1. Is this the first time you work in Portugal?
Yes, it is my first teaching experience in Portugal. Up to the present moment, I would say yes.
2. What do you think about Portuguese education? Do you like it the way it is?
I cannot answer.
3. What is your opinion about the IPB? Do you consider it a good Polytechnic?
I cannot answer.
4. What is your viewpoint about our degree?
I didn’t know about the degrees in English/Spanish, German/Portuguese and so on. Right now, in my opinion, it is time the number of credits for English was balanced with those of Spanish, so that the bachelor degree can truly be called English/Spanish. I believe that both languages should have the same weight within the syllabus to achieve competent professionals on both languages, both of huge importance nowadays.
5. Would you like to continue in this Polytechnic for more years? Why?
I came for a year and, at least, I will be staying one more. Do I answer your question?
6. What led you to become a teacher?
When I was a child, I used to pretend I was a teacher, but I never really said that, “I want to be a teacher when I grow up.” I never thought I would really become one. In the last years of my career, I took a specific course on the teaching of Spanish to foreigners, following a teacher’s advice. However, until I actually started teaching, I hadn’t realised that was exactly what I enjoyed doing: helping people to communicate and understand each other, although I worked in many other fields. But what is better than teaching our own language and culture? Not only does a teacher teach, but also learn. In many other lines of work, one gets tired because of the routine, though in teaching, especially those of foreign languages, we “never” know what is going to happen in our classes.
7. Do you like this job?
See no. 6.
8. What do you feel about Portuguese students?
It is difficult to answer this question. I don’t like to generalise and I cannot compare them to those of other institutions, but I do dare say that it shocked me, from the very beginning, the lack of discipline (behaviour), work and motivation.
9. Do you enjoy living in Portugal?
Despite some cultural difference hard to understand, I took to Portugal like a duck to water. So, my answer is yes.
10. Do you think people around here are familiar with the Spanish language and culture?
When I first arrived, I was surprised to see that many students knew quite a few things about Spain, especially through the TV, even some who lived in my city, whereas I only knew a couple of things about Portugal. I know more about other countries, because they were closer to my home town, such as France, or because I studied those other languages.
11. How would you describe the relation between Spain and Portugal? Do you reckon there’s any type of animosity or rivalry?
I don’t feel any rivalry whatsoever, though there might be some on the border, but I don’t know. I think for the majority of Spanish you are here and that is that. However, many of us are interested in other cultures and, because of that, our attitude towards Portugal and other countries is very different.
(Translation into English by Cláudia Martins)
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