MADRID & ME

Hola todos! We meet once again! Today our story is about my lovely Madrid... I think everyone knows Madrid... the capital of Spain, is a nice place, but I have never been a fan of big cities, I raised in a village of 800 people.. so you can imagine... Big cities are terrifying me... I came to Spain 4 months ago, with the ERASMUS program... and my only choice was to go to the airport in Madrid because from Greece, imply I had only this choice! hen I arrived at the airport in Madrid...

I was... lost..not many people speak English, hopefully, one friend.. of one of my friends..used to be on Erasmus in Crete.. and she learned the Greek language... (very strange because the Greek language is very hard.. and she learned it, in 6 months) So, she helped me, to go from the airport to the train station... the town that Erasmus send me is Albacete, is a very small city, but for me that I raised in a village is very good! I was very lucky, that she was there and she was working to the airport.. otherwise, I would have never found my way to Albacete...at my first time to Madrid I didn't have the opportunity to see anything except the airport and the train station... and some trees out of my window...

After some weeks accidentally my cousin had booked a flight for Madrid because she had found very cheap tickets... and as I was also there..accidentally she suggested to me, to go for few days and have vacations to Madrid with her. I was happy to see her, but this period was a crazy period, I was living in an RBNB with a girl from Finland that I had to meet through Facebook and we decided to find an apartment together... and we were still searching for it because no one was speaking English and no one wanted to rent us an apartment for less than 1 year...

Luckily we found an apartment one day before I left to go and see my cousin, so I was kind of relieved, I arrived almost at 9, at the train station in Madrid and my cousin came to take me with some friends, we went for dinner and I tasted some traditional dishes, that I don't remember any more, but I remember that was very tasty... Her friends were Spanish, so they knew where to find good food... after this, we went to sleep, because I was tired and after drinking 2-3-4 glasses of wine, I felt like I don't look normal anymore... Greek people usually when they go out, they don't drink only 2-3-4 glasses.

My cousin had reserved a hotel room, for rich people (which I am not), it was very luxurious...it contained also a TZAKUZI, and when I entered I felt like 5 years old child, it was very funny, the water doing a noise like f@rting... after we went out, to pretend that we are tourists and at night we met again our friends, we went to a cerveceria(beer bar) and when we entered, I felt strange people standing talking so fast & so loudly to each other first I thought that is a kind of torture and I look to my cousin.. and I ask her.. di I done anything wrong? She just said, go inside and don't talk.

Ah! I forgot to mention that earlier this morning I felt like I am getting sick and she forced me to take a pill for fever... so she said to me you are not allowed to drink tonight(drink=alcohol), I said yes, but we already know..it was a no. Well, when we sat down(i mean we found a corner to stand )her friend said I am going to order, what you prefer? Maria you, a beer right? And I said yes, I didn't want to offend her, my cousin said NO! I say pleaseee, don't be so strict and as you understand...., after a fight like Turkish with Greeks, or German with Jewish, blah blah, I won but I must take the small one. When I was drinking she was looking at me, all the time! Maria! Drink slower!

I was saying ok ok... but, stop looking at every drop I swallow, you stress me out! As you understand... all night we were fighting, if I drink one more or not, fortunately, her friends were kind of supporting me...suddenly I saw to kind of handsome men in front of me and I stared at them, maybe I looked like I haven't seen a man for years, because my cousin looked at me and said what are you looking at, like this? Then I realized how ridiculous I was, and I came back to earth.

I said, oh! Nothing I was just thinking... she said.. girl, you may have a fever! You need a doctor! I replied...indeed! Suddenly, the one guy that I liked less(that's my destiny)came to my side, as I knew him, or like he wanted to punch me (I wasn't sure what was his intentions), suddenly he stopped in front of the friend of my cousin, because he couldn't find any space to come in front of me, but I swear to god, if he had time, maybe he had or punch me or kiss me.. When the friend of my cousin asked him what he wants, he replied that he is a hairdresser and he is interested in cutting my hair, I looked at him and I said'' Man! maybe in another life, my hair is the most valuable thing I own,.. he left quite disappointed I would say...

But, he gave his Instagram to our friend, so she just can see his work... so as a woman I rethought that if he is a good hairdresser and he styles my hair for free? Why not? Free is always better! I didn't ask for his Instagram immediately, because my friends would laugh with me... but I thought after some days I will ask... After we left.. our friends went home because they were working the next day, but we walked downtown.. and after some hour, we went back to the hotel(we are not any more party animals) Next morning, we went for breakfast to an awesome place, that is located at the centre and it is specialized for breakfast, it contains any kind of breakfast, like Moroccan, English, Mexican, Spanish...Italian... Breakfast for me is very important...

After we went again to explore the city, it was our last day, sadly... next morning my cousin, said goodbye to me, her flight was at 12:00 and me I left at 1:00, to go to the train station, my cousin had told exactly how to go there, but as always I got lost. ... Finally, I found it right on time.. and I got back to Albacete. My next time at Madrid was after 2-3 months when a friend from Greece came to visit me, so I thought it would be a good idea to go to Madrid and spent 2 days there with her, I had also one job to do in the Greek embassy, so I could do both...

I closed an Airbnb for 2 days-nights, then I decided to close a BLAHBLAHCAR (is a common transfer app), they use it a lot here in Spain, is like Airbnb, but for cars and most important is the cheapest way to travel. It was my first, BLAHBLAHCAR and I don't remember why I closed it for 7' at morning, my friend was arriving at 10' in the night, moreover I was stressed because, I don't speak much Spanish yet, so I was thinking if the owner wasn't speaking any English, it would be much fun! And it was! He called me in the morning to ask me if I was on my way and I understand what he asked, but I couldn't say a word, after 10 minutes, we had a conclusion... When I arrived at the meeting point, I felt terror, I was sure I understand the wrong place, but suddenly I saw a hand waving at me and I thought, thank god!

When I was reading comments, about him, people said, he is very friendly as well as his girlfriend and I was thinking in every travel his girlfriend is with him? Maybe is a jealous one and she was... He was really friendly, but his girlfriend didn't even say hello... I thought that might be an interesting trip... after all we took another girl.. that was travelling to Madrid.. so I think she was double jealous, I know right now all of you think that I overdo it, ok! Let's see you in my position! After all, one other girl came with us, so they speak Spanish and I was there staring at them,... after time the man told I speak English you can speak with me... I thought: thank you the man you have me so long torturing myself. When we arrived, they just left me and they hardly said goodbye, but who cares anyway...

I decide to find the house by walking, as always and even if the GPS showed me like 1 hour, I am afraid of using metro and bus because I am pretty sure, I will get lost. After 1:30' hour I found it, obviously, sweat and with no breath, the owner looked at me like, he felt sorry for me. Τhen he left and I felt finally the freedom to shower and also nature was calling me(I mean I had to use the toilet and fast!) Then I was exhausted I tried to sleep, but no hope I had organised to meet with a friend, but I told him I am tired, then I said ok let's meet, after he cancelled and then I was angry with him, finally we decided to meet(pff, that looks like my whole life) I met him, but I was like a zombie, that day was 1 of May, so they were celebrating but I believe they overdid it. People on the street, you couldn't move all drunk, all day, in Greece we celebrate too, but relax a little my friends!

After meeting my friend I went back to the house and I wait for my friend

to arrive I told her I am gonna get her from the airport, but when I went to take the metro the price was like 12,00..euro, so I turned back home and I text her that I am poor to pay so much money.... she knows me, she was ok, I gave her some instructions to find the house... after 1 hour she arrived and we went straight out for party, I know..before some lines I was complaining about being tired, but when I meet my friend I am ready to party any time(almost).

That night was crazy, people on the street you could hardly pass, everyone was talking to us, without even say first hello, we met a lot of new people, we were exhausted though, both from travelling and at first we said that we gonna be out for a short time but in the end we got back at 7-8 maybe.

The next day we had said that we gonna visit some statues and museums but... as always we couldn't wake up early and my friend Lina also, she is sleeping like a pig and when I try to wake her up she says leave me alone, wake me up later.. and for 3 hours I try to wake her up, then she wants to drink a chocolate and then to use the toilet so you can understand.... that it was almost night we finally went out... and then is when it passes from my mind once again why I don't go vacation alone, but I am a drama queen, I complain we my friends don't visit me and when they do I complain for another reason, but that's life people.

When our friends are with us we complain about the stuff they do and we don't like, but when they far away we complain because they don't text us so often... the human mind is an atomic bomb, you never know when it's gonna explode and what triggered this explosion. Let's go back to our story. If you noticed the name of this story is Madrid & Me, because I am trying to avoid going to Madrid again, but destiny sends me there all the time... and I don't have something personal with Madrid, just when I am forced to be somewhere naturally I want to go to the other direction.

So to keep on this story, 3 days in Madrid with my friend you can imagine, we partied a lot, I could nicely say. After we came to the town I lived Albacete and I don't understand why everyone in Madrid said for my town, in Spanish: Albacete shit and go, ok I know it's so little like, but for me is very sweet place, I told to my friend though don't listen what this people say to you, it's a wonderful town(ok, maybe I overdid it). My friend said no, no... i don't care what the others say.. and I believed her.

Two days here she was sleeping like a pig and I said maybe their words may be made an impact to you after all and she kept on saying no no! I just feel that I don't have anything to see in this town, that liar! How can you know you don't have anything to see if you first don't see! As you all understand already I was upset, maybe accidently when she said that to me, I raised my eyebrow with an ironic look on my face, accidently, I swear! But we still love each other and even we were about to kill each other this moment, ok, after all, we did some things after pressure her much!

Also, i forgot to mention that I had to do a serious paper in the Greek embassy and it was closed and the 2 days I was there so I had to return back in Madrid with my friend when she was about to leave I had happy time there the first time but pff.. i wasn't excited of getting back again... I couldn't avoid it though.. we went back I went to the embassy and in the end, the woman says to me, ok 60 euro please, I stayed for some minutes to look at her and she looked me too, no it's not a love story. I say what? She said what? And the discussion for a couple of moments goes like that... I had left my money... basically no, my money was over almost... so I had to go back and ask someone to transfer money to my account, then... go back again... maybe all this situation made me dislike a little Madrid, people do that, they correlate a place with their own experiences. So, the next day I went there and finished this paper...

I thought that Greek people that meet another Greek people in a foreign country would be more friendly, but in this Embassy I felt like a complete stranger, maybe I am over sensitive and I believe that everyone must be the same as me. The next day I felt much more relaxed, but it was also the day my friend was leaving back to Greece so, I felt quite emotional... my friend left we said goodbye in an emotional way and I stayed alone in this horrible Airbnb until 12 that I couldn't stay there any more.

So, I left, but the main door downstairs was only opening with the key that I had to leave inside the room that we had rent... i tried to ask a man that he was living in there if he can help me, but his English was like my Chinese... so I went down it was a man working inside the building, I tried to explain to him also the situation but also his English was like my Arabic... so I put my suitcase in the door so it can be open and I ran upstairs to leave the keys, the building was in the centre of Madrid so... so many people were passing bay, I was thinking ile I was thinking while I was running 5 floors to leave this f@cking keys, someone gonna see the suitcase and will take it.

Luckily my suitcase was still there, I said goodbye to the man, he didn't reply and I went to find a coffee. I was trying to find also a way to go back to Albacete, I use blah blah car is the cheapest way, but sometimes you have nerve breakdowns, because people may don't answer to you, or may don't speak any English, or cancel you last minute. I went for my coffee first the day was so beautiful, but the woman making the coffees was kind of not in a good mood(in a nice way).

You know coffee persons, wants a hall package when they drink their first coffee, not just their coffee has to be perfect but the person who serves it to be nice & sweet, otherwise my coffee also losing his taste. When I sit to drink this coffee that already was not perfect, I sit in a chair, but it was to shade and then I thought I need some tanning because I look like a zombie. I went to another chair but it was too sunny and I started sweating, then I moved again, that woman looked like she was officially hated me.

Ok, now at least I know why. Then my phone battery was going down, I went to ask her in a very very sweet way if she can charge it she hated me even more, she showed me to go near to the tables and find a f@cking plug by myself. Ι said to myself ok Maria don't get upset everyone to have their own psychological problems. I found a plug I put my phone, but then I thought if I go out someone will steal it, but I didn't want to sit inside I need it a little photosynthesis, so I went back out, after two minutes I went to check my phone and you understand what was happening for about 1 hour. This woman keeps on looking at me with kind of hate, I didn't care anymore, the hate was official. Then I check the time and I was kind of late, how is that possible at first I have plenty of time and in the end, I am always late. I left fast, I had to give money to the car driver, so I ran to take cash of the ATM.

Then I ran to the metro as always I knew that I ain't gonna pay, I did that already many times and nobody cared about it, so i didn't even notice that they where 4 securities at this time in the entrance of the metro station and they were waiting for a mindless person like me so they can justify their work and here is me running passing from the other side of entrances, from the side that is for the people going outside in front of the eyes of the securities, one of them said something like: HEY! COME BACK!, I just keep one going a bit faster than before I was still hearing screams behind my head and people say to me hey girl someone is talking to you, I was pretending that I didn't realize anything... until he ran so fast and he came behind me and he said again HEY!, without touching me because probably touching is forbidden. His eyes were literally red from anger and were sparkling, he starts speaking so fast in Spanish, I said I don't know Spanish.. he kept on speaking like crazy, then he said come up now, I say I am late I am gonna pay you the ticket I have to go, I am gonna lose my flight(it was a lie), but he wanted to torture me I saw that in his eyes.

One other security came the other man went up and said come now. Of course, he didn't let like this the other security was in front of me and he won't let leave, in any case. I looked at him and I was almost ready to cry, he was cute but he says I can't do anything please go back, after so many time been desperate, I just went back he asked for my ID, I said I don't have it, he says ok I call the police and I say ok ok, I have it, I give him the Greek ID, but he thought that it's fake and he says ok now I call the police, I say this is my ID! After 5 minutes, he except it, he gave me 40 euros fine and he said if you don't pay it soon it will be more. thank you! You are so sweet! (i looked like an angry baby), can I go now? He said yes... I say I don't need a ticket now right? He killed me with his eyes and said, yes you need a ticket, I tried to use this machine I couldn't...

I looked at him and I asked for help, the price for the ticket for one way was 4 euros, I am pretty sure he charged me more because he hated me. I went to the gate again I couldn't pass and finally opened me another door to pass, OH MY GOD! Someone must be kidding me.

I ran down like a crazy my sunglasses fell and in general, I looked like this crazy person that we all feel sorry about. (You all know what I mean). I find my metro after a long time, I send to the car owner that I will be a little late.

Finally, I arrived after having a really hard time... I was sweating... we start the trip... but I couldn't imagine what else can happen that day...

If you are up to learn about the rest of my trip stay tuned for the next episode, Love Ya!

Best Regards,

Your lovely Maria!

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