Allison writes for the Guiri Guide to Madrid, an online guide of honest views and thorough insight to help you successfully navigate through your move to Madrid. She landed in Madrid about 8 months ago with her husband. The reason for their move from California is that her husband is earning an MBA here in Madrid. This is not Allison’s first time in Madrid though, as she came to Spain about 7 years ago on a university study programme. Her perspective on Madrid has since changed a bit; she used to think that Madrileños were all about partying, but her second time around has shown her that they also enjoy some serious downtime with friends and family. While she isn’t yet fluent in Spanish, she speaks enough to get around and encourages everyone living in Madrid to learn as much as they can about the language and culture.
Here follows our chat:
Q:What big differences and changes did you experience after you arrived in Madrid:A:Schedules: I had to come to term with the fact that every day 3 hours are pushed forward.1pm is still morning and 8pm is the afternoon. There is no use in waking up early to do administrative chores because banks, pharmacies, post offices, and most shops don’t open until 9 or 10am.
Secondly, the lack of tumble dryers took me by surprise. It was quite a shock to realise that an apartment in Madrid did not necessarily come with a tumble dryer, or even an oven in some cases! I think the habit of hanging clothes on the line over patios and between building windows is quite amusing.
Q:Habits you have come to adopt?
A:Coffee (laughs).Here in Madrid having coffee is much more social. I can’t go through a day without at least one cup.
Q: 5 Facts every Guiri needs to know before arriving in Madrid?
A:1)Things/services take longer: supermarkets, paperwork, contracts…do yourself a favour and put in some buffer time to complete administrative chores.
2)Reach out and build a community of friends. This will enhance the experience of living here. Living abroad can be tough, you will need friends to help you through it!
3)Not everyone speaks English. Learn at least some basic Spanish, enough to report a stolen wallet, setup an internet connection, or order from a menu in a restaurant.
4)Watch your wallet, especially in the famous Sunday market El Rastro, in the metro, or even in Starbucks.(I’m sure the mention of this last location, Starbucks, will surprise many. Allison related an incredible story of how a friend of hers was having a coffee in a Madrid Starbucks when she caught a woman pulling a wallet from her bag, and upon being caught all she said was “lo siento: – sorry. To that one can only say, Que morro!(What a nerve!))
5) There is no reasonably priced peanut butter in Madrid. A small jar of peanut butter costs 6 Euros. If you can stock up before arriving, do. (Allison admits she has gone without peanut butter during her time in Madrid,…she is craving it but will resist the price exploitation here)
Q:3 things you miss about home…Los Angeles:
A: Living close to the beach. We used to really enjoy beach life and spending a lot of time outdoors. I also miss my shopping experience at Target (one stop shopping!) It’s just not the same with hypermarkets here. And last but not least…peanut butter!
Q:Recommended English Services in Madrid:
A:Spain Select. – A rental service company offering short and long term rentals all over Spain. Their services are in English and their treatment of clients is very professional. Their apartment units are beautiful and comfortable.
Q: How is your Spanish?
A: Functional, I am taking classes still. I also learned some colloquial expressions while my husband and I walked the Camino de Santiago this past August .
Q: Was it easy to make friends in Madrid?
A: Well, personally I was lucky because I sort of had built-in-friends as a result of my husband’s MBA programme. The partners of the MBA students are able to connect and friendships naturally develop. I’ve also made some nice friends through my church here in Madrid. Having said that, I think it’s relatively easy to make friends in Madrid. Madrileños are a pretty friendly and open people, and they love to be social. The other day I went out for coffee with my husband and we could not find one table free in our neighbourhood! All the cafes were filled with tables of friends, talking and laughing. No one likes to stay stuck in the house.
Thanks for taking time out to be interviewed for the Cheap In Madrid Blog. Congratulations for the excellent work and contribution to the English Speaking Community of Madrid with your many interesting and practical tips for living and loving Madrid. We,at The Cheap In Madrid Blog, wish you all the best in the half marathon you are now preparing for in April. A por ellos!
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