My second week as a Madrileño

Hello!

Last time I told you about my search for a room. Well, let’s reveal how and where I eventually found one! After 4 full days of searching I did not find a room yet. It was Sunday evening, and since I had a Spanish level test the next morning, I decided to stop searching on the Internet for a while and spend the evening learning Spanish. So I opened my books, and within one hour my phone rang. It was Evi, a classmate from Tilburg. She said she found a room in the street of my hostel and that there was another one free, so I could join. One hour later, the contract was signed and I had the keys! Yippee! So now I live in the street Calle Fuencarral, in the middle of the center. Together with 2 Spanish girls, 2 Turkish girls, 2 French girls and Evi. How strange… I crossed the whole center of Madrid, and I found a room just in the street of my hostel!

Now my room was arranged, I had more time for social activities of course! Although I did not know many people, since my classes did not start yet during my search, I then already went out for eating together with approximately 25 international students I knew via a friend from Tilburg. Very nice! Well, on Monday morning I thus had a level test. I had to answer 100 multiple choice questions in 45 minutes in a classroom where the thermometer showed that it was 28 degrees (inside!). But after this test, I immediately went for some nice coffee and tea at Starbucks with some girls I just met. That was a good start of getting to know new people! The following days we started to contact each other via Facebook and we enjoyed the sun in Parque del Retiro. This is a very big, beautiful park in the east of the citycenter. After many hours of chatting and enjoying the sun (it was 33 degrees!), it was Spanish time to eat dinner… I also went out a few times, which is obviously amazing in a city like Madrid. To bring you in the Spanish party mood, you can listen to “Danza Kuduro” one more time by clicking here.

This time I show you a picture of Mercado San Miguel. For different reasons I think it is nice to share it with you. First of all, the picture shows you the great, relaxed atmosphere of Madrid in general. Secondly it shows you the affection of the Spanish with food, which I share ;) But the most remarkable feature is that it retains its original iron structure of the early 20^th century. This is typical for Madrid: the mix of modern and old. Many beautiful old elements are still intact, while you also feel you live in a modern city.

Then the anecdote of this time: explaining to my Spanish class our tradition of Sinterklaas… During my first week of classes, I only had an intensive Spanish course of three days. During the first lesson, we had to sit in groups and explain to each other a celebration that is typical for your culture/country. So I decided to explain them Sinterklaas. My group could only laugh! The teacher came by to listen to our Spanish and then she also started to laugh. When I dared to say that we, in the Netherlands, believe that Sinterklaas lives in Madrid, she decided to tell the whole class about this ‘strange’ story. There are no other Dutch people in my class, so no one could confirm my story. It was so funny!!!

Now you know a bit more about my start-up in Madrid J

¡Hasta luego!