Tuesday 30 August we went to visit the new Parque Rio, which was opened last year and designed by students from the Netherlands. When we arrived there, we could not miss the designer bridge, which was quite an amazing structure ...
On internet there was written that there was also a ‘beach’, so we really wanted to go and relax there. The beach part of Parque Rio were just some water fountains where you could jump through to refresh, but Kelly and I rented two chairs and a parasol and enjoyed the day with doing nothing and gaining a nice tan. Well, we got not only a tan, but also some burning spots, which really hurt. It was a nice day however.
When one visits Madrid, there are highlights not only in the city, but also in the surrounding area. One of them is San Lorenzo de El Escorial, the historical residence of the King of Spain, which is about 50 kilometres from Madrid. Together with our new roomies we went by train, the cheapest and fastest way. Going through a nice landscape, we arrived there around 1 p.m. We read on the internet that it was for free on Wednesdays, so therefore we chose this day to visit this UNESCO heritage. First we walked through the palace and the gardens of the prince, which we definitely not as impressive as we would have hoped.
Walking back to the train station, we saw something we had seen before in Madrid so far, rain! That was not what we expected as an ending of this nice day and our ‘holiday in Spain’. Tomorrow I had to go to the university for the first time, so I was a bit excited.
Thursday was not a day full of lectures, but a day of introduction. First we were welcomed by the principle and his staff, luckily not only in Spanish but also in English. Afterward we were guided over the campus to get an overview where everything is located. It was nice to meet people from all over the world.
Today I also had to register for my courses. In Spain they opt for the first come, first serve method, which is in my opinion very old-fashioned. On beforehand, I had to fill in my preferred subjects and corresponding preferred times. The people there than check for you if the course and times are available and if so, you are registered for that course. I was very lucky, because I was one of the first to choose my subjects so nearly everything was available. I got all my subjects I wanted, so that made me a happy man that day! To make it official, my learning agreement was signed and I could go satisfied.
I also went to ESN to get the ESN-card, which you need to get discounts on parties and activities. A fantastic way to meet new people, which for me is quite important to get everything out of you exchange abroad.
Friday and Saturday were lame days. We went shopping for notebooks, which was actually quite a challenge. You of course can get one a El Corte Inglés, but those are 7 euros and that is not a student price. Luckily we have a Chinese shop around the corner which sells nearly everything, so we got our notebooks there for a much better price.
Saturday Kelly and I participated in a gymkhana, a rally around the city. I had never heard of this word so I was curious what it actually was. We were divided in teams and we have to get as fast as we could to the finish at Plaza Mayor. Along the way we had to do some challenges, like dancing the Macarena on a crowded square or pass an apple without letting it drop. I had a great time and along the way we met other Dutch people from the Hogeschool Den Haag, who are super nice people. They asked if we would also come to the MTV Madrid Beach Party that evening with other ESN-students as well. Of course we did and we had a great night. The beers were only 2,50, where the ‘normal’ price is around 10 euros in the famous clubs like Joy and Pacha.
To close the weekend as it should be, we enjoyed having a pick nick organized by ESN in Parque del Rétiro. It was a ‘bring your own booze’ pick nick and we did. Chatting, drinking and having fun summarizes this afternoon.
Hello! Are you looking for a room in Madrid? Visit our website. www.madrideasy.com
ReplyDeleteHello! Are you looking for a room in Madrid? Visit our website. www.madrideasy.com
ReplyDelete