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Would you like the chance to visit Spain, meet and get to know Spanish people, and stay for free?
VaughanTown and Pueblo Ingles are both programs in Spain where English speakers can get free room and board (including wine!) in exchange for speaking English. There is no teaching involved. All you have to do is speak English with friendly Spanish people who are interested in improving their English skills.
Both programs are very similar. I ultimately chose VaughanTown because the dates worked better for my schedule.
Volunteers must pay for their own transportation to Spain and for their hotel room in Madrid the night before the volunteer week. I was able to use Ultimate Rewards Points from the Chase Sapphire Preferred transferred to Iberia Airlines to buy my ticket to Spain. I also used those points to book my hotel room at the Hyatt Regency Hesperia Madrid. Using points in combination with the free opportunity at VaughanTown gave me a trip to Spain for very little cost.
Step 1: Sign up for Vaughan and book travel to Spain
After filling out their easy application, I signed up for a week at the Hotel Izan in Barco de Avila, Spain. The program offers several different venues, depending on your available travel dates. I transferred Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Iberia Airlines to book my round trip flight from Chicago for 37,000 points ($225 taxes and fees).
Step 2: Fly to Spain
After arriving in Madrid, I took the Metro to the Hyatt Regency Hesperia Madrid (booked with 15,000 Chase UR points transferred to Hyatt). It’s conveniently located near a metro stop and I was greeted warmly by the friendly staff. The room was comfortable and clean.
Here’s a live map that shows both hotels and vacation apartments available in Madrid. Just enter your travel dates!
Step 3: Explore Madrid!
I didn’t have a lot of time to spare, but I knew I needed to get out to eat and wander a bit in Madrid. I had been there before and knew the tapas scene was not to be missed. I grabbed a quick Uber from my hotel to Casa Macareno in the Malasaña Neighborhood where I enjoyed a mouthwatering dinner of octopus and pumpkin. While there, I met a tour guide from Walk and Eat Spain. I was so impressed by her guidance of the small group she was with that I have booked a tour with them for my next trip to Spain in June!
Step 4: Arrive at Vaughan to board the bus
The next morning, I took a quick Uber ride from my hotel to the Vaughan headquarters building. I arrived to see people milling around in a group with suitcases, waiting to board the bus. The group was a mix of English speaking volunteers and Spanish students. The majority of the English speakers were from England and the USA, with one couple from Ireland and one woman from Sri Lanka. I was immediately struck by how friendly and excited everyone was. It felt a bit like showing up at summer camp as a kid. Everyone was a little nervous, a little excited, and anxious to make friends.
We boarded the bus and were quickly matched with a conversation partner. One English speaker with one Spanish participant to chat during the bus ride. I was paired with a friendly philosophy professor from Madrid. We chatted about his teaching job and my life in the USA as the Spanish countryside rolled by.
Step 5: Get to know your new best friends!
After three hours, we arrived at Hotel Izan in the Gredos Mountains west of Madrid. I was immediately struck by the beauty of the location. The hotel is in the countryside surrounded by fields and mountains. The hotel is about a thirty minute walk from the small town of Barco de Avila, Spain.
I was happy to find out that we all had our own rooms (unless traveling with a partner). I knew I would need some quiet time after spending so much time talking.
I was delighted by my adorable room! The A/C was cold and there was even a whirlpool bathtub!
Orientation
We started the afternoon with an orientation meeting to discuss the schedule for the week. The schedule was a little different from what I was used to in the USA, with a siesta break from 3-5 and our evening meal not served until nine pm. I quickly grew to enjoy it and even began napping in the afternoon, which is not typical for me at all.
Activities
My favorite parts of the day were the one-to-ones where I could chat with a Spanish participant and get to know them. I felt a stronger connection with some than others, of course, but every conversation was so interesting! I met someone who was arrested in Puerto Rico for accidental visa issues. He told me all about his time in jail there and how he worked it out. I met an elementary school teacher who told me she works from 9-2 each day! As a teacher working 8-4, I was jealous. She also said she waits until she gets home around 3:00 to eat lunch.
Meals
Our meals were served in the dining room on the lower floor and we had assigned seats that rotated throughout the week.
Each table was assigned two English speaking volunteers and two Spanish students. I loved meal times and getting to know the other participants.
Walking to town
Toward the end of the week, we all walked into Barco de Avila together and looked around the town. It’s a cute little town with a bit of shopping and a few restaurants and bars. One note – this program is great for conversations and getting to know interesting people. It’s not the best for sightseeing. We spent the bulk of the week at the hotel, chatting with each other. We spent very little time exploring Spain. One suggestion would be to break up a two week trip to Spain by scheduling this program in the middle of the trip and doing some sightseeing on either end.
Entertainment hour
An additional element to the experience was entertainment hour. Participants are randomly selected to participate in skits throughout the week. The skits were mostly scripted and they ended up being a lot of fun. I’m not a natural performer, but everyone was so supportive!
Wrapping up the week
On the last day, we had a celebratory lunch, then boarded the bus to head back to Madrid. We all felt like old friends at that point and several of us met up later that night to go out in Madrid and explore. It was amazing how quickly we developed a camaraderie that reminded me so much of being a teenager on a high school trip or at summer camp. There’s a special feeling that develops when you meet strangers and spend almost every minute with them for a week. The same personalities show themselves – the clown, the quiet one, the bossy one. It’s a fun dynamic!
Don’t forget
If you’re bringing electronics from the USA, you’ll need a plug adapter to plug them in in Spain. My favorite plug adapters have multiple outlets and USB ports on each one. You may also want to bring a satellite WiFi HotSpot, in case the hotel WiFi isn’t working well, or in place of an international data plan for your phone.
I recommend traveling light. If this is your first time in Europe, check out my article for first-time visitors.
Final thoughts
I had an incredible time on this experience and met wonderful people. I would highly recommend participating as a volunteer and absolutely plan to do it again in the future!