One and a half weeks in Spain and I am in awe of the beauty of this country, the people, and the culture. The pace of life seems slower here. I have often seen people standing together talking, smoking a cigarette, or slowly walking from place to place. There is a simplicity that I cannot explain. I’ve loved the little things like hanging drying my clothes, picking up a 5 euro lunch from the market, and walking or taking public transport everywhere. I’ve woken up to the sound of Spanish music from the weekly Sunday market. I’ve stood in awe of the incredible architecture in this city. In Malaga, I admired the beautiful contrast of the mountains and the ocean side by side.
Initially, I was surprised by a few things. One of them was the ubiquity of graffiti. The walls surrounding the metro and the sides of buildings are covered. A second surprising thing was that most people smoke cigarettes. It is a common part of the culture here. On the other hand, I was impressed by the style and dress of most Spaniards. Most people wear long jeans, nice shirts, and long trench coats. Even though Madrid is a large city, there isn’t the same hurry that you might experience in a city like New York. The majority of people do not seem to be in a rush.
On another note, the school system here is much different than the US. At UC3M, each class has one lecture section and one group work section. The lecture classes are around one hundred students and the group section tends to be around thirty students. Almost every class has a high emphasis on teamwork. However, in most classes, the final exam is fifty to sixty percent of someone’s final grade. Additionally, the campus at UC3M is much smaller than A&M’s. I can walk from one side of campus to the other in five minutes. I have enjoyed having class with so many international students. I’ve met people from Germany, Australia, France, and Norway. I have seen that Madrid is a hub for people from all over the globe and I cannot wait to see what else I learn while in this city!