Marie is Belgian and a fellow blogger.She is the author of the bilingual fashion and lifestyle blog Madrid & Co.She came to Madrid a few years ago,fell in love with the city,and the rest is history.Find out more about her and her life in Madrid.

CiM:What brought you to Madrid?
ML:Well, I was studying Tourism at the Université Libre de Bruxelles and had the opportunity to spend one year abroad as an Erasmus student. There were several destinations and I didn’t really have any preference. So, let’s say I arrived in Madrid “accidentally”.

CiM:Had you visited the city before?
ML:No, I didn’t know anything of Spain before. I even didn’t speak a word of Spanish!

CiM:How long have you been here and do you plan to stay for longer or settle
here..?
ML:Well, after my Erasmus exchange, I had the opportunity to stay one year more to make my final thesis. And after some “coming and going” between Spain and Belgium, I decided to come back to Madrid and search for a job. I was so nostalgic. I guess this is the typical “Erasmus effect”, but I really want to do it!
Now, I’ve been working here for already 5 years….and who knows, maybe for more!

CiM:What did you expect or look forward to when coming to Madrid?
ML:As I didn’t know a lot about Spain, I didn’t expect anything. I just wanted to enjoy the experience and learn each detail of this culture. And I think this is the best advice I could give: To come to a foreign country without any prejudices.
This is the best way to come out with very good surprises!
CiM:Any difficulties finding a place and settling in?*

ML:It’s not easy to communicate in Spain when you don’t speak Spanish because Spanish people don’t speak English very well. I was lucky because when I first arrived in Madrid, there were 2 other Belgian students of my faculty. So, we could help each other. To find a place, I really suggest people to learn some of the “rules” to rent a flat here in Spain, for example to learn these typical words as “fianza”, “ gastos”, etc. in order not to have any misunderstandings when you arrive, because people use to share the flats here. So, some of the owners ask for a separate rent, which is much better, but others ask for one rent for the whole flat.  So please be careful when you have the pay the first rent, because usually you don’t have a written contract.

CiM:You have travelled extensively, what can you find in Madrid that is nowhere else?

ML:I think Madrid is the perfect mix of the Spanish culture in general. It’s really different than Barcelona for example.  It’s much more authentic. Madrid is like a big village. You can walk around from one district to another, from one tapas bar to another. And for me, the most important: in Madrid, you smell Spanish, you feel Spanish, and you see Spanish!
CiM:What do you miss the most about Belgium (Brussels or Mouscron)?

ML:Most of all, family and friends. When you study abroad, you don’t really care because you really enjoy this independence. But when you start to define or build your life, you realize there are some things you will not be able to share and some things you will miss. When I meet my family and friends, the moments we are together are stronger. We only try to live good moments. And this is great…Other thing is miss is the food!!! Tapas are great, but they don’t feed my stomach every day. I really miss Belgian and French food.
CiM:Are there lots of Belgians living in Madrid and do you usually get together?

ML:I used to know some Belgians but there are not in Madrid anymore. It’s not a very good moment to stay here when you don’t have a job or when you have a better job offer in another country.
CiM:Tell us about your blog? How did it come about?

ML:Well, I have always appreciated to find up some new places in the cities I was visiting. This is due to my tourism studies maybe. I wanted to share my experience and the process of the student I was- who didn’t know a lot of Spanish culture- until my actual life, which is very different. So, I wanted to share anecdotes and advices with humor and photography – one of my passions! –

CiM:You write in both French and Spanish? Is your blog read in Francophone countries too?

ML:Yes, this web is more focused on a French public because of my experience. – Now I’m collaborating with a French newspaper – but, it’s dedicated to everybody who is living in Madrid or has an interest in it. In fact, I’m thinking about translate it into English too.

CiM:How do you perceive the cost of living in Madrid compared to Brussels (or
Mouscron)?

ML:As far as rent is concerned, Madrid is much more expensive. This is something I’ve never understood because the salary is lower. This is why such a lot of people share flats. For the rest, I think Spain is cheaper. You can easily find a cheap bar to eat some good tapas. I know very good placesJ and as far as culture is concerned, Madrid is a great city to move on in a cheap way: entrances to go to the theater, to see an exposition, etc.

CiM:What would you change about the city…?

ML:I would add the sea, of course. Too warm in the summer and the public swimming pools are too crowded.

CiM:An funny anecdotes about your first years in Madrid?
ML:I remember at the Universidad Complutense the first months, I was so stressed about the exams because I was the only one who had to learn Spanish at the same time that I had to learn the subject. So, I decided to learn everything by heart! And my first exam was a full definition questionnaire. So, this was really difficult for the students of the class but perfect for me because I knew everything! They were copying my exam from the beginning until the end! After this, they started to look at me in a different wayJ I didn’t feel like the poor little shiny girl anymore who doesn’t speak but like the “rescuer” of the class!
CiM:You speak 3 languages (French, Spanish and English)..How would you advice
Madrileños or Spaniards in general to effectively learn other
languages, especially English?

ML:Now, with this high level of unemployment, Spanish people realize they need to move on to find a job. This means to speak English. This was not in their mentality before. So, they need to make a big effort now. First of all, I would advise them to search for native teachers to get a good level! This is the main problem in Spain. Most of the students have learned very bad English. So, please, Spanish people, start to watch movies in original version!

CiM:What 5 things do you advice other guiris to experience before living Madrid?

ML:To learn a basic vocabulary to connect with people. Spanish people like to speak a lot, but they don’t dare if they don’t know your language. So, I realize that if you make a small effort of speaking Spanish, it’s really easier to have a good contact.

CiM:Shopping: What are your favourite places to shop and hang out?

ML:Madrid is great because each district has its own style. For classic fashion, you have Alonso Martinez and Salamanca. I like for example Hakei, Federica&co, Malababa and Mott. If you prefer some original clothes, go ahead to Chueca and Triball. You will find Kling, La Maison and some vintage stores in the Calle Valverde and in the Calle del Pez. Please also note that Spanish brands as Zara or Mangoare around 20% cheaper here.

CiM:You have a Spanish boyfriend. Did this help you to understand cultural
differences you might have?

ML:I’ve always lived with Spanish people here in Madrid. I knew a lot of people from different cities. This was very interesting. I have known people from the very north of Spain and from the very south, like my boyfriend. And everybody is different. Everybody gave me part of his personal vision and part of his culture. To live with foreigner people is really to best to learn about life and about yourself!
CiM:How have you become Madrileña in a way(attending San Isidro celebrations every year, making one of the best tortilla´s your future suegra ever tasted, stopping off at San Gines for hot chocolate after a night out….)

ML:I love the Spanish rhythm, like to get up late and to have dinner on a terrace at midnight. Even if you work, you can change your chip very easy and when spring is arriving, you are already feeling on holiday. This is something you just have here in Spain. As far as cooking is concerned, I’m not a very good Spanish cooker. I let this to my mother-in-law!

CiM:Any special interests and hobbies that you have been able to maintain while
in Madrid(photography,travel,etc) ?

ML:In fact, I started to like photography once in Madrid. When I started to work as a model, I knew a lot of people who showed me about photography. And that is how I started. I used to play piano too, but this is something that I don’t practice here in Madrid, even if I know there are some places, but I don’t find the time!

CiM:You seem like a keen traveller. What other parts of Spain do you recommend
and why?

ML:For personal reasons, I used to travel a lot to the south of Spain. So, I know Andalucía very well. Sevilla, Cordoba, Granada, Cadiz, etc. You find some colors you don’t have in other part of Spain.  La Alhambra of Granada is some of the most beautiful places in Spain, especially at sundown. And the coast of Cadiz is very nice. Everything is no natural. No buildings, nothing, just kilometers of beaches and the sea. Good for surfers. I recommend the “chiringuitos” of Tarifa and Zahara. This is the typical open bar on the beach where you can stay there all night long, just looking at the horizon

CiM:Lastly, what movie or book would you recommend to anyone coming to Madrid
to have an insight about the city?

ML:I think that the Almodovar movies show some great parts of the Spanish culture.Even if his movies are a little crazy,I feel the special Spanish touch in the atmosphere,for example in Habla con Ella or Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios.I also recommend El día de la bestía and Crimen Perfectoof the satiric director Alex de la Iglesias as he shows a personal and crazy vision of the city.