independent, intentional travel
Hi, it’s me, your travel blogger friend who left her glamorous, frivolous life in Spain to settle back into the typical patterns of everyday American society for the past 10 months. (Thanks, COVID.) While our next adventures seem to be creeping closer, little by little, I’ve had some time to work on other projects that I’ve enjoyed. And one of them was decorating my very own office! [Read more…]
Crystal Palace in the Retiro
There’s still not a whole lot to write about around here… though as COVID cases keep decreasing here in KC and vaccinations keep increasing, it’s getting easier to feel hopeful! Matt and I are both vaccinated now, as well as my parents and sisters, so we are ready to get moving again! Though, of course, it’s going to take some time for other places to catch up.
But it seems like I’m dreaming about my life in Madrid — and traveling in general — more than usual lately. So while I wait for the day when it’s safe to start traveling again, I thought I would make a list of all the things I miss about living in Spain. [Read more…]
From my first visit to Sevilla, Spain
A few months ago, my mom and I spent a long weekend down south in Sevilla, Spain. I can’t even describe how magical that time felt. Even though I was only a few hours away from Madrid, I felt like I’d been transported to an entirely different world.
During a visit to Spain, many travelers think about visiting the beaches of Barcelona or enjoying Madrid capital. But if you’re looking for a more thorough Spanish experience, I can’t recommend Sevilla enough. From Madrid, it’s easy to access – an hour flight or a two-and-a-half hour train ride – and though it’s Spain’s 4th-largest city, it has a distinctive personality that feels uniquely Spanish.
Have I convinced you to visit yet? If not, here are 7 reasons why you should take a journey down south to the capital of Andalucía! [Read more…]
Just one of the many things you must do in Sevilla, Spain
During my second year living in Spain, my mom came to visit! Since she’d already seen the highlights of Madrid when she came to visit me the summer before, we decided to take a long weekend trip down to Sevilla in the south of Spain. Even though it was the end of February, we were nice and warm in sunny Andalucía!
It had been nearly four years since my first visit to Sevilla, when I went during my first-ever solo trip, so I was really excited to go back. After living in Spain, I felt like I had a lot more context for Spanish culture and history — plus more experiences with other cities throughout the country. That helped me to develop my understanding of Sevilla better than I could before. [Read more…]
To say that my second year in Spain didn’t go quite how I expected would be an understatement. It makes me more grateful for the whole, uninterrupted first year I had. Traveling to another country every month, riding the metro around the city on the weekends, meeting friends at cafes, taking the train or bus to new cities in Spain. [Read more…]
A couple of weeks ago, I returned back to Madrid after the most ambitious Eurotrip I’d planned in years. I think the only other one that comes close was when I went to Dublin, Stockholm, Copenhagen, and Amsterdam with friends over 10 days while studying abroad. This time, while Matt was visiting for the holidays, we spent nearly two weeks traveling through Germany, Austria, and Italy. [Read more…]
One of the best views of Madrid.
I’m always looking for scenic views. Not only do they make great pics for Instagram, but there’s just something about seeing a place from a different perspective. Especially in a big city like Madrid, it’s hard to fully appreciate the sheer size of the city when you’re simply walking the streets. So, if you like good views like I do — and assuming you’re not afraid of heights — I’ve put together a list of the 5 best places for scenic views of Madrid. [Read more…]
Plaza de Arzobispo, Valencia
Hi, friends! Do you ever lay in bed, late at night, when you’re supposed to be sleeping… and decide to creep on your own Instagram? Like scroll way back? Well, I was doing that a few days ago — looking through all my posts since I got to Spain. And I came across a post from Valencia! And then it hit me… I never wrote a post about my time in Valencia.
It was in April, on the same trip I went to Palma de Mallorca with my friend Morgan, but it’s not hard to remember! Valencia was a great city, so I thought it would be fun to finally write about it now. Better late than never, right?
So… here are 5 of the best things to do in Valencia. [Read more…]
Yes, my school is far AF from Madrid… but how could I not love it with views like this?
It’s November, so you know what that means – the application to become an Auxiliar de Conversación for 2020-2021 is less than two months from opening! If you’re dreaming of moving to Spain for a year, this might be your best chance. And I highly recommend it. 🙂
I’m almost two months into my second year as an aux here in the Comunidad de Madrid. Since I got here, I’ve had a great experience at my school, so I decided to come back for a second year. Also, I’ve been really fortunate as far as my school’s expectations for me as a language assistant – which unfortunately isn’t always the case. [Read more…]
Hi all! We’re t-minus 6 days away from the start of the auxiliar school year now… and I’ll be arriving back in Madrid on Monday! First, I’m going to a wedding in New Hampshire this weekend, which is going to be a great reunion with a bunch of friends I don’t get to see enough. And I’ll head straight to Madrid (via London) from Boston, and straight to work the next day 😉
I’ve had an amazing couple of months at home, but part of me is itching to get back to my constant jet-setting life and the stability of my daily life. Also, I’ve missed the kids A TON. I can’t wait to see how much they’ve grown! [Read more…]