What made you decide to stay on for another year?

I was happy in the area, was getting to know people around town, enjoyed my first year teaching at the school and saw it as a chance to further my professional development.

Support regarding everyday living in Andújar

From the day we arrived, we’ve had all the support and help we could ask for in terms of finding somewhere to live, settling in, getting used to living in the town and area and all manner of little things along the way – having this support allowed us to concentrate on the teaching side of things, and made it much easier to adjust to living here and focus on our job. Our landlord has been excellent, too.

Training/helping me grow professionally

The school has always been ready to support us in furthering our experience and ambitions, from both financial perspectives and in terms of encouragement and help with the specifics; arranging training around our needs, encouraging us to lead sessions and share our experiences etc.
Starting on the Delta has made aspects of this year challenging – not least managing the workload – but the help we’ve received from the school has made it wholly do-able.

Comment on the type of social life you have had (meeting people, blending in)

Andújar’s a moderately-sized, conservative town – and of course, there are few native speakers outside of work – but this has its upsides. People are friendly and welcoming, and unfailingly generous if you make a little effort. We’ve enjoyed making friends here, and will miss those we’ve got to know – and it’s been extremely good for our Spanish living here. Andújar itself has everything you’d need socially and practically, as well as goodish transport links to nearby, larger cities.

How have you managed moneywise (food, rent, travelling and going out)?

Wages go a long way here – rent is much cheaper than that we’ve been used to paying in the UK, and your money goes a long way in terms of finding spacious, well-equipped and well-located accommodation. Travelling around is also pretty affordable, and food and drink are equally cheap – it’s not expensive to eat well here, and I’ve enjoyed not having to worry about buying quality products at the market. Seafood in particular is a bargain.

What recommendations would you give to someone coming to work at the school/live in Andujar?

I think it’s important to know what to expect from Andújar, especially in terms of the social circle you’ll need to build up – but with an open attitude, it’s not hard to meet people. The students are extremely friendly and will often help you in this respect. Although transport’s decent, having your own car is a real advantage – while the major cities are all well-connected by bus and train, there are some great off-the-beaten-track places nearby that would otherwise be difficult to reach if you didn’t have your own transport. Parking can be a pain in Andújar, though, so a garage would be a good idea.