5 Things I Will Miss About Madrid

Madrid has been the first European city I’ve ever felt truly in love with. Two summers ago, when I came to this marvelous city as an au pair, I formed such a bond to this city that I canceled my plan of teaching English in Asia after college and instead decided on spending a year participating in the Spanish Language Assistant program. And now, with only two short weeks left before I’m off to the Extremadura region for the summer to work at an English camp, and before I begin my second year as a language assistant in Sevilla, I’m going to soak up as much as the Spanish capital as possible. Here are five things about Madrid that I will definitely miss.

1. Nightlife

My time in Madrid was spent partying three out of the seven days of the week, to the point where I often joke that I actually do not know what Madrid looks like during the day. There are so many clubs, bars, and lounges to go to, I haven’t even gone to all of them (and believe me, I’ve tried). I’ve gotten so used to the Spanish way of partying, I now find it odd to start my night before 2 AM, which is a huge difference between the going out at 11 PM, coming back at 3 AM mentality I’m accustomed to in the United States. Madrid’s nightlife also introduced me to my newfound love of raggaeton and my hatred for Sangria. Now everywhere I go, nowhere else can compare to Madrid and the Spanish way of turning up. My favorite club in Madrid? Definitely Fabrik!

2. The Metro

I’m from Las Vegas. Nevada, let alone the west coast, has shitty public transportation and definitely does not have a metro. Not having a car is truly a struggle that I’m still embarrassed to have, so coming to Madrid I finally felt like a somewhat real adult because I can go anywhere in the city without having to rely on anyone or ask for permission! And despite the metro closing at 1 AM, Madrid has a wonderful system of night buses that will get you to wherever you need to go, making clubbing and late night shenanigans easy to escape from when necessary.

3. Diversity

I chose Madrid as my first region specifically for its big city feel and the diversity that comes along with it. Let’s be real, if you’re one of those pretentious travelers that boasts about only making friends with the locals, learning the language, and avoiding all of the other expats and foreigners, you’re annoying and unnecessarily pretentious as fuck. As a black women of color, it is important for me to be in a diverse atmosphere regardless of where I am because getting stared at and my hair touched gets old after a while. In Madrid there are all types of races, ethnicities, orientations, genders, and religions, and we’re all (for the most part) used to seeing each other. And let’s not forget that living in a place with different cultures means having a variety of new foods to try!

4. English-Speaking Spaniards and Foreigners

I don’t speak Spanish at all. I’m learning, and my Spanish has improved tremendously since arriving, but it is still not enough to hold a fluent conversation. Language assistants that speak Spanish will have an easier time adjusting regardless of region, but Madrid is the perfect haven for non-Spanish speakers to make friends. What non-English speaking Spanish person wants to hang out with some random non-Spanish speaking American? Not a lot. Actually, you’ll be surprised. Madrid has so many students and expats from other countries that speak English, it’s super easy to find people to hang out with. I also love being able to communicate with Spaniards to discover more about the country, their differing opinions regarding politics, and the Spanish way of living from actual Spanish people rather than relying on stereotypes. My goal is to become conversational by the end of next year, but while I’m in Madrid I’m going to speak as much English as possible until I leave to Caminomorisco, a town in Extremadura with a population of 1,000 people…

5.) Never Getting Bored

Madrid is the biggest city in Spain, the sixth biggest city in Europe, and has over three billion people. It’s impossible to not find something to do. Every day I pass by a restaurant that I didn’t even know was there and find myself getting lost even after eleven months of being here. Keep your eyes peeled to the Madrid expat groups on Facebook in addition to talking to the locals on where the best hidden, only-known-by-local, hot spots are because every day should be filled with discovering something new. As an international, it is so easy to find yourself in the international bubble that sticks mainly to the center, but there’s so much more to see and do here outside of Sol and Gran Via.

To Madrid, the city that transformed my entire life, and the person I want to become, in the course of two months. To Madrid, the city that taught me how to figure things out on my own and accept my realities in the course of nine, I love you and appreciate everything you’ve done for me. You gave me the beginning of the life that I’ve always wanted and opened new pursuits for me. To everyone preparing for their semester or year in Madrid, brace yourselves for a glamorous, yet humbling experience!