This week in Madrid:
- I finally got to try Paella
- Survived a Spanish heat wave
- Found another fun hike in the mountains
One of the highlights from the week was a cooking class with others from my program. we made Paella and Spanish tortilla. After last weekend’s Paella disaster it turns out the universe has our backs and we finally get to try Paella, even if it’s not beachside.
Here’s a video of me participating in flipping Paella with much joy, excitement, and a touch of confusion.
After discovering I might be the next Top Chef, I wrapped up the week with a trip to a street in the city full of vintage shops. After the chaos of last weekend, a relaxing day of window shopping was exactly what we needed. We ended our day exploring Malasaña by heading to the pool.
My host mom asks me at least once a week if I want to go with her, and this Saturday, after four straight days of 100-degree heat, we finally gave in. Although I didn’t go with my host family, my friends and I decided to check out the hype around public pools. We went to a university pool and quickly realized that everyone in Madrid had the same idea. Fun fact: there was no shallow end! Most people hung out clinging to the edge, except for the three determined swimmers doing laps. The pool definitely helped us cool off, but it’s probably not something I need to do again anytime soon because of the crowds.
On Sunday, we went hiking near Manzanares el Real. We were chasing waterfalls and somehow ended up climbing halfway up a mountain, only to realize the water was in the complete opposite direction. Still, we pushed on and enjoyed the steep trails. While in the town we got to explore the streets, see many pups, and we even got to see the castle in town (from a distance). We made it back to Madrid just before noon to avoid the worst of the heat. After a quick post-hike siesta, we walked around the Sol neighborhood, always looking for new corners of the city to discover.
Going hiking is Madrid was one thing I didn’t expect to get to experience during my time here and I am very happy we have had chances to do it because it is such a good mental reset and grounding for me.
Here is the actual trail on the way down:
^I don’t know about you, but that path didn’t seem marked to me.Let’ss just say, I ran through portions like that with high knees as not to disturb any habitats of sharp-toothed creatures.
After our trip to Valencia last weekend, a chill weekend was exactly what we needed. It gave us a chance to reconnect with Madrid and recharge before our upcoming travel plans.
My goal for this upcoming week is to find a large iced coffee that’s NOT Starbucks. Everywhere I go, has “café con leche”, which is a latte more or less (sometimes the milk is not steamed). I am craving more than anything a large cold brew. What I wouldn’t give for a bottle of Stoked cold brew.
At Yugo, I genuinely feel like I’m improving my communication and emotional intelligence. Because I often miss parts of conversations or need clarification, I’ve stepped outside my comfort zone and started asking more questions. I’ve also gotten more comfortable asking what might feel like “dumb” questions, and I’ve realized how much that can help avoid unnecessary steps and mistakes.
I’ve noticed my emotional intelligence growing too. Even though I understand a lot of Spanish, I sometimes have to rely on body language and tone to fully grasp what’s being said. Being able to read the vibes and respond accordingly has become a valuable skill, both professionally and personally.
On the technical side, I’ve also been expanding my skills with Excel and marketing tools like Canva. I work in a shared Excel sheet with at least five other people daily. In the beginning, I struggled; I kept mixing up cells or duplicating data. I’d used Excel before, but never at this scale. Now that I’m more comfortable asking questions and navigating the sheet, I’ve learned a lot. Tasks that used to take me an hour now take closer to 45 minutes, thanks to shortcuts and built-in functions.
It’s crazy to think we hit our midpoint in Madrid this week. I’m excited to see my friends and family in a few weeks, but I’m also nervous about how quickly the rest of this trip will fly by!