TEFL in San Sebastian, Spain - a favourite destination for TEFL teachers

Ever since I moved to Spain I have fallen more in love with the country.  Of course, the weather, reasonably priced beer and tapas, extremely social lifestyle and Spaniards are a lot to do with the reason. But somewhere else, amidst my love and growing knowledge of Spain and how it comes to be as the country we all know and love, there is something else. A general feeling, that means, should any of that not be there - the weather, or sociable people, or delicious food, I would still love it just the same anyway.

San Sebastian is a testimony to this belief. I have lived in the centre, travelled to the east, west, and south of the country, multiple times. Madrid is my spirit place, but I love it all. It all has good weather, nice people, great language, culture, beaches, architecture, food, traditions… Spain is so diverse but in many ways a lot of it has the same sort of thing going on. Things that we, foreigners, would consider ‘Spanish’. I had never, however, been to the north. I had heard so much about it, that I felt like I had - “Oh it’s so green! And mountainous!” “Yes, it rains a lot, but the food! And the scenery!” “Oh San Sebastian, by far my favourite place in Spain”.  Yes, I was so intrigued to see another part of Spain, particularly one that was so raved about and seemed to be so different to the rest of the country. But I had my reservations, much like anyone does when you grow to love a place - I felt protective over the rest of the country, the parts of Spain I have come to know and love. I had travelled from Madrid to Granada to Valencia, and in the end, all that was left for me to do was head to the ‘Great North’.

My journey up to San Sebastian from the West was nothing short of incredible. In only a few hours I experienced warm sun, grey skies against hail stones, a blizzard with a backdrop of snow-sprinkled mountains, all before arriving in the green (oh, so green) Basque Country. It really was incredible and a testament to how Spain really might just have it all. I had actually fallen asleep in the car and by this point my Spanish co-travellers decided to wake me up, they didn’t want me to miss this - (at the time I wasn’t so grateful, though I knew later, especially when writing this article, I would be thanking them).

And so I had arrived. It was beautiful, there is no denying that. Over the next few days I strolled along La Concha, browsed in the city centre, ate pinxtos - San Sebastian’s delicious answer to tapas, though they certainly aren’t free - climbed to the highest points, drank coffee in the main square.. all the while feeling quite luxurious. It could be San Sebastian’s expensive prices, or its close proximity to France, (and therefore, many groups of French people on weekends away), but there was something very un-Spanish about it. And then I realised, this what everybody had been telling me. The Basque Country is different. Not just in the weather and the scenery and the economy and the characteristics of the people (apparently they are colder than people in the South, but I rarely pay attention to these stereotypes…), but generally, there was just a completely different feel. With the beautiful buildings and the delicately delicious pinxtos, and generally excellent cuisine an air of sophistication is created. That’s not to say that the rest of Spain lacks sophistication, of course not, but what San Sebastian lacks such as the down-to-earth Spanish atmosphere, it makes up in a certain elegance.

San Sebastian was lucky for me in that I was able to interview two teachers who had both founded their schools. Hana, originally from London and Dave from the US. After making friends with Spanish students while at university Hana decided to move to San Sebastian to teach, and soon after decided to open her own academy - Hana’s School. Dave (founder and teacher at English Alive School) had previously lived and taught in Mallorca, and his love of surfing brought him to Bilbao before arriving in San Sebastian. Like most of the teachers I have interviewed in Spain, both Hana and Dave expressed the huge demand for native English teachers, and the low level of English in Spanish schools. If applying for a job in San Sebastian, you shouldn’t have a problem finding work once you arrive. It is best to get yourself as qualified as you can, come, and apply for jobs once you arrive. Dave mentioned an interesting point - though San Sebastian has a lot to offer, in regards to the ocean, the mountains, and a beautiful city, it is small, and anyone moving to the city in the Basque Country should be prepared for that. It will not be exciting and fast paced in the ways that Madrid and Barcelona are. And that’s fine, but if excitement and a city that never sleeps are what you’re looking for, you might want to consider heading somewhere else in the country.

If you’re considering moving to San Sebastian, or anywhere else in the Basque Country, it is vital that you learn some Spanish. The locals speak Spanish and Basque, so it is unlikely you’ll be able to get away with speaking English or very broken Spanish. Besides, if you are planning on living somewhere you should go with the intention to learn at least a little of the language anyway.

So there you have it, San Sebastian. A beautiful, sophisticated, rainy slice of Spain. Check our video to see my Basque few days, for yourself.