<![CDATA[YearsAbroad.com - Blog]]>Fri, 22 Jul 2011 11:05:13 -0800Weebly<![CDATA[Settling into your new surroundings]]>Sat, 09 Jul 2011 03:11:02 -0800http://www.yearsabroad.com/1/post/2011/07/settling-into-your-new-surroundings.htmlStarting your year abroad can be daunting. It’s likely that it will be vastly different to any move you’ve ever made before, as you’ll be going to a foreign country, almost certainly on your own.

But as soon as you've taken the first, and possibly hardest, step - that of deciding to go abroad - the rest should follow. Social life among students isn’t always as organised as it is the UK, so the first thing you’ll notice is that you could have to be more outgoing than you might normally be.

Some students find that people on the continent can be “coldly polite“; you have to persevere. Introduce yourself to locals, colleagues and students. Be positive, even if some people knock you back. Immigrating, for whatever purpose, is a process of adapting to new situations which will need both your time and patience. 

If you’re going to a university or language college,  a top tip is to get onto that institution’s Facebook or social network as soon as you can. You may have to wait until you’ve got a compatible email address but once you’re in, join the groups and events for things going on on campus or in town. If you keep yourself in the loop you stand a much better chance of meeting people with similar interests, and you and your mates will stand a much better chance of getting to grips with your new location.

Importantly, you’re going to need to think through all the documentation you have to take with you. Chances are you will have had enough of application forms simply to organise your activity, but there are some vital documents you may need to have to hand during your year abroad.

Many, if not most, European countries insist that you carry ID at all times; even if it’s not enforced, it can make your life abroad much easier.

  • Take copies of your acceptance letters (university, language course, job etc.) and of your home university’s Approval of Placement, if applicable;
  • A Convention de Stage for “work experience” placements in France, or a Tarjeta Comunitaria for working or studying in Spain.
  • If you’re studying at a university or language college outside of the Erasmus network, be sure to take proof that you’ve paid any fees.
  • Originals and photocopies of your passport, driving licence if you have one, and any visas/ permits for your host country.
  • Your bank details, preferably on a recent statement. You might want to set up a new bank account in the foreign currency, and will certainly need your British account details to do so.
  • Birth certificate, Exam certificates - A Levels should be fine, unless they specify more - and proof of your student status (either an ISIC or a letter from your home university)
  • If you’re eligible and will be on a Year Abroad in Europe, don’t leave home without your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) to replace form E111
]]><![CDATA[Getting around your new town]]>Sat, 09 Jul 2011 02:47:56 -0800http://www.yearsabroad.com/1/post/2011/07/getting-around-your-new-town.htmlTransport issues whilst living in smaller towns has been a worry for a few people.

It might be worth going to the local authority and expressing your frustration as a new albeit temporary member of the community. But otherwise, ensure you have found out all possible information about buses, coaches and trains and then work out ways of living with the circumstances... either finding people in the village with whom to socialise/work, expressing your difficulty to the people you do know where you live and work.

Often people will try to help by inviting you away for the weekends, lending cars or rearranging your hours so that you can profit from long weekends (Friday-Monday) to visit nearby bigger towns.

]]><![CDATA[What's a British Council teaching assistantship?]]>Sat, 09 Jul 2011 02:43:01 -0800http://www.yearsabroad.com/1/post/2011/07/whats-a-british-council-teaching-assistantship.htmlOne of the most popular options for students going abroad for a year is to become a teaching assistant in a foreign school, where you use your position as a fluent speaker of English to support the work of the teachers. 

The hours are light, the pay is usually very reasonable, and you will have lots of spare time to travel and do whatever else takes your fancy.

]]><![CDATA[Do I need experience to be a teaching assistant?]]>Sat, 09 Jul 2011 02:40:45 -0800http://www.yearsabroad.com/1/post/2011/07/do-i-need-experience-to-be-a-teaching-assistant.htmlDon’t worry, you don’t need any former teaching experience! For the teaching aspect, the British Council provides some fantastic advice on their website, so really use it, and ask for help from the teachers you work with - your school should try to help given that they won’t want to lose their assistant because he or she was so unbearably happy at their institution.

However difficult it is, try to find ways of enjoying the job and your time there; of taking advantage of the relative lack of responsibility you have as an assistant rather than a teacher, and one who will be in the job for a matter of months. Above all, try to be enthusiastic in front of the pupils. It helps enormously.

]]><![CDATA[How do I find a British Council teaching assistant placement?]]>Fri, 08 Jul 2011 14:02:17 -0800http://www.yearsabroad.com/1/post/2011/07/how-do-i-find-a-british-council-teaching-assistant-placement.htmlThe majority of students get their placement via the British Council, which places hundreds of teaching assistants every year in schools across seventeen different countries. Applications are usually made through universities, but more information on the process can be found on the British Council website.

There might be interviews for the placements, especially if you are applying to somewhere like Latin America where places are few and interest high, but in general if you are a languages student applying for a post in Europe you are very likely to secure a place.

There are also plenty of opportunities to take up a position as a teaching assistant in private schools. These private schools often contact universities directly or through outgoing language assistants to advertise these opportunities, so keep an eye out!

]]><![CDATA[Am I eligible for a British Council assistantship?]]>Fri, 08 Jul 2011 13:59:47 -0800http://www.yearsabroad.com/1/post/2011/07/am-i-eligible-for-a-british-council-assistantship.htmlTo apply for a post you must:
  • Be a native-level English speaker
  • Meet the requirements of the host country (see British Council website)
  • Have completed secondary education and at least two years of higher education. For China and Senegal, only graduates may apply
  • With the exception of China, you must have the prerequisite language skills (this varies, so please check the country pages on the British Council website)
  • Hold a British or EU passport - if you don’t, you can contact the British Council to discuss your eligibility, so don’t be put off straight away if you meet the rest of the requirements!
]]><![CDATA[British Council - choosing where to go]]>Fri, 08 Jul 2011 13:57:12 -0800http://www.yearsabroad.com/1/post/2011/07/british-council-choosing-where-to-go.htmlKeep in mind that some countries have minority languages that in some regions are spoken more than the language you are going there to learn. For example, in schools in Catalonia (Spain) you would find that Catalan is used more than Spanish. This is not necessarily a problem, but it is wise to keep this in mind when deciding where you want to go.

Within a country you are normally allowed to indicate your preferences when you apply. For example, you will probably be asked which region you’d prefer to be posted in, and whether you’d prefer to work in a city or a more rural settling.

Posts in private schools are, of course, wherever the opportunities come up. In particular there are often a good deal of opportunities in mainly Catholic private schools in Latin America.

]]><![CDATA[Teaching Assistants - what will I be doing?]]>Fri, 08 Jul 2011 13:54:33 -0800http://www.yearsabroad.com/1/post/2011/07/teaching-assistants-what-will-i-be-doing.htmlIt is always best to talk to the school where you will be teaching to find out exactly what they want from you, but generally speaking you will either be helping teachers in the classroom or taking small groups of students aside and going through a few activities that you will have prepared beforehand.

This may seem a little daunting, but remember that the teaching staff will always be on hand to help out or give some advice. Again, the British Council website provides plenty of tips and has a section of the website dedicated to providing ideas and materials to teaching assistants.

At first you might feel like you’ve been thrown in at the deep end, but try to be positive and throw yourself into the job and you are sure to have a great time and get a lot from the experience.

]]><![CDATA[British Council - what kind of school will I be teaching in?]]>Fri, 08 Jul 2011 13:48:23 -0800http://www.yearsabroad.com/1/post/2011/07/british-council-what-kind-of-school-will-i-be-teaching-in.htmlThis varies from country to country, but in Europe most language assistants are placed in state secondary schools, but both in Europe and further abroad there are some opportunities in primary schools and specialist language colleges.

]]><![CDATA[British Council - what are the hours and pay like?]]>Fri, 08 Jul 2011 13:46:43 -0800http://www.yearsabroad.com/1/post/2011/07/british-council-what-are-the-hours-and-pay-like.htmlOnce more this can vary, but typically language assistants work around 12 hours per week with a salary of 700 – 1,000 Euros depending on the country. The dates of appointment also vary. For British Council posts, more detailed information for each country is available on the website.
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