A Week in Madrid – Travel News

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Dimend Little

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Dimend Little

<i>"Hello" in your host country's language:</i> Hola! <i>Home Institution (your U.S. University/College):</i> Middle Tennessee State University <i>Expected graduation year:</i> 2023 <i>Destination city & country:</i> Madrid, Spain <i>Program provider:</i> USAC <i>Major/minor:</i> International Relations / Spanish <i>Demographics:</i> African American/Black <i>Future career aspirations:</i> I plan to be a foreign service officer and work in one of the 20 US embassies based in Spanish-speaking countries worldwide. <i>Top 3 goals for your time abroad:</i> – Master my Spanish conversational skills. – seek new experiences that push me out of my comfort zone. (I am a picky eater, so I want to push myself to try new foods!) – stay on track and remain as organized as possible.

How far did I travel this week?:

This week I traveled around 20 miles. The metro is the preferred transportation of most university students and Madrilenos alike. I live in Vicalvaro, about 50 minutes from downtown Madrid, so on average, it takes me 50 minutes to travel from one part of Madrid to the other.

How far have I traveled on this journey so far?:

I have traveled over 4,353 miles since arriving in Madrid in September. So far, I have traveled to Segovia and Buitrago Del Lozoya in northern Spain.

How did I get around this week?:

This week, I used the metro to travel to Lavapies and Salamanca, two neighborhoods in Madrid! The metro system in Madrid is very extensive and features 13 lines that take you from the northernest and southernmost points of the autonomous community of Madrid. Luckily, as a young person, I receive a discount to ride all public transportation systems in Madrid. Therefore, it costs 10 euros to recharge my card for unlimited transportation.

What was the most exciting place I visited this week?:

I visited the Madrid Exit Escape room and played The Laboratory room. This room was set in a chemistry lab, and my friends and I played as students of Profesor Calma, a demanding professor that enjoyed playing tricks on his students. Luckily, my friends and I saw through his riddles and escaped!