About

Lugano, Italy

About A Thing For Wor(l)ds

We travel with our five senses, and language is the auditory journey. Italian or Polish do for our ears what fresh pasta or pierogi do for our tongues. Language provides an exceptional peephole into the places we visit, highlighting the most current, the perfect present—a slice of a world you don’t get from museums or Baroque churches. Individual words may come and go, but language will always be in vogue.

I created A Thing For Wor(l)ds to document this intersection of language and culture. There is plenty of food porn on travel blogs; plenty of hotel reviews, airline tips, and the 5 Best Places to Drink in Thailand. But we’re not hearing enough about language, despite the fact that it’s all we hear in everyday life. Thus enters A Thing For Wor(l)ds, a place where language, culture, and travel are not mutually exclusive, but inextricably linked.

About Jenny

I graduated from UC Santa Barbara in June 2013 with a degree in Language, Culture and Society, which is a subset of Linguistics. I initially entered as a Global Studies major, but learned that studying world languages was slightly less depressing than studying global economy and political ideologies, and soon made the switch. I loved LCS because I was still able to examine world cultures, but through a fascinating lens of grammar (not being sarcastic there), contextual meaning, and word choice. That’s what language allows for, and linguists are really just anthropologists armed with dictionaries.

I wrote my first blog when I was living and studying abroad during my junior year in Granada, Spain, from 2011-2012. It was chalk full of exciting posts about the thrill of Europe’s drinking age and Andalucia’s free tapas tradition—you know, what everyone who’s not directly related to you cares so much about. But keeping up with that blog allowed me to discover a passion for writing and create an outlet that didn’t require landing a book deal with Random House at age 20.

Soup addict in Poland.

What I’m Doing Now

After finishing college, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to move back to Spain and continue writing about the struggles and triumphs of expat life and cultural (mis)translations. Plus, a mid-day siesta most days doesn’t hurt! I taught English for nine months at a middle/high school in rainy (but lovely!) Bilbao, through the North American Language and Culture Assistants program run by the Spanish government (Auxiliares de Conversación, click here for the official website). I continued to improve my Spanish, pick up words here or there in the local language, Euskera, and throw myself headfirst into A Thing For Wor(l)ds. In August 2014 I returned to Spain. This time, to the envy of expats everywhere, I landed in the sunny and cosmopolitan Barcelona.

Writing

I try to make my writing less generic than my name. Everyone lucky enough to be named Jenny Marshall needs to find a way to stand out a wee bit, and I try to do that with words. Some of my favorite and most popular posts in general have been:

How I Live Legally in Barcelona as an American, because we can’t all marry Europeans for the visa.

Can You Afford Barcelona on a Part-Time Teaching Salary? Spoiler alert: You can.

Making Friends Abroad: The Lonely Expat’s Guide. You may think you’re a social creature, until you’re thrown headfirst—for the third time—into a city knowing no one.

WanderLust: Dating in Spain, about selling my soul to Tinder and discovering the pervasiveness of the Basque rattail.

A Californian’s Guide to Staving off Seasonal Affect Disorder, about trying to survive in rainy Basque Country.

My Future Looks Dim. When this whole writing thing doesn’t pan out, here are my back-up options.

If you’re interested in the language side of things, you may like my series Lost in Translation. These posts started as a way to document my many missteps while learning Spanish studying abroad, and have grown to incorporate written translation errors, cultural mistranslations, and aspects of world languages that cannot be translated into English. To get you started, I recommend:

False Friends

Foreign Words for Familiar Concepts

Harry Potter

On the more technical side of language learning, check out the Let’s Talk series. Here, 13 brave language learners share their experiences picking up Malagasy, Turkish, and Xhosa, to name a few.

And although my teaching salary is nothing to complain about, I can’t (thus far) travel to all reaches of the globe. So I’ve asked some 20-something females about their experiences living, working, or studying in countries outside of Europe and the U.S. You can read these entertaining and eye-opening interviews in the In Other Wor(l)ds series.

In addition to teaching English, running this blog, and drinking cheap Spanish wine, I do freelance writing. Please contact me at athingforwords (at) gmail (dot) com if you are interested in having me contribute to your travel website, blog, or online magazine.

Thanks for reading, and keep up the good work!

I hope you continue to follow along as I write about the intersection between language and travel, hilarious mistranslations, absurdities my students say, and adventures through Europe during my generous teacher’s vacation time. I’ll put it all here, painting Spanish expat life genuinely as the thrilling and rewarding struggle it has proven to be. You can follow my tweets, Facebook posts, Pinterest, and pretty Instagram pics, too. Even better, get posts delivered right to your email!

Cheers . . . with Moroccan mint tea!

tony

Life is not just waking up in the morning repeating the same day every single day Cheers !!!!
Arnau

Hi Jenny! Congrats, I am from Barcelona and I dunno how I found your blog, but it’s really cool ;). It’s very inspiring!
Perhaps I’ll drop you a mail!
Keep up with the good work ;)
Regards
Arnau
- Jenny | A Thing For Wor(l)ds
  
  Hi Arnau, so glad you found the blog and are enjoying it!! Thanks for reading!
Red Velvet Voyage

I really appreciate your Language Specialization! Its so true that while traveling, people tend to focus on the obvious: food, drinks, love, architecture. Great Blog Concept! I have been learning Italian, with a Tuscan accent for years now since I married a native Italian – that has been an exciting learning journey to say the least! Very excited to read more!
- Jenny | A Thing For Wor(l)ds
  
  Yep, I think language is such a unique aspect of travel that people tend to brush aside. Food is an easier way to connect with a new place, but language can provide such rich insight.
Betty J. Ogburn

…Hey, Jenny–guess who nominated you for The Liebster Award???:

https://thepumpkinshead.wordpress.com/2014/08/09/ive-got-that-liebster-love-my-first-blogging-award/

If you’re curious, just click on my link for deets, :-)!!…
Noelle

Hi Jenny!

Wonderful blog, definitely looking forward to following along as I start my first year as an auxiliare in Madrid. Before I applied to the ministry program I spent a while looking at ways to get to Barcelona, out of curiosity, which program are you doing?
- Jenny @ A Thing For Wor(l)ds
  
  Hey Noelle, glad you found the blog! I think you’ll really enjoy the auxiliar life in Madrid. I’m going through a program called Meddeas, that works in private (mostly Catholic) schools. The ministry program is in general the best benefits in pay, but you gotta do what you gotta do to get to Barcelona!
Kathleen

Hi Jenny,

I noticed that you said you were placed through Meddeas and I am keen to hear your experiences with them. I’ve seen a few bad reviews online and some suggestions that 850 euros per month isn’t enough to get by on in Spain. Can you help at all?

Thanks,
Kat
- Jenny
  
  Hey Kat, I’ll actually be starting with Meddeas in the Fall, so no experience with them yet. But I sent you an email to answer your questions!
  - Jenny
    
    Actually looks like email failed. Here’s the info:
    I actually haven’t started working for them yet, I’m switching programs from the Ministry to Meddeas starting in the fall. I haven’t heard much either way about them, good or bad, but coming from the Government’s Ministry program, where basically ALL you hear is bad, I have hope that Meddeas won’t be worse, haha. Also, I’ve found their office to be quite helpful, and have been back and forth with Jorge (who works with them) quite a bit, and so far I’m pleased with how they handle questions, etc.
    
    I’m switching programs because I wanted to be in Barcelona, and the gov’t program isn’t offered in Cataluna. This year I made 700 euros a month, and lived in the hugely expensive region of Bilbao….and I survived! I’d say even on 700/month you could get by, but I did about 9 extra private lessons a week and made around 600 euros/month extra of spending money (which went into a LOT of travel). So to answer your question, I think 850 is definitely doable with Meddeas—Spain has an incredibly low cost of living, and 1,000 euros is the common starting salary for FULL-time positions, so we actually have it comparatively good.
    
    What region will you be in? If you’re in a cheaper one like Andalucia, Galicia, or Extremadura, you should have no problem with that salary, even without doing extra lessons.
elizabeth locke

Your blog is so cute! Congrats on Barcelona! What program did you apply through? I am finishing up my first year in Madrid and debating staying for a second or moving somewhere new. Let me know if you make it to Madrid and we should grab coffee! xoxo
- Jenny
  
  Thanks so much! I applied through Meddeas, they work with private schools throughout Spain. Are you an auxiliar? Several of my friends are moving to Madrid next year to teach, and are so excited about it! And coffee sounds great, same to you in Barcelona :)
Betty J. Ogburn

…Hello–may I just say that I LOVE your blog’s title (brilliant play on words)???…I was just curious: I know that you’re an auxiliar–are you renewing for another year in the País Vasco???…
- Jenny
  
  Hi Betty, thanks so much!! I renewed for another year in Pais Vasco but was recently accepted with another program for Barcelona, so it’s looking like I’ll be heading to the Mediterranean next year! I just checked out your blog and saw you’ll be heading to Aragon, sounds wonderful!!
  - Betty J. Ogburn
    
    …OooOh–sounds exciting!!…Yeah–I’m excited to be finally living dat expat life!!!!…Have you been to Aragón, perchance???…
Nancy Riess

Hi Jenny,

This is Nancy Riess, Dana’s mom and I am coming to Bilbao for a few days – March 12/13 and doing part of the Camino with three other friends. Would love to get your recommendations on Bilbao and other things Spain. I’ll email you with the exact dates at your direct email.

Great blog.
Nancy
- jennymarshall
  
  Hi Nancy, so great to hear from you! Yes please email me, I would love to tell you recommendations and even grab a coffee or something while you’re here. Also I did part of the Camino two years ago, such an incredible experience. Talk to you soon!
  Jenny
  - Nancy Riess
    
    Hi Jenny,
    
    I did send my itinerary to your gmail address. HOpe you got it. We’re doing one week of the Camino – the last part. Any advice would be welcome!
    
    Nancy
Corbett Walsh

Hi Jenny, Love the blog! Can I please do a Q&A interview with you to feature on my site? I’m trying to accumulate lots of testimonials for prospective NALCA/BEDA teaching assistants. I feel like your experience would add a lot :) If not, no problem. Thanks!
- jennymarshall
  
  Hey Corbett, thanks!! I’d be more than happy to answer some interview questions. Just send me an email at jennymarshall415 (at) gmail (stupid spam) and you can let me know a bit more about the project!
Mike

Hi Jenny. I just discovered your blog, so I still have more reading to do. I studied abroad in Granada too and had an excellent time learning Spanish there. I’m applying to teach in Spain later this week and was wondering how you like Bilbao? Are you able to learn Spanish there or is Euskera spoke more often? How is life different in the Basque Country vs. Andalucia? Sorry for all the questions!
- jennymarshall
  
  Hey Mike! Glad you found the blog! I really like Bilbao. I’m from California, so the rainy weather gets some taking used to, but overall the city is really nice and liveable, surrounded by beautiful mountains and the ocean is just a metro ride away. Spanish is spoken the majority of the time. The school you will be placed in if you get Basque Country will most likely teach in Euskera, but all the teachers and students know and speak Spanish. Plus the Spanish up here is much clearer than in Granada! Bilbao is a bit more expensive than Granada, but the city is lively and beautiful, the people are nice, the pintxos are delicious, and everything just seems like it runs really well here. It has a different feel than the south, but that’s what I was looking for–although I loved every minute of studying abroad, i didnät want to repeat the exact same experience. Hope this helps! Feel free to write with any more questions, and good luck in the application process!