Q & A for new langauge auxiliar applicants (Part 3)

This post is the final installment of an email conversation between Lindsey, a girl who was applying to the language assistant program in Spain. Read Part 1 and Part 2.

Part three of our conversation...

Lindsey: Again, thanks so much for your great advice. All of it has been incredibly helpful. And thanks for the ballpark figures on rent and the abono etc . . . those are exactly what I needed to know! You're right, the 888 will be plenty with those costs. I'm wanting to do as much traveling as I can, so I'll probably try to find extra private opportunities to help fund those exploits.

I'll definitely check out those blogs and such you put too.

So I came up with one more question! I know there are breaks for Christmas and Easter and they're paid, my question is how long is the break for Christmas. If this does indeed work out and I get hired, there's a chance my family might come over for Christmas. So basically I'm just wondering how long before Christmas the break starts and how long it is so that if this does indeed pan out, they can start looking at dates. (Maybe you could just tell me the dates it was this year). THANKS SO MUCH!

Anyway, thanks again for all of your help. I think its awesome that you put all of this information out there to help other people with the process.

Me: Two weeks. This year is it was Mon. Dec. 24-Mon. Jan. 7 and we returned on the 8th. Also, we had the 21st off since we don't work Fridays, so if you counted all the days it was 18 days off.

Next year I am guessing the break will be Wed. Dec. 24-Wed. Jan. 7. They skimp a little on the days leading up to Christmas I think because the celebration of Reyes (Jan. 6) is so important.

Lindsey: I thought of a couple more little questions for you. One, for the police report of good conduct thing you're supposed to have . . . how did you go about getting that and what exactly do they want? I imagine there may be more details when the application is actually up on the site, but I want to start getting some of this done since I'm short on extra time.

Also, I read on the embassy site that they won't do visas by mail. Did you have to go in person to LA to get yours? Roadtrips to LA don't bother me I guess! :)

At the schools, do you wear jeans, or is it a little more business casual? I guess what I'm asking is if there is any sort of dress code. (So I know what I would need to bring).

Ok, I think that's it for now. Thanks again! :)

Me: For the police report I just went to [the city police office for] where I've been living for the past 4 years and got them to do a form letter saying I hadn't been involved in any crime and I got it the same day (cost 8 or 10 dollars). It will be notarized in the police dept. But then you must get an apostille of the Hague attached to it. To do this, take the document in person to the Utah State Capital Bldg. in SLC and they will do it in the Lt. Gov.'s office. It only costs 10 or 15 dollars to do it and have it mailed to you but any kind of rush is at least 60 dollars (I think that's for next-day pick-up). The apostille is a bureaucratic formality that essentially accredits the notary public. There may be other documents that need an apostille for the visa application, I can't remember. Do these all well in advance.

As to the visa application, you may want to look up the form so that you get enough copies, notarized copies, etc. of all the documents for both applications at the same time. The visa form is available on the web site of the LA Spanish consulate. You are required to go to LA unless you can get a legal letter authorizing someone else to apply for you. But I believe there's no way to get out of pickup up the card in person (weeks and weeks later).

Dress is über-casual at school meaning most teachers wear jeans. [I brought business casual-ish clothing like khakis but don't wear them much to work.]
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If you are interested in applying for the program Lindsey and I discussed, here is the online application. Best of luck to all applicants!