Leaving Madrid

After spending time in Madrid, I am now able to reflect on the experience as a whole. I am very grateful to have participated in the program for a variety of reasons. For one, I was able to see the differences in a European lifestyle compared to an American one. For example, the Spanish eat much later than Americans do. Also, many Europeans live in apartments and in smaller spaces than we see in the states. There are also many other similarities I noticed. In Madrid, kids are often driven to school, just as is done in the states. After school, they walk around with their friends and have a bite to eat together, as we do. The Spanish also love American food, and places such as Burger King, Starbucks, and Five Guys are seen packed all throughout Madrid. I am also grateful to have gone on exchange to get the experience of living in a city. I have never taken public transportation on a regular basis before, nor have I lived in an apartment. These were all new experiences for me which I found quite interesting. Finally, I was able to develop my Spanish at least a little bit. I do not take Spanish in school, but by constantly hearing it (the Spanish don't like to speak English) and sometimes being forced to use it at some stores, I found myself speaking in full sentences here and there. I thoroughly enjoyed my exchange and experiencing the city of Madrid, while immersing myself in Spanish culture.