This past weekend, I took my first trip outside of Madrid and went to Valencia for the weekend! It was cool going somewhere new, but I think I am biased towards my host city. I enjoyed the beach and got a phenomenal tan, however that’s where the Valencia charm ended for me. Things were incredibly expensive, due to the high tourism, and it was pretty humid pretty much everywhere. Also, nobody told me about the golden rule of needing to call a restaurant in advance if you wanted paella. I will try again in Barcelona. In general, Madrid remains uncontested as the best city on earth, and I am writing this with a newfound confidence after a whole weekend under UV 10.
Adjusting to Madrid has been a roller coaster for me. Now after my time in another city, it helped me understand the things I love about the culture in Madrid, and what has been easy to adapt to. The transportation system is incredible, and although I am known for being directionally challenged, I can say I have not needed my Apple Maps to get to work for the last two weeks (my dad would be incredibly proud). I can say my favorite aspect of Spain culture, especially in the workplace, is the candid way in which people talk with one another. The subjects and opinions are very open, and I really love the deep conversations my coworkers have over lunch. I have been getting much better at understanding my coworkers, and I can tell my Spanish is really improving. This has helped me be more confident in my day-to-day interactions, which has been helping me feel confident about my place here.
Something else I am totally fitting in with is the attitude people have towards their work here. Rather than in the US, while my coworkers work hard during their work hours, they understand the importance of having time to yourself. People here are always out and spending time with friends or family, and are very social. I really like this part of Madrid culture, which has surprised me. Usually I am someone who likes to take time to themselves, but during my time here I have enjoyed being out of the house, seeing my friends and exploring the city.
The most difficult thing for me to adapt to in the Spanish workplace has been the way criticism is given in Spain. This was something I was warned about before coming onto this program, and I am usually someone who can take criticism well, but the way the people here talk is a lot different when giving feedback. Here, if I do something wrong, I am quickly corrected. I quickly correct it and went back to fix it. While I do think it is a more productive way to go for an intern to learn their mistakes, it was a bit jarring the first time it happened to me. They don’t really like to focus too much on what you did well, just want to highlight what needs to be improved. It at first was a bit of a hit on my confidence, but I think it’s helping me develop thicker skin.
This week with my internship has been really fulfilling! I have gotten to work on a lot of different things which helps the day go by faster, and I feel I have gotten a good view on what working in an office is like. I really like my position in the wholesale department, and have been talking to my coworkers a lot more, which has really made me feel comfortable at work. (I can even understand a few of their jokes). I have a good routine that has made my time here more manageable. While last week I was expressing challenges about my time in Madrid, I am really glad that in a short time I feel I have already overcome a lot of my struggles.
As I am approaching my halfway point for my time here, the main thing this experience has taught me so far is about bouncing back. There has been many times I have felt lost or unconfident, but over and over again I have found myself overcoming those emotions and feeling better for it. This next half of my semester here I really hope to continue growing my confidence at my place in Madrid, continuing to explore this incredible city and continue to curate a fabulous wardrobe and have tinto de verano while I still can.