What We Do

TY Spain facilitates two way exchanges between Spain and Ireland for Irish Transition Year Students and Teenagers of a similar age for 3, 4, 5, 6 months.  Prior to, during and following the exchange TY Spain Directors are contactable at all times for information and advice.

How Does it Work?

If you are interested in a TY Spain exchange during your Transition Year, the following must be completed before we can find you an exchange family.

Following completion of the application process TY Spain will match Irish Transition Year Students/Families with Spanish Students/Families.

The two families will communicate by email and make arrangements as to when the exchange will take place to suit both families.

Prior to the students arriving/departing TY Spain will email the families an information pack and while the students are away from home TY Spain will be in regular contact with both families and the students and are available at all times if needed.

Sarah McCarthy experience: I am on an Exchange in Talavera de la Reina about one hour from Madrid. I have been here for one month now. I was very nervous about coming here at the start, I was thinking to myself “what have I gotten myself into” and “I’ll never last three months “. When I arrived here the host family had a great welcome for me. I was so relieved, It was what I was most nervous about. The family were so nice we sat down and chatted for a while and I knew from then that everything was going to be fine.

Sara, the girl I am doing the exchange with is two years younger than me while hasn’t caused a problem. We are in different classes in school which is good because we are not always together so we get on better.

Everyone in school was so welcoming on my first day showing me around and telling me what I should wear to school etc.. The classes are an hour each. They are quite boring as I’m only really starting to understand now . I bring a dictionary to class and try and learn sentences I will need. My Spanish has only really started to improve in the last two weeks so I think you need to be on exchange for at least three months for your Spanish to really improve.

For the first week I was very homesick, any word about home and I was in tears. The second week I started to cope better but I made the mistake of ringing home which set me back a lot. I would strongly go against ringing home and instead email, letter and texting are better.

Sara is big in to horse riding which is great as I ride at home. We go to weekly lessons and I am also swimming and playing tennis during the week. Some people find the food a problem but I have adjusted quite well.

I am having a fantastic time here and the thought of home doesn’t cross my mind anymore. The family are great, I’ve made many new friends. So I would recommend the exchange.

Sara Arriero experience: My name is Sara, I’m from Spain, I live in Talavera de la Reina in Toledo. We now have a exchange girl for three months. She is from Ireland she came with her family to get to know us and we spent a great weekend all together.

When the time came to say goodbye was very hard Sarah and her mother were crying, but I did everything possible to be kind to her so that she felt that now she had a kind family.

Sarah is two years older than me, at school she has her own friends , and the teachers help her with the language and she is improving her Spanish so much

The first weeks was bit complicated because we tried to speak her in English but she asked we speak always in Spanish and I think that is a good signal it shows that she is very interested and relaxed.

I’m happy to have a older sister at home, I only have two younger brothers and is funny to share my horse riding classes with somebody and go to swimming together.

She has met all my friends we go out and play table tennis and tennis too. I’m looking forward to going to Ireland and to get to know her family too.