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 of it was already pre-filled.” A CV, cover letter, and certificates were part of the application. The cover letter was crucial: it had to specify the desired internship field – a requirement for placement 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 priority was learning the language. In the mornings, she attended a local language school where classes were held exclusively in Spanish and English. “I didn’t know any Spanish before,” she says looking back. To prepare, she had already worked with a language learning app at home. While the basics helped, daily life was much more demanding. “Eventually, I switched to English because communication was otherwise impossible.” At the school, many colleagues spoke very little English, which was a challenge at first.
The internship
From week two onwards, the internship took center stage. Leonie worked five to six hours a day – organizationally in administration and supervising during the lunch break. She noticed that the atmosphere at the school was significantly more relaxed than in comparable institutions in Germany. “More composure and less pressure to perform,” is how she describes the difference.
Personal development
Leonie learned to navigate new situations, developed more initiative, and became more self-confident. The experience of having to hold her own in a foreign professional environment helped her to recognize her own strengths more clearly. A plus for her career. In addition to 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 such as the Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias, went on bike tours, and tried Spanish cuisine. “I ate paella for the first time, but also tuna croquetas,” she says. She also cooked for herself, mostly for practical reasons, as the school meals on-site were not very convincing. A visit to the stadium for the Valencia vs. Sevilla match was a highlight. Despite the rain and late kick-off time, the stadium was almost sold out: “I’m not actually a football fan, but that was a real experience,” says Leonie. A club visit was less positively remembered – the atmosphere didn’t feel right. Smaller incidents, such as someone ringing the doorbell at her accommodation at night and the rather difficult return journey after 11 PM due to traffic, also showed that life in a foreign city has its quirks.
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. Re-entering German daily life was not easy for her at first – especially after the warmer temperatures in Spain. Professionally, the stay showed her above all that childcare and pedagogical work are not her long-term goals. 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 unknown situations. Leonie would recommend the Erasmus+ program at any time, provided you prepare well and bring realistic expectations. She benefited particularly in terms of language, 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 exactly when the most valuable experiences happen.”
