Culture Shock: Episode 2

Welcome to our second episode on culture shock. This episode, Rand and Sian will be speaking to three former language assistants who have all had very interesting and different experiences with culture shock abroad. We are speaking to Isla, a former English Language Assistant in Germany, Lukas, a former Austrian Language Assistant in the UK, and Yiqing, a former Chinese Language Assistant in the UK. Listen as they share their stories about joining a musical choir in London, an queer gardening group in Cologne, experiencing conflicts when queueing, and more!

This episode explores the foundation for understanding culture shock. Join the language assistants team with Saskia, Rand and Aobh as we dive into what culture shock is, the stages it involves, and why it’s such a universal experience for exchange students. We are joined also by George Wilson, the English and School Education Country Lead for British Council France. Through stories, expert insights, and practical examples, this episode will equip listeners with the knowledge to recognize and manage the emotional rollercoaster that often accompanies life abroad.

Finola chats to Ellie who was an ELA in Austria during 2020-21 about what is best to pack as a Language Assistant. Listen for top tips on what you really need to bring and what you can get when you're there. Don't forget to leave space for delicious goodies and some marmite if you're a fan!

Finola speaks to Georgia and Mabel about their experiences as assistants and how they kept a record of their time. They discuss their favourite memories and the joys of looking back on them. Ceilidhs in classroom and Christmas on the beach, listen in to find out how to keep track of your experiences. 

In this episode, we speak to former English Language Assistants Fran, Dylan and Haleema about their first experiences in the classroom. Providing quality first teaching tips, we hear about their favourite activities and the challenges they overcame to produce fantastic lessons. From quizzes about apple pie to what's the time Mr Wolf, discover what being an assistant in a range of schools is like from their first-hand experience.

We hear from assistants Kate and Georgia about their experience of settling in as an ELA during 2019-20. From Welsh-cake candles to brass bands, listen to all their top tips for managing that initial period of the assistantship.  

Join us for a trip to the country of the poets in South America with colleagues and assistants. First up, we hear from Gaurav and Ceana. Now both working at the British Council, they tell Finola about their experience as English Language Assistants in Chile. Then Ceana chats to Christopher, a Chilean Modern Language Assistant currently working in the South of England. 

Finola and Leona speak to former ELAs and current Ambassadors Lucy and Laura about their experience as an ELA in Spain.  From sunsets overlooking the Alhambra to chocolate factory school trips in Asturias, listen to find out more! 

Joined by team member Elena and former assistants Luis and Ffion, Fin hears all about life in Germany. From admin to bakery etiquette, listen in to hear about the assistant experience and top tips for those heading to Germany. 

2020 has been a very different year for the Language Assistants programme, and this podcast looks to explore how this group of assistants and teachers have adapted in the circumstances. In the first part of this episode we speak to Emily, Joe and Mathilde who speak about their different experiences of Lockdown and the final stages of their assistantship. Not only on the journey they went on but how important it is to look after your own well-being during this time. In the second part, we hear from David Lynch, a British Council teacher currently based in Japan, who has had to adapt to virtual teaching. We discuss the challenges but also the possibilities that come with virtual teaching on this episode of the Language Assistants podcast.