshops about
everything and at all times in the department and outside
it. These opportunities are an added value to the academic
life because they provide an interdisciplinary approach to
the topics, and a more relaxed and enjoyable environment
for the learning process.
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 100
During my first and second years at UCSD I
presented some papers at different national and
international conferences, something that is pursued from
the very beginning within the US departments. These
conferences are useful both academically and
professionally, and in my case, they gave me a strong
base for the development of a MA thesis, which is
required in most PhD programs in the US. The thesis is
also an opportunity for publication in one of the main
journals of the field.
Laura Romero Sastre
I graduated in 2011 after spending a year in
Edinburgh on an Erasmus exchange. I’m from Mallorca
but I studied the whole degree (Filologia Anglesa &
Catalana) at the UAB. After graduation, I studied the old
CAP, now a Master en Formació del Professorat. The
MA was just OK, I suppose it depends on every
university, and UIB is not the best place to do it. Last
October I came to Barcelona again and started my job-
hunting. I spent two months on the dole and then found a
job as an English teacher in Big Ben Acadèmia d’Idiomes
from January until the end of June (2013). It was a great
experience as I taught almost every kind of level: from 8
years old to retired people or Upper-Intermediate. They
don’t pay you for summer holidays, but instead, you can
teach in the July intensive courses or just wait for them to
call you again in September and start working again with
a new contract in October, as I will. It’s a pity that you
don’t have a salary during summer, but they pay very
well the rest of the time. Now, I’m trying to get a job for
this three month break in Mallorca as a children’s
activities leader. Failing that, I’ll have mandatory
holidays.
Noelia Sánchez Campos
The year after graduating I did the MA in Advanced
English Studies offered by the English Department of the
UAB. One of the things I enjoyed about the MA was the
fact that the classes are really interactive, which gives the
students the opportunity to share their ideas about the
different literary texts in very active way. Overall, the
MA was a positive experience, as it allowed me to
expand my knowledge on English and American
literature and to analyze literature from different
perspectives.
I am currently enrolled in the PhD programme and
doing my thesis on eighteenth-century literature. This is
my first year as a PhD student, and the programme has
been very satisfactory.
As for my professional life, since September 2012 I
have been working as an English teacher at Mary’s
Language School, in Cerdanyola del Vallès. I have taught
students at different levels, from children and teenagers
to adults. My experience in this language school has been
tremendously rewarding. In this job, in the day-to-day
classes, I have learned new teaching methodologies that
have allowed me to grow as a teacher. The working
environment is really nice; all my workmates are very
supportive and the team spirit is very much felt.
Gloria Tost Gascó
I sent my curriculum to many schools a couple of
months before I finished my master’s for secondary
school education at the UAB and a few weeks later I got
a call from a private school that needed a substitute
teacher, Escola Garbí in Esplugues. I went for the
interview and got the job. Then I got a job in July at the
EOI Manresa teaching level 4 for teachers. I worked very
hard but the students were very happy with the course.
Because I had no job in a school yet for September, I
took a job in a language school in Ripollet in the
afternoons to be on the safe side. But in September I got a
job in a school as a substitute teacher for the whole year
(they didn’t tell me at the time it would be for the whole
year, so I carried on with both jobs) a Les Dominiques de
l’Ensenyament.
So this year I taught the 4th year of ESO and 1st and
2nd years of Batxillerat. I have to say it was a very tough
experience, not so much for the students whom I had
expected to be difficult at times but because of the board
of directors who were very hard on me no matter what
and favoured the students who are the customers in all
situations. I have to say it was the hardest time of my life
by far for a long time but I learnt to deal with it; I took
two courses of Raiki, I learnt how to do meditation and
how to connect or disconnect of things at will through
thoughts, finding inner peace and happiness. But also
very important, I learnt how to defend myself and stand
up for what I think is right and to be indifferent to
falsehood so it would stop hurting so much.
They couldn’t take me this July in EOI Manresa as
they had no desdoblament this year for me, but I was
fortunate to get a job at the EOI Guinardó, and really it is
intensive but also a breath of fresh air after teaching
teenagers. The good news however is that last week I
went for an interview for a job in a school, a full time job
with a permanent position and on Friday they confirmed
they want me to start next September. I am over the moon
with this news, it really is a good job, full time and
permanent (obviously they have to like me etc.)
By the way, my master’s thesis was published this
year by the UAB—see
revistes.uab.cat/jtl3/article/view/495/558.
2010 Alba Álvarez Holgado
As I said in the last report, I worked in a language
school without any kind of contract while I was doing the
degree and I still worked there one more year after I
graduated. Last year, I finished the MA in English
teaching, which was the former CAP certificate, at
Blanquerna. It was really a waste of time apart from the
practicum, which was a wonderful experience. I realized I
enjoyed teaching and overcame some fears I had.
However, the course ended and the Borsa d'Interins
didn’t open for new teachers to apply.
Last summer I got a job in another language school.
That time I got a contract but at the end of the summer
the man in charge disappeared without paying our
salaries. So the academic year started with me and other
workers suing the company. The whole legal matter
hasn’t been resolved yet. It has been a nightmare.
I’ve been in thousands of job interviews but no
success yet. I'm still doing private classes, though.
Positive side: I've learnt a lot about contracts and legal
issues! These are tough times but we must keep going.
I am engaged now in two literary projects: a website
and a book of poems. None of these things is related to
English or teaching but they keep me going and are a
good way of exploring new oportunities. And I’m having
a good time.
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 101
You should not get stuck with one thing. If you like
teaching, that is wonderful but keep looking for other
ways to make yourself grow and keep you active because
the whole teaching world is really tough. My last piece of
advice is to join a workers’ union, especially if you are in
the Sector No Reglada (language schools mainly).
There’s a lot of mamoneo out there and you have to be
protected legally in some way.
Meritxell Ballús
I applied for the Auxiliares de conversación grant in
Germany. I was very lucky and first obtained a position
to work as a Spanish language assistant in a bilingual
school in Hamburg and during the second year I was in a
professional school in Weiden, Bavaria. Apart from
improving my level of German, I found the whole
experience really satisfactory and interesting, especially
my relationship with colleagues at the school. I
encourage everyone to spend some time abroad and have
contact with the locals and its culture while developing
the language skills. Due to personal reasons, I decided to
stay in Germany and since June 2012 I have been
working in the sales department of an international
company. I also combine this with Spanish lessons in an
adult education center.
Carmen Cavia Garrido
I’ve been working in a review academy for about
nine months and I feel really good so far. I work 27 hours
weekly, but only from Monday to Friday, which is great.
The job involves not only teaching English, but also
helping students with parts of the language they find most
difficult to deal with. My contract ends at the end of June
but I’ve just been informed that I will become permanent
from that time onwards, which is something I didn’t
expect, taking into account that this academy has just
been open for about two years. In my view, the key to its
success is to have two hard-working young entrepreneurs
who listen carefully to each employee’s opinions and
ideas and take them seriously. Moreover, next year I´ll be
able to also teach German due to the demand for this
language, which satisfies me since I’ve never had this
opportunity before. The only downside I find is the
timetable since I have to work mostly middays,
afternoons and evenings. However, the application for the
SOC courses will change this and in the near future I’ll
be mostly working from mornings till afternoons.
Adrià de Gracia Ortiz
After graduating I was awarded an Auxiliares de
Conversación grant to go the US, so I spent half of 2010
and half of 2011 working as a Spanish and Math assistant
teacher in Arlington, Virginia. Once that grant was over I
came back to Spain and found a job at Maristes school
where I have been working as an English teacher for kids
aged 7, 9, 10, 14 and some adults. Since I knew that I
wanted to leave Spain, while I was working I applied for
two possible ways that would help me do that. One was
to apply for a Lectorado de Español which consists of
teaching Spanish as a foreign language in a university
and there are tons of them, but they have to have a
position available because you can extend your stay up to
three years. The second was to apply for an MA program
in Denmark and I got it! So I am leaving for Copenhagen
to do an MA in English Studies at Copenhagen
University with an itinerary focused on Teaching English
in the Danish Upper Secondary School.
Paola Denari When I was attending my last year at university I
knew that I needed to gain some work experience if I
wanted to add some extra attractiveness to my CV.
Therefore, I was lucky that one of my classmates left a
vacancy available in the English school where she was
working and recommended me to the owner of the
school. As I was still going to university I did not want to
work full-time and I started with a few hours every day.
That way, not only did my boss get to know me, but I
also gained some experience teaching, from 7-year-old
children to adults. Besides, I had to teach different levels
and I discovered that I really enjoyed interacting with
people even though one of the most difficult things was
the management of the classroom. In contrast, this makes
the classes different every day even though you are
always teaching English.
On the other hand, when I finished university I knew
that I had to keep on studying, especially since the
language that I am teaching is not my mother tongue. As
a result, I decided to apply for a TEFL course at
International House. Despite my university degree in
English, they asked me to take an official Cambridge
exam that confirmed my command of the language. Then,
as I have always loved learning English I continue
studying it to get prepared for the PCE. After two years
of practice, I sat for the proficiency exam last June and I
passed it. I was on cloud nine, but I decided to put off
attending a TEFL course because I wanted to change
jobs.
In addition, last year I had applied for the Grundtvig
grant to take a course in teaching methods during the
summer in Ireland and I got it. The course was
outstanding and I really enjoyed sharing teaching
experience with English teachers from all over the world.
Therefore, when I came back I had new ideas which I
wanted to put into practice and I knew that at my English
school I wouldn’t be able to do so. That’s why before
starting last school year I went to different English
schools in Barcelona and I left my CV wherever they let
me. Why do I say so? In most cases, they just accepted
native English speakers and this is the only thing I can’t
change, my place of birth. To my surprise, one school
called me even though its requirement was that I had to
tell a white lie, which was that I was from Dublin if my
students asked me. All in all, I’ve just finished teaching at
that school and I disliked not being able to be myself,
although at the same time the experience taught me
different ways to communicate with my students, such as
miming, drawing and so on. In the end, it was the longest
Pictionary game I’d ever played and my students still
believed I was from Ireland and asked me to be their
teacher the next year. However, I don’t want to go on
lying and of course, I won’t accept this offer.
Moreover, I’ve also finished my fourth year at the
same afternoon school and my timetable was very busy,
from 5 pm to 10 pm, without including the preparation of
classes and corrections of exercises in the mornings. Due
to the economic crisis, I cannot complain about my
current situation. I had two jobs and some students at
home, I am still extremely motivated and my students and
their parents are delighted with me because I care about
them. Nevertheless, I have been sending some CVs and
I’m looking forward to being part of a dynamic updated
school which offers me the opportunity to create and try
new things next year.
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 102
Carles Güell i Bou
After graduating in English Philology from UAB, I
spent a couple of years working part-time in a small
private academy in Vic, Barcelona. After my second
year I decided to set foot on an adventure abroad and,
after taking a course on Teaching Spanish as a Foreign
Language, I moved to London to look for a job as a
Spanish teacher. After few weeks sending CVs to literally
every advertisement I could find, I got a call from
London Southeast University, an institution which
through an agreement with Heilongjang International
University was looking for foreign language teachers to
work in Harbin, northeast China.
I knew very little about the city, in spite of being a
huge metropolis of around 10 million people. Harbin is
known in China for its harsh winters, which can reach
temperatures of below 40 degrees. It is for that reason
that the wages in that university were significantly higher
than in other cities. They were making a strong effort to
hire foreign teachers, offering programs in English,
Spanish and French.
One of the things that surprised me most was the
lack of organization (last-minute paperwork, lack of
information, etc.). Chinese bureaucracy was for me the
greatest cultural shock when I arrived. It is hard for
foreigners to try to modify the structure of the courses,
often stuck in old-fashioned Chinese teaching methods,
and even though they like welcoming foreign teachers
(mostly as a way to show off that they have money to hire
them) they are reluctant to undertake changes.
However, teaching in China is proving to be a
wonderful experience, in spite of occasional problems,
something I could never have dreamed of when I finished
my education in Spain, considering the economic
framework.
Mireia Ilarri
I was young and innocent, and I decided to start
Filologia Anglesa taking for granted that I was not going
to spend more than four years at college to become a
teacher. In my third year at Lletres, I started working in
different language schools and I realized that I enjoyed
teaching; in my fourth I took my second degree:
Magisteri Llengües estrangeres.
Once I was done with both degrees, I faced reality:
the work situation in our country is horrifying: no matter
how many years you spend at college, there is no future
around. I took the decision: I needed to run away from
here. I opened my mind and started to submit resumes all
over the world: from Russia, to China, the States, Dubai,
etc. I used a lot of sites, but the most useful one was
www.learn4good.com/. There you can find offers from
all over the world! You apply to the offers by creating an
account, the schools get your resume and get back to you.
It was from learn4good that my current job, a public
high school in Massachusetts, USA, contacted me, asking
me for my CV (maximum 2 pages) in English; copies of
my college transcripts; a letter of intent; and three letters
of recommendation in English or with a translation
attached. I sent everything to them, we did two interviews
using Skype (and they interviewed one of my references
by Skype too), and they hired me!
The most annoying thing was the paperwork to get
my visa (J1- allows you to be in the States for 3 years): I
“had to” get married (my boyfriend, current husband,
came with me), pay around €400 and go to Madrid (you
need to do an interview at the US Embassy). It proved
worth it, though.
So now I am the Latin Teacher at Hudson High
School. Yes, the Latin teacher. I took Latin when I was at
secondary school, and never think about it again (well,
only in the first year of English Philology, when I took
German and I understood what the declensions are used
for). They hired me because of my English and my
degree on teacher training (magisteri), and, of course,
because I am Spanish and they can use me as the Spanish
teacher in the future (and I know much more Latin than
they ever will!). Next year I am going to be in charge of
Latin (again) and of one of the groups for Spanish 3.
The good points about this job are that it is really
well-paid (I am earning about $3000 per month), I am
learning a lot (both English and good teaching practices)
and it is proving to be a great personal experience. The
drawbacks are that there is no curriculum for Latin, so I
am planning and teaching at the same time. And also the
classes here are 90 minutes long (try to imagine having to
keep teenagers working for such a long period of time).
Life in the States is very different compared to
Europe. I am living in a tiny town in Massachusetts, and
living in NY, Chicago or LA would probably be better.
However, it is great to be immersed in an English
speaking country, and I am learning about the culture at
the same time. Contrary to the popular myth, you can find
whatever food you need in the US. And I have the
opportunity to travel around (NYC, Boston, Montreal,
Salem, Plymouth... I think of Historia i Cultura way too
much haha!).
The downsides are that you need the car FOR
EVERYTHING, you cannot talk about politics or religion
(hot topics there!), and you have to get up at 6, have
lunch at 12, get dinner at 6 and go to sleep at 9 or 10.
Also, people don’t generally walk, so the streets are
empty. And finally, Americans seem to be very open and
ready to help you, but they are really individualistic, so
although they always smile, they don’t show what they
are really thinking.
Paula Jiménez Fernández
I finished my studies while on an Erasmus three
years ago. As soon as I went back to Barcelona, I found a
job as an English teacher in a language school and last
year I worked in a private school teaching a kind of extra
English hour a day.
However, I started to be more interested in social
work than in teaching. So in 2011, I went to India as a
volunteer. I worked as a teacher in a nursery school and
helped teenagers in reading, speaking and writing
English. I only stayed for a month. Then, I decided to
take a course related to NGOs and volunteering. The
course was offered by VOLPA (and after it you can work
as a volunteer for two years in a developing country
through a project). I also took a course on volunteering in
Catalonia.
Both courses were pretty cheap and dynamic.
In addition, once I finished my degree, I started a two-
year-course on Dubbing and Acting. I was always
interested in it and I decided to do it after university. The
problem is that it is really expensive even though the
people at the Escola de Doblatge de Barcelona are very
kind and you can pay it in installments.
As I said before, last year I was teaching in a private
school. I lost my job due to an illness (I was on sick
leave). I didn’t know what to do. But in October 2012,
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 103
Treball Campus called me because I had asked for a
Leonardo Da Vinci Grant in 2011 and there was a
vacancy for going to Lyon, France. I didn’t have a great
level of French, but I decided to go. I worked in a
European Organization for two months, Maison de
l’Europe et des Européens. I improved my French and I
learnt new cultural administrative tasks. Once I finished, I
saw an offer to work in an internship in Grenoble, France,
in a Theater Center. I applied for it and thanks to my
dubbing/acting experience, my English and French level,
I got it.
Now, I’m still in France. This grant is called
Eurodysee, and it’s a six-month internship. It’s the first
time I’ve worked in a cultural and artistic association and
I’m really happy. I decided not to be a teacher and I’m
trying to get a job related to acting. You may think it’s
kind of impossible to live through art. Although it’s
difficult, in France, Germany and the UK, people are
more concerned about art as a professional career.
So please be optimistic! The job situation is horrible
(we all know that) but I really think that by having more
than one goal we can have a chance. Note that having
another language is important too, even if French,
German or Chinese are not as popular as English.
The Leonardo and Eurodysee grants may be a good
way of starting a new career abroad. Here are some
useful websites:
India-Volunteering: http://www.laiafoundation.org/
VOLPA: www.volpa.org/index.php?option=com
_content &view=category&layout=blog&id=4&
Itemid=15&lang=ca
PAC: http://pasaporteparalacooperacion.org/
Dubbing: www.escueladoblajebarcelona.com/
And remember that “English Studies” need not be
only related to teaching!
Cristina Pardo Valls I finished my English degree during my Erasmus
year at Leicester. The truth is that after one year living in
Leicester and having one of the greatest years in my life,
going back to “reality” was very difficult, especially
because I met fantastic people I still have contact with. In
summer, and in Terrassa, my home town, I started
sending CVs online to job ads in both Barcelona and
London. I applied first to teach English in language
schools in Terrassa, but as the search did not go well. I
decided to apply for any kind of job, but got no replies.
The next step was to think that since I had a degree in
English and if I remained in Barcelona the possibilities of
losing my fluency in English were high, and I was
starting my job search from zero, so it was time to go to
live to London, where I lived two years and a half.
The truth is that finding a job in London according
to what one has studied is very difficult from the very
beginning. After being sales advisor at a fashion
company, French Connection UK, I decided to grow up
professionally speaking and I got a job at Zara UK, where
I worked as Department Responsible for almost one year.
My goal in London was to work for important fashion
companies, so I did my best and tried to have the work
experience required to apply to get internal internships or
being promoted with time even in the same store or
joining the head office. While I worked all that time I
took different internships and did different fashion
courses. Even though it is difficult to combine work and
studies, if you have the chance and can manage to do it is
going to be worthwhile for your CV and job experience.
In fact, I say so because I took all the internships in my
days off at work and holidays, a big effort.
But in March this present year, after a period
thinking about the advantages and disadvantages of
coming back home, especially considering the “bad
times” that Spain is going through nowadays, I decided to
come back definitively to Barcelona. The truth is that I
took the decision to come back and I thought that finding
a job was going to be easy, due to my job experience
abroad. I have to say that I have done a lot of interviews
during these 3 months, and finally I have got a job. It is
not a job I thought to get, within a fashion company, for
which I applied and did many interviews, but in a bank.
Having international experience and knowing languages
were the two main reasons I got the job. I will be working
in a bank office answering international calls.
Three years ago around this time, when my Erasmus
program and English degree were almost finished, I had
no idea of where I would live and what kind of job I
would be doing. I think how my life has changed since I
finished my Erasmus, I am very proud of all I have done,
worked and lived abroad, and the personal decision taken
to start from zero my life again at home and definitely.
As I learnt some time ago, everything takes time and it is
not easy (especially living abroad without your family
and friends), but always one has to think that by doing
things step by step and day by day, never surrender and
try to find the job you like!
David Soler Ortínez
Since my graduation in 2010, my academic,
personal and professional experience has been always
related to education and literature. In 2011, I did the
master’s degree Formació de Professorat in Blanquerna
(Universitat Ramon Llull) and there I became interested
in education. Therefore, I decided to study it in depth and
I enrolled in the research itinerary of another education
master’s degree (Màster Universitari en Lideratge en la
Transformació Socioeducativa). Meanwhile, at the end of
2011, a professor at Blanquerna proposed that I work
with her team at ESADE (Universitat Ramon Llull) as a
Research Consultant in the Educational Innovation
Department. (I am afraid that neither of these masters’
degrees is being offered now.)
In September 2012, once I passed the research
itinerary of my second master’s degree, I enrolled in a
Ph.D. program. Thus, I am now a Ph.D. student and I
have chosen to base my research on educational
innovation and CLIL. Last year, I was also accepted as a
Member of the Research Group on Language and
Intercultural Competence in Teaching and Learning
Languages (CILCEAL - Blanquerna).
Regarding my personal experience, since graduation
I have published a book of poetry entitled Ara que no em
veus, Ed. Témenos - ISBN: 97884904512, having won
the 17th Narcís Saguer Prize in 2011. I have also written
several short stories and some articles about literature.
Oleksiy Zarubin Though I was born in Ukraine, I’ve been living
in Catalonia for 11 years already. I am proud to have
done a degree in English. Many people think that this
degree is totally useless and there are no opportunities
and no perspectives for the future life. This is not true.
After finishing my degree I immediately found a job
as an interpreter in a hospital. This is the best job I’ve
done in my life for the moment because I really felt
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 104
fulfilled because I helped people—basically patients who
often required immediate help of the doctor. There were
people from all over the world but the languages I mostly
worked with were English, German, French, Italian and
Russian. The job was also quite well-paid, around €1400
net, working 6 hours a day (and also 12 hours on
Saturday or Sunday every week—which was not very
difficult because I really enjoyed the job). It is a pity that
this job is only available during the summer.
Afterwards, I stayed in the same place working in
administration. The salary was not as good as the
previous one (around only €1000 net/mo) and the job was
really boring. So I changed to a customer service job at
Noel Alimentaria involved with exporting Catalan meat
products. This job was really stressful and the days were
very intense. It was not very well paid but at least it was
interesting and very dynamic. For a while I was quite
happy with the job.
Lately, I have had some more changes in my life.
Now I’m back working in the private unit of the Hospital
de Palamós (the place I used to work at formerly). Since I
did not get any feedback or promotion from my former
company after two years, I accepted this offer because I
was offered a better salary, more responsibilities and a
better job in general. I am the Area Manager providing
private healthcare services to customers in Russia, Italy
and France.
2009
Zara Aguilar Torra
During the five years I spent at the UAB I was not
sure what I wanted to do after graduating, but I knew I
did not want to become a teacher. I had been in Limerick,
Ireland, for a year as an Erasmus student, and in my 5th
year I did the practicum at the Euncet (Escola
Universitària de Negocis de CaixaTerrassa) doing some
translation in the administrative offices of the university.
I also registered in some modules offered by the
Translation Faculty at the UAB because I thought having
some training and practice in translating might be worth
it.
Back then, getting the CAP was easier than now
because it used to be a 4-month course that consisted of
two modules and an internship, and its cost was €500, but
since I didn’t want to become a teacher, I didn’t take the
CAP course. To be honest, at the end of my last year I
was very worried—even scared—about what I was going
to do because I had never had a real job besides being a
private teacher of English or a substitute teacher for a few
days at my old school in Barcelona.
Fortunately, a friend of mine was the secretary at a
school in Barcelona (Princess Margaret School) and told
me they were looking for teachers for the evening
acadèmia. Although I didn’t like the idea of being a
teacher, I gave it a try and after an interview, I started
working there. At first, I was a little lost due to my
extremely short experience, but after three years there, I
have learnt a lot and see the teaching job from a different
perspective.
Before I started the third year in the acadèmia, I
registered for the MA Estudis Anglesos Avançats:
Adquisició del llenguatge I multilingüisme at the UAB. I
did so because a professor of the university recommended
it to me and I thought it might be a way of acquiring
some knowledge and skills that would allow me to find a
new job, away from teaching. I took the modules of the
MA in two years. The first year was chaotic: in
September I was offered a job as a substitute teacher at
the Escola Virolai for three months, in October I also
started the MA classes, so I had to do both things at the
same time, and in November I started working at the
Princess Margaret School as well. That was for three
months, but for the whole year, working and studying at
the same time was too much for me, so I decided I would
not work during the second year of the MA, I’d only
teach private English lessons. I was lucky to have 6
different students during the year.
Right now, I still have two students and I’m
finishing my MA thesis which focuses on the acquisition
of English pragmatics in children with Asperger
Syndrome. For that purpose, I’ve also taken a course at
the Associació d’Espectre Autista de Catalunya and have
been working as a volunteer at their esplai. To make all
this work with the MA useful, I’m considering working
with the association to start a pilot English course
adapted to the needs of these children for next September,
and I will also work again at the Princess Margaret
School acadèmia.
Anabel Arcos Coca After I finished my degree, I worked for a year at a
private school teaching not only English language but
also Computing in English and Business English to FP
students. Then, I moved to London and lived there for
two years. Before moving there, I applied for
the Auxiliares de Conversación grant but did not get it.
Once in London, I did the International House Spanish
Teacher Training course in July. It was a very intensive
course but I highly recommend it. However, it was
useless for me as I didn’t find a job as a Spanish teacher.
During those two years in London, I struggled in
terms of finding a teaching job there. I signed up with
some teaching agencies but only did some supply work at
primary and secondary schools. I wasn’t able to find a
long term job so I ended up working at a local nursery
school. It was quite frustrating.
Last year, I moved back to Barcelona and despite
my lack of teaching success in London, having spent
some time living and working abroad helped me a lot
when looking for a teaching job here. For the past year
I’ve had three jobs at the same time; online tutor and
English teacher at both an English school and an Escola
Concertada. They’ve all asked me to continue after the
summer holiday so I guess I’ve been very lucky.
Sònia Barroso Saez
I finished my degree four years ago and for three
years I have been on the interins list. At the moment I am
living in Donostia working part-time in a language
school. As you may know, the working conditions of
language schools are not very good though it is enough
for me to live by myself.
As for my expectations, when I finished the degree I
was fed-up with studying and working part-time in
language schools. So I wanted to get a regular job and be
able to take courses I was interested in. In addition, it was
clear for me I didn’t want to work abroad. I had lived in
Ireland some years ago and despite being a great
experience, it was quite tough to start in a new place.
However, the situation was quite frustrating. I wanted to
grow, evolve and my career was getting worse working in
a language school 7 hours a week. I had to do something.
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 105
So, to motivate myself, I took a course in
international social volunteering and started studying
Basque since the Basque Country became a destination to
go. I knew some people there and I liked the place a lot.
And I have been here since two years ago, studying
Basque in the morning and working in the afternoon. In
my free time I work on a case of the death penalty for
International Amnesty by translating letters and
coordinating actions with other countries which are
working on it too.
As you can see, I have not accomplished my
expectations but I I am learning a lot, and meeting
extraordinary people. Advice: “Always look on the
bright side of life”. Every cloud has a silver lining!
Anna Bernal Díaz
During the last two years before graduating, I had
been teaching kids at a language school in Mollet, where
I live. I soon realized that I liked the job but that I needed
some training, so I took the CAP (Certificat d’Aptitud
Pedagògica) at the UAB. I then joined the borsa
d’interins in order to work at a state school and, luckily, I
started working at a primary school the following
October.
I devoted academic years to teaching young
children, at both the language school and primary schools
in the Maresme and Vallès Oriental, and I gained a lot of
experience. The schools were all very different, with
pupils from all backgrounds, and I worked not only as an
English teacher, but also as a tutor in one of the schools
too. I have to admit that it was very rewarding in a
number of ways, basically because I was constantly
planning and adapting material to meet the needs of my
students.
I started teaching adults too in 2011 and I realized
that I liked them even more than children! So, last
summer I took the Spanish teacher training course at
International House Barcelona. I really enjoyed the
course and, although I haven’t worked as a Spanish
teacher yet, it helps me with my adults’ groups.
I knew that being on the lists is not a fairly secure
job nowadays and unfortunately, Spanish education
system is getting worse and the ongoing job situations for
those who are on the lists is very poor. So, as I expected,
last academic year 2012-2013 I was not called from the
lists until May 2013! What we all need is a steady
income, so in September I started working more hours at
the language school.
The truth is that since I finished the dregree I have
always been working and although the working
conditions are not always the best, English teachers are
somehow required. I am now teaching kids, teenagers and
adults at the language school and I am quite happy with
it. However, I sometimes consider the idea of trying new
skills.
Àngels Bladé Castel
Having finished the degree, the first months were
really stressful because I couldn’t get any jobs. I sent my
CV to many private schools and I also joined the borsa d’
interins. However, as you may know, it does not run
much—at least in Terres de l’Ebre and Tarragona. As
time passed, I began to realise that that year I would not
get work, at least in public schools. I also constantly
checked those websites with job offers. I did eventually
get a one-month substitution at a private school.
That November I decided to take a virtual Master’s
program (“Educació i TIC”) offered by the UOC. I
wanted to continue my studies because I had the feeling
that I was wasting my time.
Finally, I got a part time job at the Universitat
Rovira i Virgili in Tarragona. I have been working as an
English teacher at the Language Service Department for
three years now. The experience has been fantastic! At
the same time, I have been taking some courses so as to
be more prepared and improve my CV.
Since it is just a part time job at the URV, I have
also taught in other schools: “Oral English” (language
assistant) in ESO in the previous private school for two
years, English for Academic Purposes (Arts and Crafts)
in Cicles Formatius, and also a substitution for the
Department of Catalan at the URV.
To sum up, don’t despair! If you can’t get a job, you
should take advantage of that time and continue studying
and trying those opportunities that come to you. Sooner
or later you will get something.
Guillem Blasco Garriga Even before I had finished my degree I already
knew that I would be working as a language assistant
at Charterhouse School in the county of Surrey,
England. I went there with a one-year contract and I have
just finished my fourth year and I am staying another one.
Some of you may think that it is time to change and do
other things and so on and I may agree. However, during
these four years I have done a distance learning MA and I
will start another one next year. Being a language
assistant allows you to work and study (online) at the
same time (at least in my current situation).
The main role of a language assistant is to train your
students to pass the oral part of their exams (IGCSE for
the 4th ESO students & Pre-U, which would be like some
kind of selectivitat). In my particular case, I was given
the Spanish department syllabus with the topics that
teachers cover in class. My task is to design exam-like
activities concerning the topic they are dealing with in
class.
My advice: do not hesitate to apply for everything
there is out there—you never know where your future
may lie.
Carles Brosel i Oliu
After graduating in any degree a period begins
where, usually, the student does not know whether to
continue studying or to look for an adequate job. In my
case, after having completed Filologia Anglesa I knew I
wanted to continue my university education, and so I
graduated in Filologia Catalana (2011) and in the
postgraduate studies of Correcció i Qualitat Lingüística
(PCQL) and Assessorament Lingüístic en els Mitjans
Audiovisuals (PALMA) (2012, as I could do both at the
same time); all of them at the UAB. I am now writing the
thesis for the Màster en Correcció i Assessorament
Lingüístic. I actually improved my mother tongue,
Catalan, up to an almost perfect level (the old K-level) in
these postgraduate courses.
After these studies I hoped to work full-time as a
proofreader of Catalan in written press, radios, publishing
houses and so on. Nevertheless, the situation in this field
is complicated, so I only had two very different
internships in 2012, one for each postgraduate course, in
the Institut d’Estudis Catalans—Servei de Producció
Editorial—and with Ràdio Sabadell 94.6. Internships are
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 106
always interesting experiences where you learn a lot
because you are working together with qualified
professionals.
After finishing university last July, I did not find a
job related to proofreading in Barcelona or the
surrounding area, so I went back home, the Cerdanya.
During the second half of 2012 I took the opportunity to
update my qualifications in first aid and lifeguarding, and
I worked teaching private lessons of English and as a
lifeguard too, especially on the weekends.
With the arrival of 2013 I combined the work as a
lifeguard with varied experiences in a language academy:
extracurricular lessons of French and English to seven-
year-old children, English lessons to all levels and ages
and a Summer Camp in English this July. In May I took
the course of Monitor de Temps de Lleure. I have
realized that a key fact is that people have to adapt to the
needs of the market and of its environment; particularly,
Cerdanya is a tourist place where, especially in the
summer season, hundreds of families take their children
to nature camps and, if possible, try to improve their
English. Moreover, I work now and then as a freelance
translator and proofreader in English, Catalan, Spanish
and French.
Laura Buitrago Barroso After finishing my degree, I didn’t have the slightest
idea what to do with my future. I just knew I wanted to
take a break from uni and keep improving my German.
So thanks to a grant from the MEC, I did a summer
language course in Berlin, and after that, I decided to stay
on in the city. I looked for a job but didn’t succeed – the
high unemployment rate by that time and the fact that I
wasn’t fluent in German didn’t help much.
Despite everything, I stayed and kept learning the
language by myself. In the meantime, I got the Leonardo
Da Vinci grant, a European programme for graduates to
do a 3-month internship abroad related to your field of
studies (it was offered both by the UAB and the SOC
(Servei d’Ocupació de Catalunya) but at the moment I
don´t know what the situation looks like). My main task
was to proofread and correct translations from German
into Spanish/English in a translation agency, and I’m still
actually doing it. My boss was very happy with me and
offered me to keep working for him from home. It’s been
more than 3 years already!
However, although the job provides me with some
good experience in an interesting working field, I don’t
get a permanent salary to be able to live on. It’s hard to
live on by just working as a proofreader or rather as a
translator, there are just too many and it’s not well paid.
That’s why apart from that, my main occupation has
been till 2 months ago as saleswoman at Desigual. I
worked for this Spanish company for 3 years, which,
apart from giving me the opportunity to improve my
German to a fluent level and afford my life abroad,
provided me with work experience and with an overview
of how the German labour market works. Thanks to this,
I feel a lot more confident, when it comes to finding
further (better) job opportunities.
Now I work selling tickets for city tours by bus
(like the catalan “bus turístic”). You can make really
good money with such a job. The only disadvantage is
that you stay in the street, which means, it can be very
nice when it’s nice weather, but also pretty annoying
when it rains or it’s cold. And it’s a job for the summer
season only, that means from March to October. So my
plan for the moment is to sell tickets during the summer
and then look for another job in my field of studies, if
possible. Such jobs as sales woman and so on are not
something I really enjoy doing. But it’s difficult to really
know what you want to do for a living without trying out
different things. Two years in a row I applied for
the Auxiliares de conversación grant (although I would
never like to become a teacher, but who knows…) and
was put on the waiting list, so I decided to give up and
really focus on my future.
Four years after finishing my degree at the UAB, I
decided to study again. So last year I applied for a
Master’s Degree in “Kommunikation und Sprache”
(Language and Communication) at the Technische
Universität Berlin. I’m about to finish my second
semester now and I’m very happy with it. We do a lot of
linguistics, also computer based, and speech production,
for instance, using different softwares. I find it really
interesting. I’m also planning on doing an internship
abroad from January on, but still have to check
everything. Nice job opportunities with the Master’s are
working with learning materials in a publishing company,
as a language trainer, voice recognition, etc.
If you want tp check out Bachelor or Master studies
in Germany, go to http://www.hochschulkompass.de/ and
for those interested in international programmes in
English, see
www.daad.de/deutschland/studienangebote/international-
programmes/07535.es.html
Studying in Berlin is really cool, because most of
the studies are for free. You just pay around 280€ per
Semester and get a ticket for the whole semester for
public transport (which is very expensive, as in normal
price). As a student you also get lots of discounts in
museums and so on, and it’s easier to find a job, since
hiring a student costs a lot less taxes.
Ana Isabella Byrne Bellorín I finished English Philology in September 2009 and
French Philology in July 2012, so I only just officially
graduated from both last year having signed up for the
double degree in 2003. I’ve been working mainly as an
English teacher, mostly to Young Learners, in an
independent academy 2010-11 and since 2011 in a
Kids&Us academy near Urgell. When I’ve worked with
academies it has usually been 12€/h, and it’s so with
Kids&Us too, but they always put you on contract and
provide lesson plans and materials for almost all lessons.
I still do some private tutoring and baby-sitting. Teaching
young learners makes it hard to draw the line between
them sometimes and muddles the rates but a try to keep it
at a 20€/h minimum for teaching and only go down to the
baby-sitting rates (which change according to travel time)
when it’s several blocked hours that don’t involve lesson
planning.
Apart from teaching I’ve also been working on
occasional translations and even doing some
interpretation at business meetings. These are odd jobs I
get through the grapevine of friends or family. Last
summer I started working at the port with Intercruises.
They call you 2 or 3 days a week as certain cruise ships
arrive according to your own availability. They provide
port services to ships that don’t include them in their
crew. These past two years the cruise season went from
April to the first week of November.
As for studies, I completed the Trinity Cert TEFL
course in Oxford House in 2010 and was very satisfied
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 107
with it. It gave me perspective on my teaching and good
pointers to improve. The main part of the course is
practical, and it’s also good to have feedback from your
tutor and your peers.
Besides these more strictly professional endeavours
I’ve also been actively involved in the English-speaking
theatre community in Barcelona. There are many groups
and I’ve been involved with B.I.G. (Barcelona Improv
Group), Dusty Apple and The Tremayne Company, these
are just three of the seven or so I’m acquainted with and
that have been putting up some very interesting
productions all through this spring and early summer.
B.I.G. and Dusty Apple got together recently to organise
Play In A Day (the name says it all) in which I
participated as a writer and other people involved in the
aforementioned companies also participated as writers,
actors, directors and organisers.
In February I performed in The Vagina Monologues
(in Spanish) which were played on consecutive weeks
that month, first in Spanish and then English, both
directed by the founders of Dusty Apple. In June I was
performing in the Tremayne Company production A
Woman of Many Parts, my second play with them
after Six in the City 2 in February 2012. In B.I.G. we’re
currently organising an international improvisation
festival in Barcelona this November, and there are free
weekly workshops and monthly performances going on.
If interested, see http://www.barcelonaimprovgroup.com/
and https://www.facebook.com/DustyAppleTheatre.
Mireia Cañadell Montón
I graduated in June 2009. It was the beginning of the
economic crisis. I worked all that summer in the summer
camps “L’Estiuésteu” meanwhile I looked for a job to
start with in September. I had told my family my idea to
travel abroad if I didn’t succeed but I was lucky and I
started working in an English academy in Vic after
summer. It was only for a few hours but it was a good
opportunity to gain experience.
It has been 4 years and now I have a part-time
contract in the same academy. I am a little bit frustrated
because some of my workmates do not have the same
qualifications as me but they have the same opportunity
and salary (which is not bad).
This has been a complicated year because the
atmosphere was not the perfect one and for that reason I
am looking for another academy. I have already had two
offers.
Two summers ago I also started working in a private
school in the village I live in. I teach English and French
to 3rd and 4th ESO students. I work there 10 hours per
week and I get a good salary there.
I consider myself a lucky person because the present
situation is terrible and a lot of people around me are
unemployed or working in a job that has nothing to do
with their studies. I am a moonlighter, that is, a person
with more than one job. Sometimes, it is tiresome and
stressful but I have learnt a lot and I have experience
which is very important when looking for a job but not
essential.
If I had to give a piece of advice to a person who
graduated this summer it would not be a very long one. It
is very important to keep studying, learning and working
hard. You have to be confident because you have studied
a lot and never lose your motivation.
Ester Cervero Martín After finishing my studies at the university four
years ago I started working at a language school in
Barcelona. I was not teaching but doing mainly
administrative tasks and helping the director of studies
organizing courses and helping students finding the
course which would be most suitable for them. Although
I was quite happy with it, I knew from the very beginning
that it was not the job I wanted to do for the rest of my
life, so I applied for the beca d’auxiliar de
conversa. Unfortunately, I didn’t get it. Since the work situation in Spain at the moment is
not precisely the best, I decided to move to Edinburgh
where I had been living as an Erasmus student three years
ago. The situation here is not as good as it was a couple
of years ago, although not as bad as in Spain. It took me
about three months to find a job. I worked at the
reception of a hotel for nearly two years while I worked
on an online MA. It was called Traducción y medicación
lingüística de las lenguas alemana y española. I chose to
do two specialisations: legal and technical translation. I
decided to go for German because living in the UK my
English was improving but my German was getting
rustier and rustier.
As soon as I finished my MA in September 2012 I
applied for a job at RWS, a big translation company
based in Buckinghamshire, where I started working as
Project Coordinator and was soon promoted to Project
Manager. At RWS I work in the medical department and
what I do is basically managing translation projects. I
liase with several clients (generally pharmaceutical
companies) that ask me for a quotation to translate a
document (e.g., articles, instructions for using medicinal
products, etc) to be translated into one or several
languages. Once they send me the files I need to work out
the price and a turn-around time based on the number of
words and the language combination. If the client accepts
my quotation, then I will find the translator who is more
suitable for the job. Occasionaly I do some proofreading
tasks or completeness checks as well.
Although it’s not th job of my dreasm, it will be
quite useful if I ever want to become a freelance
translator.
Esther Codina Potrony
When I finished the degree, I decided to do the
Màster en Formació del Professorat de Secundària at the
Universitat de Barcelona. There were many good things,
such as the long practicum in a high school, but it was
very difficult to have a job while doing it because it was
very demanding and there were a lot of assignments and
deadlines to attend. When I finished the master’s, I was
able to enroll inthe Borsa de Treball de Personal Docent.
However, they don’t run much and I accepted a job in a
language school.
My first experience as a teacher was in the
concertada primary school where I studied. Regarding
the Generalitat, they called me to work for a couple of
months in a primary school. Unfortunately they didn’t
call me either last year or this year. However, last year I
managed to combine my job at the language school with
a job at a concertada high school, where I taught students
from cicles formatius.
Since I have spent most of the last two years only
employed part-time I have enrolled in many courses in
order to refresh my knowledge and learn new skills, such
as accountancy or exports, which I think may be useful if
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 108
I have to look for another job. This year, I have decided
to take a step forward and enroll in a post-graduatedegree
at UOC which deals with technology and translation.
Laura Crespillo González After I finished my degree, I continued working in a
language school called Mon Idiomes in Terrassa. I also
got the titol de monitor de lleure, which allowed me to go
on summer camps. It’s a good option for those working at
Language schools because contracts normally expire in
summer, so with this certification you can also work
during the summer. In summer I applied for a Comenius grant, which
paid for a teaching course in Malta. It lasted 15 days and
it was very good. The course was based on how to do
motivating activities in class and we also reviewed
idiomatic expressions and phrasal verbs. I really
recommend taking such courses to improve or recycle
concepts. After doing these courses, in September 2010, I
started the master’s in secondary school teaching at
Blanquerna. I have to say that I found it really interesting
and it taught me different perspectives on teaching.
However, the situation in Spain is very disappointing at
the moment and I think that registering with the lists to
work as a substitute teaching in the public system is not
worth it since you have to wait a year or more to get just
a three-week substitution.
Then I decided to go to UK for a year even in
language schools there is stiff competition here, and
many language schools only hire native speakers or
people who have been in the UK or US for a period of
time. So, I decided to move to London for one year
mainly to get some experience on education in UK and to
experience language in context. I was lucky since I found
a job as a Spanish teacher in a Language school in the
afternoon as soon as I arrived. However, they offered me
few hours and agencies for substitutions in schools only
wanted teachers with a minimum of 3 months experience
in UK, no matter how many years I had of experience in
Spain.
After some months of persistence I started doing
substitutions in nursery schools and primary as a teaching
assistant. It has been a great experience since I had the
opportunity to help children with their literacy in English,
and I have also worked with children with special needs.
I think I had the opportunity here of working in
educational environments that in Spain are in some way
restricted to people who have specific formation on
several topics. For instance, I worked with a child
learning Braille together with a Braille teacher and one
day I worked with a child who only communicated by
signs (I did not know sign language before that day, but
at the end of the day I was able to communicate with him
and give him some commands). It is a little bit uncertain
because you work doing substitutions and sometimes at
the beginning I only worked once a week, but as soon as
schools know you you get more jobs working all week or
at least three times a week. Finally, I got a job working as
a Spanish teacher in a Secondary school for the last 2
months of the school year.
Moreover, I started working with an American
company as a Tour Director, which is really the job I had
always wanted to do. I had the interview in London,
although there were interviews in Madrid, London,
Rome, Paris and Berlin. It was a very competitive
selection process with several stages and a practicum of
three days. I didn’ t expect to get the job but finally I was
one of the 14 people selected out of 1400. I am working
in Spain and Portugal (for the moment). I lead walking
tours, introduce museum collections, deal with suppliers
and official guides and do cultural activities with the
groups. The educational and cultural component is very
important so I can create many activities to learn in a
different setting from a classroom.
I have done two tours this season so far and I really
enjoy it. I am combining tours with substitutions and
teaching in the UK at the moment. Furthermore, I wrote
two teaching resources for learning Spanish for another
company in UK. I could choose between getting paid for
writing the resources or getting the royalties so I chose to
keep the royalties. I am happy so far since I think I have
done this year more than I would had done in Spain for a
couple of years and I am improving my CV in terms of
not certificates but rather jobs and experience, so I have
decided to stay in London one year more.
Christina Estanol Hugas
Right after graduating from the UAB, I did the
master’s in Formacio del Professorat de Secundaria in
the UB. After my master’s, my situation was quite
unstable for a year. I only worked for two months in a
private school. I wanted to settle in France, but did not
have enough courage, since I was quite lost. I applied
then for the Auxiliares de Conversación in France and I
was lucky to get a post near Marseille, in Salon de
Provence. This experience helped me a lot to learn
French, to get familiar with the French administration,
and many other things.
After this, in September, I settled in Lyon,
determined to look for a job. The situation in France is
quite exasperating too. Finding a job is just as hard as in
Spain, with the added difficulty that I am not French. Job
offers as a teacher were quite miserable, forcing me to
become a freelancer, and in most cases to teach Spanish.
Plus, in France, teachers in both state and private schools
need to have what is called CAPES, which is a sort of
public examination like the oposicions. That’s why I am
now studying for this CAPES. The particularity is that I
have always been determined to be a teacher of English,
not of Spanish. So, despite the many attempts of many
people who have tried to dissuade me from trying the
English CAPES, and encouraged me to try the Spanish
CAPES, I have persisted and I keep studying to become
an English teacher.
Meanwhile, in order to help me survive financially
in this expensive country, I work part-time as a shop-
assistant in a jeweller’s. Sometimes I feel desperate but as
Pink says, “You’ve gotta get up and try try try.”
Miquel Àngel Fuentes
After graduating I decided to carry on with my
education and take the “CAP” master’s degree at UAB.
As it was a full-time master’s degree, which had periods
of Practicum in the mornings and periods of theory
lessons in the afternoon, I was forced to give up my job
as an English teacher at the language school where I had
been working since my second year of the degree. The
good part was that I was able to focus on the master’s
degree thoroughly and I managed to finish it with a really
good mark. By the end of the course, however, I was
completely broke.
I searched for a random job through Infojobs and I
ended up working as a telephone operator. I needed the
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 109
money but I hated the job, so in the end I mustered up my
courage and quit so as to enroll for a second master’s
degree, this time in Research in Language and Literature
Teaching at the UAB again. It was great because I
managed to get a small job with the Research in
Language and Literature Teaching program. I also
returned to being a teacher at a language school (as I had
been during the degree). Sadly, after a year, I was made
redundant at UAB due to downsizing.
Afterwards, I decided to become a PhD candidate in
order to eventually achieve better credentials which
might help me get a proper job in the future. I was unable
to get a grant for it because my weighted average mark
for the degree was below the standards to be eligible (the
master’s degrees didn’t count). As of today, four years
after graduating, I am still looking for a full-time, regular
job in which I get a minimum of 1000 euros per month—
which seems almost Mission: Impossible.
Laura Izquierdo
I have always dreamt about becoming an English
teacher, actually, this is the reason why I chose to study
Filologia Anglesa. However, I can say that nothing has
been as I expected.
I started working while I was still studying at UAB.
It was hard to combine both things, but it helped me to
learn to be more organized. Nowadays I work in the same
school as a part-time job. Of course, it is not the job of
my life, but being there has given me a lot of experience.
I have been teaching children from 3 to 18 years old,
preparing students for Selectivitat and Cambridge Exams,
organizing lessons, organizing material to make it more
attractive and even creating my own material, working
with adults, etc. This work has also given me the ability
to improvise in front of a class when everything goes
wrong and even put my first aid knowledge into practice
when a child cuts himself. It is clear that with this job, my
working and financial expectations have not been
completely fulfilled, but at least I am happy to work in
the world of education.
I have also worked sporadically as a substitute
teacher in a primary school and in a high school. This
world was totally new for me and I’ve seen how complex
it is dealing with a class with 28 students. I taught
English, Catalan, Spanish and even music!
I have never stopped sending CV to lots of places,
and I also continue applying for different grants to work
abroad. I hope someday, with scholarship or not, I get the
possibility to work in a foreign country.
I have also observed that continuing with your
academic training is important, not only for your CV but
also for your personal satisfaction while you are looking
for your perfect job. I have taken different courses and
seminars about tips to teach Cambridge exams or
working with “TIC”. I’m also studying another language.
Although all this may seem really negative,
everything depends on how you cope with your present
situation. The important thing is to learn something from
everywhere you work, taking both personal and
professional benefit from the places where you are.
Marta Madrid Ribas I worked in different language schools during my
degree. In the October after I graduated, Michael
forwarded an e-mail from another former student saying
that Cambridge University Press in Barcelona was
looking for a sales representative and I sent my CV. In
December Cambridge University Press called me for an
interview. I was surprised because I had already forgotten
about having sent the CV. After the first interview, they
said they would call me for a second interview. As the
new year started I thought that they wouldn’t call me
again but I finally did the second interview in the second
week of January and started working in February 2010. After three years working as English Language
Teaching representative I can say that I’ve learnt a lot
about methodology and marketing. Having worked as a
teacher with some of their books is a great advantage
when I had to promote them. I’ve met a lot of interesting
people such as other representatives from other parts of
Spain, authors and editors. The job of a representative consists of visiting
schools around Catalonia, preparing events related to
Cambridge Exams and English teaching, learning about
new materials and competitors and doing some office
jobs. It is a good job to do in the first years after finishing
the degree because you learn a lot and it is a good chance
to try something that is not teaching but is related to your
degree. The job conditions are really good: you have to
work some Saturday mornings but you get days off in
compensation for that. These last two years have been very tough because
of the recession. Schools haven’t got money and it’s
difficult to sell them anything, so completing the 20 visits
bosses say you must do in a week is a really difficult task.
When this happens the job becomes very stressful. I finished the UAB master’s degree in publishing
last year. I'm trying to get promoted to the publishing
department and the editors in my office sometimes give
me some editing jobs to do. As the publishing world is
suffering a lot with the recession I don’t think it is
possible to work only as an editor at the moment. The
chief editor may give me some work to do as a freelancer
this year. At the moment the only thing I can do is wait
for the times to change so in the meantime I am going to
start a course in ebook design and publishing.
Núria Marco Rodríguez After having worked as a teacher in a nursery school
in London for two years, I have decided that even though
it has been a great experience, this is not what I want to
do and if I want to move on, the only way is to continue
studying and start looking for another job. With this in
mind, I have managed to reduce my working hours.
I still don’t know what is going to happen next year.
I have applied to some MA programmes and other
courses. I doubt about what the best options are.
However, I am sure that in order to teach older children
here or elsewhere (not in Spain) I need to have a TEFL
certificate, as well as the course from Instituto Cervantes
or International House to teach Spanish and another
language like French or German.
It is very hard to make decisions in the present
situation, but I believe that we still need to try and not
settle for something if our heart is not in it. Because the
truth is that time flies and if you don’t do it now you
won’t do it.
Àngela Masià Solà As I explained in the last pack, when I finished my
degree in 2009 I quickly started sending lots of CVs to all
the private schools I knew. It is really difficult to get a
position in one of these schools, especially nowadays, but
I didn’t give up. Two years after graduating I was able
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 110
to start working in a private high school in Salou,
subbing for the English teacher. Luckily, when the
substituion period finished, I was offered a job for the
following academic year. So this year I am teaching
English and German in 1st, 2nd and 3rd year of ESO and
I am also doing some classes in primary (this is another
maternity substitution). Although the school is 45
minutes from my town, I am very happy because I
know that nowadays it is very difficult to get the
job you love. My advice: don’t stop sending your CVs
and don’t stop studying languages or doing any course
you can do. You can finally get what you desire.
Noemí Ortego Jódar
Last year I took the exam to become a guia oficial
de turisme de Catalunya and since then on I have been
working as such for the same company I have been
working for the last three years. Before I was working
only at the Palau de la Música Catalana and now, with the
title, I have more options: Sagrada Familia, Park Güell,
Montserrat, etc. and the salary is a little bit higher than
before. Also a couple of months ago I signed a permanent
contract—yay!
It looks like tourism is “the goose that lays golden
eggs” but I think that we may break it soon. The city is
getting more and more expensive every year—admission
fees, especially—and since the economic crisis started
there are a lot of unqualified people carrying a colourful
umbrella and explaining anything they want to visitors.
So there's a lot of competition and infiltration.
To sum up, I feel that I have a very rewarding job,
since I am always meeting new people and I learn new
things every day but, if you are considering this career,
speaking a foreign language is not enough preparation.
You need to read a lot, have good communication skills
and be a service-oriented person.
Verònica Paez Fuentes After surviving years of studying and part-time work,
I finally reached the end of my student life four years
ago. However, I had to face then the recession! Every day
was a “wake up and smell the Infojobs webpage”. It was
a nightmare to be in such long, rigorous application
processes but I learnt a lot about how to do proficient job
interviews.
I have been working at ESADE Business School
since 2010 as the person in charge of official academic
certificates and accreditations. Given the international
prestige of this particular school, most of the students are
international and that is why they hire so many graduates
in English Philology, to ensure at least good social and
communication skills with the students.
I am starting a Master’s Degree in Public Relations
and Protocol next academic year, since I see to get more
prepared in order to keep surviving in the current job
jungle.
Olga Parera Bosch When I was in my last year of English Philology, I
decided to start the second cycle of Translation &
Interpretation. I’m so happy I decided to do English
Philology first because I had acquired a solid base in
English that allowed me to head to Translation &
Interpretation with more confidence and knowledge.
Translation & Interpretation is more like a practical
degree in comparison with English Philology.
In Translation, there are two subjects related to
Legal Translation, plus the faculty offers a 10-week
course on this field as well that gives you credits de lliure
elecció and official credentials from the Generalitat de
Catalunya to be an English-Catalan/Catalan-English
sworn translator once you graduate. This course is
optional. I did it and it really helped me to become more
specialized in this subject. If any student from English
Philology would like to have that credential, he/she will
have to sit an exam. You can find further information at
www20.gencat.cat/portal/site/Llengcat under Acreditació
de coneixements.
This year, I’ve done the MA in Media Translation
and I truly recommend it. You can do it either on site or
online. You do different subjects such as dubbing,
subtitling, audiodescription, videogames, etc, plus you
must attend a circle of lectures about how to become a
freelance translator, tips about the job market and others
related to the subjects you’ve made in the course. Within
the master, there is an internship program, which is
optional. If you do the internship, then the final project
will be based on that. If you don’t, then you have to look
for a topic and do some research.
I did my internship as a conference translator and
subtitler at the CCCB in Barcelona. It was nice. I’d love
to always work as an audiovisual translator. But this MA
taught me (our teachers told us) that translators cannot be
specialized in one field. The more fields you work in, the
better, especially considering the difficult moment the job
market is going through. Maybe in the past you could but
nowadays it’s impossible. So I started my own business
as a freelance translator.
When I finished the MA, I started to work right away
as a freelance translator in a dubbing studio translating
and making subtitles of movies and TV shows. While I
was looking for more clients, I did an online course on
Literary Translation at Calamo & Cran. I totally
recommend it because it helps you translate in all genres
(novel, poetry, essays, etc.) and at the same time, it gives
you a perspective about the current situation of literary
translation. Currently, I basically translate in the
audiovisual and advertising business but I’m also looking
to step into the publishing world. In October, my little
business will turn two years old and despite the crisis,
I’m blessed to be working in what I studied and love.
Ariadna Puig Cabeza
The year after I graduated I took a Master’s course
in Audiovisual Translation at the UAB. In that Master’s
program I had the chance to do an internship in a
company called Selecta Visión S.A. adding subtitles for
TV series and translating some films or trailers from
English into Spanish. This company works a lot with
Japanese animation, so as I was studying Japanese as
well, they kept giving me work even after the Master’s
program ended. So I became a freelance translator. In the
summer of 2010 I spent a month in Kyoto taking an
intensive Japanese course with the goal of being able to
translate from Japanese into Spanish someday.
But when I came back, as in Selecta Visión they
didn’t need my services often enough, I needed an extra
job, so I started working at UAB Idiomes Barcelona Casa
Convalescència in administration. However, I was just a
substitute and when the contract finished two months
later, I was unemployed again. Four months later, I
started working at Barcelona Tour Bus (Bus Turístic de
Barcelona). But the job wasn’t so nice. My superiors
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 111
were rude and in 6 hours of standing in the same spot, we
couldn’t even have a break, so your legs hurt a lot.
Although I liked guiding the tourists, I quit two months
later as I was needed again at UAB Idiomes. As I knew
this job was also temporary and I’d always had in mind
the idea of making films, in 2011 I started a Cinema
degree at ESCAC (UB). Next September I’ll happily be a
third year student.
Alexandra Tejero Canal A degree in English Philology, having spent a year
abroad on Erasmus, four languages, computer
knowledge, very communicative and hard-working. That
was me when I left the UAB. Nice, right? It would not be
difficult to find a job! I sent thousands (well, maybe only
hundreds) of CVs everywhere. First to all the schools I
could find as I wanted to become a teacher, then to all the
multinational companies I could contact, to some friends
and acquaintances for them to pass it around... No luck. I
ended up in a school in Rubí, which was not at all what I
wanted but which provided me with some spending
money. After three months I decided the advantages there
did not exceed the disadvantages, so I quit. Not long after
that I found a job in my city, as a friend of mine was
leaving the job and thought I could take it. I was working
at a language school which was really not very
motivating or anything, but which would help pay the
bills. I was there for half a year. Then my neighbour said
that the language school where she is working was
looking for teachers and that she had recommended me to
her boss, so I should send my CV. I did so, and I have
been working at FIAC as an English teacher for one and a
half years. I loved my job and teaching, I had wonderful
colleagues, and my boss was a teacher himself so he
knew what he was talking about. However, they recently
said, after having kept me for one and half years, that
they could no longer keep me under a temporary contract
and that I don't have the profile of the teacher they want,
so I am not looking for a job again. My advice to you is first that you work hard to
widen your networks. “I will not say I have no job,
because people will think I am useless.” WRONG. Tell
people, let people know what you are like and what you
are good at, and chances are one of these people will call
you one day when you least expect it and say “Hey! I
thought of you, are you interested in...?”. My second tip
is that you keep your hopes up. BE POSITIVE, you will
achieve your goals, maybe straight away or maybe after
trying some jobs you don’t like, but you will get it in the
end. And last but not least: DO WHAT YOU LIKE.
When the day is over, having a job you like is the most
important thing.
Alba Torres Álvarez I finished the BA and the CAP in 2009 after my
Erasmus year at Roehampton University in London.
Meanwhile I worked as an English teacher and secretary
at a language school. Afterwards, I did the MA in
Advanced English Studies: Literature, Culture and
Publishing in 2010 also at the UAB. During that time I
worked as an independent reader –writing reports for
authors-, as a publishing assistant, and as a bookseller at
Llibrería Laie –which I enjoyed a lot because I read and
reviewed new novels, learned a lot about the publishing
industry and met authors such as David Vann and Juan
Marsé.
Looking for adventures, and eager to improve my
German, I moved to Austria in 2012. At first I lived in
Vienna and worked as a media analyst and translator in
an international company. I had to select certain articles
from the daily press and translate them into English. The
main topics were renewables and telecommunications. I
combined this with proof-reading and translation works
as a freelance.
Doing an ELE training course at the Cervantes
Institute allowed me to work as a Spanish teacher, which
I really enjoyed. After that I also worked as an English
trainer, and developed a methodology to teach languages
involving storytelling sessions for both children and
adults.
I am currently living in an Austrian town very close
to the border and working in Liechtenstein. I am
considering doing a postgraduate course on digital
publishing via the UOC.
I encourage graduates to face their professional lives
with a positive attitude. No matter how difficult it looks
now “This is one moment / But know that another / shall
pierce you with a sudden painful joy.” (TS Eliot). Why?
Speaking different languages will always be an asset, you
will find that the cultural background you acquired in the
BA will be enriching both personally and professionally.
My advice is try to make a difference by specializing (do
a MA in translation, literature, communications,
marketing); learn an uncommon language such as
Norwegian, Arabic, or Chinese; be very flexible, so
consider moving abroad, and don’t forget to have some
fun!
Isabel Vila Casas
I finished my degree in February 2010. Though I am
from Vic, I moved house to Manresa for personal reasons
and looked for a job. As the days went by I found that in
many places you are asked to have at least 2 or 3 years of
experience. I couldn’t believe that no one could give me a
chance to get that first experience. Where could I get it? I
was very disappointed. However, one day a language
school called me for an interview. The boss told me that
she would give me a chance to work there by giving me
some extra training. I agreed and I worked there for one
academic year.
For the next year I was told that I would be given
fewer groups and I decided it was time to do something
else. I enrolled in the Master’s course in 2012 to teach in
secondary schools and EOI that had previously been a 6
months course. I made that decision because I thought it
was then or never. I have to say that I enjoyed it very
much. I went to a high school in Terrassa and I taught
science in English. I also went to the APAC and CLIL
convention for teachers, which I recommend very much
because you get lots of new ideas to put into practice in
your lessons.
After finishing the master’s I couldn’t get onto the
llistes thanks to the crisis and budget cuts, but I continued
looking for a job and I found another language school
near my flat. I have been working there this academic
year and my boss told me that he is counting on me for
September. Although I have few groups, I am very happy
with the job.
My advice: When you finish your degree, don’t
stop! Study, send CVs, go to interviews, etc.
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 112
Teresa Maria Xiqués Garcia
I have always had a special interest in linguistics, so
after finishing my Licenciatura in Spanish and English
Philology I decided to continue my educational career by
enrolling in a Master’s in Cognitive Science and
Language program. Since I also really like teaching too
and I was keen to develop my teaching skills, I started
working in a school as an English teacher at the same
time. I taught English to students aged from 18 to 30 who
were undertaking Vocational Training courses related to
tourism, secretarial studies and administrative
management.
Moreover, I also started working as a research
technician at the Autonomous University of Barcelona. I
collaborated in a project called HISPACAT, a
comparative database of syntactic contrastive
constructions in Catalan and Spanish. During that year, I
had to handle multiple projects and deadlines. Later, I
worked as an English teacher in the Professional
Qualification Program at Turbula school until I was
awarded by the Catalan Government a FI pre-doctoral
scholarship to pursue graduate studies.
Currently, I am completing my Ph.D. thesis in
Linguistics at the Department of Spanish Philology at the
Autonomous University of Barcelona. Since then, I have
also had the opportunity to present part of my work in
workshops and conferences and stay at the University of
the Basque Country and, last spring, at the Department of
Linguistics at the University of Massachusetts/Amherst.
This last experience has definitely contributed to my
academic and personal growth. I encourage those who
want to continue their educational career to pursue a
Ph.D.. The Catalan as well as the Spanish Government
offer grants, but if you like travelling and want to live in
a foreign country, exploring its culture and a new way of
life, I recommend you to apply for a graduate program
abroad.
2008 Cristina Abánades López When I finished the degree, I did a Master in
International Business offered by ESDEN (Escuela
Superior de Negocios y Teconología). They have a
building here in Barcelona, but this master’s was in
Madrid and semipresencial, that is, we did some work at
home via the internet and then we met once a month. It is
very interesting because you meet people like yourself
who have just finished their degrees and need some more
training in this area, but you also find people older than
you who are already working in this area and can share
information and impressions with you.
Moreover, this master’s offers an internship and the
school tries to find a company close to your city. At the
end of the Master, there is also a bolsa de trabajo to help
us find work. The situation in Spain is being difficult for
a long time, but I finally found a company in Barcelona
to do my internship. After that, I worked again in this
company three years ago after not having found a job for
about a year. Curiously, while I was working in
Barcelona, I was called from a company in Rubí, where I
worked for three months in the Customer Service
Department (Departamento de Ventas), the area in which
I would like to continue. In fact, this is my third summer
there and, currently, there are many chances of getting
work in this company for a long time.
Simultaneously I have continued to take different
courses, since I think the more you know the better,
because in companies they not only look for someone
who has experience, but also someone who is highly
trained. It is true that the current situation is a bit
exasperating, but we must not lose hope because there are
opportunities for us, although sometimes it is difficult to
find them.
José Manuel Cabello Cotán I graduated from the Universitat Autònoma de
Barcelona in 2008 after having spent at the Universidad
de Sevilla and another year at the Vrije Universiteit
Amsterdam (Erasmus). The degree took me six years and
made me realize what I really like doing, which is
teaching languages and culture. After those years away from home, I came back to
Seville and took the last CAP courses at the Universidad
de Sevilla while working in a couple of language schools.
The experience was quite good, teaching at a nice high
school with good students. I was lucky because I heard
that some classmates who initially liked teaching got to
dislike being teachers due to the bad experiences they had
during the practicum. In addition to English, I also like teaching Spanish,
which is why I decided to do a Master’s degree in
Teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language in Seville, at
the Universidad Pablo de Olavide. During my teaching
practice, I was offered a job at a university in China
teaching Spanish once I finished the master’s. I did not
know anything about China but I did not hesitate and
went there the summer of 2010 to gain some teaching
experience. One year later, I joined a top Chinese university
working less hours for more money (which proves how
‘easy’ and fast it can be to progress in China). I signed a
one-year contract with them. I had been teaching there
both Spanish and English for six months when the
Universidad de Sevilla (US) offered me to work with
them teaching Spanish for Chinese speakers (‘español
para sinohablantes’). That was a great surprise since I
did not expect to be required so quickly after having
previously participated in a bolsa de trabajo. I like
travelling and living abroad, but I could not reject such a
great opportunity. Anyway, I have to say that working in
such a difficult country was an amazing experience both
professionally and personally. As I, and many other
people, see it, China is the new land of opportunities.
Now, I am lucky to have a job that I like and a good
salary back home at these hard times. My job basically
consists of helping Chinese students of the US reach a
B1-B2 level of Spanish and help them get used to
Spanish / Western culture.
Nowadays, because of the crisis and the high
university prices non-EU students have to pay in Spain,
there are not so many Chinese students who come to our
university as before. They are starting to choose other
Spanish speaking countries such us Chile, Peru or
Argentina. So I hope things can get better so that I do not
stop working.
To conclude, nobody has given me anything. It has
been a matter of effort and perseverance. If I had not
dared to go abroad nothing of all this would have
happened to me. So I encourage you to go to either China
or any other country, which might be, as it was in my
case, a springboard to a better future as well as an
amazing experience
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 113
Silvia Cerezo
By the time I graduated in 2007, I was working part-
time as a tourist guide in Barcelona. Just like some of my
classmates, I enrolled in the llistes for substitute teaching
positions in state high schools and elementary schools as
soon as the enrollment period opened. About six months
later I was called for the first time. It was meant to be a
four-day substitution at a high school in Montcada i
Reixac, which, according to legal regulations, I wasn't
obliged to accept for the high school was a “CAEP”, a
“Centre d'Atenció Educativa Preferent”. This acronym is
a soft term to refer to schools with a high rate of
newcomers from a wide variety of countries, and usually
located in poor areas or slums. Even though I was warned
I wouldn’t teach English but a set of core skills from
elementary level to teens with “highly disruptive”
behavior at 3rd and 4th CSE levels, I did take the
challenge. The four days turned out to be six months and
I can just say that I regard that as being the most
rewarding experience in my short career as a teacher.
What I learned from those kids really paid off. After that
substitution, several followed through academic year
2008-2009.
Ever since 2009, I have occupied “vacancies”, that is
to say, one-year substitutions at different elementary
schools, as an English teacher along with other core
subjects. Yet it is true that I have sacrificed money
(elementary school teachers work more hours per week
and get a lower salary) but I’ve enjoyed a certain stability
in return since it is almost impossible for a young teacher
with little experience to get a vacancy at secondary
education workplaces. I should also point out that, from
2009 until now, both my bank account and my work
chances have undergone the effects of the cutbacks or so-
called “retallades”. For example, in 2009-2010 I was
hired at 83% of work dedication and salary, 66% next
year and, finally, 50% last year.
This year, though, it’s being really tough since I am
no longer a substitute teacher for a whole year but just a
substitute (main difference is having—or not—the right
to get paid summer holidays). I lived on unemployment
allowance from September to the end of November, when
I was called for a substitution at an EOI. After that, I
have covered a couple more substitution positions. Now
I’m working in a high school in Barberà del Vallès until
the 30th of June. Although the current state of things is
anything but encouraging, I must say that I don’t feel
disheartened, not a bit, because I do love what I do.
However, I've got the feeling, too, that there’s no longer
“room” for people like me in the Spanish/Catalan
educational system and things don’t seem likely to
improve in the short term. I have even thought of getting
DELE diploma and try abroad if I don't have the chance
to work here. This is something I have to think about
thoroughly, even though I would definitely do for a better
chance to keep on doing what I like the most.
Irene Cuenca Sánchez Before finishing my degree I spent a few months
in England and I realised I enjoyed using my English on a
daily basis so I was determined to go back. During my
last year I applied for the Auxiliares de Conversación
grant and I also did CampAmerica once I finished the
degree and it was one of the best experiences in my life. I was first rejected for the Auxiliares grant in June
but then in September I received a phone call from the
British Council offering me a placement in London.
Being an Auxiliar was an awesome job, because you only
work 12 hours a week, you barely need to prepare
anything, the money is enough to live on and you have
plenty of free time to do loads of different activities and
travel. As my Auxiliar position was about to end I got the
opportunity to do an interview at the same school and I
got a job as a full-time secondary school teacher. It was
meant to be for only a few months but they finally gave
me a permanent job. This is my fifth year now (fourth as
a teacher) and I am also a Senior tutor as well as KS4
coordinator (similar to coordinadora de la ESO). I
recently got appointed as Second in Department which
helps you prepare to be a Head of Department in the
future. It is true that the job market is quite competitive in
England but it is also true that there are many more
opportunities to get a promotion within your school,
which comes with an increase in your salary. Schools
have less and less money but if you prove to be an
Outstanding teacher it will be difficult for them to let you
go.
Carol Gómez López
When I graduated, I went to my local INEM office
(though I was not eligible for unemployment benefits).
They found me a course at the Escola Pia that would train
me to be an all-purpose sales assistant. It was completely
free and very useful. Their method of working is based
on a simulated company. You interact with many other
simulatedcompanies from all over Spain and Europe and
you learn from the inside of the company. You work with
the same efficiency as if you were in a real company, but
you don’t suffer negative consequences if you make any
mistakes.
Escola Pia tries to find every student a job at the end
of the course although I was the only one who got one
(due to the current recession). It is worth saying that my
English Philology Degree made I could be chosen for that
position. I know it is not what I was looking for when I
graduated, but it was a good start to learn and become
fluent inside the business world.
What is more, I have been promoted twice in the
company. One of the promotions consisted in being in
charge of a new service offered in La Roca Village
shopping centre. The other one was a sales representative
position in the Graphic Department. The latter promotion
was a complete challenge for me. I not only had to learn
all the secrets of the printing and design world, but also
selling techniques and how to deal with troubles on your
own .Nowadays, I am no longer in that position (because
of internal movements within the company). I am where
everything began: in transport.
However, I am going to start a Marketing and Sales
Master’s Degree in ESIC next October. I am really
excited about it, because it is an interesting world for me,
which I got to know when I was a Sales Representative.
From my point of view, my current job is no longer
challenging. I know everything it can teach me, as I have
been here for several years now. Nevertheless, it will
hopefully be the perfect one to face the long work hours I
will have to devote to the Master’s project and classes.
As far as I am concerned, everything comes at its due
moment in life. My English Degree helped me to
achieve the goals I set to myself. Furthermore, I am ready
to move abroad as soon as I finish my Master’s and get
experience as a Marketing Manager there.
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 114
Finally, regarding my DJ job, I am not much
involved now. That was a stage of my life which I fully
enjoyed, but it does not fit much in the moment I am
currently in, although I still attend some gigs!
Mariela González Gómez After finishing English Philology and an
undergraduate degree in Furniture Design I went on to
study a master’s degree in Contemporary Design in
London. I am currently the director of Roomservice
Design Gallery in the center of Barcelona where we
showcase and distribute the work of renowned
contemporary designers. During my summer break I also
work as a camp director for English Summer.
Aarón Herrero Hidalga After finishing the degree I immediately took the
CAP course at the UAB and joined thepublic substitute
teacher list. In October 2009 I got a call from a language
school but I quit the job some months later as I didn’t
have a contract and the working conditions were awful.
In January 2011 I worked at a private school with ESO
students for a few days and in April 2011 I got the
Advanced level certificate in Catalan (D). Then I worked
at another private school from the beginning of May until
the end of June 2011. But this time the substitution was
longer and it was a tough teaching experience as I had
really disruptive students in class. Nowadays it’s really
difficult to teach teenagers since they often misbehave in
class and you have to approach them with patience and
understanding. In September 2011 I got my first substitution at a
public school and I worked a few days in El Garraf area.
There I taught ESO and Batxillerat students and I noticed
that Batxillerat students were quieter in class.
This last academic year has not been good as far as
work is concerned. However, in January 2013 I got a
casual job as a teacher of adults at a language school.
There I taught English to unemployed adults and it was
my first experience with adult students. On the whole, I
think that the experience was rewarding, but it was a
mixed-level class. I had students with three different
levels of English. I found it really difficult to reach all
students and some of them were critical of my teaching
methodology.
Unfortunately, I’ve been unemployed since March
2013. In the meantime I’m taking teacher training courses
because I want to keep on learning.
Cinta Llorente del Àguila When I was finishing English Philology I went to
Berlin and worked for a tourist company as a ticket
supervisor. At the same time I learnt German. Then I did
the Master de Traducció Audiovisual at the UAB. I learnt
a lot. We did subtitling, dubbing, voice-over,
videogames, software, etc. It was very interesting and
useful. However, it was hard to find a job as a translator
in an audiovisual company and make a living from it. The
most common way to become a translator is to be
freelance and step by step build up a clientele. I got a job
in a studio as a dubbing translator, which was kind of
interesting, but it wasn’t well paid. I worked for them just
a couple of months. I also worked for private companies
who needed subtitles for their promotional videos.
Three years ago I also worked at El Palau de la
Música as a guide for English, Spanish and Catalan
groups. I also sold tickets and did some other tasks like
picking up people at the airport. In addition, I did some
translations from time to time, though I was not well paid
for it.
Now I run a language school in Berlin. After I
finished the International House course to become an
ELE Teacher, together with my German boyfriend, I
opened a school in Berlin called Sprachkombinat
(www.sprachkombinat.org). I just had a baby and we had
to find new teachers to substitute for me. Now we have
four teachers and one “director” and our school is
growing every day. We are also building a cinema for
our students called Klubkino.
Cristina Martín Parareda
After graduation, I chose to become a teacher
because I thought that it would help me to work not only
in my country but also in foreign ones, so first I obtained
the CAP at the UAB. I taught English in a semi-private
religious school in Barcelona in order to get some
experience in the field. My students were 13 to 16 years
old and even though it was a hard experience, it was very
rewarding. But what I really wanted was to spend a year
in an English-speaking country working in something
related with my degree. I started looking for scholarships
and I realised that the Spanish government gives a lot of
opportunities in teaching, such as Comenius, a paid
month doing a course of any language in a foreign
country or the one I am doing right now, Auxiliares de
Conversación de Español para Extranjeros. Initially I was not accepted for the grant, in fact I
wasn’t even on the waiting list. However, just when I was
losing hope, they called me to go to Malta. So I spent the
year in Malta in a secondary girls’ school teaching
Spanish with two teachers, who used opposite
methodologies in the class. Fortunately, I taught all the
Forms—from Form 1 to 5—and I was in charge of the
speaking and cultural section. It was a great year full of
experiences, challenges and impressions because I was
living in a different country with a different culture,
language—the Maltese speak English and Maltese—and
educational system. As a teacher, this experience was very enriching
because you are in contact with students who have a
different behavior and education. The salary and
timetable were suitable for someone who is just starting
to work but the greatest thing was the experience, the
things you live and learn and all the people you meet in a
year abroad.
After that year, I came back to Spain and the job
search was very hard because Spain was going through a
very difficult moment in terms of work. I spent six month
unemployed but fortunately, I found a half a year
replacement in a semi-private school in Badalona. Since
then, I have been working in different semi-private
schools from Barcelona and its outskirts and teaching not
only English but also other subjects such Religion,
Studies Techniques, Classical Studies, Catalan
reinforcement and being Form teacher from different
levels.
I really appreciate that all these schools have given
me the chance to become more versatile and grow as a
teacher but at the same time, I have also realised that a
teacher can never stop studying because the schools are
looking for a multi-skilled person. No school has hired
me yet, and I have learnt that if I want to have a
permanent job, I have to study more languages such as
French and German. Since 2012, German has become a
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 115
very important language and many schools want to
include it in their educational programme, so I have
started learning it in order to see if it gives me more work
opportunities. Even though it is difficult to find a job, we
have to use other resources such as studying, contacting
former colleagues from uni and being in touch with the
schools/companies you have worked for instead of
staying depressed at home.
Carolina Padrosa Trias After graduating, I attended classes to get the CAP
and I passed the exam to get the nivell D de Català. As
for my work experience, after graduating, from
September 2008 to January 2009 I worked as an
interpreter for the conference calls at a company called
Inquide in Polinyà. Moreover, I taught English at the Fiac
language school in Terrassa and to the workers at a
company called Mikalor in Sabadell.
During the school year 2009-2010 I worked as
an Auxiliar de conversación in Nancy, France. I strongly
recommend this grant since it’s only 12 hours per week
teaching and, as a result, you have plenty of time to
study, travel around and meet new people. Furthermore, I
taught Spanish at the University of Nancy because in
France being a secondary school teacher entitles you to
teach at university too.
Since October 2010 I’ve taught English and
French at different language schools (Fiac in
Terrassa again, CIFE in Santa Perpètua de Mogoda and
now Ed’i in Banyoles). I’ve also proofed a Spanish book
for the publishing house Graó and proofread and
translated articles from Spanish into English for the
Psychology Department of the UAB. Moreover, since
I’ve danced since I was 12 and I needed to devote myself
to dance or theater, I entered a dance school in Barcelona
in September 2010. Now I’m in my fourth year and by
this time next year I hope I’ll be working as a
professional dancer.
Carlos Verge Ferré I had always been interested in Scandinavian
countries; that is why in 2006 I decided to take an
Erasmus at the University of Tromsø, in Norway. The
experience was captivating: not only did I discover an
amazingly beautiful country, but I was able to participate
in meaningful social, educational and recreational
activities.
I fell in love with Norway and decided to stay there
after the Erasmus was over. There was just one problem:
I needed a job in order to survive in one of the most
expensive countries in the world. The adventures and
misfortunes of a job-seeker in Scandinavia could fill a
whole book, so I am not going to recount them here.
Let’s just say that, after thousands of disappointments, I
got a job as a waiter in a hotel.
The job gave me the necessary experience, the exact
number of reference letters, the perfect amount of the
Norwegian language and the essential quantity of
contacts that I needed in order to turn the adventures and
misfortunes of a jobseeker in Scandinavia into a long-
forgotten recollection. From then on, finding a job as a
waiter in Norway has been quite an easy task. During the last nine years I have been working as a
waiter in different hotels all over Norway. I just work
there during the summer season, which runs
approximately from May until September; then I return to
Spain for the autumn/winter. Usually I have used those
long winters to expand my formation with diferent
language diplomas or teaching courses, including the
famous master in teaching formation, the former CAP, or
the fantastic E/LE course, described in this pack. While I wait for the chance to work as a teacher in
Spain, a seasonal job in Norway is definitely a far better
option than total unemployment. The other option, that is,
staying in Norway for the long term, has often crossed
my mind. I do not deny that, given the current economic
situation in Spain, perhaps a one or two years’ stay in this
Scandinavian country would be a more sensible choice at
the moment.
Anna Vidal Calbet I finished my degree in 2008. After so much time at
university I was eager to find a full-time job. I didn’t
have much experience in teaching, just some temporary
jobs in some language schools. At first I was enthusiastic:
I registered in the Departament d'Ensenyament lists, I
opened an account in several job websites, I mailed my
CV to private and concertat schools and, of course, I let
all my friends and acquaintances know that I was looking
for a job. The job search became a job in itself. But
months went by and there weren’t any substantial results
and I was beginning to feel disappointed.
Eventually, I was offered a substitution in a
concertat school which was my first real experience
teaching in a high school. Obviously, because I had to
teach teenagers, having a control of the class was my
main goal, and, needless to say, it was almost impossible
to achieve. Another substitution followed and, at the
same time, I decided to prepare for Oposiciones,
though I wasn’t really motivated and eventually failed.
The following year, I taught the whole academic year in a
concertada primary school which was a good experience
in terms of both teaching and gaining some financial
stability.
Since then, finding a job has become harder and
harder due to the economic crisis. I combined
substitutions, language schools, courses for unemployed
people and, again, private classes. In spite of this, I spent
several months unemployed and I had to come back to
my home town, where I am currently surviving thanks to
private lessons. That’s why I am strongly considering the
possibility of going abroad.
2007 Xavier Aldana Reyes After an exchange year at Roehampton University, I
studied an MA in Modern and Contemporary Literature
at Birkbeck College (University of London). I then began
my doctoral studies at Lancaster University, where I
researched the roles of affect and corporeal transgression
in contemporary Anglo-American literature and film
and ran the International Summer Programme for the
‘British Culture and Literature 1800-2000’ course as
Academic Coordinator. I also worked as Associate
Lecturer in English literature and, during my third and
fourth years, in MMU Cheshire.
I am currently Research Fellow in English (Gothic
Studies) at Manchester Metropolitan University, where I
am helping to build England’s first Centre for Gothic
Studies under the directorship of Dr Linnie Blake. I have
begun work on two contracted books - Body Gothic:
Corporeal Transgression in Contemporary Literature
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 116
and Horror Film (University of Wales Press, 2014)
and Spanish Gothic: National Identity, Collaboration,
and Cultural Adaptation (Palgrave Macmillan) - and
have published articles in international journals such
as Gothic Studies, Horror Studies or The Bulletin of
Hispanic Studies.
I am currently developing Gothic Manchester, a
week’s worth of evens that will help launch the centre
and will focus on the dark side of Manchester:
http://conferences.visitmanchester.com/contact-us/dr-
xavier-aldana-reyes-and-dr-linnie-blake---manchester-
metropolitan-university. Most recently, I became a
Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, completed a
PGCE in Academic Practice and was invited to be guest
blogger for the month of July for The Gothic
Imagination website, run by the University of Stirling.
I welcome inquiries from students thinking of
pursuing further academic studies in the UK, particularly
of a doctoral nature. You may contact me at X.Aldana-
[email protected], visit my departmental website:
http://www2.hlss.mmu.ac.uk/english/academic-
staff/?profileID=467, or find me on twitter:
@XAldanaReyes.
Laia Arnaus Gil
Després de la meva estada d’Erasmus a Bochum
(Alemanya) vaig tornar a Barcelona per a acabar els
meus estudis de filologia anglesa amb l’alemany com a
segona llengua. Evidentment, l’esforç fet en millorar
ambdues llengües havia donat els seus resultats i em
trobava cursant les últimes assignatures a l’UAB per a
poder obtenir el títol, mentre treballava per les tardes en
una acadèmia donant classes d’anglès i alemany a tots
els nivells. Tot i que el meu futur professional s'encarava
a impartir classes de llengua, la vessant més
investigadora de la lingüística continuava interessant-
me.Tant és així que em vaig presentar a les beques que
otorga cada any La Caixa en col·laboració amb el DAAD
(Deustches AkademischesAustauschdienst) per tal de
cursar un doctorat a Alemanya, el qual he completat amb
èxit durant el 2012, amb el tema “La selección
copulativa y auxiliar: las lenguas romances (español -
italiano - catalán - francés) y el alemán en contacto. Su
adquisición en niños monolingües, bilingües y
trilingües”. La publicació data del febrer 2013 per
l’editorial Narr Verlag (Tübingen).
Des de la meva arribada a Alemanya l’any 2004 i
la meva etapa acadèmica de doctorat a finals del 2009 he
tingut l’oportunitat de continuar formant-
me professionalment gràcies a la tesi doctoral i al meu
treball com a col·laboradora científica dins d’un projecte
d’investigació financiat pel ministerio d’investigació
alemany (DFG) amb el tema “Codeswitching en edats
primerenques” com a punt principal del projecte. Des
de llavors hem tingut la oportunitat de presentar els
nostres resultats a diverses conferències de caire
internacional així com l’oportunitat d’ampliar el corpus
lingüístic amb nous infants bilingües i trilingües residents
a Espanya, Itàlia, França i Alemanya. Després de 4 anys
d'investigació en aquest camp, el projecte hafinalitzat al
maig d’aquest any i es preveu una publicació (llibre) dels
resultats per aquest mateix any.
Apart d’aquestes tasques en el camp de la
investigació, he anat impartint diferents seminaris de
lingüística espanyola. Durant el curs passat i l’actual
cubreixo la càtedra de lingüística espanyola (W2-
Professur) amb 5 seminaris en el nostre departament tant
oer a estudiants de grau (Bachelor) com de postgrau
(Master).
Koré Arques Burgos
Since I finished the Master’s in Teacher Training
(here called Master en Formación del profesorado de
ESO, Bachillerato y Escuelas Oficiales de Idiomas) in
2011-2012, I tried to join in the teacher list for
substitutions in the Public School. However, they never
opened it, and there are no future prospects at the
moment. This was quite disappointing given that this was
one of the purposes for me to do this Master’s, and in the
long term possibly to take the next entrance exam for the
position of teacher in the Public system. I have
qualifications enough, perhaps too many qualifications
someone could say for some positions, and some teaching
experience, but this may not seem enough to get a good
job nowadays. At the end of last year I started to consider
the possibility of getting abroad with a grant. 7,500
people applying for a grant with only a few hundred
vacancies in Germany/Austria (my choice). Resolution:
NO VACANCY due to massive demand.
This year (2012-2013) I started working for a small
advertising company that works jointly with Fira
Barcelona. In broad terms, I am in charge of the online
catalogue (exhibitors’ information and products) and
advertising that is published at each fair, and I also give
support in other administrative tasks and have contact
with some customers/exhibitors in English. For the
moment it is a good position and the atmosphere is quite
good, but I’m afraid this won’t be enough for me in the
long term. To be continued...
Carolina Balada Pérez Since finishing my degree I have specialised in
International Business Management and in Translation. I
have been working for six years now in an international
company dealing with GPS products for automotive,
aviation, marine, outdoor, and sports applications. I am
currently working as the Head of the Purchasing
Department for this company. My responsibilities include
forecasting, sending orders to suppliers, monitoring
inventory and shipments and some other tasks related to
quality and production.
At the same time, I am trying to find a path as a
freelance translator. I am building a website and attend
brief translation courses whenever I am able to.
David Checa Gómez
I am now running my own language school here in
Bratislava, Slovakia, together with a guy from Madrid.
Being self employed requires time, patience and having
somebody fluent Slovak. I set up my own school because
the quality of many language schools here is a bit poor
and I think I can offer something else. Moreover, I have
some contacts with clients from companies who were
interested in continuing with me since they think I am
a good teacher and my approach is much more personal.
The prices we charge are cheaper than other schools but
not much since we have the advantage of being native
speakers. We offer all kinds of courses but we focus on
companies since they pay most for a lesson. For general
courses, we have just reached an agreement with a private
school to rent a classroom certain days and hours at a low
price.
All this it would be useless without the help of an
accountant, but I have the advantage that my Slovak wife,
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 117
who studied law and was for a time in social service, is
currently on maternity leave. She knows the paper work
and is willing to study to be in charge of all the numbers.
Mónica Cordero Peñas
I must admit I didn’t know what to do next after
obtaining my degree in 2007. I was interested in both
tourism and English teaching but PhD programmes in
Tourism were expensive for me at that time. I started
working in a language school in Rubí where I taught very
different levels of English, from small children to adults.
The experience was good, I really learnt a lot about
teaching but I hated working in the afternoons!
In 2008 I started working in schools. I was offered a
job as English teacher of the four levels of ESO in
Cornellà. The first trimestre in a school can be
challenging for you as a teacher and as a person,
especially if you come from language schools where
people really aim to learn. Eventually, you end up
creating strategies and techniques to deal with—or
survive—students and sincerely, you will find it
particularly rewarding. After two years in the school (I
had a two-year contracte de pràctiques) they told me they
wouldn’t give me a long-term contract as it was
expensive for the school to have permanent teachers.
I was very lucky and I wasn’t unemployed for long
periods of time. From 2010 to 2011 I worked in different
concertada schools and in different levels: primària, ESO
and Batxillerat.
Last year, I had two part-time jobs. In the mornings,
I was an English teacher for some courses for the
unemployed (SOC courses) and, in the afternoons, I
worked in a concertada school teaching both English and
Catalan in 3rd level of ESO (got the Nivell D in 2011).
Currently, I have a quite long-term job in a concertada
school in Barcelona for at least the next two years. My
duties during the 2012-2013 academic year were teaching
English in Infantil and Primària. The next academic year
I will be also teaching in ESO.
In the meantime I am still taking teacher training
courses every now and then to keep me updated and I am
considering starting the degree in Educació Primària
next year. As for the future, who knows? Right now, I am
still working in education and I really like it but I am
open to new projects and opportunities such as starting
my own business if education gets even more difficult.
Let’s see what the future holds...
Belinda Costa Olivares While doing and since I finished English Philology
I’ve never stopped working, and the jobs I’ve had have
always been related to English. In 2007, when I
graduated, I started working for a chemical company.
There I was in charge of dealing with “international
phone calls”—no matter what the topic was. I must admit
I felt rather silly, since I didn’t even know what I was
talking about. Chemistry isn’t my field at all. Plus I also
did those so-called “administrative tasks in general”.
However, it is rather easy to find such jobs because most
times English is required.
After that, I decided to go back to teaching at
language schools, while I prepared for oposicions
because, in my view, teaching is a far more rewarding job
than belonging to this or that company. After doing the
CAP, which to me is a utopian, unrealistic portrayal of
teaching at high-school, as well as spending quite a lot of
money on “Cenoposiciones”, I decided not to take the
NON-vocational path of stability. I consider that teaching
MUST be vocational so that we can transmit to our
students that education is a privilege. In fact, I think that
some of the main reasons why Spain has run into the so-
called “crisis” are the lack of education and the feeding of
rotten civil servants. I must admit that this has made me
realize I do like teaching.
Then I kept on teaching at language schools and I
didn’t like it either, mainly because of strong personal
principles, so I started organizing volunteer English
conversation groups in different environments: parks,
bars, the streets, my place, “La Nau” youth centre, “La
Bombeta” art & culture association, etc. Obviously, I
didn’t do that for a living but there my hatred of the
Spanish educational system grew even stronger.
Therefore, I would simply like to become its “pain in the
ass”. However, while knowing how to reach my dream
job, I’m working as a tutor in a kind of computing school
which offers training courses for workers, language
courses amongst them.
I must say that after six/ five years I’m truly
unsatisfied with what I’m doing. I guess that is the reason
why I’m doing Catalan Philology through the UOC and
receiving private German lessons at home. Furthering my
education and getting involved in projects that have to do
with education or art make my shitty job “less” bad.
Nevertheless, I do not regret having studied English
Philology in the least, since there are still some
VOCATIONAL professionals left in this fuckingly
numbed system.
Vanessa Fernández del Viso Román
As soon as I finished the degree and I got the CAP, I
started sending my CVs to some schools as I was really
tired of working in two English Academies. One day, I
received an offer from a school near my home—I was
really lucky! After one meeting with the headmaster, I
got the job and I was in charge of all the ESO courses and
the BATX courses, too.
Two years ago, I thought about improving my
methodological techniques so I enrolled in an official MA
in Research on Language and Literature Education at the
UAB. In September 2012, I defended my MA dissertation
about Project-Based Language Learning. It was really
hard to research and write down everything but it was
worth it. Next, I published my first article—an interview
of a professor from an English University—in the
Bellaterra Journal.
This September 2013 I will be enrolled in the PhD in
Education program. After six years being working as an
English teacher and being tutor of the 4th ESO course I
have realized that I love teaching and dealing with
teenagers. It’s a hard job but it’s really fulfilling.
Rafa Gallego García
Once I finished the degree I did the CAP. Then I
managed to find different jobs using www.infojobs.net,
e.g. as an online teacher. It is very different from
traditional teaching: you are in touch with students only
by means of a virtual campus and the phone. I don’t
really recommend it because you feel you are mainly
doing clerical work.
In 2009 I worked as a foreign language assistant
(Auxiliar de Conversación) near Liverpool. I strongly
recommend this program. You usually work 16
hours/week, mainly doing oral activities in class or one-
to-one speaking sessions. It was one of the most
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 118
rewarding personal and professional experiences I have
ever had.
In 2010 I worked at Disneyland Paris. You only
need an average level of English and French. You must
be ready to work under pressure and be open-minded. It
can be fun, but you soon realize it is not precisely the
place where dreams come true.
I joined la borsa d’Ensenyament three years ago. I
wasn’t called once, so I obviously think it is a waste of
time and you should consider other options.
I am currently working as a cabin crew member for
an airline in the Middle East. I had never considered
doing this job but they offered good working conditions,
nothing to do with what I could get in Spain. The
recruitment process (three days if you get through all the
oral and written tests) was 100% in English. Only six of
us were selected out of 160 people, so I would encourage
those of you who are confident with your language skills
and willing to travel the world to go for it and leave the
teaching positions for when we get older!
Ramadan has just started and it is veeery hot here,
but I still cannot believe that I am doing what I am doing.
Tomorrow London, then Kuala Kumpur and Paris… I
have also been to Melbourne, Auckland and Beijing.
Cristina García-Verdugo González
I graduated in 2007 and since then I’ve been
working as an English teacher in different schools and
companies. The first thing I did was enrol in the borsa
d’interins de l’escola pública. Then, I decided to send my
CV to some non state schools. Fortunately, it didn’t take
long since one of the non-state schools contacted me. I
worked for this religious school for two years. It was my
first experience as a secondary English teacher. The
school was small with few children and consequently
they had to reduce staff and I was made redundant.
Some colleagues told me once that if you survive the first
two years you are made for teaching teens. So I started a
new quest. I got a maternity leave vacancy for a year in
another religious school as a secondary English teacher.
To my surprise, at the end of the academic year while I
was working for my second religious school (and after 3
years of being in the borsa) I was summoned. I quit the
school to start working for an adult state school. It was a
great experience. People who wanted to learn! After
teaching teenagers that place was paradise for me. Fifteen
days later I went back to reality.
This experience marked the start of my adventures
as a self-employed person. I started by opening a
professional profile in websites for freelancers. I wanted
to teach at other levels. It was a fantastic decision
because since then I have been enrolled in many projects
as an in-company teacher. I have seen the inside of many
important businesses and learnt from the experiences of
other professionals. It is a rewarding job indeed.
Today I still work as an in-company teacher but I
combine it with the state/non-state schools. Instead of
waiting to be summoned every now and then (which is a
bit desperate) in the meantime, I have decided to continue
with my in-company classes.
Mercè Guixà Casellas At the time I graduated, I had already been accepted
in the Visiting Teachers Program in the US so I knew that
my first experience after graduation would be teaching in
California. This is a program organized by the Ministerio
de Educación y Ciencias. All the positions are in the US
except for a very few in Canada. You can choose the state
you want to go to, and once you are accepted you can
even choose a city before the interview (interviews are
held every year in Madrid between March and April).
Positions are available in Elementary, Middle and High
Schools, though with Filologia you can only apply for the
latter two. Because I had done Magisteri before Filologia
and I had the experience to fit the requirements, I was
able to teach in Elementary.
The salary is good and it allows you to live well,
travel and save. You are hired under the same conditions
as if you were a US teacher. The bad side is that most of
the states ask for a minimum of 2 or 3 years of teaching
experience in a school (private language schools or extra-
escolars do not count for experience).
Also, bear in mind that we are given the positions
that American teachers—who can choose—refuse to
take, especially here in Oakland. I’m talking about
schools which are located in unstable neighbourhoods.
We work with socially and economically disadvantaged
communities. I shouldn’t call this a disadvantage
actually; I really like where I’m working at the moment.
Teaching here is simply a completely different
experience, tough and highly demanding but exciting and
very rewarding at the same time.
I have just finished my sixth year. Each year gets
better and it is relatively easy to find good opportunities
to grow professionally. I am a member of the
instructional leadership team of the school which means
that you contribute to make important decisions about
planning, instruction, program implementation,
assessments, etc. Once I cleared my California teacher
credentials two years ago, the Multiple Subjects and the
Crosscultural Bilingual Credential I became what it is
considered a highly qualified teacher. This is a
requirement if you want to continue working in the
country after the third year. I have become tenured in the
district, which gives me stability in the midst of the
current economic crisis (you become tenured on your
fourth year in the district).
The state of California is cutting lots of funds in
education and it’s been a year with many lay-offs. It is
not easy to keep your job here either, especially if you are
a first or second year teacher but now that I have acquired
a little seniority I feel that I need to take advantage of it.
This is such a great experience and I am constantly
growing both professionally and personally. Oakland
district is in high need of bilingual teachers. I know they
are hiring Spanish teachers in Madrid again this spring (it
had not been the case in the last 3 years). It’s worth
trying!
I still don’t see myself staying here for good but for
now I think it is one of the best options, especially
looking at the economic situation back in Spain.
Marta Heredia Rodríguez
I graduated in February 2008. At that time I didn’t
know what to do so I applied for the Integrants
(www.integrants.es) and Argo (www.becasargo.es)
internship grants to work for foreign companies and I
also applied to work in the Llistes d’interins.
In the meantime I worked at the airport and then,
since I was studying German, I decided to spend the
summer holidays in Heidelberg trying to improve the
language. I liked it so much that I went back for a second
summer (www.heidelberger-paedagogium.de). When I
came back from Germany I didn’t want to stay
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 119
in Spain so I went to Manchester. However, things didn’t
work out as I had planned so I decided to come back
to Spain. I was very lucky because as soon as I got back
from Manchester I got a job through the Llistes.
Then I worked in one high school for one week and
then in another high school for four months. Through this
experience I began to learn how a high school works
because while I did the CAP I didn’t learn anything.
During all this time, I only had a few offers from the
Integrants and Argo grants: one from Integrants which in
the end was canceled and the rest from Argo. However,
the offers I got from Argo weren’t interesting either. I
applied for them anyway but I never made it to the final
selection process. Most of the offers I got from Argo
were to work in nurseries and I didn’t apply for that. So I
was not very happy with these programs.
The year before last I worked in New Zealand (see
the section I wrote in the Working Abroad section of this
Pack). I came back in September 2011 and I worked at La
Salle Manlleu doing a substitution. Then in May 2012 I
applied for a visa to go to Canada. I was lucky because
we both were chosen (we know people that couldn't make
it) and it is not a matter of having good grades or
anything of that sort, there are 750 spots and it is first
come first served.
I arrived in Vancouver in mid-August and by the
end of the month I had found a job in an optician’s (I
found a job faster than a place to live). It has nothing to
do with my degree but quite frankly I didn’t want to go
through the whole process of validating my degree again.
I have been told that it takes a very long time and also a
lot of money, and in the end you might not even get the
degree validated. Apart from all this, life here is very
expensive. When you want to rent an apartment most of
the apartments are unfurnished. So you need to go to
IKEA or use Craigslist. We were quite lucky and we
found a small studio flat with everything included and we
are paying around 850 euros/month. But you should see
the place, it is tiny! However, we are quite happy. When
it comes to food, it is also expensive. Obviously salaries
here are also higher but even so...
Núria Hernàndez Castillo I started teaching English about ten years ago. My
first job as a teacher involved teaching English as an
afterclass activity in a primary school but soon I started
teaching teenagers and adults in a language school. When
I graduated in Filologia Anglesa I completed a
postgraduate degree in Legal Translation at the UAB,
because I am very interested in terminology and also
because at that time I was considering becoming a legal
translator. The following year I started an MA in
Institutional Translation at Universitat d'Alacant.
However, I started working at the Servei d'Idiomes of
Universitat Internacional de Catalunya (UIC) before I
could even start my research project, so I decided to
concentrate on my new job and to finish the MA a year
later.
I worked in the Servei d'Idiomes for a year teaching
ESL and ESP to students of Architecture, Humanities,
Audiovisual Communication, Advertising, Business
Management, and Law. Three years ago I switched over
to the Faculty of Education at the same university as an
associate teacher. A year later I was offered a full-time
position at the Faculty and I am currently coordinating
the Minor in English for teachers, which is aimed at final-
year Education students who wish to specialise in
teaching English. Furthermore, I am doing an MA in
Multilingualism and Education, which I find truly
interesting, and which will shape my doctoral
dissertation.
Diana-Aurora Hernández García After finishing my degree, I entered the 2-year
program in East Asian Studies at the UAB-UPF (which
no longer exists). As part of my degree, I had the
opportunity of studying abroad for a year in Kyoto,
Japan.
Afterwards, I went back to my home country,
Mexico. In Mexico I was offered an undergrad-
level teaching job in two private universities within my
first month of searching, although they were very few
hours, which meant I could hardly make a living. I also
worked twice as a Japanese interpreter, which was well-
paid but very demanding for my current level of
Japanese. I worked for a semester teaching English to
teenagers at a private school. I even tried street juggling!
Mostly I worked from home teaching Spanish as a
Second Language through Skype. It was well paid by
Mexican standards but I didn't have enough students to be
able to live on my own.
Finally, at the beginning of this year, I applied for
and got a position as a Spanish teacher in New Delhi,
India. I’ve been in Delhi for almost two months now.
Living here is an amazing experience, and I’m enjoying
and learning all I can. The working conditions are a bit
draining, though: six hours a day (or more, if there’s extra
work) for six days a week, weekends included.
Auba Llompart Pons After my graduation in June 2007, I enrolled in the
MA in Estudis Anglesos Avançats: Literatura i Cultura at
the UAB, because I wanted to pursue my studies in
English Literature. The MA is a great opportunity to
study some aspects of English literature and culture
which are not covered at an undergraduate level, and to
do research on a particular topic, as students have to write
and present a dissertation on a subject that interests them. After completing the MA, I spent a year in Oregon ,
USA , as a Fulbright Teaching Assistant for Spanish at
Pacific University , an experience I would recommend to
anyone. I was reluctant at first because I knew that this
would mean putting my graduate studies aside for a
while, but at the same time I didn’t want to miss the
chance to live in the United States for a year. So I took
the chance and it turned out to be a good move. Taking a
break from my studies helped me understand what I
really wanted to do; I got some teaching experience and I
learnt a lot about American culture. Back in Catalonia in the fall semester of 2009, I
started to work on my doctoral thesis in English
Literature, while working at a language school in Sant
Cugat, and I am currently teaching English Language at
the Universitat de Vic.
Alfonso Olmedo
More than six years after finishing Filologia
Anglesa as well as a teaching degree (Magisteri), I cannot
but look back and be grateful to God. My career started
immediately after my last year at UAB. I was hired and
worked as a primary school teacher for approximately
three years. However, after those three years I went
through a period of time of uncertainty about what to do.
For a long time I have been considering going abroad, but
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 120
for the time being that has not come to fruition. One of
the things I did, though, was to get the Proficiency in
English certificate (CPE). In addition, having done a
translation internship as part of my English Philology
degree, I decided to enrol on a Master’s degree (Màster
en Traducció Cientificotècnica), which I finished earlier
this year, my thanks to God.
As far as employment is concerned, last year (2012)
I had the chance to temporarily work as a teacher of
English in three private schools (teaching adult and
teenage students). But after that I was out of work again.
This year I have done some private tutoring, and I
started a blog to promote myself as a tutor of English. Be
it tutoring or translating (which I hope to have a chance
to do), I am aware it is keeping active that matters. Many
things have happened, and I have gone through truly hard
times both professionally and personally; but God, Jesus,
has been my protector and Saviour, and I have found him
to be my shelter, my rock, now and in eternity.
Pablo Ortigosa Pastor After graduating, I did the CAP. It was really
rewarding and I learnt a lot about how to deal with a class
face-to-face. After finishing the CAP, I was able to apply
for the llista d’interins. Meanwhile, I started working at a language school
teaching intermediate level to 12-16 year olds. It was a
very good experience to start with after graduating and I
worked there for a year. During the next several years, I did substitutions at
various schools in the Vallès for short periods. At the
same time I attended a course to prepare for the
oposicions de secundaria d’angles in Barcelona in 2011.
I haven't been called to work in the llistes at all this
year. So I have enrolled for a course in a centre de
formacio ocupacional in Sabadell called Esec where they
offer courses for unemployed people like me. It is a
course which prepares you to work as a secretary in
companies and it provides you with the knowledge
of important terms in the corporate world.
Jordi Pagès Espuña After I graduated, since I had substantial experience
in the field of engineering, especially in technical
drawing, I applied not only for job opportunities directly
connected to my degree but also for those which might
show interest in my varied profile.
Three months later I was offered a job in the civil
works technical department of an enterprise with
branches abroad. I carry out consultancy and control
tasks. The prospects were really appealing but these hard
times have absolutely ruined them.
On the other hand, my interest in teaching is not
gone. As I hadn’t resigned myself to giving up teaching, I
enrolled at the Departament d’Educació as a substitute
teacher. So far I’ve worked at several high schools for
short periods of time. Unfortunately I must admit that the
working conditions are not up to my expectations.
Besides, they have suffered a severe deterioration
recently, what make this job not an alternative anymore.
I also do not rule out enrolling in a postgraduate
course to widen my professional career to a different
professional area in the future.
Cristina Pérez Padilla
The year after I graduated I taught at a language
school in Barcelona and the following year I moved to
London and taught private classes to adults for a year. I
then decided to move to the United Arab Emirates, so I
searched the Internet and created a database of all the
international schools there. I called and I asked for the
principal’s personal email address. Once I had that, I sent
her/him my CV and cover letter. The QTS (Qualified
Teaching Status) was required in order to be able to apply
to all those schools. I applied for it when I was living in
London and it was very easy to get. You just have to
follow all the steps listed at www.naric.org.uk. As part of
the process, all degrees, master courses and CV have to
be legally translated.
Another important matter is that in order to be hired
in the UAE, as in any other country that does not belong
to the UE, you have to go to the country’s embassy to
have your Diploma stamped, which is what they do to
certify that it is authentic. In other words, your diploma
needs to have the stamp of the country you are going to
work for. In my case I had to go to Madrid (the UAE
embassy is there) to have my diploma stamped and then
once in Dubai, I had to go to the Ministry of Education to
have it stamped also there. Then later all your documents
that have been previously translated should be stamped
also by the Spanish embassy once there in the UAE, India
or whatever the country is. The school does all the legal
procedures from that moment on, so you don’t need to
worry about the residence visa or anything else.
This summer I am moving to Panama, where I hope
to find a job in an international school as a Spanish
teacher.
Iolanda Reig Malé
Before finishing my degree in 2007 I had already
been working in several language schools. The classes
were small and I loved teaching different levels and age
groups. Still, I couldn’t make a living out of such jobs so
once I got my degree in June, I did the former CAP. I
then joined the llista d’interins i substituts, where I
worked for about three years. I only did a secondary
substitution and the rest of the time I worked as an
English teacher in primary. I got to do a whole academic
year’s substitution in primary but substitutions were
mainly from three days up to three weeks, which got me
working in almost every town in the Vallès Occidental.
The experience all in all was enriching but exhausting at
the same time. Most of the teachers came back before
holidays (Easter, Christmas or summer) so I never got
paid holidays. I didn’t get to know the pupils or the
schools’ projects, which made adaptation quite hard. I
also realized I wasn’t prepared for secondary teaching
and forgot about oposicions.
While I was doubtful about my continuity in the
llista and substitutions were becoming more and more
infrequent, a colleague from the degree told me about a
vacancy with Cambridge University Press. I did the
interviews and got the position as an ELT representative
in January 2011. I like the fact that I get to meet other
teachers and schools and speak in English. As the job is
stressful, I try to take courses that I like in my spare time,
such as narrative writing or French. Being a
representative is not something I would have imagined
myself doing but mine is a steady job and the salary is
relatively good so I’m planning to stay for the time being.
Samuel Rísquez Aguado
I always knew I wanted to move abroad and work as
a Spanish teacher, so the year I graduated I took the
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Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 121
International House teacher training course and applied to
be an auxiliar de conversación. My application was
successful and for a year I worked at a secondary school
in the north of England.
When my contract ended, I decided to move to
London and look for work as a Spanish teacher to adults.
Unfortunately, there wasn’t as much work as I thought
there would be, and I soon realized that it would be very
difficult to make a living exclusively out of this. Luckily,
I had done the CAP before leaving Barcelona, so I was
able to do some work as a supply teacher in secondary
education. It paid the bills but it wasn’t for me.
Finally, after almost one year in London, I was
extremely lucky to secure a permanent teaching position.
For the past four years I have been working as an in-
house Spanish and English teacher and translator at the
London offices of a Spanish company.
For almost three years I have also been working
part-time as a teacher trainer, first at a London university
and now at the Instituto Cervantes. This has been a
fantastic opportunity and so far it has allowed me to
speak at a conference for Spanish teachers and have a
paper published.
However, I haven’t forgotten my other academic
interests, and I recently completed an MA in Gender
Studies here in London, which I took part-time over two
years. It was a very good experience and I may resume
my research one day, but now I think it’s time to focus on
my career in languages and do some more training in this
area.
Sílvia Suárez Carrión Ever since I came back from my Erasmus
in Germany, I felt I wanted to continue studying German.
When I graduated, I really wanted to continue working
with both English and German and at the same time get
training as a translator and interpreter. So I studied
Translation and Interpreting (English/German) at the
UAB. What I liked the most about this degree is that you
have to know a little bit of everything, be informed and
keep up-to-date with what is going on around the world
and with other countries, cultures, traditions, etc. At the
same time I also I attended the 4th and 5th year of
German at the Escola Oficial de Idiomes.
I simultaneously started working at ICCIC, teaching
English in the Language School department. I had
already worked with them in the summer camps they
organize together with the Generalitat, so I already knew
how the school worked and many of the teachers working
there, most of them native English speakers. It is a great
place to work since they keep offering workshops for the
new teachers on topics such as teaching grammar,
teaching teenagers and teaching how to write, which
made me really happy.
Once I was done with my second degree I went
to Berlin for an internship with the Leonardo Da Vinci
programme. There, I worked as a trainee in a language
school where I was able to put into practice my skills as a
translator and teacher. After three months in Berlin, I
came back to Barcelona to work again at ICCIC. There,
apart from teaching English, I also worked in the ICCIC
Summer Camps department, which is in charge of the
Generalitat camps. After my stay in Berlin I also taught
German at a school in Barcelona.
As I wanted to continue working on my professional
development I attended the CELTA course at
International House Barcelona. It was a great experience
for me since I got lots of feedback that helped to improve
my teaching skills. I strongly recommend it to everyone
interested in teaching English to adults or to those who
are interested in learning more about teaching English. It
requires a lot of time and effort but in the end you feel it
was worth it.
At the moment I am working as a secondary school
teacher at Escola Thau Sant Cugat. I had the opportunity
move from the language school to Thau, which is also
part of ICCIC schools, and I am very happy there. I was
ready for a change and very lucky to be offered the job.
Together with my colleagues in the English Department,
we are working hard to improve the quality of our
teaching and at the same time we are adapting to the new
classroom technologies.
Ana Tallon
I finished my degree 24 hours before coming back to
Argentina in 2008. When I decided to study English I
was already 28. I had always loved this language ever
since I was a little girl. My father’s family used to
communicate in English and, although I only spoke
Spanish, I understood everything they were saying. It was
not until quite recently that I found out that being a
language teacher is one of the most common professions
within this side of my family. And what is most awkward
of all is that I swore to myself not to study Philology to
become one!
For the past three years I have been teaching English
in a bilingual school and at a private language school here
in my hometown, Bariloche. It was the best way I found
to keep my English up to date, and an excellent part-time
job to combine with being the mom of a beautiful little
girl, Abril Erin. I really enjoy teaching. In particular I
love teaching higher levels because it challenges my own
knowledge every day. I don't know if I'll do this “for
ever”. Do far it has satisfied all my present needs.
However, deep inside I want to try other posibilities.
2006 Laura Bujalance Planagumà After graduating, I spent two years completing a
Master in Tourism Management by the Universitat de
Girona. During my second year, I simultaneously started
working as the head of the Communication and Media
Department of the Grup Costa Brava Centre, a hotel and
catering group. I worked there for two years. Since I’ve
always wanted to live abroad, I applied for the becas
Turespaña and went to live in Toronto, Canada, for two
more years. When I came back, I applied yet again to
another internship, this time for the Agencia Catalana de
Turisme. I am now living in Brussels, Belgium, and hope
to be here for the following two years.
What I’ve been doing professionally for the past 5
years has mainly been tourism marketing and PR, which
has always allowed me to combine my love of both
languages and tourism. One could say I could now start
moving forward and abandon the easy way out of the
becas—which I will have to do anyway because I’m
turning 30 this year and I won’t be allowed to apply
anymore. The truth is this long period has allowed me to
travel—the thing I like most, probably—and find out I do
not enjoy working in the corporate world that much. I’ve
gone through periods of time when I thought my future
was very clear, then I’ve felt lost for months on end. Now
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 122
I can only say it’s OK to just flow. I am confident
everything will fall into place at the right time.
Natàlia Casal Fernández
This is a message for those of you who are about to
finish their studies and still have no idea of what they
want to be “when they grow up”: It is going to be ok. I’m
31 years old—oh God—and I still do not know what I
want to do with my life when I grow up.
Being a teacher is probably the obvious thing to do
when you finish your English Studies, so that was what I
did for almost ten years. I really believe that experience
has made me a better person, but there was always
something inside of me telling me “you are not made for
this”.
I have always liked cinema and media theory, so I
decided to take Media Studies at Universitat de
Barcelona. I finished my second degree a couple of years
ago, when The Economic Crisis had already started. It
took some time to find a job, but it was the combination
of English and Media studies that got me the opportunity.
Right now I work as a Project Manager and Multimedia
Editor in an e-learning company in Barcelona and…
ready for this? I like what I do every day! I am learning
so much and it is fulfilling.
Getting here was not easy. I went to live abroad a
couple of times, I took many courses before I decided to
study Media, etc. In the end, it was trying what made me
realize what makes me happy.
Needless to say, I do not know if I want to do this
for the rest of my life. But if there is something I have
learned since I finished my English Studies—and Alice in
Wonderland played its part in this—it is that I am not
scared of change.
Noemí Fernández Sánchez
After graduation, I was an Auxiliar de Conversación
in Massachusetts, USA. Then upon my return to
Catalonia I worked in a primary school as a subtitute
English teacher in Rubí. I got that job because I was
registered with the substitutions list of the Generalitat. I
was quite happy because I was able to work in a public
school the whole year but they just offered me 10 hours a
week. So my salary was not good and I had to work in a
language school in the afternoons.
As the year went on I began to think seriously about
living abroad because I realized that I was just a number
for they Generalitat and they might well offer me no
work at all the next year, since they were reducing the
number of teachers in public schools. My expectations
were not very high so I decided to go abroad again. Since
I had not been able to save enough money I could not
take the risk of living in expensive countries such as
England, Germany, Switzerland or Denmark.
So I decided to live in a cheaper country, Slovakia, a
small, very nice country in Central Europe. I knew an ex-
classmate from the UAB, David Checa, who was living
there so I sent him an email to ask him for help finding a
job there. He told me that I could find a job on the
Internet on the webpage www.profesia.sk and it was like
Infojobs in Spain but you do not need to subscribe and
upload your CV. You just look for job offers and Profesia
tells you the email of the company. The webpage was in
Slovak and I had no clue of Slovak but Google translator
was my friend and my second best friend was the
webpage translator at www.microsofttranslator.com.
There were not many offers related to Spanish or
English teachers in February but David told me that
schools and language schools start to look for new
candidates in May and June and that was true! I always
sent an email to the company with my CV but also a
covering letter saying that I was living in Spain but I was
going to move to Slovakia in August and I would
appreciate having a Skype interview to provide further
information. I was lucky. Slovak companies need people
who speak foreign languages and language schools need
Spanish teachers. Moreover, they are open-minded and I
did several interviews via Skype and another by
telephone.
One private school in Bratislava offered me a job as
an English and Spanish teacher. I had been able to save
1000 euros and that was enough for me to start my life
there. I was a full-time teacher and I liked my school and
students. There were no behaviour problems like in
Catalunya. I just earned 750 euros per month but life is
cheaper there. Of course, I could not really save money in
this country but I gained further experience. Furthermore,
Bratislava is close to Vienna, Budapest and Prague so
you can visit all of central Europe. And regarding
language, young people speak English so you will have
friends here for sure but I recommend that you try to
learn Slovak. It is a quite difficult language, but Slovaks
appreciate the effort.
This year I am in Zurich working as a babysitter
(two babies), full-time and learning German. I have to
say that I do not recommend Switzerland to anybody. It is
extremely expensive and very complicated for
immigrants who do not speak German at an advanced
level.
Maria Rosa Garrido Sardà
At present, I am in my final PhD year at the
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona and I work as a
lecturer in English at the School of Education, Universitat
Internacional de Catalunya. My four-year scholarship in
the C.I.E.N. research group (www.groupcien.uab.cat)
came to an end in July 2012 but I still had not finished
my thesis, so I had to look for a job that allowed me
enough time to work on it. Fortunately, I was offered an
associate lecturer position at the UIC that suited both my
needs and my education in English linguistics. Juggling
both research commitments, my thesis and teaching new
subjects has been a major challenge this year. In fact, I
was even on sick leave because of stress in May and I
have had to reshuffle my priorities and deadlines.
I started my PhD programme in 2006 right after I
finished my degree in Filologia anglesa at Roehampton
University in London thanks to an Erasmus grant. While I
was studying there, I got a part-time job as a Spanish
teacher in “The Spanish Machine”, mainly thanks to my
ELE qualification from International House BCN. I also
volunteered as an English as an Additional Language
teaching assistant at the end of a PGCE module
internship there.
Since then, my most valuable experiences have been
conferences, research stays and contacts abroad. During
my scholarship, I have enjoyed two research stays in
Chicago (2011) and London (2012). The research team I
am part of has many international contacts and I have had
the opportunity to discuss research ideas with fascinating
people from all over the world. Last but not least, my
research in sociolinguistics has opened my eyes to
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 123
diversity and I have realised that speaking English is not
enough for our geographical and social mobilities.
In these difficult times, I do not regret having chosen
a postgraduate education in the least in spite of the
common comments that I could have secured a civil
servant position as a teacher. I might like this
challenging, unstable and exciting path better because I
have learned many things and met many people that I
would not have met otherwise.
Sílvia Garriga Galobardes The year after I graduated I did the CAP and an
online postgraduate course called “Nous entorns de
formació” offered by the Institute for Lifelong Learning
(which is part of the Virtual UB). I found it really useful.
I also decided to give oposicions a try in order to be
familiar with the whole process, though in the end I
didn’t have much time to prepare for them. In May 2007 I started teaching full-time as a
substitute at a secondary school in Manlleu, and that is
what I have been doing since then. I got the job by word
of mouth. In 2008/2009 things changed a little bit, since I was
working part-time in the secondary school. This gave me
the chance to enroll in the English department’s master’s
program called “Acquisition of English and Intercultural
Communication”. I finished it in September with the
presentation of my final project. I have to say that I really
enjoyed the master’s and I found it really useful. In 2009/2010 I was offered a full-time position again
and couldn’t start my doctoral thesis. However, I really
love my job and I can say that I’m one of those lucky
people who still has a full-time job! My advice for graduating students is that you should
continue studying after finishing the degree in a way that
is compatible with a job. And if you end up working in
something you don’t like, try something else.
Montse Gómez Laredo When I graduated I didn’t want to get the CAP,
because I didn’t want to be a teacher. I worked on the
Tourist Bus in Barcelona and also in a private school as a
Catalan teacher to immigrant children (nouvinguts). Most
of the students were Chinese, but I also had children from
Bangla Desh, India and Morocco. It was interesting to see
how they communicated with each other in Spanish and
Catalan, and how they struggled to learn both languages,
even when they got into a mess. I also tried to find work
as a translator but was not successful.
When I finally decided to get the CAP, since it was
the only option I saw for the future with my degree, it
was too late. The new Master’s was going to replace the
CAP. So I did the new Master Oficial en Formació del
Professorat d’ESO, Batxillerat, Formació Professional i
Escoles d’Idiomes, which replaces the CAP. It was really
tough. Because it was the first year of the master’s, it
was a bit of a mess and we were overloaded with work.
Now I’m registered with the lists for Substitutions,
this is the third year, but I haven’t been called yet!! (I
have around number 30,000, but I started at 61,000). I
did the latest Oposicions in Barcelona, just to see what
they were like. And I passed. But because I had no points
gained from doing substitutions working at a high school,
it just lowered my number 30,000 positions. Meanwhile,
I’m working as a receptionist at a hotel in Barcelona,
because fortunately tourism in Barcelona is the only
sector which is not in crisis. I also studied German at an
EOI and this year I obtained el Certificat de Nivell
Avançat.
Judit González López After coming back from my Erasmus year in
Manchester, I started working as a teacher in a
language school in Manresa. Teaching in a language
school or in a school had never been a priority for me
during my university years, so it was doomed from the
starts. Teenagers, I thought, weren’t my thing. Simultaneously I was doing a post-grad at the UAB.
As will happen to most of you if you decide to pursue this
option, I needed to work full time in order to be able to
pay for my expenses at university and live at the same
time. So I decided to look for a non-teaching job and,
luckily, in less than a month I already working at a
publishing house as an English Language Teaching
textbook sales representative. During my time there I
eventually came back and finished my Masters’ degree in
Literature, but so far, not much has happened to me in
terms of being able to achieve my goal of pursuing an
academic career. Oddly enough, after five years within this publishing
house, I have discovered that I do miss standing in a
classroom. My job responsibilities have changed, and
now not only do I sell books but also I provide
methodological sessions to groups of teachers in schools
that want to change their English classes. At the same
time, every now and then I go to EOIs and secondary
schools to give motivational speeches for students on
how to study, how to prepare for PAAU, etc. And it is
such a good feeling to see that they believe what you say
and they smile at you, and they learn, and they enjoy their
time! Maybe it could really work for me, going to class,
but, right now, when I have the chance to see it all from
outside the ring, I have to tell you that things are difficult.
Teachers, although motivated, feel at the same time really
frustrated because of all the cuts and changes that the
education system is undergoing. The profession of
‘school director’ is turning into being the manager of a
company, and some schools really feel that their kids are
not getting the best out of it.
Money is also a big problem—or rather, the lack
of. These are really hard times. The world of the
publishing houses is not perfect either. While I can be
happy, as my company is the only one that hasn’t had to
let go of any employees, things are getting difficult. We
(all of us) are devaluing the world of culture and learning.
Books are downloaded from sites, photocopied cover to
cover or worse. But we still want to go on a holiday at
every opportunity, have the best car in the
neighbourhood, etc. So, if two years ago I would have
recommended with no hesitation joining a publishing
house, as a sales rep, editor, or whatever, now I would
recommend the experience with a big ‘but’. If we, as
students, teachers, society, do not value books, there will
come a time when publishing houses will have no option
but to disappear. And that is way too sad.
Now that teaching is getting also to a low point
(not many offers and not many chances of working if you
are in the llistes either, I encourage you to look into the
private sector and let go of education for a while. It will
help you to value it more if you ever come back to it, and
it will be helpful to see a different world, which is always
educational.
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 124
Juan Meneses Naranjo
After getting a La Caixa fellowship for two years
and working in the English Department as a Teaching
Assistant and writing tutor in the Writing Lab, I recently
finished my Ph.D. in English Literature from Purdue
University in Indiana. One thing I have learned in my
years in the U.S. is that initiative is highly regarded and
will get you far—I have received great support and
encouragement whenever I have proposed projects and
asked for guidance. I would also encourage you to keep
an open mind as to what kinds of jobs you could get with
an English degree (this is particularly important for your
application letters and job interviews) and should
consider pursuing a graduate degree and/or an academic
career only if that is what you really want to do.
Nuria Navidad Navidad Recuerdo muy bien la sensación que tuve en mis
últimos años de carrera: cansancio. Me sentía como una
escaladora a la que todavía le queda medio Everest por
subir. Estaba allí, sujeta al arnés. Si miraba hacia atrás
veía que el camino recorrido había sido muy largo y
difícil, no podía abandonar; pero todavía quedaba mucho
por subir. Lo único que me alentaba era pensar en el
futuro. Con mis estudios, pensaba yo, podría obtener un
buen puesto en alguna buena empresa. Todo el sacrificio
pasado y por venir se vería recompensado con un trabajo
reconocido socialmente y que me procurase un sueldo
generoso. No fue así. Durante mis años en la Universidad trabajaba por las
tardes en una escuela de idiomas como profesora y en
verano en el Bus Turístic de Barcelona. Al acabar la
carrera (en realidad fueron dos carreras, filología inglesa
y francesa) me salió la oportunidad de trabajar en un
instituto de secundaria a las afueras de Barcelona. Al
poco de empezar las clases me di cuenta de que no me
gustaba en absoluto ese trabajo y decidí volver al Bus
Turístic. Lamentablemente, mi contrato en el Bus Turístic
se terminó muy pronto y hasta enero de 2009 sobreviví
gracias a hacer clases particulares de inglés. Yo estaba convencida de que, con mis idiomas, las
empresas se pegarían por contratarme. Nada más lejos de
la realidad. En enero de 2009 decidí irme al extranjero a
vivir una temporada a ver si las cosas por allí estaban
mejor (y ya de paso a ver si olvidaba un amor) Estuve
viviendo en Londres durante 5 meses. Allí trabajé como
camarera en el hotel de un restaurante de cuatro estrellas.
Fue una buena época, ya que crecí mucho como persona
y aprendí a estar sola, pero volví para Barcelona porque
en realidad me sentía demasiado sola y el tiempo
londinense no acompañaba. En Inglaterra me había vuelto más bohemia y decidí
perseguir mi sueño, cantar y bailar. Al regresar,
aprovechando por otra parte que no encontraba trabajo,
me matriculé en una escuela de comedia musical en
Barcelona. Estuve un año luchando por mi sueño,
haciendo castings, cantando en una orquesta, bailando y
cantando día y noche, pero me di cuenta que había
empezado demasiado tarde. Había chicas que llevaban
haciéndolo desde pequeñitas y que siempre serían
mejores que yo, y eso, en un mundo con muy pocas
plazas y muchísima competencia, no era muy alentador.
Así pues, decidí dedicarme a lo que realmente se me daba
bien: los idiomas. Uno de los mayores problemas que encontré en el
mundo de la docencia, que no fuera un instituto de
secundaria, fue que todas las ofertas de profesores pedían
profesores nativos. Yo no lo soy. No me apellido Smith,
ni Parker, así que tuve mucha suerte al encontrar una
escuela de idiomas que valoró las ventajas de trabajar con
no nativos. El mundo de la empresa era igual de
complicado, si no más. Todas las ofertas solicitaban
conocimientos de Administración de Empresas,
Economía, etc. Yo “sólo” tenía filología. Llevo tres años trabajando con esta escuela y a la
vez tuve la gran suerte de encontrar otra escuela en la que
soy profesora de español para extranjeros. Aunque mi
nómina a final de mes no me permita tener ningún tipo de
lujos, es un trabajo que no me desagrada y me siento
afortunada por tenerlo en la situación en la que estamos
hoy en día. El año pasado solicité una beca para trabajar
como auxiliar de
conversación bien en los EEUU bien en Australia, pero
no me la concedieron. Tras recibir esta noticia mi
intención era estudiar otra carrera relacionada con el
mundo empresarial, ya fuera ADE o alguna ingeniería,
pero lamentablemente el precio de las matrículas
universitarias está fuera de mi alcance así que de
momento he decidido dejar de lado esa opción.
Este septiembre empezaré a trabajar además en un
instituto concertado como profesora de inglés y francés.
Estoy un poco nerviosa ya que no sé cómo se me dará
manejar a una clase de adolescentes, pero espero hacerlo
bien ya que, visto lo visto, no es que haya muchas más
opciones para mí. Quizá algún día pueda hacer algo que
realmente me apasione, hasta el momento intentaré
sobrevivir lo mejor que pueda.
Mónica San José Martín My experience in teaching has continued over the
last two years. In 2008-2009, I was given a substitution at
an IES. It was perfect, because I the job was guaranteed
for the whole academic year. It was part-time so I could
devote the rest of my time to studying for Oposicions. I
didn’t pass them in June 2009, though my mark wasn’t
completely bad, but as I didn’t have enough points
for mèrits (which you acquire by taking specific courses
for teachers, Nivell D català, EOI courses, etc.) I didn’t
get a position.
In southern Catalonia, where I live, the work
situation was really bad. I only worked for two and a half
months the whole year. After I finished my previous
substitution in August, I was almost sure that by
September I would be given another vacant, so I waited
and waited, and it never came.
Very important for people in this situation: when
you finish a contract you only have 15 days to register for
the unemployment benefit. Because I expected a new
post, the time for the unemployment benefit passed. So I
spent 5 months and a half without either a job or the
unemployment benefit.
Still on the lists, I covered a pregnancy in Alcanar
for four months but it was 1/3-time job, i.e. an 8-hour
week! However, I have to admit that the salary was
“good” relative to the few hours that I worked. But by
then I was fed up with the situation in education in
general (politically and with the students themselves),
and I wanted to try something else. So I studied to be a
Management Assistant through the UOC. It didn’t require
much work most of the time but every 15 days more or
less, depending on the subject, you had to hand in
different papers and they required a lot of time.
Nevertheless, here I am, still working as a teacher.
At least it is a relatively good job, with better students.
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 125
This year I’ve been working since September in the same
high school I was last year. I have a contract until
August. I’m doing two thirds, that’s 17 hours, but I end
up doing more than that. I’m very happy because I started
from the beginning of the year and I will finish it. I’m
teaching from 1st ESO until 2nd Batx. Many different
classes, and that’s a lot of work to do.
Laura Viader Roger
I graduated, finished the CAP and finished my
Erasmus in the same year. I had always pictured myself
as a translator, so I did a master’s in translation at the
UAB while working in a language school. I loved the
master’s but, honestly, it was not very helpful career-
wise. After my Erasmus I knew that I wanted to go
abroad again so I asked for an Auxiliares de
Conversación grant in the U.K. and I spent two years
working as a Spanish assistant in primary schools in
Stoke-on-Trent, England.I highly recommend this
experience as it was greatly rewarding in many ways.
After coming back from England, I knew I wanted
to teach, so I started working full-time at a language
school, teaching all levels, preparing students for
Cambridge exams, and I also became a FCE speaking
examiner. I also took Oposicions for the EOI but,
unfortunately, I did not pass. By that time I was also on
the Generalitat teaching lists and, after endless waiting, I
was finally offered a job. However, it was really far away
and only 10 hours a week, which made it difficult to have
another job at the same time, so in the end I turned it
down and decided to stick to my full-timejob at the
language school.
Last year I was hired as an associate instructor at the
UB (probably thanks to my experience in primary schools
in England), so I have been teaching Methodology of
English and English Language to students of Magisteri. It
has been very hardcombining both jobs as it meant lots
and lots of work and no free time at all but it has been a
great experience.
2005 Judit Espinosa Marsal When I was a child I knew I wanted to teach
English. Therefore, when I came back from Scotland,
where I finished my degree with an Erasmus grant, I did
the CAP. That year I was very busy because while I was
doing the CAP I was preparing for the oposicions for the
EOI too. I was not successful because I didn’t know how
the oposicions worked and did everything wrong, except
for the theory exam. That year I also started working at
ICCIC, a language school in Barcelona.
I started working there because I had worked in
summer camps the school organised for the Generalitat
for several years while I was studying. At first I thought I
was lucky because I had started working the same year I
finished my studies. However, I did not feel that it was
the job I really wanted. I worked only eight hours a week
and, apart from the fact that I was not paid enough for all
my expenses, I had to travel from my village
near Tarragona to Barcelona every day to work for a
maximum of two hours a day.
That year I also decided to join the substitution lists.
I had to wait for the whole year to start working in the
public schools, but once I started working, I got constant
substitution jobs, in both primary and secondary schools.
It was a good experience because I could really see I
loved teaching, especially teenagers.
Apart from that, I attended a private school to
prepare for the oposicions seriously, since the previous
ones were not what I expected. This time I passed them
but didn’t get a post because I didn’t have enough mèrits.
After that, I also took some cursos de formació
permanent, not only because I needed the mèrits but also
because I wanted to learn things other than what I learnt
during my degree.
In 2007 I worked part time in a high school in
Torredembarra because I was preparing for
the oposicions again. I decided to take a part-time job that
year because I wanted to prepare better for the exams.
Finally, I got my position! As we say in Catalan, a la
tercera va la vençuda! It is such a relief to know that I
don’t have to look for a new job anymore.
Nowadays I’m teaching full-time in a high school in
Cambrils. I’ve been teaching there for two years, but I
don’t know what will happen next year, since I don’t still
have my final post. I’m still in a provisional position, but
I hope I can stay there. Last year, in this school in
Cambrils, we were involved in a Comenius project,
together with Cyprus, Poland and Italy, but unfortunately
it was denied for economic reasons, though we were
allocated a British native teacher to help us to
improve the students’ oral skills and it was quite
successful. We’ll try to get both the Comenius and the
British helper again this academic year, but we don’t
know if the proposals will be accepted by the
Departament d’Ensenyament.
On the other hand, this year I will also start taking a
French course because, due to the reduction of teachers
the high school in Cambrils, the option of giving the
students to choose studying either English or French is
not possible. Therefore, the cap d'estudis asked me if I
could take the course so that students can have the chance
to learn the two languages.
I love teaching, and taking into account the current
situation, which is changing and giving the head teachers
the possibility to choose their teachers, the more
interesting your curriculum is, the better, since the
oposicions nowadays only guarantee you a job, but not a
position in a high school near home or where you would
like to be.
Zoraida Horrillo Godino After graduating, I took some courses of the former
Doctorate offered by our Department. I learned a lot and
had a very good time, but these courses did not lead to
any material gain. Next I completed a master’s in
education at the UAB that has become the official
master’s that one has to complete to qualify as a teacher.
When I finished this MA, I felt I wanted to know more.
So I did a master’s in research in the field of language
and literature teaching. In the meanwhile, I worked as a
research assistant at the UAB. It was very interesting, but
they hired me for short periods and it wasn’t a full-time
job. As you can imagine, they paid me peanuts. Since then, I have been teaching at all educational
levels, i.e. university, primary school, secondary school
and Escoles Oficials d’Idiomes. I am currently a supply
teacher in an EOI. Although EOI teachers are regarded—
a nd paid—as secondary teachers, teaching at an EOI is
closer to teaching at university, particularly when you
teach the highest levels. This involves loads of
preparation and correction work. It may also mean
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 126
controlling a few teens, like in a secondary school.
Before most secondary schools had classes only till
lunchtime, the advantage of teaching at an EOI was the
timetable. Most days you don’t start working until 2 or
3PM and you finish at 9 or 9:30PM.
Susana Pérez Martínez
I never really thought about my professional life
when I went to university. Never thought about teaching,
probably because I don’t like it. I only knew I liked
studying languages in general, and English in particular.
Before graduating, I wanted neither to take the CAP nor
end up teaching teenagers for the rest of my life. But, as
everybody thinks you must try teaching just because you
studied Philology, and I had the opportunity, I tried.
Almost as soon as I finished my degree I started working
at UAB Idiomes Barcelona. My students were adults and
I thought I could also learn from teaching them. And I
did, for two years. It was an interesting experience, but
not enough for me.
So I decided to start working in the administrative
office, and I am still there. It is quite good, because I use
English every day and I work on my own. I’m in charge
of the international students who come to study Spanish.
That involves giving information, registering them for
courses, contacting agencies, universities and embassies,
and helping students whenever they need it.
At first I wanted to apply for a Postgraduate
program or a second cycle degree. But I never found the
time. And, at present, I find neither the time nor the
money. But I need to study languages from time to time,
so I got the nivell superior de català and went back to
German classes. I did German as a second language at the
UAB and, three years later I studied German again. I'll
probably apply for another German or English course this
year. I would like to take a monographic course in
English (cinema, literature), because I’m always using
the same kind of vocabulary at work, and I’m afraid I’m
losing fluency.
I feel really fine at my workplace and enjoy doing
my job. That’s very important for me. My advice: for
those thinking about going abroad, go! Because you may
not have the chance to do it in the future. If you are
looking for a job, send your CV everywhere and
remember that ‘word of mouth’ among friends and family
works better than any LinkedIn or any other social
network.
Belén Sánchez Montero
While studying I worked as an English teacher, both
in schools and giving private lessons at home, but I
realized that being a teacher was not my dream work, so I
decided to experience in other fields like translation,
interpretation and even office work. During a summer, I
worked at El Corte Inglés, positive experience but badly
paid. I also worked for Europcar car rental, at the airport
as a guide, and as a shop assistant, and they were all good
jobs in the sense that I had contact with tourists and it
was a great opportunity to improve my English and
German.
But I got tired of temporary jobs, precarious
conditions, Monday to Sunday working hours, and I
decided to apply for a vacancy I saw posted on
infojobs.net (actually, all my previous jobs were found on
this web site so I highly recommend it): “Person required
for the Human Resources Department in a multinational
pharmaceutical firm. High command of English and
French (a third language will be valued), translation and
administrative tasks” and so on. After eight interviews
and English level tests, I managed to get the job at
Sanofi-Aventis as a department secretary. I was in charge
of budget negotiation with suppliers, supervision of
permanent and temporary workers, translation of
company’s policies and support to the Human Resources
Director. It was a good but hard experience, as I was a
beginner in the “real working world”, and not everything
is as positive as it seems to be at first when you are
extremely motivated.
After a year and a half in the Human Resources
Department, I had the chance to work in another business
unit as a Regional Business Manager’s personal assistant
within the Cardiometabolic Business Unit. My everyday
work was to organize meetings with Area Managers,
Sales Representatives and doctors, and therefore, I had to
travel a lot, basically in Spain but sometimes out of
national territory. I really liked it since I was in contact
with the outside world; it was not the typical indoor
office job, it was very active and dynamic and this fitted
properly with my personality. I had the opportunity to
meet new people and do networking, and moreover, I had
a very good professional relationship with my boss.
After four years being a personal assistant, in
February 2010 the company offered me a new position,
so I am now working as a Market Researcher within the
Marketing Direction. However, it is a very hard and
delicate job in the sense that I have to coordinate projects,
analyze figures and competence market and translate
these figures for the Marketing departments so that they
can define the correct strategies for the products. I still
have to learn a lot, but the most important thing is that I
really like what I do. So I hope I can continue developing
my career at Sanofi-Aventis.
In my case, after finishing English Philology I
studied a postgraduate course in Marketing and
Management of Tourism Companies at the UOC, and I
really enjoyed it at the same time that I learnt about
tourism and companies in general. However, I still
believe in the traditional face to face method, and
although the online education is very practical in the
sense that you can study at home and at your own pace, it
can sometimes be impersonal.
2004 Maite Caicedo Valentí After I finished my degree, I worked as a translator
in a company based near Martorell called Cialit which is
an international distributor of photographic material to
many suppliers all over the world. I got this job thanks to
a friend who was working for the Technical Department
of the company. At that time they needed a person with a
high level of English to cover a three-month maternity
leave to carry out administrative tasks. Suddenly, during
my stay in Cialit, the translator quit—so they offered me
the job!
I translated software and operator manuals and was
also in charge of the communication with all our foreign
suppliers, by mail, telephone and in person when they
came to visit us. It was a very interesting job, because I
was constantly in touch with people from very different
countries and cultures. At the same time I learned a lot
about computers and how to use important translation
software such as Trados.
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 127
However, I continued to hope to work someday at a
high school and kept my name on the Llistes d’interins.
Finally, in September 2006, I received a phone call and
they offered me a full-time vacancy in a nearby primary
school to teach English. So I quit my job as a translator
and worked for two years as an interina in primary
schools, fortunately for the whole year in both cases.
Four years ago I started working in secondary
education, but only for three months, since I had a baby!
In spite of the short period of time that I spent working
with adolescents, the experience was very gratifying, and
professionally I learnt many new things concerning
teaching and how to “fight” with teenagers. However,
after November we could say that my job was “changing
nappies” and studying for the oposicions in June. I passed
them but did not get a post because I had too few points
in the mèrits sections.
Therefore, I decided to take a year off. So that year I
took a lot of online courses and of course took care of my
baby too. I took nine courses in Basic Competences,
Methodology, Linguistics, Student Motivation, Teacher
Burnout, Evaluations and so on. It is an easy way to
learn from home and in your free time and moreover it is
the perfect way to get some points for the merits sections
if you want to study for the oposicions. Here are the two
websites where I found the teaching
courses: http://cv.il3.ub.edu/ice/ and
www.isftic.mepsyd.es/formacion/enred/usuarios.php
Then I spent the next school year teaching English
in a high school in Esparreguera as an interina. I tried the
Oposicions for the second time, and although I passed
them with quite a good mark, I didn’t get a post. It was
because of the cutbacks—if the Government hadn’t
reduced the number of posts, I would have gotten a one.
Two Septembers ago I got a new placement as an
interina in the high school in my home town,
but I could only work until October, since my second
baby was born in December. Now I am enjoying my
maternity leave and waiting for a new placement in
September. If I'm lucky I’ll get a Nomenament for the
next school year. But it is hard to be optimistic in the
current climate of cutbacks in education.
Tanit Carré Cardona After graduating, I enrolled in a two-year program to
get a Master’s in International Relations at CIDOB.
During those years I worked at Berlitz Inc. as a freelance
teacher of English, Spanish and Catalan. During the
summers, I worked at summer camps in England with
British Summer. Once I was done with the master’s I
decided to try to get a grant to go to the States for a year.
For that purpose, I did a course in teaching Spanish as a
Foreign Language at International House. That course and the work experience I gained by
teaching English for Berlitz made me eligible to apply for
the Fulbright Spanish Lectureship. So I applied and after
an exam and interview, I was accepted. I spent a year
working as a Spanish Teaching Assistant at
Susquehanna University in Pennsylvania. The experience
is well worth it because you not only improve your
teaching skills but also get to be part of the American
way of life. However, it does not guarantee a good
teaching job once you are back here. I came back in May 2008. After a summer of intense
ELE Teaching at EF—and still missing the States—a
friend (Alicia Montenegro) and I decided to bring
the US to Barcelona by means of importing all the
amazing teaching resources we had seen there. Therefore,
we set up a shop and imported teaching aids from the
States, so that any teacher or parent could teach English,
German, maths, etc., through play. Our shop, Paradise for Educators
(www.paradiseforeducators.com) opened in June 2009. It
was a hard journey since I still kept my teaching jobs. We
tried to make ends meet without a loan, which means
having nearly no money for advertising or having to
depend on family and friends when we were on a leave. Out of the blue my partner got a job offer in
Switzerland starting August 2013. After evalutating my
quality of life at the moment, I decided to reroute by
carreer there too. Nowadays, the shop is still run by
Alicia online.
Arantza Elosua Francia After I finished my UAB degree I moved to
Edinburgh to study a MSc in Translation Studies, which
opened many doors work-wise. I have been working at
Edinburgh University since then, as well as for different
businesses and translating and interpreting for agencies
and for myself. Twice a year I also teach languages on a
cruise ship for about a month each time. For a while I worked for a multinational company as
an in-house Spanish linguist running their Spanish
department, 4 days a week, and doing self-employed
work on Fridays. It was great to be able to work
simultaneously as a teacher, translator and
interpreter (mainly at hospitals, police stations, etc., what
is called “community interpreting”). However, you need
to be very constant and be approachable 24/7 for
interpreting (e.g. for an emergency at the weekend) and
the summer months are always low in income, but good
for long holidays. That is, you have to work hard for the
rest of the year to make up for the calm months. I
also started my own online translation business. Last year there were loads of changes here due to the
recession and I went back to self employment as a
Spanish linguist, with both direct clients and agencies. I
did interpreting in Court, the police, hospitals,
conferences, etc., and translated from home. It is my first
month after a two-year stint in the whisky industry and I
hope I can survive, but work is coming in slowly but
surely.
Incidentally, for anyone wanting to become either a
professional translator or interpreter, my advice would be
to join a professional body, like the Institute of
Translators and Interpreters, to gain credibility, at a cost
of around 100 pounds a year. This year I am still self-employed and working from
home doing translations and private lessons so that I can
look after my daughter before she starts school (they
don’t do so until they are five in Scotland and nurseries
are very expensive). On the one hand, it is great as I can
look after her and make sure she is raised bilingual while
continuing with my career to some extent. On the other
hand, being freelance means no paid holidays, sick pay,
maternity leave, etc., so it compensates personally more
than financially. I am not interpreting right now because of childcare
reasons and not being able to rush it to court, police
station or prison without notice (not sure I will ever go
down that road again, to be honest, exciting but tiring and
not well remunerated for the effort put it).So now I’m
only working for my best direct clients as I don’t want to
lose them and they are being understanding about the
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 128
situation and therefore generous with their deadlines. I
also occasionally help out at the Translation Department
at Edinburgh University, with fewer and fewer lessons
every academic year, also due to cuts, as I used to teach
in the Spanish department and no longer do so. It is tough times here in Scotland so probably not the
best of times to come here for work, as there are cuts
everywhere, including companies and university
departments.
Maria Sabaté Dalmau I combined my undergraduate studies with teaching
English as a foreign language. I worked in two language
schools in Igualada for two years, did a three-month
internship at UAB Idiomes (in Barcelona), and then
worked for them for about a year. It was really good
practice, and I loved it! After graduation, I became interested in the
academic world, basically because I wanted to get to
know more about what I had learned from my degree – I
was (and still am!) particularly interested in the fields of
intercultural communication and sociolinguistics. I
worked towards a PhD in English Studies and Linguistics
at the UAB English department, first with a grant called
beca de col.laboració amb Departament and then with a
small position in the same department, teaching English
in the Humanities program. I simultaneously worked in a
language school in Cerdanyola del Vallès throughout my
MA program and my doctoral courses, for no grants or
positions were enough to make a living out of them.
Since 2010, I also work as a consultora at the UOC, in a
postgraduate program on the management of linguistic
diversity whereby I have learnt about teaching via the
new information and communication technologies. In 2006-2007 I got a grant from “La Caixa” which
allowed me to do a one-year MA in Linguistic
Anthropology at the University of Toronto, a great
experience with all the tuition fees, flights and studying
material fully covered. Luxury! There I realised that I
wanted to continue doing research in the topics of
multilingualism and migration within the fields of
linguistic anthropology and critical sociolinguistics, and
finally came back to defend my PhD at the UAB in
October, 2010. From 2007 until 2011 I worked on it with
another grant which depended on the UAB (Personal
Docent i Investigador en Formació, called PIF). It was
the first time I had a two-year grant plus a two-year
contract, which meant that for the first time I did not have
to work in different places and could strictly focus on
research. Also, I learnt a lot and really enjoyed teaching
in the department. A relief and a privilege!! Apart from
teaching university courses (descriptive grammar;
phonetics; history of the English language; use of
English, etc.), this grant also allowed me to continue
learning and travelling the world, for example by
enjoying a three-month research stay at the Centre for
Transnational Studies, at the University of Southampton,
UK, where I learned a lot. I’m currently hired as a post-doctoral fellow in the
same department, until this upcoming September (2013),
and I still do ethnographic work and never-ending
reading, congresses, publications, etc., which are very
rewarding tasks. While I love teaching and doing
research, I can see that this is definitely not the best
moment for the academic world, particularly since 2011:
there are fewer and fewer positions available, no grants in
prospect, endemic serious work and economic instability
and also precariousness, which are the negative sides of
this sort of jobs.
Mariona Salvador Jaumà After graduating, I worked as an English teacher at a
language school for a year and then decided that I wanted
to go abroad. I decided to apply for the Auxiliares
de Conversación grant. I was accepted and worked in
Kent, England as a Spanish Language Assistant for a year
(2005-2006). I loved it! My job consisted of speaking Spanish with
secondary school Spanish students. I had to prepare
games and activities or practise conversation. I only
worked 12 hours a week but got paid around 1000 euros a
month. I encourage you to apply for it. It’s a very good
experience to get to know another culture and education
system, to enjoy yourself and to try to think about your
future plans, since you’ll have lots of spare time! After working as an assistant, I decided I wanted to
have more responsibility in my job as well as keep
travelling and I applied to work as a teacher in the United
States. I got a position as a Spanish teacher in Charlotte,
North Carolina, through a program called VIF (Visiting
International Faculty). Although my visa lasted three
years, I only stayed there two years (2006-2008). Right now the situation in the US is not as good as
before. They are mostly only hiring teachers from the
United States due to the crisis, but it’s worth trying to
apply. If you are interested check their website at
www.vifprogram.com. It’s a very reliable program. If any
of you decide to apply, try to work as an ESL teacher,
they don’t have as much work as Spanish teachers. (And
email me at [email protected] so that I can explain
what it is like more fully.) Working as a Spanish teacher in an American high
school was very challenging. When I arrived, I just knew
I’d be working in the United States, I had no idea how the
school system worked, the type of students I’d be
teaching, my schedule, etc. Although VIF organises a
very helpful orientation for new teachers, you don’t really
learn about it until you find yourself in front of 30 kids
(in my school 90% of them were African-American),
trying to teach them Spanish when they are only thinking
about partying, music and giving you a hard time. I don’t
want to lie, it was very hard at the beginning, and it was a
cultural shock. On the ohter hand, I learned a lot, not only
as a teacher but also as a person. Life in the United States
was easy. I met a lot of people, travelled to many
different places like California, Colorado, Washington
DC, New York, Mexico and Puerto Rico, that is, I had a
blast. After two years I decided it was time for a change
and I came back home. I worked as an English teacher at
EOI Girona for two years, and I loved it. Teaching adults
was great. However, as you know, it’s quite hard to get a
full-time job as a teacher if you are not a funcionari. So
in February 2012 I also started working at the UOC as an
English consultor. The job is convenient because you
always work from home. I’m also interested in new
technologies and how to use them with students, so this is
an ideal place to work. I’ve been working really hard and
I’m enjoying it, but I have to say that the salary is not that
good. If any of you are interested in applying for a
position there, visit www.uoc.edu. I think they look
for consultores twice a year (May and December).
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 129
Juanjo Sánchez Belmonte I got a nice job teaching English in a private
secondary school in Barcelona back in 2005. However,
working at the Escola Oficial d’Idiomes is probably the
ideal job for an English teacher nowadays (you get a
maximum of four groups of adult, nice students at the
right level willing to learn foreign languages) and that’s
why I tried the oposicions for the EOI in 2008. I was very
happy to see I had a nice mark and was seventh in my
group. The only tiny thing was that they gave me
very few mèrits points and I didn’t get in because, as you
may know, the Catalan Education Department is like any
private company and rewards their employees by giving
them three or even seven times more points per year just
because they have taught in the EOI. Even people who
have worked in an IES or CEIP get more points than
someone who has worked in any private institution
teaching adults.
So I’m still teaching in the same school, Stucom, in
downtown Barcelona—a job which at least gives me a
decent contract, a decent salary and incentives. I teach
English for Special Purposes to computer and business
students, and the experience is great considering we
create our own materials and adapt others. I also have a
couple of Batxillerat groups, which are also good, but
less challenging since we use textbooks and the syllabus
is quite closed.
In June 2009 I also applied for a position with the
UB English Philology Department. I was selected
and I taught Business English for the entire 2009-2010
academic year in the Faculty of Economics.
Last year, though, I decided to change subjects and I
am currently teaching Language, Translation and Textual
Production in their B.A. program in English Studies.
Teaching at the university is rewarding in terms of
personal fulfillment and satisfaction, but, to be honest,
salaries are not high and you may very well spend a great
deal of time preparing classes. As a professor associat,
you must prove that you have been working somewhere
else for at least two years and that you still hold a
contract with another company. If you would really like
to become a university teacher, then you should apply for
this kind of job so that you can expand your curriculum.
Though you are not required to have completed a
Master’s degree before applying for this kind of position,
it is advisable that you show some interest in teaching
and research at this level, so I’d encourage you to look
for a Master’s programme you like and enroll for
it. Contrary to what many people may think, Master’s
degrees are not that expensive in the new Bologna
system, and if you opt for a Master’s in the field of
Linguistics and Teaching, you will most probably have to
take only 60 credits.
I’m currently doing a Master’s in Applied
Linguistics at the University of Barcelona. The Master’s
covers all aspects of second, third and further language
acquisition processes. It’s really interesting and, like most
Master’s programmes, it runs in the afternoon and in the
evening so that people who work have the time to attend
classes. You can find more information about it at
www.ub.edu/masteroficial/laalcm/.
Last but not least, if you like university teaching, the
UOC sometimes advertises positions for a consultor. Of
course you have to have some experience in distance
learning and teaching, or, at least, state in your
curriculum that you are very interested in the learning-
teaching process from a distance. Check www.uoc.edu
for further information and click on “uneix-te a la UOC”.
Meritxell Simón Martín
I graduated in 2004. I did my last year in France as
an Erasmus student at the University Paris VIII-Saint
Denis. I spent one year in Paris improving my French and
in 2005 I enrolled for a MA by research in Modern
English History at the University Paris IV-Sorbonne. I
funded the MA with a French scholarship: Aide au mérite
(http://www.cnous.fr/_vie__dossier_15.156.39.htm ). All
EU students are eligible. The only requirement is a BA
and a DALF diploma. In 2006 I began a PhD under joint
supervision (Paris IV and UAB) with a research grant:
Bourse de thèse en cotutelle (http://www.paris-
sorbonne.fr/Files/cotutelle.pdf ). In 2007
I moved to England and I worked as an assistant
teacher in Charterhouse to fund my PhD archival research
there. In 2009 I was awarded a three-year scholarship at
the University of Winchester so I transferred my PhD
there. Scholarships in the UK require the IELTS diploma.
I wrote up my thesis back in Paris while I was a “visiting
researcher” at the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences
Sociales. I finished my PhD at the University of
Winchester in November 2012. This academic year I
have worked as an assistant lecturer in English at the
Universities Paris 3 Sorbonne Nouvelle and Paris 1
Panthéon Sorbonne and next year I’ll teach at the
University of Toulon.
A career in academia is a twofold job: lecturing at
under/graduate level and doing research. In terms of
research, you work on your own most of the time or in
seminars in your lab. You present your methodology or
results in conferences and you publish your research in
scientific journals. A career in academia is intellectually
very rewarding but it is a very competitive world because
there are few positions available, especially in public
universities. Here is my advice if you want to pursue a
career in academia: there are many MA and PhD
scholarships, La Caixa, Caja Madrid, and AECI in Spain
and www.jobs.ac.uk in the UK.
It is extremely important to have a robust research
project and good letters of recommendation. An excellent
project that fits the research lines of a lab is crucial so
you can get appropriate supervision. Take your time to
discuss your research interests with lecturers at the UAB.
You can contact professors abroad directly by e-mail. In
general they are approachable and supportive. These
scholarships are highly competitive and it can be very
frustrating to have yours turned down one after another.
You need to be persevering. Once you have funding,
doing a PhD is a long and very demanding project. It
requires patience and diligence. Not recommended for
those looking for quick results and rewards, including
money. Moreover, once you get your PhD, there is no
guarantee that you’ll be offered a permanent position.
Usually you get temporary contracts for years until you
are offered a tenure-track position. For that, you need to
have the “acreditació” in Spain
(www.aneca.es/Programas/PEP) and the “qualification”
in France (https://www.galaxie.enseignementsup-
recherche.gouv.fr/ensup/cand_qualification.htm).
These are not required in the UK. My intention is to
develop my career in France, where I live with my
partner. To get a permanent position in a public
university here (to be a maître de conference = “professor
titular funcionari”), you need to have passed the French
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 130
“oposicions”: CAPES or Agrégation. These “concours”
are meant for secondary school teachers but they are also
required for those applying for a position as a “professor
titular” in universities. They are highly competitive
written and oral exams, most of which are in French. I’m
currently working on my French so as to prepare the
CAPES “concours” in 2015. As you can see, I graduated
in 2004 and I’m still “studying”. A career in academia is
definitely for those in love with books! If you are one of
these and you have questions, you can contact me at
[email protected]. I wish you all the
best!
Sandra Torres Mensat I finished my degree while on an Erasmus in Vienna
and decided to stay in Vienna to perfect my German. So I
took intensive courses in German and taught intensive
courses in Spanish to adults at an official language school
and simultaneously applied for an internship with the
UN’s Investigations Unit, Office of Internal Oversight
Services. I was not optimistic because I knew they
receive many applications. So it was a great surprise
when they offered me a position in December. I was a
UN intern from April to July. I was in the department
responsible for investigating things like fraud, abuse of
authority, sexual harassment, and misconduct among the
40,000 UN employees around the world.
Yes, it is actually possible to do an internship at the
United Nations. I encourage you to apply via the Internet
at the following address:
www.unis.unvienna.org/unis/en/internship.html
However, if you surf a little bit on the net you will see
that there are internship programs in New York as well as
other offices and agencies. By the way, given the unpaid
nature of the internship, I got a Leonardo grant.
After 2 years in Vienna I moved to Brussels and
worked for a settlement bank called Euroclear
(www.euroclear.com/wps/portal). At Euroclear there is a
continuous demand for young graduates with as many
languages as possible because the work itself requires
being constantly in touch with agents from banks from all
over the world. I simultaneously took a postgraduate
course in International Cooperation Project Management
offered by the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya.
I then applied for the European Commission
Traineeship Program and was awarded it! It was well
paid (€1000/month) and lasted 5 months. In order to
apply, see the following website:
ec.europa.eu/stages/index_en.htm. Check the list of
Directorate Generals and read all the information very
carefully, as it is extremely important to choose the 3
DGs which have most to do with your background and
experience. For instance, in my case, I was selected to
work at the European Anti-Fraud Office for a specific
project in cooperation with the UN Office of Internal
Oversight Services, where I did my internship in 2004.
After the traineeship ended, I was extremely lucky
as they took me as temporary agent in the same unit, as a
Strategic Intelligence Analyst. In the meantime I had
prepared myself for one year for one of the EU
competitions in the field of auditing and I passed! So now
I am part of the team of EU external auditors of the
European Social Fund in Directorate General of
Employment and Social Affairs—though currently taking
a maternity leave to take care of my baby daughter.
Maria Velázquez González-Nicolás I taught in an English school for four years. I loved
teaching but working conditions were not the best: a 5-
hour-contract when I was actually working 25 hours a
week. Besides, in summer I didn’t get any money
because my contract was from October to June. I started thinking about working in an export/import
company and I found out that a lighting company was
looking for someone with a good command of English. I
sent my CV, went to an interview and got the job.
At first I was in the customer service department for the
USA/Canada/UK and Ireland. Six months later I was
asked if I wanted to be more involved in sales, and I was
promoted to Ireland and UK Sales Executive. In October
2007 I was promoted again to United States and Canada
Sales Manager, but in March 2010 the company decided
to put these two markets “on hold” as their economies
were not in very good condition. Since then I have been
taking care of European countries including Ireland,
Malta, Croatia, Bulgaria, Kosovo, Cyprus, Slovenia,
Serbia-Montenegro, Bosnia- Herzegovina, Albania,
Moldavia and Macedonia. My job implies travelling almost 50% of my
working time. I spend one week in the office and one
week visiting customers. I have to organise my trips,
make a lot of phone calls and send several emails a day.
The good thing about it for me is that you can talk to a
lot of people from different geographic areas, and
travelling and paying them a visit and having a more
person-to-person conversation is what I like most. It
keeps your English fresh. The bad thing about it is that
you are often alone, though customers keep chasing me to
go out for dinner! In 2007 I took a one-year postgraduate course in
International Commerce and Marketing at FUB in
Manresa and I really urge people interested in business
careers to take it. I found it very, very useful. Fortunately the company I’m working for is selling
worldwide and last year we grew in sales +8.5% overall,
and we’re still hiring people! For me 2011 was one of my
best years since I achieved 23% higher than my sales
target, so I cannot complain at all. In January 2012 I was
given three more markets: Hungary, Czech Republic and
Slovakia. In 2013 I have also been given the Greek
market so in total I manage 17 European countries, my
sales in 2012 went up again and in 2013 the company still
expects to have further sales. There are markets such as
Croatia where there's a lot of construction going on so
this helps the fact that other markets are not growing as
they were in the last couple of years.
When I tell my family and friends that our business
is thriving in spite of the recession, they think it’s
impossible because in the mass media the news we hear
or read every day give just the opposite impression! I will
keep fingers crossed so this situation in the company
continues and will work even harder to keep growing.
2003
Elisabeth Castillo Fàbrega After graduating, I focused my job search on
English teaching posts, but there were no good
opportunities for a graduate. Consequently, I ended up
working for different companies and in so many posts
that I accumulated experience in different areas like
accountancy, logistics, marketing,human resources, etc.
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 131
After some years translating, working as a secretary,
accountant and so on, I accepted a job as a teacher of
English for the Departament d’Ensenyament. Since then,
I have taught not only English but also French, Sciences
in English and other subjects in many high schools and
primary schools. Apart from working, I have always kept on studying
in areas related to teaching (methodology, ICT, etc.)
either in Catalonia or in the UK. Last year, I started
studying a new degree on Primary Teaching in English at
the "UAB". It's been a great experience. I intend to keep
on studying so for the next three years while working in
high schools in the mornings. I enjoy teaching! To conclude I must say that English has been a
powerful tool for me. A degree in English language offers
graduates lots of employment and formation
opportunities. What is more, graduates can enjoy and
learn from other fields through English.
Eva González Berruezo
After graduating in 2003 I went on to study a second
degree in Translation and Interpreting, as I didn’t want to
become a language teacher and I really liked the idea of
becoming a translator. I studied in the United Kingdom
for a year (through the Erasmus programme) and after
finishing my degree in Spain I moved back to Sheffield,
where I had met my husband. It took me about 3 months
to find a job and it wasn’t as a translator, but as a
multilingual customer service advisor for a betting
company.
I didn’t particularly enjoy what I did there, so I kept
looking and after a few months I found a job as a UK and
Export Sales Executive. I never thought that I would get
into sales, but I must say that it was quite an enriching
experience and it made me realize that I could take on
challenges that were out of my comfort zone. There I
took care of customer queries and orders by phone and
email, I did sales analysis and invoicing and attended
fairs in an interpreting and sales capacity and I even got
the chance to do some translation (brochures and business
emails mainly). I can definitely say that speaking several
languages helped a lot in order to get those jobs.
A year later, I decided to register as a freelance
translator and finally get into what I really wanted to do.
Becoming a freelancer is quite easy in the UK, sodecided
to give it a go and I opened a small translation agency
with a business partner.We started to work for other
agencies and also private customers. This process took
quite a long time, though, as agencies don’t usually give
you regular work until you have been working for them
for a while.
However, after two years and a half things were not
running as smoothly as they should have in terms of
money and I decided to pull out when I found a job as an
in-house translator and reviewer at a translation agency in
Leeds. I must say that I learned a lot during my time
there, both about the translation business and about
myself. At the beginning, the work pace was frantic and
quite stressful but I managed to survive and after the first
year things got better and I also managed to improve in
terms of quality and speed.
After working as an in-house translator for over two
years, I decided to go freelance again and make all those
extra hours worth it. It also helped that the company I
worked for agreed to add me to their freelance database
and send me regular work after I left. I have been now
self-employed for over a year and I’ve managed to make
a living out of it, so I can´t really complain. Being a
freelance translator is not easy and you need a lot of
patience and to build up a solid customer base in order to
receive regular work, but it is really worth a try. You can
always start by doing it part time and having a second
job, doing some voluntary translation or going on an
internship. But whatever you do, don’t give up. Studying
languages is definitely a good investment, as it can get
you to jobs in other fields as well.
Mamen Hidalgo Villén
It has been nine years now since I became a
secondary school teacher. Now everything is so different
than when I started. I earn less money than I used to and I
work more hours, but I still love it.
To be a teacher you need to be good at dealing with
teenagers. At the beginning of the school year I still get
so excited, even nervous before the first lesson. However,
in June I am stressed out.
I’ve done so many things in the course of these
years: organizing a student exchange, grading PAU
exams, being the tutor of different kind of groups... Every
year it has been a different story.
I became the pedagogy coordinator of my IES two
weeks ago. It is a new challenge which I am really
looking forward to. Therefore, working at a secondary
school it is not just teaching English. There are so many
other things which this job offers.
Ivan Matellanes Fresnadillo
Hace cosa de 12 años que acabé la Universidad, y
desde entonces estoy en el mundo de la docencia. Al año
siguiente de acabar la carrera hice el Curs de Qualifició
Pedagògica [CQP] en la UPF (Un máster muy exigente y
mortal de necesidad, pero recomendable al 100%) para
ponerme después con las oposiciones para profesor de
Inglés de secundaria (ESO). Me apunté a las listas de
interinos y, mientras esperaba a que me llamasen,
aprovechaba para ir preparándome para las opos. Como
me fui a vivir a Benicarló (Castellón), solo podía optar a
la pequeña y demandad zona administrativa de Terres del
Ebre, lo que terminó en dos años de espera para mi
primera sustitución y vacantes muy cortas durante los
años siguientes. He estado trabajando en diferentes
institutos desde entonces, haciendo sustituciones en
Tortosa, San Carlos, Flix, Santa Bárbara ...
Con el fin de no pegarme un tiro a causa del
aburrimiento, estos años de poco trabajo los dedique a
prepararme bien las Opos, sacarme otra carrera (en la
UOC) y hacer un Máster de Estudios Americanos (En la
UAH). Sea como fuera, tras varios años intentandolo,
acabe sacándome las oposiciones en la Comunidad
Valenciana y ahora estoy en expectativa (sin plaza fija)
trabajando en el IES Els Ports (Morella - Castellón).
Gracias a todos estos años de preparación y de mi
condición de minusválido (soy enfermo de Chron, lo que
junto a otras dolencias han justificado un grado leve de
minusvalía) he podido aprobar las oposiciones.
En la actualidad, compagino mi vida profesional (la
docencia) con mi hobby cultural (las humanidades y la
historia americana), con lo cual he creado una revista
digital de Humanidades cuyo objetivo es facilitar a
alumnos y jóvenes investigadores la posibilidad de
publicar sus proyectos o inquietudes de una manera más
académica. Os invito a todos a visitarla y, aquellos que
quieran, participar en Sarasuati
(http://www.sarasuati.com).
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 132
Estel Planas Pascual
I have been working as a self-employed English
teacher for some years now. I have specialized in
Business English so I teach in-company in different fields
(hotels and restaurants, state agencies, import and export,
and so on).
Some of my courses are subsidized by the
government (for people on the dole, for instance). During
the last years, I have also taught the privates and officers
at a military base near my town.
Besides, I also work at UOC. I work as a consultora
for one of their English courses, B1 Intensive. It is really
interesting to be an online teacher and it constantly poses
new challenges.
Last summer I finished an online master course in
TOEFL, which was very interesting and helpful. I would
like to continue studying but my current timetable does
not leave me any free time for that!
After combining my experience as an online teacher
and what I learnt in my master's degree, I have been using
online tools in my classes for a while now. Some of them
are a blog that I keep for my students
(www.up2learn.com) and an online campus. I run this
with another former UAB student, Alex Iglesias.
Núria Tuda Carro
During the ten years since I graduated, I’ve had
various jobs, some of them related to education and
others not quite so. Since I’d always liked Translation
and Interpretation, when I finished English Philology I
decided to do the second cycle of Translation at the UPF
and finished in 2005. Meanwhile I worked as a secretary
to earn some money.
Entering the translation world (especially in literary
translation) did not prove to be an easy task, and after a
year working as a bookshop assistant and secretary, I
received the good news that I had been accepted as
Spanish language assistant in France, thanks to the MEC
scholarships. This was one of the most useful experiences
I’ve had, since that year made me realize that I could
really enjoy teaching. Moreover, it gave me the
opportunity to get to know a new culture and to improve
my level of French.
After returning from France and working as a
hostess to earn some money during the summer, I was
summoned by the llistesd’Ensenyament. I started
teaching English (and other subjects) in a primary school
in l’Hospitalet. Being a teacher is really challenging and
every day you have to work hard and do the best you can
so that your students learn. I can’t say it is an easy task,
but it has its rewards and satisfactions, and I definitely
like it. In addition, through the translation association I
belong to, I was contacted to translate a handbook of
English grammar originally addressed to French
speakers.
The year 2012-2013 I taught English in a high
school in Badalona, a little bit more than half time. The
vacancies in Ensenyament have been reduced since last
years, that’s clear, so if you are just finishing your degree
and you want to teach I recommend you to look for
teaching jobs in private and “concertada” schools and to
keep on specializing in whatever you are interested in and
like. Last December I applied for a Visiting Teacher
vacancy in the USA offered by the MEC
(www.mecd.gob.es/eeuu/convocatorias-
programas/convocatorias-eeuu/ppvv.html) and after
preparing all the documents and going to the interview in
Madrid I got a vacancy for a Middle School in Florida,
the state that I applied for. It has been a hard process but
it promises to be a great experience and I am really
looking forward to it.All that I can recommend is to try
accomplishing your goals or dreams, because sooner or
later you will have results.
2002
Diana Gasol Nykvist
After graduating I worked for four years at an
American university that offered an Executive
MBA program in Barcelona for students from all over the
world. Then I got a master’s degree in International
Relations at the Institut Barcelona d’Estudis
Internacionals. I wrote my dissertation (“La educación
superior como instrumento de proyección internacional
de Europa y la Unión Europea”) while I worked for a
relocation company where I spent four and a half years.
I have been working in a multinational company in
the information technology industry for more than two
years now. This job has meant a major change in my
career since I joined a business development team
and have managed several projects to create and
improve processes. Definitely, this change has been both
challenging and exciting.
Susan Hernández Hernández
After graduating I continued working in the English
academy where I had been working during my degree,
and simultaneously did the CAP. I also studied German
and Russian in Barcelona in the mornings.
In July of 2003 I signed up to be a substitute teacher
with the Generalitat. However, you can’t spend at least
half a year relaxing before they call you, so I decided to
look for another job. I didn’t like the conditions in
language schools so I got a job in a private secondary
school. I had a great experience as a teacher, but I didn’t
like how the whole institution worked. We didn’t receive
any support when problems came up and we worked
more than 8 hours a day.
At the end of the school year in 2004 I decided to
quit the private school. I thought that with a bit of luck I
would finally get a call from the Generalitat. In the
meantime, the parents of one of my students offered me a
job as a school manager and teacher in a language
academy. I accepted the position, since I had started
thinking about the possibility of having my own
academy. I worked there for only 5 months before
receiving a call from Ensenyament, and I started the
difficult adventure of doing substitutions.
That year I did oposicions and I got a good mark.
However, I didn’t have enough points in terms of
experience and courses and I couldn’t get a permanent
position (a shame). I realised that getting points was as
important as getting a good mark. You can even get a 9
and you still won’t pass oposicions if you don’t have the
mèrits!
However, that August I was offered a job at the same
secondary school for the whole year and I loved being
there. After having worked in so many secondary schools
I was finally working in one which was very good. The
following year, I worked in a different school and I
decided to take the oposicions exam again and this time I
was successful. I worked in the same school for 3 years,
the third being on my practice period after the oposicions
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 133
exam. This was the place where I learnt the most as far
methodology is concerned. We had a very nice, ambitious
and competent team of teachers in the department and
even though I was in a school with misbehaved students
belonging to a difficult background we all did a good job.
After three years, it was time to apply for a
permanent vacancy and even though I included my last
high school, which was about 40 minutes from home, I
also applied for a vacancy near my hometown (you can
apply for about 10 places and you are awarded one
vacancy or another depending on your points, which
depend on your years of experience and continuous
training). That year, I was finally awarded the permanent
vacancy I wanted and now I’ve been working there for
about two years. I love my job and I’ve been very lucky
because I work in a small village near home where
students are quite motivated to learn and I’m planning to
carry out some European exchanges in the near future. Josep Jutglar Company I had never thought of teaching as a career but after
finishing my degree on an Erasmus exchange at the
MMU (Manchester Metropolitan University), I had the
opportunity to do an internship in the CAL (Centre
d’Autoaprenentatge de Llengues) of the UAB. They
needed someone who had just finished a degree,
preferably with no teaching experience. That was me!
Suddenly I found myself working in a self-access centre
where I learned a lot about self-learning.
When I finished the internship in the CAL I decided
to try my luck and started working as a free-lance
translator dubbing films. I had done a postgraduate
degree in Audiovisual Translation at the UAB and
worked for two dubbing studios. The job was fun as I
could work at home and didn’t have fixed hours but there
were some weeks with no work and I could barely make
ends meet.
That’s why I went back to teaching. I worked for 3
years as a teaching assistant at UAB Idiomes St. Pau
doing support tasks for the head of studies and after that I
managed to secure myself a full-time job at Servei de
Llengües (UAB), where I could put into practice all
things I had previously learned.
Quite a few years have passed since then, my
experience in teaching has grown considerably and I’ve
dealt with very different types of courses. One of the
most challenging ones has been a course called “English
for Chemistry” aimed at postgraduate students of
chemistry who need to improve their English at a
professional level. When I was told I would be doing this
course I panicked, as it required a lot of preparation.
Eventually it turned out to be very rewarding and I have
taught this course three times now. Last year I was also
asked to teach a new course called “English for
Librarians” which was time-consuming to prepare but
very gratifying to teach.
I’ve also been a teacher for the UOC for four years
and I’m enjoying it a lot. The UOC look for consultors of
English to teach virtually with prepared materials and to
dynamize forums, etc. The only condition to work for the
UOC is that you already have a contract with another
institution (whether part-time or full-time). This job has
allowed me to learn a lot about distance learning and to
get some extra money. The only problem is that it
requires extra work at home at nights and weekends.
Combining the UOC and Servei de Llengües courses is
exhausting.
My biggest challenge this year has been doing a part-
time coordination substitution at the UOC for three
months. I must admit I almost went mad, as I had to
combine my full-time job at the UAB, my collaboration
as a consultor and the substitution coordination tasks.
However, it has been good experience. For the first time
in my life I have had to do coordination tasks ranging
from dealing with teachers’ queries and questions,
preparing calendars, programming courses, and creating
course material to holding job interviews for new teacher
candidates.
Masha Kubyshina Salvado
Actually I finally completed my UAB degree in
2004. By that time I was living in California, USA. I had
also pursued a degree in photography and after four
months of searching I landed a job in a photo studio in a
big department store. It was a horrible experience, and I
lasted there for two weeks. I did some small gigs for
independent fashion designers and model agencies and
later landed a job in a very small fashion
company, igigi.com.
From photography I moved to marketing, then to
business operations and found my real passion: business.
After having worked for five years at IGIGI, I opened my
own clothing company, kids organic clothing line. I
operated it for two years. Due to my husband’s job we
moved to Norway and I started working on a tech startup
with two cofounders, just to find 4 months after that we
were not a good fit as a team.
I then developed projects on my own and partnered
with our current CEO. We started building our business
last May, and right now we are 6 people (3 from Spain
and 3 from the USA) and we are about to release our
event organizing platform and also working on
fundraising and marketing.
You are welcome to visit out corporate site at
www.iwpro21.com and my personal blog at
www.mashakubyshina.com
Eduardo Martínez Timón
I finished my degree in English Philology in the
summer of 2002. The only thing I was sure about then
was that I did not want to teach English. My first job
experiences were really disappointing. I worked in an
awful workshop of electric components for three weeks,
then in a metal warehouse for only a day and afterwards
in a company of telemarketing for different campaigns
for phone companies like Amena or Vodafone (in those
days called Airtel). The only thing in common in between
these different jobs was that they were really badly paid
and that none of them required any educational skill. At
that time, I was really annoyed and I started thinking I
had wasted all the time spent at the university.
Luckily, things changed for the good when I applied
for a job with Panasonic España and was accepted. They
were looking for a person with a university degree and
high English skills to work as an assistant in the technical
department of the air conditioning range. I was in charge
of translating technical data sheets and I was also the
contact between Spain and Panasonic factories both in
Japan and Malaysia.
After a year and a half, near the end of 2004, I quit
Panasonic and moved to Fujitsu, also related to air
conditioning. There I was in charge of teaching technical
seminars to their whole net of distributors. In this case,
my teaching skills were really appreciated. The salary
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 134
was good, but I was forced to spend more than half of my
time away home, and finally it became a little bit
stressful. That’s why I started thinking about moving to a
new job.
As I was aware I needed to improve my CV, I took a
program in marketing in the CEF (Centre de Estudios
Financieros) in Barcelona. Just before finishing this
program, I moved to MACtac Europe, a manufacturer of
adhesive products (very similar to 3M, but not so big)
with its European facilities based in Belgium but with the
headquarters in the US. Now, six years after I arrived at
MACtac I’m really happy. I’m in charge of the whole
range of technical adhesive products for the industry and
I take care of the big accounts in Spain and Portugal like
SEAT, NISSAN and FAGOR.
As you see, the beginnings were really difficult (I
guess that now with this crisis, even more difficult) but
with a little bit of luck, complementing your degree with
other studies and with good efforts you can build a pretty
good career not necessarily linked to English teaching.
Alba Miquel
After I graduated, I worked for a language school for
a while but realised that teaching was not my vocation. I
tried to find work at a publishing house but was
unsuccessful. I then took a postgraduate course on digital
editing, which was really interesting but did not prove
useful in finding a publishing-related job. At about the
same time I did an 800-hour course in International
Commerce and German at Centro Humboldt in
Barcelona, and once I finished the course I spent 6
months working as a trainee for a forwarder, where I
learnt a lot about transport, import and export.
They then helped me find a job at the purchasing
department of a distribution company. There I had to
contact their mainly foreign suppliers and manage stocks
amongst other admin tasks. Since it was not well paid and
did not motivate me much, after a few months I quit and
started working at the transport department of Mango, the
clothing chain. There I was in charge of the shops in
Germany, Austria, Sweden and Greece. What I did was
manage stocks, deliveries, incidences, claims and
transport. I spent a year working there and eventually
quit—same reasons as before: bad salary, low motivation
and very little prospect of promotion within the company.
After that I went to Bremen, Germany, for four
months and took an intensive course in German. After a
brief return to Barcelona, I went to London and started
working at Solbank, where I worked for over two years
trying to attract customers for the branches in Spain.
Solbank is a subsidiary of Banco Sabadell which
specialises in foreigners who are interested in buying
properties or opening a bank account in Spain.
Two years later the Solbank department in London
was dissolved and I started working in the Operations
department of Banc Sabadell, first in operations and
treasury back office, then as Compliance Assistant,
afterwards as Deputy Compliance Manager and finally as
Compliance Manager. All along I kept learning new
skills (both related to my job—I actually got qualified in
Compliance—and also to do with therapies as well as
multimedia design, yoga, tai qi, meditation, acting or
publishing). While I was never passionate about my job,
the fact that I was given the chance to progress within the
branch gave me the opportunity to learn a wide spectrum
of skills and gradually take on more responsibilities and
manage a small team, which I valued as a learning
experience.
After my 7-year experience in London—which
despite its many challenges I don’t regret at al—I decided
to move on and go for what I had been considering doing
for a number of years: in February I quit my job and left
London. I am now temporarily back to Barcelona but in a
few months I am going travelling for an extended period
of time, starting with Canada (I got a 1-year working-
holiday Visa) and then heading South to the States and
Central and South America for as long as I can afford to
(or feel like it).
Regarding the Visa for Canada, it is part of the
“International Experience Canada” program aimed at
people aged between 18-35 and there are three options. I
chose the “working holiday” one, which allows me to
travel and work on a casual basis for one year, but there
are also the “Student Summer Job” and “Young
Professionals” options. The application process this year
opened in February and it generally gets fully booked
really quickly (in a matter of days, in fact) but it might be
of interest for someone who wants to apply for it next
year. The link is at
http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/spain-
espagne/experience_canada_experience/index.aspx
2001
Cecilio Alarcón Ortiz
Getting to pass all the subjects and finally obtaining
the degree as a Licentiate in English Philology was really
hard and a long process, at least for me. When it was
finally over, I felt prepared for the afterlife (as one of my
teachers suggested) Was I? Not sure.
My first experiences as a teacher consisted of doing
after-school activities in English. I simply did not know
what to do, therefore I improvised a lot and I enjoyed the
process. I had never done that with kids before, since all
my training had been as a teacher for teenagers and
adults. It was really hard, the pay was not enough (is it
ever?) but the people I worked with and the new
experiences (teaching toddlers may end up being a very
physical experience, but it is fun) was clearly worth the
effort. In the meantime, I was teaching youngsters and
adults in different academies, not only English but
everything related to languages (I speak a bit of German
too).
Then I moved on to the circuit of private and semi-
private schools. It was hard. Nobody ever told me I had
to be first a policeman, then a teacher. But I survived, I
did learn a lot from both students and teachers (though it
was a really tough time sometimes) and it took me up to
the next level, in terms of maturity, both as a person and
as a teacher.
While adjusting to everything, I worked for a
couple of years in an office and as a receptionist,
basically taking advantage of my knowledge of English
and German. In the end, I decided that I preferred to be a
teacher, although I keep my mind open to do whatever is
necessary.
Then I started to work for the public school system;
it has been so far my most satisfactory experience.
Although I’ve been a substitute for a couple of years,
never more than six months in a row at the same place, it
is where I feel I belong, though circumstances may put
my adapting-to-a-new-situation abilities to the test again.
Therefore, I keep my options open, and whatever comes
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 135
along in the form of a new job and an end-of-the-month
regular salary will be more than welcome.
Teresa Aulí Llinàs When I finished my degree, I first got a job in
an Opening School where we taught English with
computers. Then I worked in a factory as a secretary
where they promised I would speak English a lot with the
customers, but in fact I didn’t. After participating in some
summer camps organised by IC-CIC, they offered me a
job at Thau School in St. Cugat; I worked there for six
years and gained a lot of experience. However, after my
second child was born, we moved to Olot, my and my
husband’s hometown, because we missed our families,
friends and the landscape. I am currently working at a
secondary school. In fact it is the school where I went as
a child and I’m pretty happy here. I started with few
hours at first but I’m teaching a bit more now. I really
like it and I hope I’ll be able to enjoy teaching here for a
long time!
Tània Garriga Luzón
While still studying in the UAB, I was also teaching
English in a small private English school in my city
(Manresa). I used to study 8 to -16 in the UAB and then
leave a bit earlier from class and work in Manresa from
17 to 22. However, after being a teacher for 5 years, I
decided to stop. I didn't like it that much. I'd rather
practice and learn more and more English every day, than
just teach with no communication with real native
English speakers at all.
So I graduated in Tourism as well, and worked in a
hotel for a while, where I had more exposure to different
languages that I could put into practice. However,
working on holidays, weekends and alternating shifts was
not the most convenient timetable.
So I switched to what I am doing now, which is
being responsible for export administration in an
international company near where I live. We manufacture
laser equipments for marking and coding and have
distributors worldwide, so it is fun to be in touch with so
many different cultures and get to practice different
languages every day. I take care of shipments, customs
procedures, sales assistance to our distributors, and so on.
Working times are convenient for me so I can also enjoy
my family.
Rosana Martínez Fernández
After I graduated I worked for Xauxa, a company I
had already worked with (I found the offer at Infojobs).
First I worked as a camp leader again (monitora
d’anglès) and then I did some other tasks with more
responsibility. Then I went to Brazil for some personal reasons (no,
I didn’t have a Brazilian boyfriend). I worked as an
English teacher for several academies/companies and also
taught private classes. But I had no legal contract or work
permit, so I left after a year. When I came back to Barcelona I did some other
jobs like teaching, translating, etc, and I realized that I
wasn’t sure of what I was doing. I decided that I needed a
change. So I did the segon cicle de periodisme at the
UPF. The good thing about Pompeu is that you can finish
in two years. The bad thing is that it is almost full-time,
and you have a lot of homework, so it is almost
impossible to have a job while you study.
Then I did my pràctiques at Xarxa de Televisions
Locals and I worked there for about five years. What I
liked most at first about my job was dealing with real life
issues. You get to know many things and meet many
people. The worst was that I hardly practised the
languages I know. After some years there I was bored of
the kind of journalism they make you do. It is not
journalism—you just copy a lot of stuff, everything you
do you do alone (I am a camera women, journalist, editor,
etc.) and it is really tiresome and stressful, since you are
always in a hurry. Also I had to deal with politics and
politicians, which I really hate! I tried to change my job
for years, but it’s really hard. Finally I got to change my job (although it is the
same people that hired me, with the same precarious
contract, etc.). I’m doing the same job, but for a culture
programme at Barcelona TV. I’ve been there for three
years now and I’m much happier! I like culture, and my
team is much better. I work fewer hours and with much
more flexibility. So my advice to graduates is: stop for a while,
breathe deeply and look inside yourself. Think about
what you would really like to spend most of your time
and energy doing. Get informed about all the options,
investigate, talk to people...move! And if still you don’t
know what to do or how to do it, don’t worry, you’re not
alone! I’m 36 this year and still have no idea of what I
want to do in life!
2000
Miriam Urgellés Coll
After being offered the opportunity to finish the
degree through an Erasmus scholarship in Glasgow, I
have mostly lived in the UK. Just after I completed the
BA, I decided to study further, so I enrolled on a
Computational Linguistics masters in the University of
Essex. I really did enjoy the experience, and even though
I thought that pursuing an academic career was certainly
an option, I wanted to take some time to think about such
a commitment and I went to Japan after completing the
MA. It was a really rewarding experience, and I did learn
quite a bit about teaching in academies, and I concluded
that I didn’t want to work in such an environment.
So instead, I enrolled for a PhD, which I completed
in 2009. During the time of study I also had the chance to
teach different subjects at university level, and I was very
keen on the research and teaching aspects involved in an
academic life. I continued teaching in universities for
another two years after finishing the PhD, but the
impossibility of finding a permanent position together
with the wish of starting a family, made me look for
employment in the private sector. I applied for a variety
of graduate jobs, and I ended up working in a publishing
house in London as a researcher, which is what I am
currently doing.
My job entails interviewing professionals from
various sectors (e.g. lawyers, bankers, etc.) and reviewing
legal documents to produce a series of books of
recommendations of lawyers and law firms around the
world. All the reports are written in English, though
interviews can be done on any language one feels
confident using.
Life After Graduation August 2013
Alumni of the Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística, UAB 136
1999
Eva Fité Martínez After I graduated, I completed an MA in English
literature in Hull, UK, in 2000. Back in Barcelona, I
taught English with part-time contracts. I decided then to
try to go into business as it was clear to me that I would
not want to build my career around teaching. I completed
a short course in ‘Secretariat Internacional’ funded by the
European Social Fund. It was one of those courses
(around 200 hours) offered to people who are
unemployed in order to encourage training and options
within the labour market. It was not an in-depth course
but it gave me good basic knowledge of key aspects of
secretarial work, which, together with my knowledge of
foreign languages, made my CV quite attractive for
secretarial jobs.
I then applied for jobs in admin positions in
multinational companies. I got a job in Mango’s Buying
Department, as a buying assistant, which was basically
administrative and gave me good knowledge of the
company, its product and what it is like to work in an
international department within a multinational company.
After a year I applied for an internal vacancy that
arose in Mango’s Human Resources department, as an
assistant, since that area was appealing to me. I got the
job, which led some time later to a move to London as
the company’s training manager for the shops in the UK.
I worked in London for four years and completed as a
part-timer a master’s degree in Human Resources
Management. The latter allowed me to gain more
specialized knowledge of the field where I currently
work, as a HR Manager, which I really enjoy. Four years
later, I moved back to Spain where I took my current post
in HR management.
My advice goes to graduates who want to work in a
company instead of teaching. It is important to be open
and give things a try when you get started. Keep your
eyes and your ears open to different professional
opportunities that may arise, be ambitious and develop
curiosity for things in different workplaces. Try to listen
to your heart, to do what you really want and build your
objectives from there, and not from conventional
expectations. I would not advise completing postgraduate
or master’s courses right after graduating. I would advise
you to do this instead as a part-timer while you work,
once you gain job experience and find something
interesting at work in which you can grow specialized.
Òscar Ros Joven
After teaching at various language schools for six
years, I realized that there was no future in it. So in
September 2006 I passed an exam and started as
asubaltern at the Generalitat’s Departament de Cultura.
Since then I’ve been occupying various posts and passing
more official exams to get promoted within the
Generalitat. Thus, I worked as
an auxiliar administratiu at the Departament d’Economia
i Finances, as an administratiu at the Departament de
Cultura i Mitjans de Comunicació and as a tècnic
superior at the Departament d’Interior i Relacions
Institucionals, to name a few.
As of a couple of years ago, I’m a tècnic de gestió at
the Departament of Justice—Prison Personnel Section—
and though I don’t especially like the job, most of my
partners contribute to create a really nice environment
and I try to regard every little task at work as a kind of
mental stimulus (e.g. if I have to write some kind of
boring report, I take it as a writing task, at least). And
sometimes there are little surprises. For instance, one day
I had the chance to visit the Centre Penitenciari d’Homes
de Barcelona—La Model. That was a real experience! On
the other hand, I don’t need to tell you that the
government’s politics at times makes it difficult to
maintain my little interest in work. But I suppose these
are the rules of the game we’re playing, especially as
civil servants.
I’m still working at the Department of Justice in
Barcelona, dealing with all kinds of subjects related to the
human resources of the people working at the Catalan
penitentiary facilities (also known as prisons). So I’m
basically physically at the same place, with more or less
the same kind of work—though a greater amount of it—
and with a lower salary thanks to the government
cutbacks.
As for my alter ego, Scar, he’s still playing the bass
guitar in INTO THE NETHERMOST and we’ve recently
released our debut album called ‘Once Upon the
Graveyard’. You can check it out, download it for free
and even order a physical limited digital edition via
intothenethermost.bandcamp.com/
In addition, for all kinds of novelties, pics and future
gigs, see https://www.facebook.com/IntotheNethermost
1997
Adela Mena García
After finishing my degree in 1997, I taught in a
language school. I loved the job, but the timetable was
irregular and the pay low, with a fair proportion in black.
After two years I needed a change. I started studying
German and I did a course in Microsoft Office. I started
working in an Export Department for a multinational
company dealing with orders, customers and complaints
on the phone. It was a very macho company since women
tended to have the routine jobs, but I was getting
experience and after a year, it was time for another
change. In the meantime, I carried on with my German
lessons.
I applied for a job as a Personal Assistant to a
Managing Director thirteen years ago and began working
for a multinational company. The first few years were the
best: really challenging, using my languages all the time,
terribly busy but fulfilling. I continued German for five
more years and after that I took a course in Marketing
and Finance at EADA. Then, I started with French.
Five years ago, there was a management buy-out and
we became a national company. My job wasn’t as
interesting and I even considered leaving. Two years ago
I had a baby and I took unpaid maternity leave for a year.
I came back last October and I went for a reduction in my
schedule (I only work 6 hours in the morning).
I’m really happy now since I work in the mornings,
have my free time for my daughter in the afternoons-
evenings and we became a multinational company again
after a sell-out. Unfortunately, we are about to move
premises and instead of ten minutes to work, it’ll now
take me 45 minutes by car and the company won’t pay
travel expenses!