Moving to Spain | Erin’s story

Target Vocabulary: travel, vacation

As most students at Martina García know, the assistant teachers who come to school and help teach English* travel from different parts of the world! I come from America, and the journey to Spain was long but fun!

*Important note: in English, we capitalize proper nouns. Languages like “English” and “Spanish” are proper nouns, so make sure you capitalize the first letter when writing in English!

When you travel as an American, you must have a passport. This document allows us to travel to different countries and stay for up to three months. In September when I arrived at the airport, I showed the flight attendant my passport and got on the plane! Once I was on the plane I had to put my suitcase and luggage into the overhead bin. The other passengers and I put all our luggage away so that we could fly safely.

The flight from New York to Madrid was about seven and a half hours. Whew! What a long time to be on a plane, right? However, because the flight is so long, the flight attendants bring us dinner, breakfast, and a snack before we land in Madrid! I am scared when I fly because I do not like heights, but I was so excited to start my teaching job at Martina García that I felt much better on this flight.

At the Madrid Airport, after we landed, I needed to get a taxi to take me to my hostel. This was one of the first times I had to use my Spanish skills! I practiced speaking with my taxi driver on the way to the hostel and it was a lot of fun (you should practice your English when you can, too!)! After I was dropped off at my hostel, I decided to explore Madrid a little with a friend. We learned how the subway works, walked around the parks, and went sightseeing!

Moving to a new country can be hard and stressful, but it is also exciting and fun! I am so happy I am in Madrid.

Vocabulary and definitions to help with comprehension:

• Document – documento – this word is a connection! The English word is spelled and pronounced very similarly to how it is in Spanish. A document is an official piece of paper.
• Airport – aeropuerto – another connection! An airport is where planes come and go to take travelers all over the world.
• Flight attendant – auxiliar de vuelo – the people who are on the plane with you and can bring you food, water and help you with bags and suitcases.
• Suitcase – maleta – these bags are typically used when traveling far, and roll on wheels. The word “suitcase” only describes one item.
• Luggage – equipaje – this word describes all of the suitcases and bags someone brings with them while traveling.
• Taxi – taxi – this word is a complete connection! The cars that take you to and from different locations. Don’t forget- you have to pay the drivers and be sure to say “thank you”!
• Hostel – hostal – another connection! a place where people can stay while on vacation or traveling. Hostels are different from “hotels” because you live with people from all over the world. It’s a great way to meet interesting people!
• Subway – metro – in America, we call the “metro” the subway! The trains that run underground make up the subway system.
• Parks – parques – connection! these are large spaces made for communities to enjoy. They often have lots of trees, grass, areas to sit, and lots of people spend time here. An example of a park is Retiro in Madrid!
• Sightseeing – visitas turísticas – describes an activity that many travelers and tourists do while in new places. It includes walking around, visiting important buildings and locations, and learning about the history of these sites.
• Country – país – a united group of people who live within a certain boundary. Spain is a country, and so is the United States of America!
• Stressful – estresante – when you feel nervous and anxious about something.
• Exciting – emocionante – when you feel happy and energized about something.