Balancing Life and Catching Up

It's been a while, okay maybe a few months is more than a while, but I've finally lost the guilty feeling of not keeping this blog up-to-date. Back in 2013 there were many times I forced myself to sit down in front of the screen and write something that just didn't inspire me. So for 2014 I had vowed that I would only write when I really felt moved to, and because it was something that interested me. If people read what I write that's great, if they don't I have this page for myself and my loved ones.

So I continue this vow for 2015. No inspiration, no post.

Teacher Appreciation Day, what's not inspiring about this?

Since moving back to Spain last summer I found myself wondering about my general outlook on life. I had gotten so comfortable living life here in Madrid that I almost forgot I was still living abroad. After the tragic death of Robin Williams, I vowed I had to seize the day more and push myself out of my comfort zone; whether it be small steps like buying running shoes, taking a Spanish exam, or hurtling down a mountain learning how to ski.

And yes, while it's a great to seize the day, there has to be some kind of balance to 'seizing the day' and being comfortable and secure. A balance I've never really felt like I've been able to grasp. Living with anxiety has always made me feel like I was living from one extreme to the next. I was always worrying about something, whether is was a legitimate concern or not.

Casual day relaxing with zombies at Parque de Atracciones.

The last half of 2014 brought about various steps to balance out my life, on all different levels. A balance of saving and spending, of work and fun, of comfort and excitement, of worrying and relaxing, and of social time and "me" time. I guess that's what it means to 'grow up,' knowing when, where, and how far to push yourself. And I feel that it truly paid off, because 2014 has been one of my happiest years.

In 2014 I spent my first Christmas season away from home. Instead I visited with my boyfriend's amazing family in Santander and was welcomed with open arms into their holiday celebrations; had my first cotillón, my first roscón de reyes, and my first Carnaval. I spent a wonderful month at home in the summer enjoying the beach and time with my friends and family and renewed for a second year in my school.

Beautiful Cantabria

Upon my return to Spain I pushed myself to learn and improve myself, both physically and mentally. I started to run in hopes of being able to run 5 km without my inhaler. I took the DELE (Diploma of Spanish as a Foreign Language) at the B2 level and I finished the year off by learning how to ski, even making my way onto some easy Red paths.

I took full advantage of living in Europe and traveled as much as possible. I saved every spare cent I could and explored more of Europe and Spain. With my father I returned to Paris, Rome and Toledo, but also traveled to new destinations like Ávila, Barcelona, Mérida, Santiago de Compestela, Ibiza, Salamanca, and Ireland. (And for all those who think it's not possible, I've also been actively saving and paying off my student loans. It's all about the private classes and budgeting).

Templo de Debod

As 2015 arrived, I thought about my initial goals for arriving to Spain and how they all circled around traveling and Spanish. Of course there's nothing wrong with wanting to see the world and improving my language skills, but few of them focused on my health and well-being. My blog is called "Life after College," and I feel like over the past few years I've lost sight of my original intentions: documenting my life after college in a relatable way. 

Yes, my own life has revolved around Spain the past couple of years, but I don't want to paint an idyllic picture of my life as sunshine and roses. Spain is wonderful and I love living here, but I still have doubts of my post-graduate life. How am I going to pay off my student loans? What am I doing with my life? What am I going to do in the future? Is this the right choice for me?

The winding road after college

So I've created new goals this year, goals that balance my love of travel with my health and well-being. Goals to help stay true to myself, and to this blog. Goals to help make the most of my life after college.

• Stick to a consistent exercise routine
• Eat healthier foods without sacrificing taste
• Run 5 km without an inhaler
• Learn how to relax
• Save for my student loans
• Blog when I can, and share the good and the bad
• Improve my Spanish to take the C1 exam next spring
• Travel to two new countries this year (Portugal down, one more to go)
• Visit the rest of Spain's autonomous communities
• Aragón
• Gran Canarias
• Comunidad Valenciana
• Murcia

I am excited to work more on this blog this year, and to share some fantastic news. Big changes are coming my way this year, and I couldn't be happier!

March Madness

And no I'm not talking about college basketball...

I can't believe I let a month fly by without posting anything, but I guess that's life for you.  Sometimes it can call for more than you're used to.

Spring blossoms on the way home from work.

It's not like March was supposed to be a busy month, the only thing I anticipated was the coming of Spring and hopefully having my clothes start to dry in less than a week (wishful hoping).

Instead March was a month full of extremely high "ups" and equally low "downs": stress, anger, frustration, joy, love, and fun.  It was a crazy month that I guess has kept me posting because I A) Didn't know how to express everything I was going through exactly as I wanted and B) Because I just didn't have the time to sit myself down at the computer and write.

And I really did have posts lined up to write, I even started a few of them: my first Día de los Reyes, Carnaval in my colegio, the process of renewing, and my thoughts on how living in Spain I've grown to love so many different foods.  But then they all just got put on the back burner of my life.

Spanish potluck dinner with friends.

I don't want to bore you all with a long post of every detail of my month, trust me, some of them I would rather not relive.  And that being said, some other ones I will put in their own post (hopefully not several months behind again).

To get over with it I'll start with the worst of the month:

• School drama.  My school is great, don't get me wrong but two situations that had been growing for a while mad March a very stressful month:
• One of my usual teachers was on maternity leave for a few months and a long-term sub was brought in.  Normal, right?  The only problem is that they brought in a teacher whose level of English was not up to what it should be in a bilingual school and she also could not control the class, among many other frustating situations.  I have never been so happy to have my teacher return last week, good teachers make all the difference.

Las Meninas at the Carnaval Parade

• With another grade we are preparing exams, which is frustrating for all parties involved.  The other auxiliar and I started to become way overused (and overwhelmed) with what we were being asked to do, like: solo teaching all of the classes.  It just got to be too much, finally leading us to a meeting to talk through all the issues and miscommunication.  Which was a reminder that when there is a problem and/or you feel uncomfortable, it will only get worse until you talk about it.

• General job stress.  With the crisis in Spain and lack of jobs for most of the youth, we were anxiously waiting to hear back from the BF's company if he would get officially hired like they kept hinting.  My staying in Spain for next year depended a great deal on whether or not he would be able to stay in Madrid with me.  After a long distance relationship for two years we've both vowed to do whatever we could to avoid being in the situation again, making the uncertainty of his job a huge stress for both of us.

• Children are infested disease carriers.  Kidding...only a little bit, at least they're cute...

Sneak peak of las murallas de Ávila.

But like I said before March also had its beautiful moments, worth all of the stress and frustration.

• Finally good luck in jobs!  At the end of the month we finally received good news on both fronts and will likely be here for at least two more years (at least one more for me with Auxiliares as I was officially placed last Thursday!)

• A day trip to Ávila, the capital of the province of Ávila in Castilla y León, with friends.  It's a great small city known for it's medieval wall and it's high number of Romanesque and Gothic churches.  Plus great Chuletón (a type of T-bone steak)!

• An impromptu trip to Barcelona last weekend to visit some of my boyfriend's friends.  It was my first time in Cataluña in general and I had an amazing time getting to know them and the city.  There's nothing better than having native tour guides, especially ones so welcoming!  We didn't get to see everything we wanted, but we both want to go back with more time to enjoy the city and his friends.

• And general exploring and enjoyment of Madrid.  Like watching the Carnaval parade in person, visiting the Museum of Sorolla (one of my favorite Spanish artists), and devouring the Spanish cuisine.  We're a couple that really, really loves food and on the weekends (and sometimes the ambitious weekday) we like exploring different corners and restaurants of Madrid. 

• And finally my dad arrives to visit on Wednesday and I'm beyond excited to see him, as I haven't seen him since August!  I spent most of March planned for his visit and looking forward to his arrival.  It's his first time in Europe so we have plans to travel to some different sights in Europe and Spain.

Now that April is here and the weather is BEAUTIFUL I'm excited to (finally finish the posts I've planned, of course) what this month has planned for me and spend more time walking around and exploring Madrid.  It's such a huge city and there's so many places yet to discover.

View of Barcelona from Parque Güell.

How has March treated you this year?

Post-College Expectations Vs. Reality

Where have I been for the past few weeks?  Drilling Spanish children on what it means to be healthy or unhealthy? Yes. Over indulging in Spanish culture?  Maybe.  Ignoring blog world? Never.

The truth is that my computer suddenly decided it didn't love me anymore and now processes at a speed roughly slower than a snail/tortoise hybrid baby would.  While it "claims" there is no virus, I'm currently only able to add anything to my blog when the BF isn't using his computer (and with his Master's presentation this week, that time has been few and far between).

With that being said, it's also been a while since I've had a post more about dealing with life after college, instead of my current life abroad in Spain.  While this does happen to be my life after college, I understand that there are many who may come to this blog who aren't very interested in what I'm doing but are looking for advice in the process of leaving their college years behind.

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Well this one's for you guys.

Last year before I came to Spain I wrote a post called: Common Life After College Myths Debunked talking about some common myths I had heard, and some I felt, before graduating.  Now almost two years post-graduation (Seriously? One year after college was hard enough to process...) I'm realizing that all my own expectations and plans have changed, and not necessarily in a negative way.

I thought I would have a real job by now...

Yeah I know it wasn't a good market, and very few people were being hired...but I thought somehow I would be different.  Those statistics didn't apply to me, I had done well in all my student teaching practicums and even won awards, it may take a few tries I would be hired.  Wrong.  I still remember the first teaching jobs I applied to where over 400 people applied to the same position and I wasn't even called in for an interview.  I was heartbroken, like I wasn't a good enough teacher because I wasn't hired straight out of college.  

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But after I started substitute teaching  I began to realize that those statistics were there for a reason, and that I wasn't the only one trying to break into the education field.  There were so many subsitutes I met who had been struggling like this for nearly a decade!  And I finally realized that not having my dream job right away didn't mean I wasn't good enough, I had to define my own worth because no job would do that for me.  So I made up my mind that, that was the year I made the move to Spain.  I wanted to do something different with my life, and while it's still not my dream job being an auxiliar, I feel much more fulfilled working long term with a group of students then subbing in their classroom a few times a year.

I didn't think I could stay healthy

For anyone that has ever known me I'm a food-iac.  I love food, love eating, and worse have a killer sweet tooth.  On the other hand though, I also love to workout and stay physically active, but have the vice that I easily get overwhelmed by pressure and nap when I should be sweating.  While in school I was able to keep up the tentative balance, but was never quite happy with my health regime.  Regardless, I was worried that I would be able to break old unhealthy patterns, hmm dessert you say?, and that I wouldn't be able to afford to have healthy meals.

May not look like much, but stuffed eggplants!

So I started to learn how to cook and the beauty that is moderation.  In the U.S. the food was a little more difficult because fresh fruit and vegetables can be so expensive, but here in Spain fresh produce is my cheapest purchase.  I've taken my health into my own hands by constantly searching for new healthy ways to cook the food I love.  I've also started to tap into Spanish foods with my Christmas gift of a Spanish cook-book which is full of vegtables and fruits.  Overall the most important thing I've learned is that while we eat to fuel our bodies, we also eat to enjoy.  Between using fresh ingredients, cooking from scratch, and moderation I have stayed healthy and happy post-college.  Not to mention staying active is now as easy as searching fitness on pinterest!

I thought my university would always be home

I was not the stereotypical college student, I spent more time with my friends off campus than on, but it still felt like home to me.  And with friends still left behind, I thought that feeling would never change for me.  Especially since my campus was fifteen minutes away from and I practically grew up on the campus.  Instead, I found that from the moment I stepped back on campus that it wasn't home anymore.  

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I was working six days a week and while I was worried about bills and going to bed on time, my friends were talking about parties and their classes.  I found that except for a few close friends, I couldn't relate to the people I had once hung out with anymore, or the goals that had for their lives at that moment.  Everytime I returned to campus I just felt more and more like an outsider looking in and one night when I walked past my old dorm, and saw a light on in my old room, it became clear that I no longer belonged there.  And wouldn't again.  At first I was sad, but it gave me the push I needed to move out of my comfort levels.  My old college may no longer be my home, but that didn't mean I had to lose my friends or the memories I would take with me.

I didn't think I could afford my loans

Oh student loans, why must you be so expensive?  They're were one of the most daunting things about graduating.  I just remember thinking helpless, how would I ever be able to pay them back?  But then again, I'm a proactive person and spent my senior year working two jobs on top of my studies to save money.  When my grace period was over I had already saved enough money to make the payments of my first year of loans.  And last year I saved up enough money to make the payments for two more years.

Mini-Plaza Mayor at Parque Europa

Don't get me wrong, it was a lot more work then you may think, I had to sacrifice a lot of time and things that I wanted. But thanks to that work I have been able to travel and make it to Spain this year (and afford my loans).  Yes, student loans are expensive, and a nuisance, and...you get the picture.  But they don't have to be impossible.  With planning and hard work, you can beat your loan payments and enjoy your life.  If you need some help making sense of your loans, read my post about dealing with student loan debt.

I thought I would be near my friends

This has been one of the hardest pills to swallow about going to a college near my house, and moving abroad to Spain (both with my friends from high school and college).  My friends are some of the most important people in my life and I thought I would be able to keep up our girl's nights and general adventures.  Post-college and having moved away I feel like I have to start all over again.  I feel like I'm back in high school, or a freshman in college trying to find new people I can connect with (particularly hard if you're introvert that does a poor awkward job at pretending to be an extrovert).

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But the hards thing has been that being so far away means I have missed a lot, of both the good and the bad.  I can't be there to congratulate my friends on the new job or comfort them when a loved one has passed away.  Even with skype, facebook, email, and whatsapp I'm not a part of their lives like we used to be.  I feel like I'm in a long distance relationship all over again, but this time with my friends.  While it's not easy, I've learned that the friendships (like all types of relationships) will remain strong if all parties want it to work and the effort is made to stay in touch.  Thanks technology!

I didn't think I could travel

Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think that post-college I would be able to travel, let alone live abroad.  Believe me when I say it hasn't always been an easy path, but for me it has been worth all that I've had to given up.  And when I say give up, I mean all those little things that we have been told we need to be able survive: the newest clothes, the latest technology, a big house, new car, etc.  And if those things make you happy, there's nothing wrong with that.  I know plently of people who look at what I'm doing with my life and wouldn't feel happy or fulfilled.

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But if you're like me, and traveling is your dream, then anything is possible.  Maybe I don't have the nicest phone or laptop, maybe I don't have designer clothes or expensive accessories, I have a great experience and great memories.  I can say "Remember that time we rented an apartment in the center of Paris and could see the eiffel tower from our balcony?" or "Remember that time I celebrated my birthday in Pamplona at the Running of the Bulls?" or even "Remember that time I fell up a crowded metro escalator with all my luggage trying to make a plane to Sevilla on time?" (true story, complete wipe out).  And those memories, even the embarrassing, are for me worth giving up all those little things.

How has the post-college life met your expectations?

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Getting Settled

Saying good-bye to my baby :(

I can't believe it's been over a week since my last post.  I guess this is in part not knowing what to write, along with not having time with the non-stop schedule my boyfriend and I have had.  It's been a week since I've arrived to Spain and even with multiple extended visits over the past couple of years, it's not any easier transitioning to 'living' in Spain.

When talking about someone moving abroad you'll often here some of these things: "How lucky!  How interesting!  You'll have so much fun!  I'm so jealous!" etc.  But people don't seem to know, or remember, how stressful it is moving your life thousands of miles away to a place whose culture can seem incredibly foreign to you.  The transition period is idealized as simple and painless, no effort necessary, just go on with your adventures.

Missing my Honey BBQ, but Spain does have honey mustard

By all means I'm definitely lucky here.  My boyfriend and our friends are all natives; I have a team of people willing to help me with apartment hunts, shopping trips, banking details, and legal information like residency.  But constantly being surrounded by native Spaniards also takes a lot of effort as I settle into my life for the year.

As much as I love Spain and my friends here, I always forget how exhausting and stressful the first few days are.  With my boyfriend, our friends, and his family I'm constantly surrounded by native Spanish speakers, while this is a great thing and I am proud of how much I am able to understand and speak already, I'm constantly tired from the effort of speaking and listening.  I know that the more I practice, the easier it will become with time, but it's definitely a huge part of the whole adjustment period that I like to forget about.

Can't find anything like this back home!

And while I am settling into my life abroad relatively easily (I am very comfortable with my boyfriend, his family, and our friends) I still feel like this is only a vacation.  I can't help but think that I'll be home in a month or two, not about to begin work in a whole new school culture in the next couple of weeks.

Maybe because it's just too daunting to fully comprehend that big of a change...but poco a poco, no?

Visiting Puente Viesgo

The point is, that while I'm incredibly grateful for this new adventure, it will definitely take time to feel fully settled.  It sure does help feeling at home that as we speak I'm watching Aladdin (in Spanish I might add) and cuddling up to my boyfriend's adorable Boxer, and if that doesn't scream "home away from home" I don't know what does.

Right now I may not understand everything, and there may be times to come where I miss home and the things I've become used to over the years, but I'm okay with that.

After all, what kind of adventure is it if you're not a little apprehensive?  I'm very lucky to have this opportunity, and even more lucky that I have such amazing people helping me along the way.  So for any of you on your next great adventure, Venus the family Boxer and I send you the best wishes.

Bravery comes in may forms and taking any step forward with your life, even if it may be scary or lonely at first, it's worth the risk of what you might be able to accomplish.  Hopefully, I'll have more internet and time, over the next few weeks to post more of how I'm adjusting (like finding our adorable apartment).  Until than, hasta luego.

Are you having any big changes in your life?  How are you settling in?

Goodbye is the Hardest

Well today is the day.  In just a few hours I'll be on my one-way flight to Madrid and beginning my year abroad.  (AHH THE NERVES!!)  I'm down to last minute errands and double checking my bags and packing lists to make sure I have everything I need, or at least what I can remember...

I honestly don't even know what to write now with so much on mind...did I remember to pack everything?  Do I have all my paperwork?  What if something goes wrong?  What if my luggage gets lost?  And most importantly how do I say goodbye to everyone I know and love here?

Unlike many people doing this teaching program who know it's only for a couple years at the most before they return to the USA, I don't have that security.  I on the other hand, am going over to Madrid knowing that if things work out for my boyfriend and I there, I may not be returning home to Rhode Island.  While this could only be a 'see you later,' it very well could be a 'good-bye.'  And that my friends, is hard for me to process.


I'm a sentimental person, I get very attached to people, places, and things.  I can't help being emotional!  But being so attached definitely makes it much harder for me to make this move, even knowing so many wonderful people abroad in Spain who are waiting for me.

This past week I didn't work but instead took the opportunity to spend what little time I had left with all the people I love.  And it's been really hard saying my last goodbyes to not only the people, but the places I have to come to love here.

I don't know I'll survive without Legolas...

Instead of trying to process all of these emotions right now, I'm trying to think of all the things I've enjoyed doing this summer that remind me of why I love where I'm from so much.  So here's a reflection back on all the great memories I had saying good-bye this summer:

Fourth of July

Aging...I mean my birthday...

Seeing one of my favorite bands live!

Traditional RI food <3

Visiting Boston with my aunt and cousin

Seeing one of my oldest friends

Saying goodbye to my childhood

Learning about where my grandmother grew up

And spending time with my friends

So thank you to all of my friends and family for all of your support and love, you've made it very difficult to say good-bye.  I wish anyone else in the same situation the best of luck on your journeys and on your own good-byes, may you have just as amazing people making good-byes difficult for you!

Anxiety and Moving Abroad

I postponed this post a couple of days.  How do I write something so personal, something that I haven't even talked about with many of my friends?  Well after tonight (ugh dealing with airlines and extra-extra baggage fees) I realized that there are many people who may be dealing with the same issue and wanting to know they aren't alone.

I previously mentioned in my post What I'm Looking Forward To that sometimes I can push myself too hard when trying to practice my Spanish with my friends.  The truth of the matter is that it's much more than pushing myself 'too hard' and feeling upset.  Or getting anxious about things that seem relatively minor to most people.  To make a long story short: I have anxiety.  And not just "I'm-worried-about-moving-to-Spain anxiety," I mean the actual disorder, something I have lived with for years.

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Even as a child I dealt with anxiety: incessant worrying, insomnia, fainting spells, and hyperventilation.  As I grew up we just thought it was stress, mood swings, social pressure, etc.  I was so embarrassed: What if my friends found out?  What if I had an attack at school?  What would people think of me?  I struggled to hide it, doing my best to keep it together in public settings (far easier said than done), and it seemed to work...until I went to college.

I had far less privacy away at college and had less room to hide my anxiety.  It was then that my symptoms were finally diagnosed.  It was also in this time that I was lucky enough to meet people dealing with the same issues.  These amazing people helped me realize that having an anxiety disorder didn't mean something was wrong with me, and it didn't mean that it would control my life forever.  I could learn how to control my anxiety and I could live happily.  Through a healthy diet, regular exercise, a great support system, and training to think more positively I have over the past few years been able to help keep my symptoms at bay and turn my panic attacks into rare occurrences.

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So how does this affect my move to Spain?  Well funny you should ask, but one of my biggest anxiety triggers is change.  Even the smallest changes can set if off sometimes, e.g. driving to a place that's new to me.  Clearly the normal thing then to help my anxiety is to move 3,000+ miles to a country I've never lived in for more than a few months, and am not fluent in the native language?  <--Yeah right, who's this crazy chick.

Yes, I do have a great group of friends and my boyfriend in Spain, but I would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous about this choice.  I'm terrified.  This is the biggest change I've ever made in my entire life and I am putting myself right into a situation that is potentially the going to trigger my anxiety.  What if it does get out of control?  What if I can't handle it?

But that fear is exactly why I want, no have to, make this move.  I want to push myself.  I do love Spain very much, but mainly I want this move to prove to myself that I can do this.  To prove to myself that I control my anxiety, my life, and my happiness.  And with this move to Spain in less than a week I know that this is the right choice, even if I know I will face many moments where I will be anxious, confused, and scared.  But anxiety aside, I'm sure many others making a similar change or move are feeling or worried about feeling these same emotions.  And that's okay.

There's nothing wrong with being anxious, confused, or scared.  We are young and allowed to make big changes and be unsure of ourselves.  It's okay to take a step out into the world and not be sure if it's the right choice.  This is the time of your life to make big changes and question who you are and what you're doing.

And most importantly it's okay to be different.  I used to be ashamed of being different, embarrassed of how people would look at me, and apologetic when they witnessed me in moments of panic I struggled to control.  Now I realize that anxiety is just part of my life and that by making this move abroad, I can show others also suffering through similar anxiety that you can push yourself and succeed.  You can take a giant leap into the unknown and feel scared, and things will turn out just fine.  Don't let your fears, or anxiety, keep you from facing your living your life.

What are your feelings on the big changes in your life?  How do you feel about these next steps?

Goals For my Time in Madrid

In less than two weeks I will be moving to Spain to teach English at a bilingual elementary school in Madrid with the government program: Auxiliares de Conversación.  Over the past months I've been thinking of the many things I would like to experience and accomplish in my year abroad.  Here is a working list of some the main goals I hope to meet there:

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*Travel to at least three new countries.

*Learn how to cook Spanish foods for myself. So far I've managed pisto, salmorejo, crema de calabacín, natillas and more!

*Improve my Spanish enough to have a full conversation with my boyfriend's family.

*Read a full chapter book in Spanish for the first time since high school. (Apr. 2014)

*Find a way to exercise and stay in shape in Madrid, without hurting my hip again. (Sep. 2013-Buying a step at decathalon, best purchase ever)

*Go a whole day without speaking English.

*Try something I normally wouldn't. (Do barnacles count?)

*Be more independent.

*Bonus Goal: Visit all the Autonomous Communities in Spain, here are the ten I have yet to visit:

1. Andalucía (Nov. 13)
2. Aragón
3. Islas Baleares (Oct. 14)
4. Gran Canarias
5. Cataluña (Mar. 14)
6. Comunidad Valenciana
7. Extremadura (May 2014)
8. Galicia (Aug. 2014)
9. La Rioja (Feb. 2015)
10. Murcia

What goals do you have for this coming year?

What I'm Looking Forward To

Earlier this week I wrote a post about the things I would miss the most about my home when I move abroad this Fall.  As much as this small town girl always wanted to leave said small town, I've realized over the years that there is really so much I do love about New England.  That being said, there is also so much I'm looking forward to this coming year in Madrid (check the Auxiliares tab for more information on that!) because there are many things I miss about Spain.

Toledo, Spain

I've been to Spain a couple of times before, but at the longest for a few months, and mainly in the north.  Even though I'm moving to Madrid I've only spent a little over a week visiting the city.  Clearly I'm not an expert on the region but I'm very excited to familiarize myself with my new home (in just a few short weeks)!.  Along with getting to know the city I'll be living for the year, here are some of the many things that I'm looking forward to during my adventures in Spain this year.

Friends and Boyfriend

Moving to Spain means I'll be much closer to my boyfriend and all of our great friends.  While my boyfriend and his friends are all from the north, many of them study in Madrid so, from what we've been talking about, I already have a busy social life!  

Since I first met all of these wonderful people over two years ago, this has been the longest I've gone without seeing them (seriously having withdrawals) so I'm counting down the days until we're reunited.  It's definitely making the 3,000+ mile move easier knowing that while I may be leaving one great group of friends, I'm going to another.

And with this move, I'm also finally closer to my boyfriend specifically.  It will be the first year in the past two of our relationship that we've even lived within the same continent, hopefully even in the same apartment.  

Unfortunately we're still not sure whether or not he'll be able to find work and live in Madrid with me (*fingers crossed on different prospective jobs*) or be at home in Santander and study something.  Either way I'll be content because at least we're closer than we would be in our respective countries.

I'm really looking forward to a year of getting more quality time with my boyfriend and spending more times with our friends.  I'm very lucky going into this experience knowing so many people; I have a lot to look forward to in Madrid!

Living in a City

In my previous post about what I'll miss about home I wrote that I'll miss the landscape of the New England countryside I grew up in.  While this is true, I am beyond excited to live in a major city for the first time (other than the couple of months I lived with my boyfriend's family).  

I never thought I would like living in the city but after visiting I realized how much I liked the accessibility of everything.  Everything was open later, public transportation was more reliable, and it was possible to walk nearly everywhere.

The public transportation is big part of living in the city that I'm very excited about.  It's so nice to just hop on the metro or bus and just go where you want without having to worry about traffic, parking, or gas prices.  Not to mention in Spain it runs more often and runs later compared to at home.  Public transportation in Spain is so accessible, that many of my friends don't have a car or driver's license.  

Where I live it's a 15 minute drive to even get to public transportation and it only goes to limited locations.  Even though I do like the freedom of my car, I really hate don't like driving.  I'm looking forward to a year without having to bother with my car or expensive gas prices.  I definitely prefer walking or a ride on the bus, metro, or train over driving any day!

Food

Tortilla

Ahh!  Can you tell this is my favorite topic, when am I not talk about food?  Spanish food is so different than what most people think it is (aka. it's not Mexican food) and I love all the fresh vegetables and fruits that are so easy to come by.  

My BF's Christmas Dinner

Personally my favorite Spanish foods are tortilla (Spanish omelette), the cured jamón, the fresh bread, strong cheeses, and patatas bravas.  My past trips to Spain I have been spoiled by my boyfriend's mom or housekeeper and their amazing cooking, but now I have to learn how to cook Spanish food myself (or mooch off my friends' cooking skills...)

So delicious looking!

One of my favorite things about about Spanish food is that it can be so different depending on the region of the country you're in.  Being the capital and in a central location of Spain, Madrid will have many options from the various regions.  I really want to learn more about other Spanish foods than what I'm used to eating in the north, hopefully living in Madrid will give me that opportunity.

If all else fails I'd be plenty happy to live off of my staple Spanish foods for the year...though I'm sure my friends will stage a jamón and cheese intervention if I keep it up for too long...

Wine is clearly a Spanish staple

Lifestyle

This is definitely something I'm preparing myself for.  The relaxed Spanish is such a change from the fast-paced seven-day work week I've gotten used to.  There are more vacation days and far less worrying about time schedules; I don't think I've ever seen my boyfriend or his friends concerned about being on time for anything.  

Though I think this stress/worry-free lifestyle is a more enjoyable way to live, I'm sure it will take a lot of patience getting used to it for an extended period of time (as well the situations this lifestyle creates with official paperwork and the service industry there).

I think it will be nice having only 16 hours of regularly scheduled work, leaving plenty of time to tutor, spend with my friends, and enjoy my youth (you know, instead of passing out falling asleep at 10:00 pm because I'm so exhausted).  This year will be a great experience to gain more time in my career field, to enjoy the Spanish lifestyle, and to enjoy crazy experiences with my friends while it's still socially acceptable (6 am kebabs?  I think so!)

Day drinking?  No big deal.

Travel

Having this relaxed lifestyle, and the multiple holidays off that come with it, is quite conducive to the next thing I'm looking forward to while abroad: travel.  Whether around Spain itself or other countries, being in Europe, especially a large capital city like Madrid, gives me a gateway to so many new countries and cities to visit.  

As a dual history major I focused my studies on Europe so I have a pretty extensive list of dream travel locations I would finally like to see in person.  It's such a mind blowing thing that I'll be living in a place that I've previously studied, a place with so much history, and that many of the other countries and cities I've also studied are just at my fingertips.  

I'm very excited to to start my travel plans for the year abroad with my boyfriend and our friends.  I've already started talking about a couple of potential trips with some of them, with my boyfriend and I particular to Ireland where his sister will be working the next couple of months (coincidentally in the same area part of my family originated from, yay for multi-cultural heritage!).

Even if I only hit a couple of new countries or cities during my stay I'll be happy.  It will definitely be a year of new adventures and new cultures to experience, even if just around the different regions of Spain!

Improving my Spanish

A major part of me wanting to move to Spain is my desire to improve my Spanish.  I already have a pretty decent grasp of Spanish, better than I think according to my friends, but I definitely want to work my way up to being fluent (or near fluent) one day in the future.

I studied for Spanish for around 7 seven years between middle school and high school, not to mention my grandma was fluent and I grew up with her speaking and writing to me in it.  Unfortunately when she died, my love of Spanish died too.  It wasn't until I met my boyfriend years later that I had to try to remember all the Spanish I had forced myself to forget (my family jokes that this was all somehow her plan to keep me with Spanish, very funny abuelita).

At times with my friends though it can be still be challenging to keep up.  There's so many of them and they all talk so loudly and all at once that it can often be hard to pick one voice out from another.  Luckily they're awesome and realize how tiring and frustrating it is when I'm that lost and will break into smaller side conversations so my head doesn't explode (that's love right there).

The point being, that even spending a few months in Spain the past couple of summers has helped my Spanish improve vastly.  Each visit I push myself harder (sometimes too hard if you ask my boyfriend, but more on that later) and my years of Spanish start to come back poco a poco (little by little), according to the BF's papá.  

In fact, my speaking and listening comprehension are far better than they ever have been and I know living abroad in Spain for a whole year will definitely help kick my Spanish up a notch.  It will be such a great learning experience and I'm so excited to start and keep improving my language skills.

Also, still looking forward to not having two feet of snow in the Winter.  Thanks but no thanks New England, you can keep all that...

Are you moving somewhere new?  What are you looking forward to in your new adventures?