Valencia, March 30, 2025 – Leonie had already applied in November 2024. “”It was a lot of paperwork””, she recalls, “”but thanks to the vocational school, much was already pre-filled””. A CV, cover letter, and certificates were part of the application. The cover letter was crucial: It had to state the desired internship area – a prerequisite for assignment by the Spanish partner organization. Leonie chose the education sector. Her placement: the Catholic Don Bosco School in Valencia, a primary school. There, she took on administrative tasks and assisted with childcare.
Linguistic Challenges
In the first week after arrival, the focus was on learning the language. In the mornings, she attended a local language school, where lessons were conducted exclusively in Spanish and English. “”I couldn’t speak Spanish before””, she says in retrospect. To prepare, she had already worked with a language learning app at home. While the basics helped, daily life demanded significantly more. “”Eventually, I switched to English, as communication would otherwise have been impossible””. At the school, many colleagues spoke little English, which was a challenge at first.
The Internship
From week two, the internship became the focus. Leonie worked five to six hours daily – administratively in the office and supervising during lunch breaks. She noticed that the atmosphere at the school was significantly more relaxed than in comparable institutions in Germany. “”More serenity and less pressure to perform””, she describes the difference.
Personal Development
Leonie learned to find her way in new situations, developed more initiative, and became more self-confident. The experience of having to assert herself in an unfamiliar professional environment helped her to recognize her own strengths more clearly. A plus for her career. Besides the internship, there was time to discover Valencia. Valencia presented itself as a culturally diverse and vibrant metropolis. Together with other participants, she visited sights like the City of Arts and Sciences, went on bike tours, and tried Spanish cuisine. “”I ate paella for the first time, but also tuna croquettes””, she recounts. She also cooked for herself, mostly for practical reasons, as the school food there was not very convincing. A visit to the stadium for the Valencia vs. Sevilla match was a highlight. Despite rain and a late kick-off time, the stadium was almost sold out: “”I’m not really a football fan, but that was a real experience””, says Leonie. A club visit was less positively remembered – the atmosphere wasn’t right. Even minor incidents like nocturnal ringing at the accommodation and the rather difficult return after 11 PM due to traffic showed that life in a foreign city has its peculiarities.
Conclusion
After four weeks in Valencia, Leonie’s overall conclusion is positive. The time was intense, but passed surprisingly quickly. “”It felt like ten days””. Nevertheless, she slowly began to miss her family and friends. Still, returning to German daily life was not easy for her at first – especially after the warmer temperatures in Spain. Professionally, the stay primarily showed her that care and work in the pedagogical field are not her long-term goal. Nevertheless, the experience was valuable, precisely because it gave her a clearer view of her own professional interests. She also learned a lot in the area of communication: the courage to approach people, to communicate despite linguistic uncertainties, and to remain capable of acting in unfamiliar situations. Leonie would recommend the Erasmus+ program at any time, provided one prepares well and brings realistic expectations. She particularly benefited linguistically, especially in English. Her most important tip for future participants: “”Don’t take too much luggage, leave room for spontaneous experiences, and don’t stress – that’s when the most valuable experiences are made.””
