My program officially ended on June 28th and I miss it already. Living there for a month has taught me so much, especially after taking classes completely in Spanish. With the time I had, I was able to grow accustomed to the culture alongside my friends within and outside my program.
Anyway, here are some of the things I was introduced to while being in Madrid that I didn’t expect to love.
1. The Metro
I love public transportation with an extreme passion. The convenience, environmental benefits, and cheapness makes me really wish we had a better means of transport in many parts of the US. The metro was the primary source of transportation I used while living in Madrid if I didn’t feel like walking (although walking distances were not typically too awful either). The station I used most was literally a 1 minute walk from my residence, so from there I’d get to Sol and Gran Via and the other parts of Madrid quite rapidly (thank you Canal). My everlasting love for the metro has led to my purchase of Metro merchandise and forever lasting memories.
2. Chueca
This is a part of Madrid quite well known for its diversity, and it was probably one of the best sectors of Madrid I went to. Immediately getting off the Metro here, you are met with people wearing some of the most creative and gorgeous outfits you’d hardly find anywhere else. Additionally, there are so many delicious cafes and restaurants here. Truly some of the best I had ever had. Not to mention, the nightlife is insane! The streets light up and become crowded with people getting ready for a great night out in the city.
3. Bolduman Donuts
These Bolduman donuts were possibly some of the best sweet treats I had while in Madrid. There were so many flavors to choose from and because sweets in Spain aren’t typically too sweet, I found them to be perfect. Basically, they’re just normal donuts all filled with a different flavored cream like pistachio, strawberry, etc. They were located around the corner from the university, so I bought them rather often (not great for my health, but so worth the price).
Of course there were many other things that I loved about Madrid, but I chose three that I could think of off the top of my head. I miss all of these quite heavily and am already wanting to be back in Madrid just to experience it all again.
