It’s always been my dream to travel the world — to switch out the Philadelphia skyline for one that predates America by hundreds of years, explore foreign cities and ancient ruins, try different foods and experience other cultures, learn a new language and make foreign friends.
After visiting Barcelona last summer, I decided I wanted to spend my study abroad experience this semester at St. Louis University-Madrid due to my love for the language and the culture. After almost a month in Madrid, I can say for certain that while I am by no means a local, I am definitely getting used to the way of life here!
Day to day
Can you believe the sun doesn’t start rising until 7:30 a.m. over here? I know! I couldn’t believe it either.
A typical work day for me back home has me leaving the house at 5:40 a.m. to make my 6 a.m. shift, with the sun already on the horizon.
The reason for the sun and the clock being at such odds has to do with where Spain is geographically aligned with the rest of the world. While Spain is aligned with the UK and Portugal, in 1940, Spain shifted to Central European Time, meaning the clock is an hour ahead of where the sun actually is.
A typical morning around here starts around 9 a.m. My earliest class starts at noon and the latest ends at 6:15, so I start my morning with the breakfast provided by my host mom.
Back home, I’d usually get a breakfast sandwich, but in Madrid, breakfast is a more lax meal, so that means a tostada or a quick pastry.
After breakfast, I leave for campus, meaning either a 30-minute uphill walk — similar to the walk from Merion Gardens, except longer and much hotter — or an 18-minute route on the EMT bus, which is the Madrid bus equivalent to the SEPTA system in the Greater Philadelphia area.
After classes, I usually have to wait about an hour or two for dinner. A typical time for dinner in Spain is around 7:30 p.m. and could go as late as midnight. When my host mom told me that my first night here, I was shocked. I could never have imagined eating such a big meal that late. Three weeks later, however, and I’m finishing dinner at 10 p.m. It’s fairly easy to adapt to the lifestyle
Community and social life
Madrid, and Spain as a whole, is huge on community and spending time together. I can spend 30 minutes to almost four hours in a café just talking with my friends without worrying about being rushed out. Meals are usually social events here, and it’s expected that after you finish your meal, you stay and relax a while.
I’ve noticed people in Madrid are more relaxed in their day-to-day lives, too. Rather than the hustle and bustle I’m used to in big cities like New York City and Philadelphia, Madrid is much more go-with-the-flow. I still haven’t gotten used to the idea of slowing down my pace and just allowing myself to enjoy my surroundings.
Adjusting to a new place is difficult, especially if you’ve lived in one city your whole life. But if you give yourself a chance to adapt and try a different culture, you’ll surprise yourself at how quickly you can take up the customs.
