For the past five months I have had the privilege of studying abroad in Madrid, Spain. There have been so many ups and downs, but I can not imagine going through them in any other city. I am always going to remember the sites I've seen, the people I've met and the things that I have experienced during my time in Madrid.
At Kalamazoo College, studying abroad is an important topic. It is okay not to study abroad, however, it is very uncommon. Recently, study abroad applications at Kalamazoo for students wanting to study abroad for six months have been submitted and those wanting to study abroad this spring have been accepted to their programs. While choosing a place to study abroad in itself is completely overwhelming, arriving to your study abroad destination is even more mind-boggling. For those of you that have chosen Madrid as your study abroad destination, these are the things I wish I knew before I got there. And for those of you that have already studied abroad in Madrid, I'm sure these are things that you learned as well.
¡Buena suerte a todos!
1. The Spanish you are learning in the U.S. is not the same Spanish you will be hearing in Madrid.
This was the first immediate struggle upon my arrival to Madrid. Spaniards tend to speak much faster and there's also the typical Spanish accent. In this accent the sounds for the letters "ci" and "z" are pronounced with a "-th" sound almost like a lisp. Remember this the first time you say "gracias" to someone.
2. Croquetas are the best tapas in existence. Eat as many of them as you can.
No, they are in fact not small mozzarella sticks nor are they potatoes. What's in them is not important just eat them and enjoy.
3. There is no rivalry like the Real Madrid v. FC Barcelona rivalry.
Although Real Madrid did lose to Barcelona, it is important that when someone asks you you tell them Real Madrid. I have never seen so many sad grown men than the night Real Madrid lost to Barcelona. This is important to most Madrileños.
4. You will get lost... A lot.
This happened almost any time I was walking around, on my own, without Google Maps. Remember to look at the actual buildings for the names of the streets or you will be hopelessly confused looking for street signs.
5. The Madrid Metro is quite honestly one of the best inventions of all time.
Download the MetroMadrid app. before you get there. The Madrid Metro is a great invention and makes traveling across the city very convenient, but it can also get confusing because it is one of the largest metros in Europe. This app. will save you.
6. Visit the Reina Sofia and the Prado Museum at least once.
After all, this city is home to some of the most beautiful artwork in the world. Both the Reina Sofia and the Prado Museum hold famous artwork by artists such as El Greco, Goya, Picasso and more.
7. It is more than okay to be the person in the metro at 6:00 in the morning when it opens after a long night out with friends.
Yes it is embarrassing to get on the metro at 6:00 in the morning with your makeup smeared down your cheeks and your hair all over the place, but this will probably happen more than once. Do not be alarmed when you look up and down the seats on the metro and see men in suits and other people going to work. They probably aren't judging you, they're used to seeing this.
8. Take full advantage of "Siesta."
Siesta is very necessary, because you will struggle to get a lot of sleep while in Madrid. The nightlife in this city is too fun to not take part of and your sleep will suffer for it.
9. Ordering a glass of wine or a beer will always be cheaper than ordering a glass of water.
10. Accept that you will be eating an insane amount of carbs for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Every meal consists of bread and probably will come with a side of bread.
11. If your host mom tells you that it is okay to stop eating when you're full, she is lying.
My host mom telling me I didn't have to eat more when I was full was the biggest lie of my entire study abroad experience. It is normal to at least try every thing your host family offers you even if you are already full.
12. Learn what "vale" means.
One of the most commonly used words in Spain. It is important that you learn this word before you arrive in Madrid. Soon you will use this word on an everyday basis.
13. There are more places than Sol to explore.
Yes, Sol is awesome, but there is so much more to Madrid than just this part of the city. Quite honestly, this is also a tourist hub and that can get pretty annoying after a while.
14. Almost every one in this city dresses to impress.
You will hardly come across people wearing sweatpants in public. Almost all of the women have their hair done, eyebrows perfectly filled in and are wearing the best outfits Zara can provide. Likewise, men are always dressed up with their fancy Euro-cuts and fancy pants on. You should probably consider this when you start packing sweatpants in your suitcase. If you want to fit into the culture in Madrid without receiving those look-at-that-American looks it is important to know how to dress.
