06 Jul ¡Bienvenido a Madrid!
There are many things that I have found appealing about my first days in Madrid; the transportation system, the social aspect, and the culture of Spain.
My adventure began when I arrived at the airport in Madrid. I needed to take a shuttle to the terminal in order to meet the Absolute Internship team. Once I found the bus, I quickly realized there was going to be challenges in communicating with locals. Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, I know the basics of Spanish and that’s pretty much it. It has been a bit intimidating but I am figuring out how to get by in communication.
Our first night, we went to a welcome dinner as a group for traditional tapas and drinks. It is a commonality for dinner to be eaten later at night and to sit and socialize over the meal. This was a great way to get to know the other interns better on the first night as well as experiencing the Spanish cuisine.
The next day we were given an orientation on what to expect from the program and a map to our internship. My internship is based in Sol and is a 20-minute trip from the Madrid housing. By going a couple days early, to find the relative location of my internship, allowed me to familiarize with the metro system and the streets in Madrid. I did get lost but with the Google Maps app I was able to figure it out. The great thing about going abroad so far is that it will present challenges and new learning experiences.
On our third day we went on a bus tour around Madrid to see the historical landmarks. The bus allows you to get on and off at each stop if you choose to. From the bus stop we walked to the Palacio Real. One of the most interesting things about Spain and Europe in general is the intricate detail in the architecture. Each building is different and has their own personal flair. The buildings are my favorite part of Madrid so far. It is day 3 and I have already learned a lot about the systems of Madrid and am learning new things about the Spanish culture each day.
Can’t wait to see what the next 2 months bring!
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