Hasta...and away I go! 🇪🇸✈️🇬🇧

Buenas Tardes Chicos! 🌜🌠

Yesterday was the last day of many things in León 🖤🇪🇸... morning greetings, being called 'Shower', 'Shabba', 'Chanel' (😅), the sound of the bell and tight hugs from my Year 3s. Last days are always bittersweet, the ending of my time at Carmelitas would have marked the perfect beginning. Why is it that when you leave, things begin to get better? 😕One teacher brought a bag of apples in from his apple tree at home and offered me one 🍏☺️Another, who I see as my Spanish mum, made me a hazelnut coffee and it was 'muy delicioso!' 😍

In many ways, I left my mark on the school through my smile and my dedication to support every child I possibly could despite the hardships I faced. I only ever put my students first in these 4 weeks. My mentor reached out to me on Thursday and wanted me to take a Year 4 class and teach them about Minibeasts, which I did for my observation with the other Year 4 group. 🌳🦋🕷🐌 I was happy to do it because I loved teaching about it! 😃❤️ However, I feel like she finally saw my potential as a teacher, yet it is a little too late. 😕 Why wasn't she this open at the beginning? 

Before I talk further about this, there's something you need to know! I have a reputation of being a 'wizard' in school since one of the Year 6 teachers, who is a crazy fan of Harry Potter, made me dip my finger in a blue solution! 😄 'Eres una maga, Shannon!' she exclaimed in Spanish 😄 Since I am not a muggle, I've been contemplating on my newfound destiny as a wizard since yesterday 🥰 Perhaps my magical power is the passion that I have, to teach. A magical power that I couldn't show in my school and instead, I locked it away inside of me ✨️ Yesterday, my magic was discovered, not only did I convince my students that I study at Hogwarts but... my mentor wanted me to teach and share that magic with my Year 4 class! 😄🖤 Although she is a very tough woman to please, I think I finally got through to her in the end. As the day ended, we departed ways on a cold note, to which she thanked me and wished for me to 'have a good life' 😅 No hugs, nothing, even now I wonder what she actually thought of me, both as a girl from England and as a teacher. Even if she thought my lessons were great, she never said anything because she's too proud to admit it. Aside from her, there were some lovely teachers in my school (the ones I mentioned previously 😊). Teachers that greeted me 'Hola' every morning or would bring me coffee after seeing me tremble on the playground. It was those teachers that were the light in my school of darkness. I only wish I spoke more Spanish so I could have been in their classes. As a future teacher, I will strive to look after my mentees to ensure that they never felt how I did in my 4 weeks in León because noone deserves that treatment 🙏🏼

Despite my little opportunities to teach, I am amazed at how confident and less nervous I am at delivering lessons! 😃✅️ I have no doubt that I will become even better in time :) My experience has been incredibly challenging and exhausting, however I am so proud of myself for reaching the end of this programme! The end felt so impossible 3 weeks ago, every school day felt like a year of misery, yet I persevered with all my strength, and I made it! 🙌🏽 It is hard to say whether I want to pursue this type of teaching as I did not get the best experience of it, however I am keen to explore teaching in Primary and Secondary schools in England 🇬🇧😌  As my mum reminds me, not every teacher is like my mentor! 😅

As I left my school gates and glanced behind, I saw a faint shadow of the timid me who first arrived to León. As I waved goodbye to some of my students, I walked towards the gothic Cathedral, as a stronger and more resilient me, towards home 🏡 With every step, I'm closer to reaching England and my goal as a teacher ✨️🖤 😊 It will be sad to leave Spain but I'm looking forward to returning home 😊🇬🇧 - I need my mum after all of this! 😂

Adìos León e gracias por todos mis recuerdos y mis increíbles chicas! 💖🇪🇸

- Shan 🖤