Arriving to teach English in Mérida, Venezuela

Teaching English overseas is always an adventure, but few travellers have taken their teaching skills to Venezuela. Find out what arriving in Mérida is like!

So after an exhausting 3 days of travelling I’m delighted to announce that I arrived yesterday safe and sound in the beautiful city of Merida high up in the Venezuelan Andes. I’m currently sat on the balcony of my ‘posada’ admiring the bustling square below me which is connected to the entrance to the highest cable car on the planet. It has been closed for the last few years due to repairs but is apparently getting re-opened at the end of November which will be a fascinating, if not daunting experience. What has struck me the most after being in the country for less than 48 hours are the unbelievable differences in culture and general lifestyle between here and the UK.

On arrival to Caracas airport I knew straight away that I was going to love the country. Standing in the queue awaiting customs I found myself deep in conversation with a local elderly couple giving me safety tips and general advice about the country. Where in the UK the majority of people will be focused on getting to their destination, here I was instantly recognised as a foreigner and made to feel as welcome and safe as possible.

After a smooth transition to the airport hotel and meeting the other two interns with whom I’ll be spending the next 7 weeks, it was time for some well earned rest after 2 days of sitting on aeroplanes. Apart from a dodgy light, bar of soap which disappeared in my hands, and the constant bustle of an enormous city outside my bedroom, I managed to get a relatively good sleep. On to Merida!

The trip to Merida was hassle free and we were helped every step of the way by kind locals and people generally concerned for our well-being. It astonished me how people living in a nation with inflation out of control and taxing living conditions manage to remain so upbeat and always carry a smile on their faces. It really does shine another light on the world and has made me personally feel extremely humbled. Feeling this after being in the country for two days leaves me in no doubt that after 7 weeks I’ll have completely fallen in love with this tourist-bare, but exceedingly welcoming nation.

Today we get the official tour of Merida where we’ll find out the essentials and get the chance to explore more of the city. There has also been a lot of exciting talk about trying out the local Venezuelan cuisine, so needless to say a lot of time will be spent at the vast array of street vendors selling avocados larger than a human head, or coconuts literally dripping with fresh juice. Being rather addicted to food, I can confirm now that I’ll not be leaving here without having tried every possible dish available to me. Due to the incredible exchange rate one is able to enjoy a huge plate of food with at least 4 bottles of the local beer for a mere $1. I’m still not sure if that is a good thing because it means several weeks of frivolity and care-free food indulgence!

Another thing that has got me buzzing is the fact that very few of the locals speak English. That means that I have no choice but to practice and refine my Spanish. I’m lucky in that I already have a fairly fluent grasp in the language, but for the other interns it means they’ll have no choice but to learn, which only adds to the cultural experience.

Last, but by no means least, is the amount of activities on offer in Merida. From catching anacondas in the vast plains surrounding the city, to climbing 5000 metre peaks and paragliding off cliff edges. It’s fair to say that there will be no shortage of things to do. I’ll be sure to document as much as possible and bring up some more cultural or teaching topics which I feel are interesting!