Kylie is a 3rd year Auxilar in Caceres, Extremadura. Originally from Toronto, Canada, she was working as a museum curator and teaching at her university, when funding for another year fell through. She decided that teaching in Spain sounded new and exciting. And she was right! In January of 2021, she is starting her PhD at the University of Extremadura while juggling the last 5 months of her Auxilar contract.
Can you tell us a bit about how you ended up in Caceres?
I originally applied with my best friend, and we had Madrid as our #1 choice. Extremadura was our third option because it’s close proximity to Portugal. When we got accepted, she decided not to come and I ventured into the unknown alone.
I immediately fell in love with Caceres. It has a charm of being from a different place and time. Life here has almost stood still since the 1950s. People still buy fresh bread from bakeries every morning, a little convent has desserts baked by nuns they sell from a little hole in the wall, and Semana Santa is the craziest thing I’ve ever seen. On the other side, it’s still a fully functional modern city with everything you need. For me it’s the best of both worlds.
What is your living situation?
I live right in the city center, and have one roommate. My rent for the past couple of years has been around 180-200€, and that is sharing a normal flat with a few people. This year I decided to live with a friend, and we are renting a very modern concept apartment that reminds me of a museum. Since we could afford it this year, we went for the definite higher end for the city, and we pay 580€ in total. But for me it is worth it, it’s the nicest place I’ve ever lived. My bus pass is monthly and it’s 27€, and food is roughly 30-35€ a week for me. The actual cost of living here is extremely cheap. Especially coming from Toronto, where I would easily spend 150$ a week on basic food.
Where do you recommend someone go for a drink?
There is one street (Pizarro) that is full of bars and restaurants. It leads directly to plaza Mayor, and from there the monumental city. There is definitely no shortage of drinking places here. There is even an entire neighborhood of clubs (La Madrila) that are open until 7-8am. Wine and beer runs about 2€, and cocktails 6€. The only drawback for me, is that the restaurants here are all Spanish. If there is a Chinese or Italian place it’s just Spanish food trying to be something different. As someone who grew up with an abundance of international food, it’s a bit boring after a couple of months. Almost every menu is the same dishes. But it inspired me to cook at home more!
Does your regular aux income allow you to live comfortably?
I don’t know anyone who only survives on aux income. As the payments are messed up and notoriously late here, it’s almost impossible to get by without some second income. I earn 935€ from the aux program, and around 750€ extra a month through private lessons. This leaves plenty of money to travel and do whatever I want. I believe it would be possible to survive only on the aux job if it was actually paid on time.
Can you tell us more about outside work opportunities?
Academies will hire you legally. It takes around 3 weeks to get a work permission. This is great because you pay into social security, and get public health. They generally pay 10-12€ an hour. The going rate for private classes is 15€ an hour, and 5€ for each additional student. We have a standard rate here most English teachers follow, so no one can be taken advantage of. If parents try to low ball you, you can say it’s what everyone charges if you don’t agree the next native will say the same thing.
The aux position is 16 hours in Caceres. How have you used your free time differently than back home?
I work more than back home, as I work full time in the evenings with my private classes. Most days I’m working 9am-9pm with a 1.5 hour break for lunch. For me, the late payments from the program have made it really difficult to get by. I wouldn’t work this much if I had a choice, but it’s a necessity right now until we finally get paid.
What are some must-sees in Extremadura?
Merida is a must see, as it’s the largest Roman archaeology site outside of Italy. And the monumental city of Caceres – there is also a game of thrones tour because they filmed in many places here.
How do you travel outside of Extremadura?
Blabla car is a god send. You can go virtually anywhere with it. I used to travel to Lisbon every other weekend for 15€ and it was a 3 hour drive. There are always people going to M, Salamanca, and Andalusia. There are many buses as well.
How has Covid affected life in Extremadura?
The people here have bonded really well. I’ve noticed that people are much more open and willing to talk to anyone on the streets. During the lockdown my street had concerts from the balconies, and we would all sing together. It really helped me get through the intense lockdown. Caceres also has the highest use of masks in Spain (according to El País). I feel very safe here, comparatively. Our cases never got too high, and people take it very seriously.
What were your schools like?
Before I came here, I hated kids and had no desire to teach primary level. I tried high school, and found it was not comparable to North America. Kids here seem much more immature and a lot less disciplined in class. I found my footing in primary because they kids are so excited to have you in class, and are active listeners. I also ended up in a gossip circle with all the kids in my grade, telling me who is dating who and friends with who. It’s hilarious to hear their stories. I feel like at this age you can have a really big impact on their learning and understanding of English. For me it’s the most rewarding part of the job.
My coordinators have become my Spanish moms, and have unlimited support for anything I could need. My schools trust me with teaching, and let me lead the classes in whatever way I want. I do lots of speaking games, and one on one conversations with my students. The best part of being here has been the relationships I have with my schools and students. I’ve never had a day where I dreaded going to work. It’s such a positive and fun atmosphere. It’s why I’m having such a hard time stepping away.
Would you choose Caceres again?
I feel like Caceres has really become my home. I lived in 5 countries before I settled here, and I feel like it’s perfect for me. The people are great, the culture and atmosphere is so much fun, and I can’t give up my daily nap time!
If you’re looking into the Aux Program, try to think outside the normal Madrid bubble. Spain has so many amazing cities that would surprise you.