Time Flies, What did I achieve?
As a diehard quote collector and cliché lover, it is only appropriate that the title of this post is “Time Flies”. It does, in every sense of the cliché. Time can only do one thing, move forward. It especially moves quickly when you're busy doing things you love or carrying out goals. So, with the time spent abroad for ten months, did I accomplish the goals that I had set almost a year ago? Well let’s evaluate.
Traveling every other weekend
This in hindsight was an extremely ambitious and costly goal. Factoring in the cost of lodging and food with the allotted 1000 Euros we are paid, this frequency was not possible. But I did visit ten countries in ten months along with two Spanish cities and a Spanish island.
![Made it to Africa!](/sites/default/files/styles/320w/public/blog/2023-07/1970-01-20-040616707.jpg?itok=fjhQOD50)
Here I am in Morocco. I was so thrilled to have made it to Africa!
Improving my Spanish
I made it my personal goal to improve my Spanish while living in Spain. In the Fall and Winter, I attended Tandem International School twice a week. Fortunately, CIEE has a partnership with this school and was able to offer a discount. I paid 250 Euros for 12 weeks of B1.2 Spanish classes. Personal investment is rarely free, so I was happy to pay this amount. In the classes we practiced grammar, conversation, reading, and writing. It was nice to get back to the basics of grammatical structure and development. My teacher was very patient and knowledgeable. I was thrilled to finish the course and received a certificate of completion!
![Last day of class at Tandem Escuela Internacional Madrid.](/sites/default/files/styles/480w/public/blog/2023-07/1970-01-20-082851825.jpg?itok=s9CauuDn)
My last class with Tandem Escuela Internacional Madrid. I highly recommend this school to anyone who wants to improve their Spanish.
Spanish Cooking Classes
Big thanks to CityLife Madrid, which is a safe haven for expats, international students, or anyone who is looking for things to do within Madrid. Through them, I was able to take a class where I cooked traditional Paella, Sangria, and Tortilla de Pata while getting to know other international people. Because I had a membership with City Life Madrid, the class cost me 29 Euros! The best part was that I got to eat everything after cooking! There is no sweeter taste than enjoying the fruits of your labor.
![The Making of Paella!](/sites/default/files/styles/320w/public/blog/2023-07/1970-01-20-082851752.jpg?itok=V1VH7ovj)
![Getting ready to cook!](/sites/default/files/styles/320w/public/blog/2023-07/1970-01-20-082851743_0.jpg?itok=RIX-2prZ)
Conclusion
It is slightly comical that I did not write more goals to accomplish beforehand. Perhaps, it was because I was so excited about what was to come. Whatever the reason, I am proud of myself for accomplishing the little goals that I did have.
Related Posts
4 Things I Wish I Did Whilst Living Abroad in Spain; Regrets, Reflections and Resilience
While I can say that my first year living in Madrid felt like a dream and has without a doubt been one of the best experiences and adventures of my... keep reading
Your Guide to Spanish Street Abbreviations
How Spanish speakers abbreviate their street names was not something I thought I’d need to know before moving to Spain. But there came a time when I was filling out... keep reading
Culture Shock: Things I Was NOT Prepared for When I Moved to Spain to Teach English
Here are several things I've observed whilst living in Spain which have shocked me alot as a Brit! Enjoy :)