CARLY BALMANA'S INTERVIEW

I talked with Carly, our native teacher this year. She has been giving class to almost every group of the ESO and now I'm going to ask her some questions about her experience in Pozoblanco.

• Where are you from?

I am from San Francisco, California in the United States.

• What have you studied?

I went to university in San Francisco and I studied Communication Studies.

• What do you have to do to be a conversation assistant for your language in another country?

You have to have some college education, but I think most important things you need are patience. an open mind and a positive attitude.

• Do you like the experience?

I love it! I love that it allows me to fully experience another culture and learn about new things.

• Do you want to do it more times?

I am hoping that I will be able to do it again in Spain next year, and perhaps another country after that!

• Why did you choose Spain?

I travelled to a few cities in Spain in 2017 and really enjoyed it. So I thought why not try living there for a few months!

• Is education different here than where you are?

Yes and no. I think it’s great that students start learning a second language very young here. I think it makes it easier for them in the future. Whereas in the US, most students don’t start learning a second language until they are about 15 years old.

• Do you miss your family?

Sometimes. Haha. But whenever I really miss them I can video call them and see / talk to them that way.

• What courses do you give them?

At the school I help with English, History / Geography, Math, Art, Biology, and Physics. I hope I didn’t forget a class!

• Have you leraned anything from them?

Lots! A lot of the subjects I haven’t studied since I was a teenager, so it's a good review. I also have to research different artists’ lives that I didn’t know about before.

• What do you like most about being here?

The people! From the first day that I arrived (even though I was months late and know very little Spanish) the staff and students were so welcoming and lovely. They made the transition very easy for me by being so nice.

• Is there something you want to say to people who read you interview?

This whole experience has been out of my comfort zone and totally new for me, but it’s also been amazing! So I would tell people to not be afraid to try new things, and that pushing yourself can lead to wonderful opportunities!

Paula Moreno Amaro (2º BA).