Alumni Interview with Ryan Collins
Here's what it's like to go on a TEFL Madrid Academy program!
Ryan Collins was born in Ithaca, New York. He received his bachelor’s degree in History from Cornell University. He currently works for an art dealer in New York City, helping the curator find buyers for paintings they have on exhibit at the gallery. His ability with the Spanish language and his connections with Spanish artists has been key in helping him find buyers for the dealer’s European Collection. He wants to open his own gallery in the future. He is always looking for artists to fill the walls of an empty art exhibit.
What inspired you to travel abroad?
I think there was always something that drove me to travel. My favorite subject in school was Geography, and I absolutely love looking up new and interesting places. Obviously, I never had much time to think about it when I was going to school, so I guess I wanted to work and graduate so that I could do the travelling I always wanted to do. In fact, now that I think about it, that was exactly what drove me to work hard during my final year in university. I looked up Spain for the first time in a while, and before I knew it, I realized that I could Teach English in Spain. One thing led to another, and then I booked my TEFL Course after I got my Bachelor’s Degree.
Why did you choose TEFL Madrid Academy?
When I was looking for the right TEFL Course in Spain, I knew that there were several things that I needed to think about, but when I contacted the school to ask for more information, they told me that they would be willing to help me with not only the TEFL Course and TEFL Certification, but they would help me with Residency and finding a job. I like knowing that there are places and people who make such a daunting process easier, so I decided to take the TEFL Course at TE Madrid. At first, I was nervous about the course, and what would happen to me afterwards, but after a couple of days, I felt right at home. I was really happy that I made the right decision when it came to the TEFL Academy.
What was your favorite part about Madrid, Spain?
I realized quickly that routine exists as an English Teacher in Spain just like it does anywhere else. I’m surrounded by something different. I’m closer to a lot of the places I’ve been wanting to visit since I was a child, and I like that I get to witness a lot of the things that I read about, and a lot of things that I wasn’t aware of. Also, going back to what I just said, travelling in Europe is a lot easier when you live and work in Spain. It’s one of the perks of the job, I guess. Another thing that I really liked about it was the fact that I was quickly welcomed, and warmly greeted everywhere I went. It felt great!
What made your experience abroad extraordinary?
Let me put it to you this way. When my academy told me that we had bank holidays and national holidays off, I decided to go on little backpacking trips all over Western Europe. I went through old pictures and journal entries from when I was a kid, and suddenly I found myself in the places I looked up as a child. Four days in Marrakech. A week in Sicily. I was spending holidays on the beach in Palma de Mallorca. I did think it was something out of a dream. It wasn’t something that I told myself I was going to do. I just made it so very quietly. By the time I came back to the States, I looked back, and saw that I did everything I dreamed of doing when I was a kid.
How did the local program staff support you throughout your program?
They were always present, for one thing. The guy who taught the TEFL Course in Spain, Jordan, was friendly and approachable. I knew that I was in good hands with him because he showed me good teaching practices and he gave me insight into English that I absolutely needed to become a teacher. It didn’t take long for me to get to know Jordan, and the other students that I would be studying with for the month that I was there. The rest of the staff at TE Madrid were also more than happy to help you with what you needed. They helped me with finding a job, and I also knew that I had a group that I could even hang out, as well. I was never alone on this journey.
What's one thing you wish you would have done differently during your time abroad?
If I had a time machine? I probably wouldn’t use it. After doing what I did, the way I did it, I couldn’t have asked for a better experience. There was this pressure that I felt when I was graduating college that made me wonder if I was making the right move or not. After I did it, it was like a huge weight lifted off my shoulders. I loved my time out there, and I’ll be sure to be a frequent visitor. Who knows? If I’m unhappy with the way things are with me now, I wouldn’t mind making a few calls to some of the companies I worked for in Madrid. I know that they would be happy to have me back, and I’d be happy to go back. I’m always looking to the future these days.
Describe what a typical day in your life abroad looked like.
It may have been an adventure, but there was certainly a routine. Wake up, go to work, do your job, go to bed. There was repetition. I would wake up, shower, have breakfast, and then I’d be off to the academy before I knew it. I couldn’t tell you how fast and convenient Metro Madrid was. There was always a quick way to get around the city. It never took long for me to get to work. So, if I was the first person there, I would open the academy doors and wait for my first student. If they showed up late, that gave me all the time I needed to pour that much-needed cup of coffee. Then, I taught one class, then another, and then I would leave the academy after work. I would wake up, and make a living teaching my own language.
What did you enjoy doing in your free time abroad?
When I was teaching English, I lived in the City Centre. I know that it was a bit more expensive, but again, I liked (and still like) the novelty of saying that I lived in a 300-year-old neighborhood. Whenever I had free time, and couldn’t spend it travelling, I was in the City Centre going around to cafés, meeting up with other teachers, or even meeting new people if I could. I loved the variety of cafes, restaurants, or clothes shops in Malasana. They’re among my favorites anywhere. Another thing that I enjoyed doing was looking up some of the names of the people who lived in some of the apartment buildings around mine. I liked finding out. It made going back to those buildings a little more awesome.
What type of accommodation did you have? What did you like best about it?
When I lived in Madrid, I lived in a shared flat. I was there with three other teachers, one of whom I worked with. What I liked best about the accommodation was obvious, in that it was a shared flat in the middle of the City Centre. My favorite cafes and supermarkets were right around the corner. The metro was only a five-minute walk away. Also, because we were all professionals, we had similar interests, and if we were hanging out, we were giving each other advice on how to give the best possible English class to students in Madrid. It was great, especially in the days and weeks when I was starting out. Even though I had my TEFL certification, the first thing I learned as an English teacher in Madrid was that I had a lot to learn.
What is one thing every future participant should know about your program before their program begins?
You get thrown right into unfamiliar situations from the get-go. If you’ve never taught before, you will within that first week. This isn’t meant to scare anyone. It’s meant to prepare everyone. I was petrified when I got called up to teach my first class. I was terrible. Throughout the program, I got used to it. By the time I finished, I was pretty confident, and after I landed a job, the fear went away. The thing every aspiring teacher needs to know is that if you want to Teach English in Spain, you have to be prepared to get over your fear of public speaking. Also, don’t think that they will cover every little thing about the techniques of the English language. That’s something that everyone, including native English speakers will continue to learn throughout their lives.
Would you recommend TEFL Madrid Academy to others? Why?
In a heartbeat, yes. One hundred percent. The instructor was great. The people who work at TE Madrid were awesome to be around. The students took the edge off of being abroad and far from home, and everyone there made it easier for me to find a job, get my Residency Card, and help me establish myself as a TEFL instructor in Spain. I felt like the whole thing was a lot easier than it was supposed to be. I was beside myself at times. It wasn’t something that I expected would happen, but they helped me out a lot, and I’m eternally grateful for that. I don’t like sounding like I’m some kind of bad commercial, but if you want to be prepared to teach English in Spain, TE Madrid is where I would go.
What do you feel is the biggest benefit of traveling abroad?
Everything that you wanted to do, and the places that you wanted to visit will be a lot closer than they were if you were still in your hometown dreaming about it. You’ll definitely see that things are a lot easier than you think they are. I also made contacts out here that I developed into working relationships today. You never know what lays around the corner for you, but living abroad hooked me into so many possibilities. Possibilities that I never even thought about until I made that initial step. The great thing is that when you take that step, you find yourself taking another one, and before you know it, you’re doing something you never thought you were capable of in a lifetime. Realizing potential is the biggest benefit for me.
Now that you're home, how has your time abroad impacted your life?
I still travel a lot for business, and having the year of teaching English in Spain is an experience I certainly carry with me. Before I left, I made sure to buy a little something that I still wear to business meetings, or even to work when I’m feeling down. It’s a hat that I bought in a specialty shop in Plaza Mayor. One of those things that is reminiscent of the 1930s. When I’m down, I remember what I accomplished, or I simply put the hat on. I remember what I did, and what I’m still capable of. I bring that intrepid spirit with me whenever I walk into a meeting, or set off to a country that I’ve never been to before. Even though I’ve done a lot, I’m still learning a lot, and I continue to move forward.
What does meaningful travel mean to you?
For me, meaningful travel is the same as telling a very different story in a world filled with people looking for meaning. It’s looking at the way people cook in the desert, or how people do things two hours later in Spain than anywhere else in the world. It’s being that bridge to a larger, and more beautiful world than people may have thought it to be. It means being grateful for being the person you never thought you could be. You bring those observations, those insights with you when you return to the life you came from, for however long you’re there. You don’t shame people into thinking that you’re better. You make people feel better because of what you experienced.