In Spain, professionals place a high value on work-life balance. Working days usually do not start until 10 A.M. and long lunch breaks are common. It is also not rare for offices to close early on Fridays. The environment is overall less high-paced than in the U.S, and punctuality is not as strictly enforced. People generally do not feel as rushed to advance in their careers, either. They prefer to learn with time, and make connections. They work to live, not live to work. I respect this aspect of their culture greatly, and I do consider that people get a better quality of life as a result of it.
In Madrid reside people that come from all across the world. Many of my co-workers at the office had an international background (France, Italy, Germany, Argentina, Peru, Dominican Republic), and I believe this added a lot of value to my experience. I always felt welcomed and comfortable. Furthermore, my supervisor put importance on my growth, and apart from my duties, he would assign me tasks that would help me gain further knowledge. He truly wanted me to understand the market and the position.
This experience is one that I will treasure forever. I learned a lot, met amazing people, and created beautiful memories.
I wholeheartedly recommend it.
