Spain

Well, it has been quite a while since I've updated this blog. For those of you who have been waiting patiently, thank you. So many things have happened in the last month that it has been hard to find time to write. (I also couldn't figure out for a while what my password was...luckily that has been resolved now!)

At the end of September, just when I thought I would never find a place to live permanently, I received a tip from a fellow Fulbrighter that a teacher at her school was looking for a roommate. And that's how Aida came into my life; madrilena, 25 years old, non-smoker, and a teacher for preschoolers, Aida is full of life, very knowledgeable about the city and very friendly. I moved into her apartment shortly after.

(A side note: in Madrid, and indeed all across Spain, there exists a culture of buying, not renting apartments. Therefore, most young people live at home all throughout college and even into their late twenties until they can afford to buy a flat themselves. House-prices (flats) are quite high and have been going up in recent years; however, salaries are quite low in comparison. Housing prices is one of the prime political issues in Spain.)

I have an interior room (it looks out on to an inner courtyard) with one window, a bed, a dressor, and a desk. When I started out the room was an ugly light green color - a legacy from the previous owner. However, Aida and I embarked on a weekend endevour to paint it a lovely soft yellow! We moved most of my things out to the living room including my bed and covered everything else. I am very glad we did it but I have learned a valuable lesson from this experience: painting is a lot of work!

The rest of the apartment is quite modern - electric stove, refurbished cabinets in the kitchen, new tiles in the bathroom, etc. In general, the apartment has a very airy, light feel, and Aida has been very welcoming. I added a couple pictures to my photo gallery so that you can get a better feel for the place.

The apartment is located south of the center city in Piramides, a neighborhood named after two Pyramid-like structures that welcome you across the river and up the hill. Located outside of my apartment is a fish market, a bread store, a few bars, a little park, not to forget the Estadio Calderon, the stadium where the Atletico futbol team plays. I'm a bit of a hike from the metro (10-15 minutes) but I suppose that's good for my napolitana de chocolate (chocolate croissants) eating habits!