Moving to Madrid in the Middle of a Pandemic

It has been three weeks already in Madrid. I am starting to feel settled, but I know it will take at least a few more weeks until I feel completely at ease. Moving to a new country is a huge adjustment in itself, but to add on top of that, a new job, new apartment, new friends, new culture, new language... it's a lot for a person to take on all at once. But I know I will make a home here. I'm still happy about making the decision to move to Spain for a year. 

As far as COVID-19, you can still enjoy life in the city. No you cannot roam about in different cities or go visit the northern region of Spain (my first desired destination when travel is permitted). Nevertheless, this city is massive! And there is so much to explore. We really have no excuse to NOT walk around and get to know every part of Madrid. I still can't get over how big Madrid is. Especially for someone like me, coming from a small town of 2,000 people in New Hampshire. I walked 8 miles the other day and didn't even realize it because I only covered one small area. And the good news is that there are no tourists. It's a perfect time to see some of the most famous Spanish attractions right now. I went to see the Royal Palace and the Plaza de España my first week here and they were just about empty. You can also still enjoy walking/running in the parks and eating at all of the cute pastelerías. Life in Madrid has been pretty great so far considering the circumstances.

Now to talk about school. This year is going to be very busy to say the least. I have been assigned 14 different classes. Yes, 14. Now at first I was very scared, and the first week was definitely a little kooky. But, think about how much experience there is to be gained when teaching that many different English levels. After this year, I think it's safe to say I will feel pretty confident in my teaching skills. It will be a fun year, I'm sure.