Jennifer Murray's year as a English Language Assistant: digital storytelling

Jennifer is a blind student who tells her story of her year abroad as part of her course at the University of the West of Scotland through this photo story.

This resource will be featured as part of her workshop at the International Camp for Computers and Communication in Romania in August 2012. The workshop is called The Sky's the Limit: Survival guide for living, studying and working away from home.

The video will be used to share her experiences with others and to share her experience in a bid to encourage other students (particularly students who are blind and visually impaired) to think about embarking on a year abroad.

Welcome to Jennifer Murray's time abroad in Murcia, South-East Spain from October 2011 to May/June 2012.

During the eight months of my work placement abroad,

I taught young Primary school children English.

However, I want to show you the many good times

that I had with the other English Language Assistants

and the friends that I made whilst I was there.

On the 22nd of October 2011, there was a huge party for all English Language Assistants and "Erasmus" students.

This party was held in a place called "Villa Erasmus" or The "Erasmus Villa"

The villa is huge, with lots of bedrooms, balconies,

huge garden, an outdoor swimming pool and a place for doing BBQ’s

Lots of students used to stay here and some parties took place here as well.

On the same day as the party for English Language Assistants,

I went out with the woman from my host family to her home town.

Whilst I was there, I got the opportunity to stroke two horses

whilst I was sitting on the wall near the beach.

On Sunday the 22nd of January 2012,

I took part in a 30KM bike ride through the countryside of Murcia.

There were many families and lots and lots of people who participated in this bike ride.

I went along with the woman from my host family and some of her friends.

I had the opportunity to try out various bikes,

including a very tall massive bike which was taller than me.

The bike had a saddle and handle bars which were extremely high up!

Near the beginning of March 2012, Julie, Arisha and myself went to a beach in Cartagena.

This photo is of Julie (from Northern Ireland), Arisha (from America) and me

standing on the sand with the sea behind us.

You can also see waves coming in.

I decided to have my birthday in Spain.

So on Wednesday the 14th of March 2012, eight of us,

which were Me, Vanessa (who was my support worker), Jennifer (from London), Amanda (from Canada), Grace and Laura (two girls from England), Will (from America) and Katie (from Liverpool)

went to "Madre de Dios" which is a restaurant where we had dinner.

All of us are sitting round the table, waiting for our dinner.

You can see wine glasses, napkins, plates and cutlery on the table.

After having dinner, you can see me, with a chocolate cake with a candle in the middle of the cake.

"Pequeña Miss Cupcakes" was a place that I visited on a regular basis with my friends,

or with Vanessa (my support worker)

Therefore, on the 1st of April 2012, I went to this place and enjoyed a cup-cake and a can of coke.

From the 31st of March until the 6/7/8th of April, in Spain, they celebrate something called "Holy week" or Semana Santa".

This is represented by people dressing up in tunics and there's often lots of processions through the streets/squares of the towns in Spain.

The people usually carry wooden floats with candles,

crosses and flowers on the top of them.

Not only that, they are either followed by a band or a band playing drums/trumpets are in front of them.

The people dressed up in tunics, walk together, carrying the heavy float and give out sweets to the young children.

On the 4th of April 2012, I spent the whole day with Vanessa, her sister Veronica and their friends.

We went to a cafe where they do beautiful exquisite chocolate milkshakes (and if you are lucky, you can get cream on the top!)

We're all sitting on the comfy sofas inside the cafe. Following the cafe on the same day, Vanessa and I are standing near a fence outside a park.

On Saturday the 26th of May 2012 which was my last full weekend in Murcia,

an English Language Assistant from America invited a massive group of other English Language Assistants, "Erasmus" students

and anyone else who wanted to come to her flat for a huge farewell party (combined with a birthday party).

The party took place outside on a huge balcony, with lots of people drinking, eating, chatting, dancing and generally having a fantastic time.

In the first photo, I am sitting next to Natcho and Jack and we're all having drinks.

In the second photo, you can see a huge group of people from all parts of the world.

Everyone spoke either in their own language, in English, Spanish, German and Italian.

Towards the end of May, a group of us went to the Cartagena beach

and there is a photo of us all sitting on towels with the restaurant (right next to the beach) behind us.

This is possibly during my last weekend in Murcia and it was the last time,

that we practically all saw each other before we departed for going back home.