This past semester, I had the incredible opportunity to study abroad in Madrid, Spain—an incredible city full of life, history, and culture. I absolutely fell in love with the city of Madrid the day I landed at the airport and as I travelled to more cities within Spain, I saw the beauty and uniqueness of the country as a whole. Walking through the streets of neighborhoods like Malasaña and La Latina, I was constantly discovering hidden gems such as cafés, local tapas bars, and beautiful plazas bustling with activity.
Life is very slow paced in Spain compared to the fast paced nature of America. We have been trained to only prioritize work and school in the states. However, I found myself really enjoying the relaxed lifestyle in Spain and my mind was immediately at peace throughout the past four months. I was able to truly take a step back and enjoy life for what it is. Every day, there are a few hours where shops and restaurants close and people take a break from their duties and responsibilities in life. This time period is called siesta and you see people prioritizing rest over work. I saw people around me effortlessly happy and truly enjoying their lives, something we unfortunately do not see here.
I attended Universidad Carlos de III while I was in Madrid. I took Finance, Big Data & Business Analytics, Television Studies, and Moving Image History. The education system is actually very different compared to schools in the US. There is little to no homework and a lot of emphasis on a final exam. I found the school to be pretty tough due to language barriers and not being used to the new system. However, this school is known to be one of the bests in Madrid!
