For internationals living or working abroad, this time has been a challenging one. Unable to go home to be with family and unable to explore the city they’re currently living in. We have had our student, Artem from Russia, learning Spanish with us this summer. He filled us in on what it has been like to work remotely from Spain and why he wanted to take up Spanish classes after lockdown finsihed. Thanks Artem for the insights!

How has the coronavirus pandemic affected your life personally and professionally?

I have been working remotely in Valencia for over one year. I really like the city and it has been very different over the last few months!

It was very difficult for me to stay at home for so much time because I prefer to go out and meet people. Fortunately, I work online so there was no problem at all regarding my job.

Now that we are in the «new normality» and we can go back to work and live somewhat «normal» lives again… Do you feel safe in Valencia?  Do you think the international alarm concerning Spain right now is justified?

I really don’t want to sound too harsh when I say this, but I don’t agree with this “new normal”. For me, it’s not normal at all when people have to wear face masks everywhere they go, especially now in summer when it’s so hot! I don’t think it is good for your health, that’s just my opinion. 

I feel safe in Valencia as do my family. I don’t think the international news about Spain being a dangerous country to visit is justified at all. It is the same as every country right now. Everyone needs to work, not stay at home and wait for help from the public administration.

Of course, health comes first, but people should be following safety protocols and continuing with their daily lives.

Let’s talk about more positive things… We know you have taken advantage of this break to start learning Spanish at our Language School. How has the learning experience been so far?

Yes that’s right! After the quarantine, I wasted no time and signed up for Spanish classes at Euroace. It was something I had been considering over the break and so I started right away.

So far I have really enjoyed the classes and made some good friends. It is a great experience! 

What improvement have you noticed in your Spanish skills since you started studying at Euroace?

I feel like I have made a lot of improvement in a short time!

Now I can talk and have a conversation with Spaniards. I can understand and express myself much better than some weeks ago. So I am really happy with my progress so far.

What do you like most about learning Spanish at Euroace (teachers, exercises, classmates etc.)?

Everything you have mentioned in your question I like. I think the teachers are very good professionals and you can see they have a lot of experience, especially teaching internationals. They make the lessons funny and we are always laughing.

Overall I have found that studying at Euroace is great! I even made some new friends here and many times we have lunch together.

That’s Great! One last question. What advice would you give to other coworkers, digital nomads, or people in general who maybe are not completely convinced to come to Spain?

I cannot talk about the situation in the whole country, because I don’t know about it. But from what I see everyday here in Valencia makes me feel calm and live a relaxed lifestyle.

There are many interesting places to visit here in Spain, and of course I really like living so close to the beach!

Valencia is a very nice city, with not so many tourists. This is great because it feels like a more liveable city and also makes the city more safe than Madrid or Barcelona. And also I think that during this “new normal” Valencia has had a smoother transition back to reality than Madrid or Barelcona, so that has been better for us here.

If you are interested in doing something like Artem and bringing your work abroad, while also studying Spanish, we can help. We have several Spanish courses running each day and the good thing is, you can choose how many hours per week you would like to study and what time of day too.

For more info on signing up for summer Spanish classes, click here.