TomUK1993

United Kingdom
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Profile information

Travel information
I am currently
At home
Activities i am interested in:
I'm off to France, Spain and Morocco (July-September). Parts of the trip with friends, parts alone, and it would be nice to meet some people along the way (could be for coffee, drinks, a walk etc
My next destination:
Spain - from Jul 2025 until Jul 2025
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Description
Hello - I'm a mature student, nearly finished my healthcare degree, after which I will work in the National Health Service in the UK.

For me travelling is best when you can spend a decent amount of time somewhere, to really learn something significant about it from the people who live there. I have some experience teaching English and would like to do more of that. I'd love to practice more Spanish and French, and later this year I want to challenge myself to start learning some Arabic.

New people means new stories and I'm really looking forward to that. I'm a laid-back, calm person, open to new things, and I feel very lucky to have this chance to spend some time in other countries.
Interests
Writing
Team sports
Sustainability
Self development
Vegetarian or vegan
Politics / Social justice
Outdoor activities
Nature
Music
Mountain
Languages
Hitchhiking
Hiking
Fitness
Cycling
Culture
Charity work
Books
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Spanish: Intermediate
French: Beginner
More details about my language interests
I'd like to be involved in teaching English/helping out with classes, and I'd like to be able to practise and improve my Spanish.
Find a language buddy
Skills and knowledge I'd like to share or learn
I'm interested in:
DIY and building projects
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Charity Work
Helping around the house
Gardening
Eco Projects
Able to teach about:
Languages
Teaching
More details about your skills
I have some experience facilitating an English class in Central America, for ten weeks. The classes were based around introduction of a grammar topic followed by speaking practice using discussions, role-plays and games, as well as some writing such as posters and written reports as homework. What I really enjoyed about that was seeing students forget that they were practising, because they are so engaged in discussing interesting topics with each other.

I've also worked with international students in several university admin/support roles in England, and I am learning Spanish - so I can appreciate how people feel when they are learning a language, and how challenging it can be at times.

Being reliable, punctual and respectful has been very important in all the jobs I've done. I think some of the other personal characteristics I have that can be useful are being naturally a calm and patient person, and someone who is flexible and open to learning about new approaches.

I have normal IT skills, in terms of using standard Microsoft programs, and I have done quite a bit of writing for work, including some marketing.
Age
32
What else ...
Other things I love to do:
Running, reading, cycling, walking, listening to music, writing.
Some more information
- Smoker
- Driver's licence
- Allergies
- Special dietary requirements
  Vegan (happy to cook my own food)

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7 May 2022

Left by Workawayer () for host (English conversation classes ...)

After 5 weeks at the institute I was sad to leave, I had to because of other travel plans but I really would have liked to stay longer. Cuenca is a lovely city to live in, it has a relaxed feel but there's plenty to do.

At the institute your role is to give the students conversation practice. The actual teachers will be the ones helping them… read more with their workbooks and grammar etc. (although you can help them practice things from their book sometimes too). I had lots of really interesting conversations, it was great to learn about the students (easier with the more advanced ones, but everyone needs to practice). When I got to know some of them more I tried to focus on their interests, and also sometimes used some prompt questions and scenarios for fun. You can also do group activities, which make a nice change, and there is a relaxed feeling in the institute, due to the flexible structure.

You don't necessarily need to be the most entertaining, flamboyant and hilarious person - good for you if you are, but the important thing with the students is to be friendly, patient, and genuinely interested in them.

The flipside of that is that you need to be willing to approach students and be a bit assertive in encouraging them to practice with you, as most of them are a little shy about it. Sometimes when everyone looks very busy, and headphoned, it can feel a bit more difficult to grab someone - but you can ask a teacher about who needs to practice, and they can help you find a victim (I mean Eager Learner). Maybe some more structure could be introduced to make it a bit smoother but I'm not sure exactly how.

4 hours a day 5 days a week was the schedule while I was there. You might be asked to do a little on Saturday in exchange for hours during the week sometimes. It's a very fair exchange - although sometimes a 4 hour block can seem a little long if you have a string of beginner students, or it's a a quiet day. It just depends.

The flat you share is very nice - it's got a really good kitchen/dining area, which is a good social point of the place, where you can eat and chat with the teachers, other Workawayers, and Diego and José. Diego and José are great hosts, very friendly and helpful, great sense of humour, and I also really enjoyed getting to know some of the teachers, it's a lovely group of people. I was lucky enough to share the flat with some Workawayers that I really got on well with, and got to feel very comfortable, very at home. Cuenca is, for me, a brilliant place to live.

Overall, a fantastic experience, I feel very lucky and I'll definitely remember my time there.

This is suitable for Workawayers who want to be reasonably social, and who are reliable. You're not going to be micro-managed or checked up on all the time, so there's personal responsibility needed. If that sounds like you then go for it.

(Excellent )

13 Mar 2022

Left by host (Help in our language ...) for Workawayer ()

Thomas was a wonderful guy, he always was with full energy. He was always on time when he had english classes and the students Love him. During these 4 weeks he shared with us and gave us a very good moments we really recommend Thomas.

(Excellent )

8 Mar 2022

Left by Workawayer () for host (Help in our language ...)

I had a great time in my 4 weeks at the institute in Mariquita, and I would have extended my stay if I hadn't had another commitment.

What stands out for me is the friendliness of the staff, and how nice the town is - it's a nice size with a lovely plaza and lots of cafés, shops and places to eat. The surrounding landscape is very pretty, and… read more there are good bus links to visit other places, and you can also have use of a bike. There are very few foreigners so it's a cool place to have an experience of Colombian life - very hot and sunny though! With occasional heavy rain.

The Colombian teachers at the institute were very welcoming, I felt comfortable there, and they really included me and were enthusiastic about the practising our languages and talking about the cultures of our countries, which was really fun.

Classes were really good - the students are motivated and friendly, and mostly punctual. There is a lot of freedom in how to do the classes, as the important thing is to get them speaking and listening in English at the appropriate level- this is great because you can plan lessons with interesting themes and organise group discussions - but if you haven't done any teaching before I would advise trying to prepare a little bit, such as reading up on different ways to structure English lessons and how to explain fundamental gtammar, so that you can be ready. Because you may be put right into it with classes. Other times you will visit other teachers' classes to help with practise, and you might also get to visit schools on nearby towns, which is fun.

At the institute I did a few hours a day, usually five days a week. I asked in advance for a specific long weekend off and that was accommodated, which was helpful. I felt the amount of work was fair, and I had a good amount of free time. Sometimes there was a clear schedule for the next few days, other times it was a bit more short notice. There was a stipend which was really useful for weekly food expenses.

The one significant downside was the accommodation - not that it isn't nice - it is nice - but it's in a sort of school compound thing at the other end of town, and has two issues:

- No kitchen (tough if, like me, you have a restrictive diet - but there is at least a fridge, and I found a couple of places in town that did me cheap vegan meals such as rice with salad and plantain, after I had explained)

- Volunteers at my time of staying don't get a key (due to security, it is a school), and so you have to call the caretaker or ring the bell to get in and out - usually fine but when you're used to coming and going as you please it can be a bit of a pain, and once in a while you'll have to wait. Also it makes staying out late difficult.
And if there is sustained heavy rain the floor of the room could get wet so just make sure you don't leave anything on the floor.

I understand they are considering how they can make those accommodation issues easier, so it might change. The room I had was absolutely fine, and there is some nice outdoor space and even a pool you can use when the schoolkids have gone.

I felt very welcome here, I can definitely recommend it to other Workawayers.

(Excellent )

27 Feb 2022

Left by Workawayer () for host (Come and make an impact at ...)

I spent two weeks at the institute and had a good time. Barbosa is a cool town - it's bustling but relaxed at the same time, and full of shops, with lots of choice of great fruit and veg, and lots of cafés.

The plaza is a good place to hang out, right next to the institute. The hills around the town are very pretty, good for a walk, and you can… read more

(Very good )

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