I thought it was about time to actually blog while I’m here in Madrid.It may sound cliché but, it “seems like only yesterday” I was boarding my plane with tear-filled eyes and imagining how life would be across the pond. Since then, I have experienced possibly the most exciting three months ever. Unfortunately it has really made me less motivated to write and more motivated to actually enjoy life. But, that’s a good thing,right!? So, Let us take a trip down short-term memory lane and re-cap the first trimester:
Month One// “You have now arrived at your destination…”
I arrived in the bitter cold of January on the aftermath of Spain’s most treasured Holy day, Three Kings day. I was picked up by distant relatives and taken to their home in the Southern Suburbs of Madrid where I was “briefed” in a few slang words and the EMT Madrid Metro system by the family. After a couple days of home-cooked meals and a gentle ease into the new life I was embarking on, I finally trekked my way to centro Madrid where I’d meet my new home for the next month and my wish of living like one of the orphans at Miss Hannigan’s Orphanage ( Annie, anyone!?) would be granted. The student housing I was placed in during my TEFL course was a bittersweet experience but, beside the fact that it was an apartment with 9 girls, 1 complete bathroom and an awful “Head Mistress,” I met the most delightful International group of girls and welcomed Europe with a warm embrace.
Things I learned this month:
- The most common word in the Spanish vernacular: Vale (meaning Okay) which has since become a staple of my daily vocabulary.
- That anything by Passion Pit, Vampire Weekend, Florence and the Machine, Matt & Kim , Adele or Kanye West are the best soundtrack on a public transportation commute
- That eating out in Madrid is quite possibly cheaper than buying groceries ( although I will soon learn that I must do both evenly)
- My 3 semesters of Italian in College actually prove to be useful during my stay at Miss Hannigan’s with 4 Italian Sweethearts.
Month Two// ” I think I’m gonna like it here…”
By Month two, my life was tailspinning into new and wonderful things. I graduated from my TEFL training course on February 4th and by the 10th I was jetting off to one of my dream cities: Paris!! After years of dreaming a vacation in “The City of lights” My dream came true in the form of an unforgettable long Valentine’s day weekend with two girlfriends, Kelly and Courtney. I did the typical touristy things one must do when visiting the monumental city. I was also introduced to a delicous way to drink red wine-HOT! Vin Chaud which literally translates to hot wine is a spicy mixture of red wine and cinnamon, clove and other goodies to make even the coldest person all warm and fuzzy inside. Being among Historical sights such as Versailles gave me goosebumps all over and made me realize why this city is so After my frolic in Paris, I interviewed and landed some English Teaching gigs and off I went to teach some Spainards Ingles. I also ended my stint at Miss Hannigans convent and found an amazing apartment located in La Latina (a lovely neighborhood in central Madrid) with my own private balcony and three roomates ( Two Greek girls and a Spanish guy). My life was finally starting to feel legit.
This month I learned…
- That flying on RyanAir has a TON of strings attached so avoid it as much as possible.
- That I could read a book faster than I can drink a liter of water ( This month I finished two books!)
- That teaching English was a lot more difficult than people assume it is.
- That French Macarons from Ladurée have a 3-day expiration limit (therefore, I ate the whole box in less than that!)
Month Three// Sleep.Teach.Party.Repeat
March ushered in a lot of slight changes in my newly minted vida Madrileña including the return of paychecks being sucked up by bills, the never-ending pursuit to get to my “happy weight” and a close circle of ex-pat friends. I joined the hundreds of closet pyromaniacs at the annual Festival de Las Fallas in Valencia, Spain. Fun Fact: Did you know that the original Paella comes from Valencia, Spain and includes chicken, veggies and rabbit? my friends Kelly, Danielle and I joined a group of Barcelonian ( not sure it’s a real term) by way of Austraila Surfers and camped out near the beach during this long weekend of burning statues, beer and agua de Valencia. This time we traveled by bus and enjoyed a showing of The Hangover on the ride back to Madrid ( Another fun fact: the movie is translated to “Resacon en Las Vegas”). I also celebrated St. Patty’s day like a true American who celebrates holidays they have no association to. I joined friends at an Irish pub ( yes folks, Madrid has Irish immigrants too) and drank some Guinness in honor of old St. Patrick.
Things I learned this month:
- Gin and Tonics lead to a night I can’t remember and the worst. hangover.in. history.
- Picnics at Parque del Retiro are the cure to the common hangover.
- Homesickness comes in small moments such as hearing a song or getting a craving for Chipotle ( a common occurance)
- After settling into the daily routine, life in Europe isn’t so bad.
So here I am, 3 months and 6 days into what will be month Four. Who’d have thought I’d be typing this a year ago.
One major thing I’ve learned thus far is that life will almost never go as you plan but, if you let it happen the way it’s supposed to, it can unravel into the most marvelous thing you’ve ever experienced.
‘sta luego
-S
