Living in Madrid - part 1

When I graduated from high school I had to make the difficult choice of where to study next. I wanted to go to England, Scotland, or Welles. What I wanted to study was Graphic Design. Well, just a little while before my graduation, I realized I was not ready to leave my country. I had the feeling I had not lived well enough and that I was lacking enough experience. That is why I decided to take a gap year. A gap year is a year off school or work.

After my gap year was over, I still had to make a choice. During the mentioned year off I had applied to universities in England, Scotland, and Spain. I got into one university in London and my first choice university in Spain (Madrid). At the end I decided I wanted to go to Spain.

I was supposed to live with two friends from my home country, Bulgaria. One of them decided she would live in her current apartment. It was her second year in Madrid and she was convinced her apartment and her roommates were the best. After she decided she was not going to move, I and the other friend I was supposed to live with had to decide what to do. At the end we found another roommate, a boy and this girl’s ex-boyfriend. That is how our first year Spanish saga started.

My future roommates had to start their studies a month earlier, so they left before me. The girl, I am going to call her Gigi (I hope she would not mind), was supposed to find an apartment for the three of us. I do not know how she did it. I suppose it must have been difficult for her. Now that I think about it I should have helped her.

I joined them a month later. It was one of the hardest things I have ever done. It is never easy to say good-bye and to leave your home. It does not matter whether you are going to another city or another country. It is similar. You have to leave your family and friends, the places you love, the security of your very known home. My father had to drive me to the airport. My flight was at six in the morning. It was fun because I had to fly with Bulgaria’s ex-king who had become a Spanish citizen. If I have to be completely honest, I had a hard time not crying. I had to pass security check, but I did not care about it. I was thinking about my new, future life abroad. It is scary when I come to think about it.

I arrived in Barajas, the airport in Madrid. I could not believe how weird it was to land in Spain. I had been there before, but just as a tourist. Once I landed, I started talking to myself (not out loud, I am not crazy J ) about how I should keep calm and make it in my new home.

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My friends were waiting for me at the airport. I was happy to see them. I am grateful they came to pick me up from the airport. They helped me with the luggage and cheered me up. We arrived in our new home. It was quite far from the center and from my university so I was a bit worried. It was a nice place, but full of dull old people and dull not very interesting buildings and bars.

Since we did not have internet, I decided to go out to the university in which my friends were going to study. It was only five minutes away from our apartment. I went there, I called my family on Skype and we talked a while. They were worried about me naturally. After we ended the conversation, I decided to go home. It was already dark. Even though, it was not difficult to go home, I did not know the way and I got lost. I did not speak very good Spanish. Also, since Spanish people speak quite fast, I did not quite understand what they were saying. I made the mistake to ask an old man where my street was. He said he would take me there. He did, but then he wanted a kiss. It was scary for me… a new country and some old man trying to kiss me. I said “no” several times and at the end he finally let me go.

That very same evening we were supposed to go to a friend’s birthday. I did not know her actually, but my friends did. She was from our country. I was stressed out after my arrival and moving into a new apartment, so I cannot remember whether I had fun. I was lucky thought, because at this birthday party I met one of my now best friends in Spain. I am going to call her Sisi for the purposes of this entry. She is one of the best people I have ever met. She is funny, talkative, smart and the nicest person ever! I am so happy I met her.

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