Sam Purnell, 25, UK, English teacher
Originally from Bath, England, Sam Purnell moved to Barcelona with his girlfriend in 2016 to teach English, learn a bit of Spanish and experience living in a different country. Although the original plan was to stay for just six months, two years later, Sam has settled in Barcelona and has fallen in love with teaching. He fills his schedule with a mix of in-company classes, extracurricular lessons in schools, private classes and kids’ summer camps.
7.30AM I usually get up around half seven. I’m not a morning person but I find a big breakfast helps set me up for the day. Today, it’s a bowl of granola, yoghurt and fruit with a cup of English breakfast tea.
9AM Wednesday mornings begin with a two-hour class at La Sedeta, a public school close to the Sagrada Família. I teach this class through a company called Kiddo, and it takes place during school hours, so the children get a break from their normal lessons. This means they are always pretty excitable.Today I planned a lesson based on hobbies and interests. I try to make the classes as fun and dynamic as possible; after covering grammar and vocabulary, we learnt a song and did a role-play activity. Every day is different, however, and some mornings start with in-company classes in and around Barcelona.
11.15AM Next, I teach a private class in the Eixample. My student, Queralt, is a lawyer at her family’s law firm, Bufete Córdoba Roda, and our class takes place in the office. Queralt’s main aim is to improve her speaking skills. Over the past year and a half, we have become good friends, so teaching her doesn’t feel like work at all. Plus, there’s normally a bocadillo waiting for me when I arrive, which is much appreciated—spending the morning with kids definitely works up an appetite!
2PM I head back to La Sedeta for a lunchtime class with a group of seven and eight-year-old boys. I’ve been teaching them for around 18 months, so I can easily tailor the class to their specific needs. I plan lots of games and fun activities because it’s a very energetic group. As it’s a lunchtime class, I make an extra effort to ensure the class is engaging.
3.30PM I hop on a bus to El Carmel, where I teach a private class to two 13-year-olds at their home.
4.30PM It’s time to head to my next class at Àngels Garriga, a school that is just a five-minute walk from my last class. One thing I’ve learnt over the past two years is to arrange my schedule carefully, making sure I have blocks of classes in the same area of the city. When I first arrived, I didn’t do this and spent a lot of time travelling. At Àngels Garriga, I teach a group of five and six-year-olds. I love teaching this age group, as it’s just as much about performing as it is teaching. It’s an opportunity to sing, dance and do silly voices that wouldn’t be acceptable in any other job.
6PM My last class of the day. It’s with the same family that I taught earlier. First it’s an hour with the youngest child, Oriol, and his friend. Then I teach his sister, Martina, 16, for an hour and a half. I choose advanced activities based on more complex topics because she has a very high level for her age. After a day of teaching younger kids, it’s refreshing to discuss some more mature subjects.
8.30PM Another bus journey from El Carmel back to my flat in Gràcia. It’s a very pleasant ride with views of Tibidabo and Park Güell. It’s nice to have some time to reflect after a busy day of teaching.
9PM I get home around nine, which is pretty normal for me. I return home to a delicious vegetarian meal cooked by my girlfriend. After dinner, we usually wind down with some Netflix and a cup of tea. We’re watching the latest season of Black Mirror, which is fantastic, but can be a bit intense right before bed.
11.30PM I get into bed and catch up on some news on my phone or read a few pages on my Kindle.
12AM Lights out.