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Published: October 12th 2010
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Fuente de Nepuno
Just outside the world famous Prado Museum It is unbelievable to me that I have been here in Madrid for six weeks already! Time has never gone faster for me. With school during the days, various evening commitments, trying to study, meeting with friends, and travel on the weekends the weeks go faster than you can even imagine. But, I am having a blast and feel a slight pressure that there is only less than 2 months before I leave for home... there is still so much to see, do and experience in Madrid! On the note of Madrid, I realize I have neglected to share much about the city as well as some of my experiences, thoughts, and general feelings about my time here. So below, you can find a hodgepodge of reading material about life for me in Madrid! (And I have a few pictures I have taken while around the city - I never really take my camera out with me when I am around the city so I have limited pictures of Madrid right now... but I plan on being better about always taking it with me!)
* I have a job teaching English! When I told my sister this, she looked very
doubtful as she realizes that I do not have the best command of the English language. But no Spanish speaker knows that. 😊 Actually, I am working with a brother and sister (15 and 18 years old) who already speak very good English and want to practice speaking with Americans (their teachers are British) and improve their speed and general communication skills. I meet with them twice a week for a total of 3 hours a week. It is a nice way for me to make a little extra money for lunches or what not.
* Speaking of practicing languages... the second week of school, I signed up for an intercambio where you get paired with a Spanish speaker who wants to practice English and in turn helps you with your Spanish. I got paired up with a really nice guy named Tony and we have been hanging out on a regular basis. He has introduced me to some of his friends and he has gone out with me and some of my friends. He speaks really good English as he studied at Pitzer for a semester and is really got at helping me with my Spanish. He was
also an economics major (as I am) and is currently working at a large bank here in Madrid. For me, it has been a great way to meet Spanish friends and practice Spanish outside my home stay or school.
* While my Spanish is for sure improving, I get frustrated that I am not improving faster! Part of the problem is that with the exception of language and grammar class, all my classes are in English and I am mostly around American students all day. (That is why I really like hanging out with Tony and his friends!) But, regardless, my comprehensive is way up (that is when they slow down) and I have been able to pick up on the many of the local sayings and expressions and even the slight lispy accent.
* Food in Spain is very bland. For Americans, we usually think of Hispanic and Latin food as spicy or very rich in flavor (even though this is mostly just in Mexico). But Spaniards do like spicy or hot food and thus most of their food has very little flavor for me. One thing they do really love though is olive oil! 70 percent
Outside the Royal Palace
While waiting in line to go in, I met a guy from Seattle who happens to be the son of the guy who owns RE.PC in downtown next to Safeco field of the worlds olive oil actually comes from Spain and they use A LOT in everything. At first, it kind of worried me how oily everything was, but then it was explained to me that this is very healthy olive oil and just part of a healthy Mediterranean diet.
* The Spanish also don't believe in a very big breakfast. This also killed me at first, but I have since gotten used to it. Generally, breakfast is simply a piece of toast and a coffee with milk (definitely not the Denny's style breakfast of Americans). But, they make up for this with a massive lunch midday. Some people will also go for another small snack in between breakfast and lunch of a Spanish tortilla and coffee (or sometimes a beer) around 11 or noon. Dinner then is also not that big generally eaten around 9:30 or 10 in the evening. This again is often supplemented with tapas (think small appetizers like bites of food) that people go out for after work or right after dinner before they go out for the evening.
* In Madrid, you would never guess that Spain is facing a terrible economic crisis right
now and that they have unemployment of around 20%. Over 50% of Spaniards only make 1000 Euros a month which for an economy that was recently in the top ten of the world, this is very little money! But, people are always out shopping, eating at nice restaurants, going out to clubs, and going on big, long vacations. And there are massive amounts of people that just sit around or hang out in the streets doing nothing. They aren't like bums, but rather very well dressed and have homes and families, but just don't have work and don't seem to concerned. I have yet to be able to figure out their mentality about the crisis yet (other than that most people really don't like their prime minister Zapatero) but I do know that the Spanish really don't like to work and value leisure much more than working.
* This past week, it rained for only the third time since I have been here. The weather has gotten a lot cooler lately (barely getting to the high 60's this past week) and is a vast contrast to the unbearable heat that was here when I first arrived. I love it
Catedral de la Almudena de Madrid
This is a very new church finished and consecrated in 1993. Construction actually began though in 1873, but stopped during the Spanish Civil war and was then taken up again in 1950 to resemble the palace directly across from it. now, and it feels very much like fall. The leaves have even started falling in the Retiro Park where I run and I love the smell and crunch of the leaves as I run.
* The metro system is incredible! You can go where ever you need to go within about 10 to 15 minutes. Trains come every 3 minutes during the day and 5-10 minutes after 10 p.m. I live in between the green line 5 and the brown line 4 which literally gets me anywhere I want within the city. At night, they also have very good buses called OWL buses that run along the metro lines once the metros close at 2 a.m. This are ideal after a night out and you don't feel like waiting for the 6 a.m. metro or taking a taxis. But, taxis are also very cheap and I luckily live in the center of the town close to a lot of other people, so splitting the fare is easy and I usually never have to pay more than 2 or 3 euros. But, I also like to walk to get places! I probably walk on average of 3 miles or so
Inside the Cathedral
It is very modern with many chapels and statues of contemporary artists. a day back and forth between school and elsewhere.
* A lot of people have dogs in Madrid, but no one seems to pick up after them. I am always closely watching the narrow sidewalks for dog bombs! Luckily they have an army of street cleaners that are always about cleaning and making the sidewalks and roadways sparkle.
Ok, well that is enough for now. Lots of other things to talk about, but I will save those for another time.
I leave you with a few things that I have been missing while here (besides family and friends of course!):
- playing the piano
- the thump in my chest from blasting my music on my sound system (although going to the clubs help with this)
- Mexican food!
- Seinfeld (i know I could watch it on the internet if I really wanted... but I don't have the time)
- Having space (City life is very crowded)
- A bed with a decent mattress (my mattress here is not ideal)
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Teresa Mohr
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Todd - It sound like a great time! Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy. Pretty soon you will be working and all this, unfortunately will be some wonderfuial memories. You sound happy and well. Teresa