"The best thing I could have done": Millie's gap year in Barcelona

When Millie finished school in England, she wasn't sure university was the right next step. Instead of jumping in anyway, she spent the first half of 2026 in Barcelona with us: four weeks on the TEFL course in January, then months of Spanish classes, weekend trips and city life. We caught up with her twice, once a few weeks in and once at the end of her programme. Here's how her gap year went, in her own words.

Why a gap year?

For Millie, the decision came down to not wanting to commit to something she wasn't sure about.

"I wasn't really sure if I wanted to go to university, and I didn't want to just jump into it without being 100% confident that it was something I wanted to do," she told us. "So I thought if I did a gap year, I could just grow and become more confident."

That's a familiar feeling for a lot of school-leavers. A TEFL gap year gives you time to think, and you come home with a qualification you can use.

The first few weeks: "This is a lot"

Moving from rural England to a city of 1.7 million people took some getting used to.

"I'm from the middle of nowhere, so coming here to a city I was like, oh my God, this is a lot at the beginning," Millie said in her first interview. "But now I really like it."

Living with other people on the programme helped. "Being in our apartment has been good," she said, "being around people the same age."

The first month was the TEFL course itself: input sessions on grammar and teaching methods, lesson planning, and teaching practice with real Spanish students. It's an intensive four weeks, and by the end of January Millie had her Trinity CertTESOL.

Six months later: "A lot more confident"

By the time we filmed with Millie again at the end of her programme, she had finished the TEFL course and spent the months since studying Spanish at our sister school, Iberia Language Academy. Looking back, the change she noticed most was in herself.

"I think I've changed a lot. I've definitely become a lot more confident in myself," she said. "I'm definitely a lot more independent, and I'm confident that I can do stuff on my own, being away from my family and everything. I've definitely grown a lot."

Building that confidence was the reason she came in the first place, and it's what she says she'll take home with her.

Support when you need it

Being far from home at 18 isn't always easy, and Millie was honest about the homesickness at the start. What made the difference was knowing there was always someone around.

"You can grow as a person and enjoy this amazing city while having all the support of the school," she said. "For me that was really important, especially at the beginning, when you're feeling homesick. You always have somebody to talk to, so you can become more independent, but you're also supported."

That balance of independence and support is something we think about a lot with our gap year students, and it's good to hear it worked for Millie.

Millie's advice: "Definitely do it"

We asked Millie what she would say to someone who is unsure about taking a gap year. Her answer was simple.

"I'm just so glad I did it. Definitely do it," she said. "If you're not sure about what you want to do, it's good, because you're gaining something out of it: you're doing the TEFL course and learning how to teach English, but you're also able to spend time away from your family in a whole new place."

And her verdict on the whole year? "It was just the best thing I think I could have done."

Thinking about a gap year in Barcelona?

Our gap year programme combines the TEFL course with Spanish lessons, shared accommodation with other students and support from our team throughout your stay. If you're finishing school and not sure what's next, get in touch and we'll talk you through how it works.