Takeaways from Spain

As my final blog post, I will write yet another self-indulgent list of takeaways from Spain. Category is: things I’ve learned and major takeaways. 

1. Making friends with other auxes is maybe the easiest thing in the world.

My friend Danny (not an English aux) came out with my friends and I one night, and everyone kept asking him, “Are you an aux?”. He thought they were asking if he was an ox. He figured it was some American slang he’d never heard of. I still laugh about it. The point is, every ‘aux’ is usually willing to make friends. I’ve made some good friends that I just met last week, and I’m leaving at the end of this month.

1. Spanish people, on the whole, are SO nice. 

Everyone I have met here in cafes, bars, restaurants, and at work have been nothing but accommodating. Of course, this is a generalization, but on the whole, people are incredibly open to conversation. 

1. You can’t spell Spain without AI. 

And you can quote me on that. Maybe it’s just the timing of my year here, but AI is EVERYWHERE. All over the metro and bus stops, in schools, in commercials, in stores, it’s insanity. 

1. My sleep schedule has never been so out of whack. 

This is something you should be aware of before coming to somewhere like Spain– the late-night culture is both the best and worst thing in the world. The best thing in the world for your social life, undoubtedly, but the worst thing in the world for your sleep schedule. Life is short, though, and your year here is even shorter, so you’ve just got to lean into it and aprovechar. 

1. Spanish high school students have the ability to talk more than perhaps any demographic on planet Earth.

Believe me, I know for a fact that I am a ‘chatterbox’ by the Anglophone standard. Spanish high school students, however, have got me beat. They literally never run out of things to chat about. Consequently, the full teachers in Spain seemingly never run out of patience in the classroom. 

1. If you have the privilege to do a year working as an English assistant, you should probably do it. 

It’s an awesome opportunity, and aside from gaining professional experience, there is a LOT of time to discover things about yourself. You do have a lot of free time, which creates a lot of opportunity to expand your horizons – meeting new people, going to new places, trying new things and challenging yourself. 

All in all, this year has taught me an awful lot about Spain, the world, making meaningful connections with people, and maybe most of all, myself. Until next time, my wonderful Madrid!!