Alina studied English, Spanish and Arabic at Uni, with a Master’s Degree in Intercultural Studies. She has worked as an English teacher for years and has managed academies here in Spain.
What is your favorite travel memory?
My favourite travel memory is from when I visited Japan. It's an incredible country that has so much to offer, from futuristic skyscrapers to quiet bamboo forests, amazing food culture and very respectful people.
Two places stood out the most for me during our two weeks stay there. The first one is the Kinkakuji Temple, literally ‘’Temple of the Golden Pavilion’’, a Zen Buddist temple in Kyoto. Part of the World Heritage Site, the temple, dating from the Muromachi period, is located in a Japanese Zen garden. It is covered in gold leaf and it is surrounded by water so the temple is mirrored in the pond and gives the impression that it floats on the water.
Another amazing place is Todaiji temple, located in Nara. Todaiji's main hall is the largest wooden construction in the world and it hosts one of Japan's largest bronze statue of Buddha, but the interesting thing there is a pillar with a hole at its base, that is the same size as the bronze Buddha’s nostril. It is said that whoever can squeeze through, it will be granted luck and joy in their next life. I'm happy to say that we were lucky enough to fit!
How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?
Working with and training people from so many different cultures and backgrounds has made me more patient and flexible. It's fascinating to take a step back and see situations from another point of view. Working in such an international environment allows me to do that and grow as a person with each and every new course.
What is the best story you've heard from a return student?
We welcome both native and non-natives trainees onto our course and my favorite story from a student was from a non-native who was passionate about teaching children and loved travelling. She was an amazing teacher and her hard work paid off when she was offered a position at an international academy running camps around the UK. She absolutely loves it and I'm really proud to see that she's using all the tools, techniques and skills she learned during the course.
If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?
All of the trainers at TtMadrid have done the TEFL course - it's really important for us to understand what our trainees are going through every step of the way.
I loved the TEFL course and it really help boost my confidence and learn what it was to not just speak English but to teach it. Being a non-native English speaker, completing the course also helped me believe in myself and gave me the gold 'TtMadrid stamp of approval' with employers in Spain.
What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?
TtMadrid has been in the ESL training sector for over 10 years and what makes the company special is the love and passion we have for teaching and helping students to make the transition into living and working in Spain.
I couldn’t say that there was a specific moment when I felt proud of my team. It happens at the end of each course, when we read our students’ feedback, have a look at the final grading sheet and look at this new group of English teachers that are stepping out into the world of ESL teaching, having been through the TtMadrid experience. It's a great feeling to know you're a part of something so special.
What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?
I believe that we have been leading the TEFL training market in Spain for all these years because we really do go that extra mile. Giving those extra five minutes of explanation, walking the long way home to show a student the nearest metro stop, or just grabbing a coffee with someone that is having a bad day; every moment matters and it really makes a difference.
