I somehow entirely forgot I had even started a blog, and yes, that is a bad sign. Hopefully I don’t forget all together. I guess it is because I am working in an office writing all day so I refuse to write outside of office hours…ha! Brunch in the Park was super cool except we got there maybe three hours earlier than 97% of the people. Sara Mayor and I had a super cute time though I would definitely recommend. I went back to pole dancing last week and I really love it though I am kinda bruised. Last week wasn’t super eventful to be honest. I went for dinner with Sara on Friday and we went to a house party at her friends house which was nice. Otherwise, I just went to study in a cafe on the weekend with Ellie and wandered round Casa de Campo on the Sunday. I don’t have much organised for this week either but I might try a dance class on Wednesday. Today has definitely been the first day of bad weather which makes perfect opportunity to peacefully shop on Gran Via since only an English soul would be prepared enough to embrace the rain.

xoxo

So this week has been a little up and down but overall I’ve done a fair few nice things! I tried pole dancing (questionable, I know) but honestly I really enjoyed myself and met some friendly Spanish girls. Today we went charity shopping and up the Faro de Moncloa (viewing tower). Tomorrow, Sara Mayor and I are going to Brunch in the Park… updates soon xoxo

So, I have left a week long interval between this and my last blog. Mainly because I actually forgot to write all together and secondly because, as things are moving on, I have not much to recount. Work is fine, I am still very happy there and I love being able to research all day. I didn’t do much last weekend as I was still getting over a two week long cold but I did watch the whole of the Spanish series Elite and go for a walk round Retiro. I went to boxing, saw Sara Mayor and also went to see Dos Metros De Ti in the cinema this week. Tomorrow, we have plans to go hiking which will be fun (or at least I hope). James and I are still doing good, we talk on the phone almost everyday just to hear how one another’s day has been. It is rather an odd one because I don’t feel like I dedicate a lot of time to myself (where it is me, and only me) but in many ways I am very thankful for that as I am usually not a happy bunny in my own company. I mention this as I feel like I very much like my life in Madrid and it is nice having something to do all the time. However, because it is temporary, and I know it is, it’s nice because I guess unlike normal life, I do know that something else is in store for me. In a way, what I’m trying to say is that even if I know this isn’t the life for me that’s okay because it doesn’t feel like my life that I’m living. Besides, other than all the waffle, I’m doing well. My new lifestyle has entailed of eating very cheap soup for dinner and thus being able to afford more clothes which I VERY much enjoy.

Until next time, xoxo

I wasn’t sure what to title this one. This is a rather odd reflection today but I have come to the unusual realisation that I feel like I am becoming acostumbrada a life here in Madrid and that makes me feel rather on edge. I feel like it’s okay to feel a bit unsettled but when you start getting used to something, not because you love it but because that’s your new life, it’s kind of sad.

This weekend we went to Valencia, despite some rather horrific news articles listing several deaths on account of terrible weather conditions. I have formed a little friendship group of some lovely girls from around the globe, one from the Netherlands, another from Mexico, another from Canada and the last from New Zealand and it is both a delightful and interesting mix. We went to the beach although it was quite different to expectations where we were greeted with a red flag beach and sand in every orifice known to man. But overall, the weekend was good fun. We even went to the biggest aquarium in Europe which was pretty impressive to be fair.

I’ve sort of formed a weekly routine and having a routine minus Jamie forming any real life part of it is both daunting and saddening but we are of course very much in contact which warms my heart.

Hablamos pronto xoxo

So far this week things have been up and down. Went to a beautiful lido on Sunday with my main Spanish gal, Sara Mayor, and since then I have contracted the symptoms of the common cold. So for interesting events, they have been very few and far between given my minor, yet wearing, illness. I left work early and stayed off today mainly because being snotty in an office is definitely not hygienic nor pleasant for others. I did however, go to boxing this week which surprisingly was really fun.

Me and Jamie had maybe our first (what I feel was first) real disagreement in our entire relationship and it’s been over 10 days now so it’s starting to really feel like we have separate lives, probably because we do. I feel we are doing it right though, we don’t text too much as we are both trying to be busybodies but we do FaceTime for a while per day for a catch up and maybe to watch a movie. It’s starting to dawn on me that this might be the hardest time ever for us two.

Xoxo

So it feels like it may have possibly been the longest week of my life but I have done so much. The end of this week I feel like I’ve started the process of settling into la vida loca which for me is going to bed past the round time of 11pm. I’ve visited a language exchange, been to Segovia and El Escorial and of course done a fair bit of shopping. Somehow I have actually barely spoken more than 5 words in Spanish and have managed to practice more of my Russian since being here… Nonetheless, I have a fair few plans for the next week which is lovely to look forward to.

Hasta luego xoxo

First days are always a bit of a guessing game, I’ve had a lot of first days this week. First day leaving Jamie, my bf, first day living in Spain, first day sleeping in a house of strangers from around the continent, first day at a new job. It has taken me a while to process these things and it still is taking me a while to do so. Moving to Madrid is one of the first experiences where I’ve ever had the feeling of getting ‘cold feet’ despite the 33 degree heat. I’m quite often one to jump into unusual circumstances but generally, my quick decisions have been for the better. This feels like the first time where I’ve really thrown myself out of my depth and at this moment in time, I’m not entirely sure it’s for the better. Day 1 was tough but day 2 was tougher. Being away from a life you have formed for yourself and knowing this is where you need to be is hard to come to terms with.

However, it shouldn’t be that hard. My flat is lovely, my flatmates extremely friendly and approachable, the area central and lively, friends I know in the city (shoutout to Sara Mayor), my job is interesting, different and the people are very smiley. Still, things aren’t easy but I guess dropping your life at home and moving to another country was never going to be. So, short but sweet but I hope this blog will be what I need to be a bit more optimistic about my time here. xoxo

A little premature yes, but I have created this page in anticipation of having a Year Abroad experience with enough excitement that will actually make this blog worth while. I have never written a blog, or for that matter, actually anything apart from what is required of a student. So, lets see how this goes. I will be moving to Madrid in September whilst my boyfriend will be moving to St Petersburg. I will be working an unpaid 40hr a week internship as a travel blog editor and living with 3 other women (supposedly between 18 and 25) that I have never met before, in the city centre. Until February, when I will be moving to Russia to join my boyfriend, this is going to be my Year Abroad life! At this point, what I have explained in this blog post is literally all I know for myself so, until then, fingers crossed!