La Vida Real en Madrid

Hola amigos,

It feels like so long since I’ve written a blog post, but it reality the days are just jammed packed here. For this post, I am just going to give a simple update of my time in Spain so far.

I would say I have been busy, but that would be an understatement. The days are longer and the nights are even longer in Spain.  The concept of time is hilarious in Spain because it seems what I would accomplish in a normal day in America, I accomplish in one hour in Spain. The days are so much longer because I wake up earlier and go to sleep later than I normally would in America, so I get much more done. I do enjoy this concept though; it makes me feel more productive and accomplished with my day. It’s exhausting, but man it does feel good.

A month has flown by for in living in Madrid and my friends and I like to think we know where I am going. Although, I do pull out my reliable Google Maps every once in a while. I have a good sense of our whereabouts, especially in my neighborhood. Most of the time my friends and I spend our days exploring the city, which has really given us a sense of belonging in this lively place.  I live in the area of La Latina; therefore I tend to hang out around La Latina and Sol. This area is very trendy and constantly busy with people. It is perfect for what my roommates and I wanted. There are plenty of rooftop bars (perfect for a mid day sangria), restaurants, shops and places to see around us, which always keeps us busy.

Now that I have settled down in Madrid, I have started branching out to different towns within in Spain. When I studied abroad previously, my one regret was not exploring Spain as much as I wanted to. Therefore, I am trying to really see as much as this beautiful and exquisite country as I can.  My friends and I took a day trip to Toledo, which I would absolutely recommend doing. It is a quick 20-minute train ride from Madrid to Toledo. Once we got there, I noticed how Toledo has a medieval atmosphere about it. With all the cobblestone stairs and keyhole arches throughout the city, it really makes for a wonderful sight. We explored the city, went to the cathedral, and various lookouts. There was one place that stood out to be more than the others. We walked for about 40 minutes to a look out about the city of Toledo, and the sight was breathtaking. This lookout is called Mirador del Valle and it sees over the city of Toledo and the river that circles it. It is simple to get to, just a little incline but the view is way worth the walking.

Real life is going to set in when I start my job on October 1st, but I am very excited to start teaching. It will be nice to have a set schedule everyday and to do the work I came here for. The children here are so well behaved and it is always so fun to notice the children on the metro and wonder, “will he/she be in my class?”

Everyday this adventure gets better and better and I am beyond thrilled to see what the future has to bring in Spain.

Until next time,

Allison Vote