When the Going Gets Tough
Madrid, Spain: month five. A lot can happen in five months. For most of us, we moved to a foreign country in September, began work in October, coped with missing Thanksgiving in November and (maybe, just maybe) flew home in December.
So, in these past five months we’ve been expected to make friends, find housing, keep (and attend) our appointments with the Spanish gov., work in a school, and budget well enough to not starve ourselves. Oh, and remain calm while doing it.
I am here to say that it is possible, albeit difficult. By now we have all hopefully settled into our routines, found our favourite daily coffee stop and have a good support group of friends to share that coffee with.
Coming to Spain has been just as great as could be imagined. The people are nice, the food tasty and the weather…acceptable. Coming from the North Eastern United States I suppose I can’t complain too much about the lack of freezing temperatures.
While there are times it can be frustrating, in the end, it’s worth it to have such an opportunity. Not everyone gets to travel abroad, let alone call their destination home. It’s only been five months, yet I am extremely grateful for the friends I’ve made, the school I teach in and the experiences I’ve had.
I know plenty of people who, like me, moved to Spain after university to take a break from school after finishing university. Several years later they’re still here and not a tad less happy…that might just be me as well.
Related Posts
How Living Abroad in Spain Brings Personal Growth
Traveling to Spain for the first time with CIEE has truly been an experience of a lifetime. Besides it's stunning architecture, vibrant culture, and historical heritage, you can gain something very valuable from this country. In hindsight, living in Madrid can contribute to your personal growth. Among the many benefits of living abroad, you begin to see that you are becoming more self-reliant, make friends from all over the world and are suddenly comfortable in taking risks.
How Different are Spanish Schools to American Schools?
My understanding of Spanish primary schools is that they are mostly very similar to schools in the United States. The children are just as adorable (and rowdy), the teachers work... keep reading
Spain, Through my Tiny Camera
I explore Spain through the lens of my low quality but adorable tiny camera.