It sounded too good to be true: a free, one-week, all-inclusive stay at a charming resort in Spain for native English speakers. I was volunteering to talk for more than hours with a group of total strangers — who ended up becoming my friends.
I first learned about the program from a Facebook group for expats in Slovenia. I found more information on the website for Diverbo, the Madrid-based company that runs the program. After reading up on the different programs and schedules, it only took a few minutes to fill out the Pueblo Ingles application form with my details and a few paragraphs about my background, experience, and motivation for applying. Among other things, I was asked to make a first and second choice for a location in Spain or Germany and program dates.
I confirmed my availability and got started on travel reservations. Volunteer coordinators helped make sure I would arrive and leave Madrid on the correct dates. But it seemed like a worthwhile use of my frequent flyer miles.
Volunteers are also responsible to pay for their hotel in Madrid. The arrival time of my flight from the USA meant that I would have to get there one day early. Other participants have combined their volunteering experience with a longer stay in Madrid or a trip around Spain before or after the program at their own expense.
At on a Friday morning, we all got our first look at the people who would be our companions for the coming week. It was also the first encounter with the program leaders, Sam from Wales and Amelia from New Zealand. To ensure that the cross-cultural conversation began on the bus, everyone was asked to sit next to a native of the opposite language. Halfway through the four-hour bus ride, there was a snack stop with a scenic view of the walled medieval town of Avila — and a chance to change seat partners.
