Madrid!

When I arrived home from Chile, I was lucky to have 6 weeks back home to just enjoy friends, family and also that feeling of just being "home". I loved it, I have always loved Christmas and that time of year so to be at home for that was just perfect. Philip and I had plenty of time to enjoy each other's company again and meanwhile also get some wedding planning done. I got to have a great weekend away with my bridesmaid and we got to celebrate it all at our engagement party. Exciting times! Then suddenly the moment I had to leave to Madrid was just around the corner. I wasn't dreading it nor was I getting excited for it, just kind of felt like, I have to do this and I'm sure it'll be fine!

I arrived on the 24th of january and my classes started on the 26th. I was planning to take some Spanish subjects, but then realised I preferred just passing my subjects and enjoying my time in Madrid then making it just a lot harder for myself and taking the risk of not passing. I tried economic policy in Spanish and he was just talking and didn't have a slideshow or anything, and it just went in one ear and out another. So I have now chosen only English subjects which include: Financing decisions, Business statistics, Production management, Organization and design and Economic policy. I must say two and almost three of these are really quite boring with a teacher speaking at monotone and it just not being very challenging but lucky business statistics and financing decision really does challenge me and makes me need to concentrate to everything he says so that's good! I could use some challenges after the time in Chile doing work which wasn't very hard, so to put my brain to work again feels nice!

My room is nice and big and has the perfect location. I only need to walk 5 minutes to the busstop, of where the bus takes 15 minutes to reach the university, but within 5 metro stops I am also in the city centre. It's a shame that the girls smoke in the house, but for some reason that doesn't bother me as much as I feel very at ease in Madrid and in my room and so far I have been pretty busy so it's fine. I live with 3 spanish girls which I thought would be a smart idea to improve my Spanish. Sadly this also means that they don't make much of an effort, whereas if you live together with international students they straight away jump up to greet you and take you out for a drink etc. So I don't think much of a friendship will be made here in my house, but still that's fine as I'm meeting so many great people! So far I have gone out for a drink or some dinner almost every night and it's been great! Tiring (and expensive) but really nice, so different to Chile! I also tried out an international church here and the young adult group, so once again a great way to meet people and they meet up every tuesday night for dinner and a biblestudy so that's awesome.

I feel so much at ease and relaxed in Madrid compared to Santiago. Barely anyone comments on me being blonde, there are less people on the streets, crime and homelessness doesn't feel as present and the atmosphere is just more relaxed. I must say though that I'm disappointed to say that I think the Spanish people are in general less polite and friendly than the chileans, in the metro's and public places etc. However the international people I meet, make up for that haha. There are also some south american or french exchange students whose spanish is better than english so that's still a great way to practice my Spanish and of course outside of university, in daily life, it still improves daily.

Jitske came and visited me last weekend!!! This was so great, as I had only been really busy with university and meeting people, so to have her over, it was a great way to get to know the city together! Together is so much more fun than alone haha. We went clubbing the night she came and yes in Spain that means you don't go before 2am and you leave around 5.30/6am so as you can imagine me, I definitely needed to take it slow the next day, as I love my sleep! But it was great, nothing like I've ever experienced! A club with 7 floors, craaaazy. We had such a lovely weekend together and we haven't had that much time together in ages, so it was perfect. Lots of sight seeing, lots of chatting, lots of eating etc.

I'm feeling happy and I think these 4 months will fly by!

My timetable