Week 4. Wow. Almost halfway through and time has flown by. By now, I’ve started to pick up on a lot of the small things that local Spaniards do, especially some phrases that are commonly used.
This week I got to explore some more of the city and spent a little bit of time on one of the most central streets of Madrid – Gran Vía. Gran Vía is a major street that has shopping, rooftop bars, restaurants, etc. There’s also frequent street performances, one of which I got to witness.
Within work this week, I made some very big strides in that I gained the confidence to ask for more to do within my internship. I had just wrapped up with a project, so I asked my supervisor for a new task, or a new project. We then were able to have a meeting about the steps moving forward. We were then discussing the project, which involves using AI to generate images that we can use on our website, and I was able to actually contribute to the conversation about the legal aspects of doing this because I had some prior knowledge from the US after speaking with a patent attorney about AI generated images and the rights that surround them. This was a really big step for me, because so far, I have been trying to mostly observe and understand the office culture and also have not felt confident enough to properly contribute more than a few sentences (usually about my progress on the task) within a meeting.
On Saturday, I got to take a quick trip to Segovia, which is filled with beautiful architecture and very famous monuments. Everything in Segovia is very walkable, so we got to walk from building to building with ease.
The first place we visited was the aqueduct, which is one of the best-preserved Roman aqueducts. It was built in order to transport water from the Frío River to the city of Segovia.
The architecture of the Cathedral was absolutely gorgeous, but the one that is currently standing was built as a replacement of an earlier Romanesque cathedral that was destroyed in 1520.
There were several altarpieces that depicted scenes from biblical narratives. They also had several stained glass windows that did the same.
Following that, we visited the Cathedral of Segovia. The architecture of the Cathedral was absolutely gorgeous, but the one that is currently standing was built as a replacement of an earlier Romanesque cathedral that was destroyed in 1520.
Finally, one of the most famous monuments in Segovia is the Alcázar. It used to be a fortress for the Muslim rulers before they were captured by the Christians during the Reconquesta. Then, it was a residence of for the Castilian monarchs, and was where Queen Isabella was made the Queen of Castile. The location is especially important because its position made it an important military sight during various conflicts in Spain’s history.
In terms of adapting to the culture and workplace here, one thing that I’ve honestly struggled to keep up with is how active everyone is in terms of social life. Everyone lives such a vibrant social life, and I often see people going out with friends for a drink or for dinner almost every day. It might be the fact that I have to use the bus system extensively in order to do this, but I frequently find myself quite tired after working from 9-5 and need a little bit a break before I can do other things. It’s a very small adjustment, but I’m hoping that I will be able to build up stamina and immerse myself in this aspect of Madrid’s culture.
With the language, I’ve mostly struggled with the speed at which they talk. People here tend to talk very fast, especially amongst each other. This has particularly been an issue within the workplace when people are talking amongst each other. To overcome this challenge, I’ve started to focus on improving my listening skills by practicing with fast-paced native conversations, such as those in podcasts and videos. Additionally, I’ve asked colleagues to speak more slowly or repeat themselves when necessary, and I’ve begun taking notes to better follow discussions. Joining language exchange groups has also helped, providing a supportive environment to practice and improve my comprehension skills.
Overall, I feel more integrated into both the culture and my workplace. Week 4 has been a significant turning point, boosting my confidence and language skills. I’m excited to continue exploring Madrid, improving my Spanish, and taking on more responsibilities at work. The journey has been challenging but incredibly rewarding. As I adapt more each day, I find myself better able to navigate social situations and professional settings. I look forward to the coming weeks with anticipation, eager to further immerse myself in Spanish culture, make meaningful contributions at my internship, and continue to grow both personally and professionally.