Looking back at my time in Madrid brings back wholesome memories. Day one overflowed with such excitement for me, I felt like I had entered such a pivotal moment in my life and nothing- not even tiredness or jetlag could stop me from soaking in Madrid’s beauty and what it had to offer. Many people overlook the first day of a trip, but I see it as the defining moment. They are a great way of setting the foundation of the trip- you always end up crossing paths with strangers who suddenly become a meaningful part of your life. 

 I landed in Spain first. With my child-like energy, I sat in a cafe waiting for our resident advisor, Fran and for the rest of the group. That’s when he introduced us to the “guys…” photo. I only knew one person beforehand, but I felt eager to connect with everyone else. Once we got acquainted, we took a bus to our hotel, El Hotel Regina– surprisingly not named after me.

Free Time

As soon as we arrived, Fran gave us free time and for me, that meant lunch time! A few girls and I chose to try a restaurant near by the hotel. The food was absolutely spectacular. I am not ashamed to admit; I sometimes choose travel destinations based on the food alone. Although the service moved slowly and we needed time to adjust to tapas culture, we had great conversation, lots and lots of laughter.

Orientation

After lunch, we checked into the hotel and settled into our rooms and met with Fran and Julian for orientation. The session lasted quite a while, but the information helped us as we applied everything we learned throughout the trip. We covered everything from pickpocketing, sightseeing, breakfast, and nightlife. Orientation also gave us a chance to connect with Fran and Julian, during even though they spent most of their time waking people up. Once orientation concluded, it felt like we had the city to ourselves. The girls and I got hungry again and settled for McDonalds for dinner- which I do not recommend. Madrid offers amazing cuisines and it’s worth exploring instead of choosing a fast-food chain that you can have back home. 

Our group used our WhatsApp group chat as a way to update others on our day and make plans. After dinner, we agreed the night was still young, so we got dressed and indulged in Madrid’s nightlife- safely of course. That moment wrapped up our adventures for the day- looking back, day one wasn’t just an introduction to Madrid, it introduced me to the people who would turn a weeklong study abroad trip into a lifelong memory.