Volunteer With Pueblo Inglés Teaching English In Spain!
We love getting to know an area and connecting with local people when we travel. David and I recently enjoyed a free, week-long, all-inclusive stay at lovely old hotel in a small Spanish village. Best of all we forged new friendships while we were there. How did we do it? (You can , too!) We signed up to volunteer with Pueblo Inglés, an English Immersion program.
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Volunteering with Pueblo Inglés
The Pueblo Inglés program is designed to help Spanish speakers improve their ability to communicate in English. There are seven venues in Spain, as well with two in Germany. There are also programs designed for teens to connect with other youth their age.
We’ve actually volunteered with Pueblo Inglés twice. Our first experience was designed for teachers from the Valencia region. The teachers were sponsored by their local school districts in order to help them incorporate more English into their lessons and to prepare them for the government worker exams that teachers in Spain are expected to take.
Our second time volunteering with Pueblo Inglés was designed to assist Spanish business people with their English.
It All Begins In Madrid
Pueblo Inglés volunteers are responsible for their transportation to Madrid. Due to the timing of our flighst, David and I paid for a night in a hotel upon our arrival. On each of our trips, we booked a room at the Hotel Jardín Metropolitano. The name refers to a beautiful atrium garden in the center of the hotel. A metro station right outside of the hotel made it easy for us to head downtown Madrid for a tapas tour.
Signing on for a tapas tour is a great way to get an introduction to Madrid’s bustling nightlife and historic plazas. And of course, you’ll be able to sample classic Spanish wines and tapas.
We chose to stay at the Hotel Jardín Metropolitano due to its proximity to the meeting spot for us to board the Pueblo Inglés bus. It was about a 15 minute walk to the meeting place for us, although if you have a lot of luggage you may want to splurge on a cab!
Volunteers need to be native English speakers. The volunteers we worked with, affectionately referred to as the “Anglos,” hailed from a variety of places: Texas, Florida, Maine and Michigan from within the U.S., Canada, Wales, England, Ireland, Scotland, and Australia. This diversity is intentional, as it requires the Spanish learners to become comfortable with a variety of different accents.
Volunteering In Villarubia de Santiago
We Anglos met in Madrid and traveled by bus to Villarubia de Santiago, roughly 40 kilometers southwest of Toledo. Our group checked into the Hacienda Castellar, our home for the next 7 days.
There were only two nonnegotiable rules throughout our work day: Be punctual, and absolutely no speaking Spanish allowed. While I was a bit regretful about not being able to improve on my limited Spanish, I understood the need not to break the immersion experience. It was easy to see how utterly exhausting it was for the Spaniards to think and speak in English throughout the entire day.
The Spaniards come to the program with a wide range of English proficiency. Some have very limited English, making conversation with them truly hard work. Some of the advanced students are more articulate about explaining English grammar and syntax than I am!
When meal time rolled around, it was always two Spaniards and two Anglos per table. This provided an opportunity for more informal conversation. We all attempted to rotate sitting with all of the participants so that we got to know our fellow Anglos as well as the people from Spain.
David and I were quite impressed with the quality of the food. I fell in love with Spain’s rustic bread dipped in olive oil. So in love, in fact, that I managed to indulge in it for breakfast, lunch and dinner: every single day!
Bottles of red and white wine were set out on the tables at lunch and dinner as well. Naturally, I did not want to be considered ungracious, and so I tasted them all!
There was always the option of a seafood entrée, and the second choice was either beef, chicken, pork or vegetarian. Ordering a big salad was always an option in lieu of the entrees.
The Daily Schedule At Pueblo Inglés
Each day begin with a breakfast buffet at 8:45 am. For me, that meant the traditional Valencian pan con tomate, (freshly crushed tomato, olive oil, garlic and a bit of salt on that heavenly toasted baguette) a bit of the oh so delectable jamón ibérico, a slice of Manchego cheese, a fresh kiwi and a cup of coffee.
Next came what was by far our favorite part of the daily schedule: fifty minute one-on-one conversation sessions with the Spanish teachers. Totally unscripted, these conversations took place however we liked: hiking our way up the hill for a bit of exercise, strolling to a nearby monastery, sitting in the shade during the heat of the afternoon or relaxing indoors with a cup of tea.
Early in the week, conversations were introductory, discussing the participants’ hometowns, family members and their jobs. Conversations deepened as the week progressed, becoming far more personal and creating deep bonds.
English language workshops also took place during this time block. These workshops were led by Pueblo Inglés employees, with 12 or so of the Spanish teachers and a handful of Anglos. This is where the formal grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation instruction took place.
Our morning culminated in small group discussions, usually with one or two volunteers conversing with a few Spaniards. We were given several discussion topics to choose from, ranging from politics and issues in the news, English expressions and idioms, and the exploration of personal beliefs.
I was famished by the time lunch finally rolled around at 2 pm. This is often the largest meal of the day in Spain. We were able select between two offerings for each of two courses, followed by dessert. Not to mention the ever present bread with olive oil!
This huge meal was followed by an hour and a half siesta, which usually meant a snooze for my husband and most of the Spaniards, and washing out a few clothes in the sink and then a dip in the pool for me.
We all gathered together late in the afternoon for a group activity. Whether it was a role play, a challenge to solve with team mates, or the creation a new invention, the group activities were usually hilarious, and always designed to encourage conversation and interaction.
We then had time for a couple more one-to-one one sessions, while some participants were recruited for “theater practice”. Recruits had about an hour to assign roles, practice a script and then perform for the rest of the group. We all quickly began to look forward to some high spirited entertainment right before dinner.
I had no idea that my normally attention-averse husband missed his true calling as a comedian until I witnessed the room erupt into laughter at his performance as the nonverbal narrator of The Three Little Pigs. And as a member of a Boy Band. And as a counselor at a Phobia Clinic.
The fun continued after dinner, with optional group activities such as playing word games, quiz contests and singing competitions. These wound down around 11:30 pm. After that, some participants retired to their rooms, while others of us continued to socialize in the bar.
For our final dinner, we enjoyed a barbecue out by the pool. That was followed by a dance party, disco ball and all!
Volunteering In La Alberca, Spain
We signed on to volunteer with Pueblo Inglés a second time in the historic village of La Alberca, known for its traditions and customs that date back to the 15th century. Located in the Province of Salamanca, the town of La Alberca has been named a National Historic Monument. It lies 170 miles west of Madrid, and about 45 miles east of Portugal.
Our entire group stayed in the charming, Doña Teresa hotel. We loved the hotel’s rustic stone walls, balconies, and wooden beams, along with beautiful gardens on the property. Nearby wooded paths were perfect for walks during one-to-one sessions.
Even better, the Doña Teresa lies at the edge of the medieval village. We loved strolling through the narrow cobblestone streets of the town during our one-to- one sessions. We popped into shops during morning walks for a coffee, or into a bar or restaurant for a late afternoon appetizer.
The La Alberca program was designed for Spanish business people. Business presentations and practicing group conference calls replaced the teachers’ grammar lessons and lesson plans. One of the calls I was on involved the Madrid Chamber of Commerce pitching Spain as the site for an upcoming World Cup Tournament.
The rustic nature of the Doña Teresa hotel appealed to us personally. Pueblo Inglés also operates a second venue in La Alberca. The Hotel Abadia de los Templarios is a four-star modern complex. Participants at this location enjoy staying in two-bedroom chalets, with a student upstairs and volunteer occupying the downstairs. The chalets are circled around the main dining and meeting room.
At the time of our volunteer experience at Doña Teresa, Pueblo Ingés was running their teen program at Abadia de los Templarios. This site has a spacious swimming pool. Participants from our program a were able to hop on a shuttle bus each afternoon during siesta to go for a swim.
One our volunteers enrolled her daughter for the teenage program at the same time, allowing them to travel to and from Canada together.
Here’s a tip: when you volunteer with Pueblo Inglés, carry some sort of small gifts that are representative of your hometown. David and I are from the Traverse City, Michigan, area, also known as the cherry capital of the world. We carried small bags of chocolate covered cherries for all of the participants. They were gratefully received!
During each of our volunteer experiences, the week flew by incredibly fast. All too soon it was time to say goodbye to the delightful friends that we had made. The final day was filled with tearful farewells and promises to meet again.
On our final day, we took a bus back to Madrid. We spent the night at the Hilton Madrid Airport Hotel. We were pleasantly surprised at how quiet our room was, due to the proximity to the airport. The hotel’s free shuttle bus made it stress-free to catch our early morning flight home.
As we were in the airport waiting to board our plane, one of our Spanish friends posted a quote on our newly created WhatsApp Group Chat that summed up our week perfectly:
Volunteering with Pueblo Inglés left a deep impression on us, and we look forward to volunteering again in the future!
Would you like to volunteer with Pueblos Inglés? They have weeklong sessions at various locations throughout Spain, and several in Germany. There are programs for business men and women, for teachers, and for teens. Check out the possibilities on Pueblo Inglés’ venue page.
After our program was completed, we extended our visit with a two day stay in the near by town of Salamanca. Check out our Salamanca blog post for tips on visiting this stunning, historic city!
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I love this post as much as I loved the experience! It was a pleasure sharing this week with you both!
Take care 😘
So many great memories!
Ohhh! I was so moved with your description! We really have a wonderful experience I would never forget! I have a clear picture in my mind of those days, especially now that we are all confined here in Spain. Some of us used to complain sometimes because we were in the míddle of nowhere! I wish I were there right now with all of my anglos and Spanish teachers! Here we are now all confined in our houses! Awsome website Linda, Keep on writing your wonderful travel experiences! I hope you can visit Spain again soon, and visit me in Villajoyosa.
Your Spanish friend Yolanda
Yolanda: We had such good times! David and I deeply miss all of the friends that we made there. I agree: I wish we could all be together there right now!
Bueno! bueno!
Muy bueno!
I had no idea this kind of trip was even a thing! It sounds like you had a wonderful time! I had always thought Spain would be an interesting place to visit. Maybe in the future 🙂
We did have a wonderful time. It’s a fabulous way to connect with local people.
Sounds like you had an amazing experience! I’m sure it was hard to get used to the mealtime hours..but worth it with the awesome food!
That late dinner hour was tough, but the food was awesome. I managed to gain 4 pounds in a week!
I had no idea that programs like this exist. It sounds absolutely amazing. I bookmarked the venue page so I can share it with my husband. Thank you!
Volunteering with Pueblo Inglés is a great way to connect with local people without spending a fortune to travel.
What an interesting and unique experience! I hope one day I will have an opportunity to do something like this.
We loved our week with Pueblo Inglés and definitely plan on doing it again some day. It’s a great way to visit different regions of the country.
How much we enjoy the trip! I never thought it would turn up as one of the best experiences I had. Travelling alone in a different language. I learned so much. Thank you to you to shared with me that time.
Hola, Isabel! I hope this finds you doing well. We really hoped to see you again this summer. Hopefully next year we can make it happen!
This is a beautiful post, Linda.
Reading through it made me very happy. We may not have the chance to get to do it in a wee while, but hey, we will manage. And once we do so, we will surely be counting on you two to come back for more. You and David were incredibly helpful and we are very grateful for that. Keep up with the good work and don’t stop telling coyote tales. We need voices and smiles like yours and David’s!
Soraya! I feel so happy hearing from you! David and I actually hoped to return this summer for a week at Pueblo Inglés and the opportunity to visit all of our Spanish friends. We are keeping up with the web site and will reapply once it is safe to start the program again. Keep us updated on what you are doing!
I had no idea this kind of program even existed! Thanks for a wonderful read! May have to look into Germany… any excuse to go back!
Pueblo Inglés is a wonderful program. I hope you look into it!
What a neat program! And a great way to see some new sights. It’s really cool that they have this program to help them learn and practice their English.
Sydney, it really is cool. While we didn’t have time to see all of the sights in Spain that we would have liked to, we never imagined how we would fall in love with all of the people that we met!
Wow such an awesome experience. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for commenting!
What a great experience. My son just returned from Peru after 6 months and he said they also do 9pm dinners. That is one of the things he has on his gratitude list after being there. He likes eating earlier. lol
Those late dinners are killer! How wonderful that your son was able to spend 6 months in Peru. We love having the opportunity to really connect with local people.
Sounds like a wonderful experience!
I can’t recommend it strongly enough! A life-changing experience.
Ah… so great to go down memory lane. Especially this week when I was to be in Spain with my choir. Thanks for the memories!
Elroy, so much fun to hear from you! I am so very sorry about your choir’s trip to Spain. I’m sure that your students are heartbroken. Please stay in touch and let us know if you ever plan to return to Pueblo Inglés. We’d love to do a bit a theater with you again!
What a wonderful experience!
Alice, it truly was wonderful.
Gosh! You managed to bring our time together right up to the present! Thanks for that! Yes, we did have a lovely time together and met lovely people although we did need to lose weight afterwards! Yourself and David were great fun and Barry and I hope to meet up with the two of you again. David was so funny in his serious way – he has missed his calling!
Jan and Barry
Oh Jan, so great to hear from you! We loved the time we all spent together, and your sense of humor added so much fun to the experience. I managed to gain 4 pounds in a week. I’m not complaining, though, the food was worth it! Let’s sign up for Pueblo Inglés together again once travel opens back up!
Oh my goodness! What a neat experience and what a great way to experience Spain! Thanks for sharing and making us aware that these opportunities are out there.
It really is a great opportunity for people who’d like to go overseas but can’t quite afford an expensive vacation.
Wow this sounds really awesome, I am going to look into it!
We certainly recommend it!
This looks like an amazing trip! Thank you for sharing!
So amazing, and we plan to do sign back up and soon as travel opens up again.
Looks and sounds like such a wonderful experience!
Tonya, I can’t begin to describe how wonderful it was. Truly one of our very favorite travel experiences!
What a cool experience! I was supposed to do something similar in Peru with a friend while we were in college, but there were issues with the flights so we had to cancel last minute. I still think it is a great way to see the world though!
It is a great way to see the world. I would love to do something like this in Peru!
What an experience for everyone involved!
It really was!
What a GREAT IDEA! I LOVE IT! This sounds like a truly wonderful experience!
We can’t wait for a repeat! I hope you add it to your bucket list.
Your blog looks very professional, Linda.
Than you, Sherril. I hope this finds you doing well!
What an incredible experience! I felt like I could live through it with you, while looking at your pictures 🙂
Thanks, Hillari. I hope you have the opportunity to experience this or something like it for yourself some day!
I love the idea of an immersion experience as part of traveling. What an incredible program! Since my husband doesn’t really like my idea of joining the Peace Corps, maybe I can interest him in this?
Good luck, Charlene! This is a great way to volunteer without having to make anywhere near as huge a commitment as the Peace Corps require.
Travel is all about the adventure and experience for me. Doing travel with volunteering is so wonderful.
You sound like a kindred spirit! Volunteering makes a trip so much more meaningful.
What a neat way to get to see and experience another country/culture. I would have loved to have done something like this when I was in high school or college. Maybe my husband and I can look into doing something like this when we are empty nesters. Looks like such a unique experience.
It is a unique experience. I hope it makes it onto your bucket list!
Looks like a fun and interesting experience in Spain.
So fun! So interesting!
That is an amazing experience! I didn’t know that you could do that? Thanks for sharing!
We didn’t know about it, either. I am so glad that I stumbled on it when I was googling around for opportunities to volunteer in Spain.
Thank you for sharing this story. I am so interested in apply for this program. Looks like a perfect way to volunteer.
I encourage you to look into Pueblo Inglés, Sandi. It is a fabulous way to volunteer!
What an incredible place! I love that breakfast buffet you’ve described! It sounds simple, yet amazing!
That’s exactly why we loved the food in Spain: simple, yet amazing! That especially describes their rustic bread.
What a great way to travel and make lasting connections!
You’re right, Cindy. It’s the connections we made with new friends that made this experience so special.
What a wonderful & memorable experience!
It has been wonderful to reminisce about the wonderful time that we had!
Sounds like an amazing program and an amazing adventure!
Yes: amazing in every way!
What an amazing experience! It looked like so much fun and such a meaningful trip too! I hope to volunteer someday in another country too! I’ve always felt traveling is best when done with a native to the area. Volunteering sure will help you meet the locals. 🙂
Volunteering is an incredible way to connect with local people, and we are always in search of great new volunteering opportunities.
So many amazing memories! Love that you shared your complete experience.
Thanks, Jeanette. It truly was an unforgettable experience.
I didn’t realize these types of programs existed. This sounds like an incredible way to experience a country.
I hadn’t heard of this program until just over a year ago, either. So glad we were able to do it! We can’t wait to sign on again someday.
This English Immersion Program in Spain sounds like such a cool and rewarding experience! I would love to volunteer with Pueblo Inglés.
I can’t recommend Pueblo Inglés strongly enough! Our volunteer experience there truly made a huge impact on us.
I love this story. Giving back while traveling is a gift. I’m sure the group at Pueblo Ingles were so lucky to sponsor you.
I do love that feeling of being able to give back while traveling. But seriously, we both gained so much from this experience ourselves: we feel grateful that Pueblo Inglés accepted us.
What a fantastic opportunity! I would love to do this! I love that there are teen opportunities as well! So cool!
I hope you check it out, Lisa! Pueblo Inglés has programs throughout the year to match your schedule.
I taught English internationally for 2.5 years in two locations! One was a language school and one was an international school. Both experiences were so transformative… for both the students and me! Plus I got to travel! So glad you enjoyed your experience with Pueblo Ingles!
How wonderful, Alicia! I’ll bet your international teaching experience was amazing. The word “transformative” is exactly how I would describe our English Immersion program with Pueblo Inglés.
What a wonderful experience! I had wondered if you got to visit the village and you do…as part of the sessions!
What a wonderful opportunity! My friend taught English in Ukraine many years ago an it was such a rewarding experience.
We are feeling sad about the situation in Ukraine currently. Really wish we’d been able to visit during more peaceful years!
What a great way to give back. International English teaching to those in Spain would be an incredible experience!
We love Spain, and are always trying to find ways to get there more often.
Pueblo Ingles looks like an amazing experience! I teach English online to children (and some adults) in foreign countries. I would love to do something like this!
Oh Catherine: I think you’d love volunteering with Pueblo Inglés! Go for it!
Wow, what a great travel blog and very well written. Great experience and what a great opportunity to give back. Thank you Linda!
Thanks, Ken! We’d love the opportunity to travel with you someday!