The Girl Who Goes

independent, intentional travel

Last Updated on

Auxiliares de Conversacion Guide – Madrid 2019 (Part III)

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…]

Last Updated on

Auxiliares de Conversacion Guide – Madrid 2019 (Part I)

spain flag

I’m about halfway into my “summer break” here in the U.S., but the start of the school year in Spain is fast approaching. It’s crazy to think: one year ago at this time, I was a week away from the big move to Madrid. With nowhere to live and no idea what I was really getting myself into, I couldn’t be happier with how my first year turned out.

But it got me thinking about the newest round of auxiliares who are starting to arrive in Spain right about now. Especially in the big cities, it’s crucial to get a head start on the apartment hunt before the droves of university students start moving in. So I thought I could put together a little “survival guide” for new auxiliares. [Read more…]

Last Updated on

Side Trip: Madrid to Valladolid, Spain

side street madrid to valladolid spain

A bright side street I saw during my trip from Madrid to Valladolid

Valladolid was a city I’d been hoping to visit, sooner or later. It’s the city where my favorite Spanish professor, Heidi — the one who had the greatest impact on my Spanish history, culture, and language education — had studied abroad during college, and she’d always talked about it during class.

Well, guess what? Heidi’s husband, Tony, also a Spanish professor, is leading a study abroad group in Valladolid this summer! Which meant that Heidi, Tony, and their 5-year-old daughter Rosalie would only be a few hours away from me for the entire month of July. I hadn’t seen Heidi since my graduation 4 years ago, so I knew we needed to meet up. Also, I’d been telling my friend Sarah — who is about to start a Master’s program to become a Spanish teacher — about Heidi all year. Heidi told me she’d be happy to meet the two of us in Valladolid and give us a tour! [Read more…]

Last Updated on

Morocco Trip Review: Fez, Chefchaouen, and Tangier

Matt and I when we first arrived in Chefchaouen, Morocco

After many visits to Europe and a trip to Asia, (and living in North America most of my life), I set foot on the continent of Africa for the first time when I was 26. Matt came to visit me in Madrid, and together we flew to Fez to spend 5 days in Morocco! It’s so close to Spain and I’d really wanted to go for a long time. Since Matt was here, and I felt a bit more secure traveling with him, it was the perfect opportunity. I booked our plane tickets and Airbnbs a couple months before the trip, but other than that, I didn’t make any other plans.

I wasn’t sure what awaited us in Morocco, my first African country — I had some ideas, but I’ll talk about the differences between expectations and reality in a future post. But we ended up having a really amazing time. [Read more…]

Last Updated on

What To Do After Receiving Your Regional Placement (Auxiliares de Conversacion Program)


Originally, I wrote the skeleton of this post last summer, when I was newly excited about getting my placement. This year’s new auxiliares should be getting their placements soon, so I decided to resurrect this topic!

I’d been checking my email every morning for way too long – the application period for this year’s Auxiliares de Conversacion program didn’t even close until April 13, but I was vigilant, just in case. I couldn’t wait to receive my regional assignment! [Read more…]

Last Updated on

7 Reasons Why You Should Visit Granada, Spain

granada spain - feature photo

Granada, Spain, was a city that I’d always heard about while living in Madrid, but never gotten around to visiting. Its location — isolated in Spain’s deep south — requires visitors to have sufficient time to not only enjoy the city but travel there as well. Situated in a mountainous region of Andalusia, Granada didn’t even have a high-speed railway station until mid-2019! Which meant that my transportation options were limited to flights, cars, or buses.

One of my friends in Madrid, Ellie, had studied abroad in Granada during college. Along with our friend Sarah, we planned a weekend trip, traveling via bus. It was 5 hours each way, which was a lot, but it wasn’t horrible. From the time I set foot in Granada, I fell in love, and I think it’s my new favorite city in Spain. Here are 7 reasons everyone should visit Granada! [Read more…]

Last Updated on

The Truth About Living in Spain

the truth about living in spain - feature photo

Portrait of the author recovering from tonsilitis on a Wednesday

You know how people will post photos like “Instagram vs. Reality?” I don’t really see myself as someone who highly curates my image or digital presence, but to anyone who doesn’t talk to me on a regular basis, it may just look like I’m living the dream all of the time in Spain.

Which is totally true. This is my dream! But there are also lots of parts that aren’t easy; parts that are unglamorous and hard work, and I don’t talk about them much. So I wanted to share an inside look as to what it’s really like living in Spain. Here are my realities! [Read more…]

Last Updated on

Side Trip: Madrid to Salamanca, Spain

madrid to salamanca - feature photo

A view of New Cathedral in Salamanca

When my friends invite me to do something, I try to say “yes” as much as I can. You Only Spain Once. (Maybe.) Anyway, my friends Sarah and Ellie decided to plan a trip from Madrid to Salamanca. With the high-speed train, it was easy enough to do as a day trip — no need to book a place to stay for the night — so when they invited me, I said yes.

Here’s everything you need to know to plan your own trip to Salamanca, whether you go for the day or the weekend. [Read more…]

Last Updated on

7 Things I’ve Learned from Living in Madrid for 10 Weeks

living in madrid - feature

Sunset in my Madrid neighborhood, Prosperidad

It’s hard to believe, but I’ve been in Europe for almost three months now. After 10 days in Spain, I wrote “7 Things I’ve Learned from Living in Madrid for 10 Days.” Well, now I’m here to tell you about 7 things I’ve learned from living here for 10 weeks. (Technically I moved here 11 weeks ago, but I was in Italy for one of those weeks. 🙂 )

I think it’s interesting how much more subtle some of these things are — they probably aren’t things that I would have ever noticed without living here. So, without further ado…

[Read more…]

Last Updated on

For the Love of Language

I’ve been in Europe for two weeks now, and I have just under two weeks until I start working. Because as much fun as it’s been, living life in Madrid without any responsibilities other than feeding myself, work is the real reason I’m here. The reason I’m able to be here. Someone’s gotta teach the Spanish children some English. [Read more…]