Dear Future Auxiliar,
If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you’ve already spiraled through hours of YouTube videos, blog rabbit holes, and Auxiliares Facebook group chaos. Maybe you’ve panicked about paperwork or stalked your assigned town on Google Maps. Maybe you’re wondering, What did I just sign up for? Been there.
Let me just say this: you’re in for a ride. A good one.
Being an auxiliar was one of the most fun “jobs” I’ve ever had, and I say job with air quotes because, yes, you’re working, but it’s not your typical clock-in, grind-it-out, live-for-the-weekend situation. You’re basically a cultural ambassador in a classroom. You’ll help with pronunciation, share random facts about your hometown, and probably have a group of 12-year-olds ask if you’ve met Taylor Swift.
What made this experience beautiful wasn’t just the siestas, cheap wine, or three-day weekends (though, let’s not lie, that helped). It was the life around the job. The people I met. The tiny victories, like ordering food without panicking. The afternoons spent walking home in the sun, thinking, I live here now. The random holidays I’d never heard of. The students who hugged me when class ended. The sense of being part of something I didn’t fully understand and loving it anyway.
Was it all perfect? No. The truth is, it’s what you make of it. Some days were lonely. Some days, the school felt chaotic. Some days, I questioned why there was a full-on parade happening at midnight. But even in those messy, what-is-happening moments, I grew. I adapted. I got better at being okay with not knowing everything. And that’s something I’ll carry with me way beyond Spain.
Here’s what I wish someone had told me: Don’t wait for this experience to hand you magic. Make the magic. Say yes to the random café invite. Learn how to say grifo when you want tap water. Be curious. Laugh when things get weird (they will). Celebrate the small wins; they add up fast.
You don’t need to be perfect at Spanish. You don’t need to have it all figured out. But if you show up, really show up, you’ll leave changed. For the better.
So breathe. Get excited. Pack less than you think you need. Be open. This chapter might just be the beginning of a whole new book.
Sending love from someone who was in your shoes not long ago,
American Girl Meets World
P.S. Don’t try to run errands on a Sunday. Just don’t. Trust me!!!
