Spain

Spain is a great place to work but check out the links below for more explicit advice.

Geography, climate and culture

Before deciding where (or whether) to live and work in Spain a little background knowledge of the country is necessary.

Many British people have a very distorted vision of Spain, having an opinion based on short package holiday visits to tourist hotspots. The country is, in fact, remarkably diverse in both its geography, its climate and its cultures. Compared to the UK, its geography and climate are far more varied and it probably boasts a greater variety of native cultures as well. These factors make generalising about Spain somewhat difficult.

Geography

Spain is a very mountainous county. In terms of average height it is the second highest country in Europe after Switzerland, and it is also a lot bigger.

The Cantabrian mountains stretch along the northern coast; the Pyrenees extend this line and form the natural border with France; and the centre of the country is dominated by the vast central plateau, or "Meseta".

Climate

The climate is influenced by the mountains, the latitude and the distance from the sea, be it the Atlantic (to the north, northwest and southwest) or the Med (east).

Green Spain

The areas along the northern coast (green Spain) have a maritime climate with relatively cool summers, mild winters and frequent rain. The climate and scenery is not wildly different from that of the United Kingdom though it is generally about five degrees warmer then the south of England.

The Meseta

The "Meseta" has a continental climate with boiling summers and freezing winters. The summer heat can be suffocating and Madrid, the capital, turns into a ghost town in August when its citizens flee to the coast. In the winter heavy snowfalls are common and it is not unusual for villages to be temporally cut off and for even major roads to be closed.

The Mediterranean coast

Not surprisingly, the Mediterranean coast enjoys a Mediterranean climate with hot summers and relatively mild winters.

Other areas

Apart from these main climate areas, Spain also has smaller areas with more distinct climates. For instance, the south east, Almería, boasts the only deserts in Europe (where the spaghetti westerns were shot), and the highest parts of the Meseta and the Pyrenees have an alpine climate.

Language(s)

The Spanish has a native language under the same name. This language has spread from Spain into Latin American, making the Spanish language one of the most common in the world.

Special linguistic features regarding learning/teaching English

False friends

Of course, false friends abound. Some of the more typical ones include:

• constipated vs constipado
• actual vs actual

External links

• TEFL teaching in Spain - dispelling myths
• An Overview on Teaching English in Spain
• Barcelona's teacher's association
• An account of the problems of working illegally in Spain
• TESOL Spain TESOL Spain is an organisation for English teachers in Spain.
• An alphabetic guide to food in Spain. Useful for both teachers and ex-pats.