Everything Spain Magazine 09/2004

Teacher's Pet

Home thoughts from Cádiz

James Parker (35), from Essex, moved out last year to southern Spain with his wife Amanda and their two children Emily and Alice. He now teaches English in Cadiz

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What brought you to Spain?
I was in my mid-30s and had been a psychotherapist for the NHS for 12 years, helping people with addictions. I was burnt out, frazzled, and needed a change. So we bought a 22-year-old campervan and headed south!

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What qualification do you have and how was the training?
I already had an English BA from Hull University, but I still found the Cambridge CELTA incredibly hard work. I took a five-week course in Greenwich, and it gave a whole new meaning to the word 'intense'.

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Do you work for a school?
Yes, I have a job at El Centro Inglés, in Cádiz, which I obtained through tefl.com.

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Do you spend much time with other teachers?
No. We live in Medina Sidonia where there aren't many English people. And we tend to socialize amongst the Spanish.

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Can you make enough to support a young family?
We rent a beautiful flat in the centre of town for just 270 euros per month, so with a bit of extra private work, we get by very well.

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What sort of people do you teach?
Amongst others, I teach a doctor, a lawyer, and several musicians. There's high unemployment in Medina Sidonia, so people have to try and find work in the tourist resorts of the Costa de la Luz, for which they need to speak English; so we're very busy.

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How have the family settled in?
The local school has been fantastic. Emily (6) speaks Spanish fluently and Alice (3) starts next year. People still see us as something of a curiosity but couldn't be friendlier, and we've worked really hard at learning the language. You have to in this part of Spain, and besides, it sets a good example for a language teacher!

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What plans do you have?
To find more teaching work, possibly in other areas that I have an interest in: massage, acupuncture, I can even teach circus performing! Amanda will start work again next year, maybe in sales. Either way, we really like it here..

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