Trading in palm trees for tapas

Back in May, my mom, sister, and I were walking around Chicago. My sister has lived there for close to 4 years and raves about it, but I'd never lived in a city before and couldn't picture it for myself. I began to wonder how I'd adjust come August because I didn't feel like a "city girl" at all; that was always her thing. After living in San Diego for 7 years, I was worried about how different Madrid would be. I had spent my entire life living in places that were made up of mostly trees, grass, driving, and the ocean.

To my surprise, I really love it. I was worried I'd miss the house my friends and I lived in and driving around town, or walking past cute houses and smelling what people were cooking for dinner after work. I loved those parts of living in a beach town and of course, there are the days I miss living in a house with my best friends. But living in a city has been such an exciting change of pace. Public transportation gets you everywhere here, and it's so affordable (€10/month for unlimited metro, bus, and train rides) that it's hard to believe how much I used to spend on gas. I can walk out of my apartment and be at a pharmacy, grocery store, bar, gym, restaurant, or coffee shop in less than 5 minutes. I can still smell what my neighbors are cooking when I sit in the stairwell and talk to friends on the phone. My walks after work look different now that I've traded palm trees and golden retrievers for tapas and metros, but I'm happy with that.

I thought I would feel stuck in a "concrete jungle", but it turns out I love nothing more than how alive a city is. There are always people out on the street: pushing strollers, having a glass of wine, reading on benches, kissing in the park. I'm constantly reminded of my own humanity by witnessing others'. It makes me realize how isolated I was when I worked from home and the only people I came in contact with during the week were friends I had plans with or people at the grocery store. Of course, there were smaller interactions here and there, but I was always itching for more. I didn't expect to feel a sense of community in such a major city, but it turns out a morning commute to work and a walk through Retiro Park really do make you feel like a part of something. 

In a weird way, it makes me happy to remember how worried I was about living in a city. It's a reminder that we can change and adapt more than we give ourselves credit for, and sometimes, there's a chapter of life ahead that's going to surprise you in ways you don't understand yet.