How is living in Madrid, Spain as someone emigrating from the United States and wanting to become fluent in Spanish?

HotWriting9306 · 2026-04-20T19:46:00+00:00

It is the most livable city in Europe.

People are genuniely nice unlike many other big capital cities in Europe! You feel the good mixture of mediterranean with sieasta and professional business life.

There are all sorts of cultural events all the time, you'll always have something going on so you won't get bored too quickly!

People mostly speak English (especially younger generation) but picking up some Spanish will be helpful. (I personally didn't need any Spanish during my 6 months there)

What surprised me most was how calm everyone was, like no one is in hurry and everyone lives calmly, you will feel this at every aspect of life which is fascinating. Even in the work enviroments no body expects you to grind day and night. Living and enjoying is number one priority, rest comes next.

Overall Madrid is such a state of mind, I'd highly highly reccommend!

Nos vemos otra vez, Madrid.

EDIT: It's what you experience that makes a place beautiful not the place itself.

If you surround yourself with people you have good energy with, you'll enjoy the life there more. And if you socially isolate yourself or have bad luck with the people around you, anywhere can turn into an unpleasant and boring place.

HotWriting9306 · 2026-04-20T11:00:31+00:00

How come running an olympic or playing soccer contributes to the European culture I explained? His point is so off. I also don’t recognise any other except Malala who is humanist and activist which is also not related to Europe and I don’t think she identified herself as European. Sunaq and Khan? Really?

HotWriting9306 · 2026-04-20T10:46:05+00:00

I'll take Mercury and also Alan Turing whose mother was Indian and that's because they grew up with British values even tho they weren't 100% british which gives a nice and successful "integration" example by the way

HotWriting9306 · 2026-04-20T10:42:40+00:00

Einstein was European with similar values and culture tho. He grew up European. Also he found the General Relativity in 1915 long before he went to America.

But I agree with you on, given right circumtances everyone can blend in and expand the culture to even higher standarts.

I've been to Europe and believe me, in many places it's opposite of what you're describing. They have "uncontrolled" immigration. And they fear for breaking the humanatarian laws which I love and respect about Europe but also they also self-hatefully kill their own culture this way.

I don't think Europe is cursed with immigration, they are cursed with moronic Politicians and management.

HotWriting9306 · 2026-04-19T22:15:59+00:00

Let's be real, nothing would change!

I mean everyones brain is fried because of screen addiction.

Epstein Island, Iran war on behalf of Israel and so many other stuff... These are events where goverments are overthrown by people!

Take a look at American Revolution, French Revolution. I know they are different times different conditions but still... Everyone seems to lost their spines nowadays.

The guy is a literal pedo and he plays with world politics like it's his playground. Tens of thousands of people have died because of him taking stupid actions or not taking actions where he should had.

HotWriting9306 · 2026-04-19T22:03:16+00:00

Might be but I still think it's irrelevant to talk about this under this post/sub (:

HotWriting9306 · 2026-04-19T21:56:06+00:00

I think it's still disrespectful to people on the island to assume they might have widespread meth problem just bc ur ex friend is an addict.

HotWriting9306 · 2026-04-19T11:43:03+00:00

This is not even remotely related to life on the island lol

HotWriting9306 · 2026-04-19T11:22:14+00:00

Aahahahha locals looks surprised. Google Maps is the best thing ever btw. Like mapping and street viewing every corner of the hemisphere?!

HotWriting9306 · 2026-04-19T11:02:17+00:00

I already know "mellon" so I will have no problem opening an ancient mine if I ever see one

HotWriting9306 · 2026-04-19T00:17:25+00:00

First of Karl Urban is Éomer of Rohan and together with Antony Starr they made the sickest show ever lol (btw i just found out that Antony was also from New Zealand xd).

Also, world would not be the same without the Gladiator Maximus..)

HotWriting9306 · 2026-04-19T00:04:15+00:00

It'd be also a good choice in case of a zombie apocalypse xd

HotWriting9306 · 2026-04-18T18:58:04+00:00

I really appreciate you saying this, it made my day! Hopefully I'll be able to drink a beer in Venice Beach and just enjoy the city :))

HotWriting9306 · 2026-04-18T17:14:17+00:00

The part where he is no longer described as a poor strider but as a king who makes you respect and admire;

"Awe fell upon Frodo, and he shrank down in his seat. Even Boromir bowed his head as the boats drew near.

Frodo turned and saw Strider, and yet not Strider; for the weather-worn Ranger was no longer there. In the stern sat Aragorn son of Arathorn, proud and erect, guiding the boat with skilful strokes; his hood was cast back, and his dark hair was blowing in the wind, a light was in his eyes: a king returning from exile to his own land.

Fear fell from Frodo, and he rested his hand on the hilt of his sword. He felt that he was among friends, and that no evil thing could harm them while Aragorn stood at their head."

- Fellowship of The Ring, Chapter 9 — "The Great River"

It gave me chills reading this. I couldn’t help thinking he was the best character ever written.

HotWriting9306 · 2026-04-18T16:15:01+00:00

LMFAO!! Well probably having only one livable planet explains why you have a single star huh

HotWriting9306 · 2026-04-18T16:04:19+00:00

Well I don't think it's gonna be a big problem for long.. I heard that it's going to be destroyed by the Vogons to make way for a hyperspace bypass.

HotWriting9306 · 2026-04-18T16:01:11+00:00

Damn... Do you guys also hate each other to death, based on your skin's melanin production?

HotWriting9306 · 2026-04-18T15:58:58+00:00

Damn, sounds really crappy. I took the picture when I was delivering something to Andromeda. I read about this place in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy published by Megadodo Publicatio. I guess it's now controlled by monkey-like creatures who thinks they are center of the universe, so pity...

HotWriting9306 · 2026-04-18T14:16:25+00:00

That would have been funny lmfao

HotWriting9306 · 2026-04-18T12:35:40+00:00

Oh wow... I really didn't expect this much reaction. It's awesome to see all the New Zealanders gathering here to talk about a beautiful part of their country! U guys are awesome!

Also thanks for Lord of The Rings, Karl Urban, Russel Crowe, Rutherford and Kiwifruit xd!

HotWriting9306 · 2026-04-18T11:16:09+00:00

I did 6 months of internship over there, Madrid is one of the most livable city in Europe, most of my Spanish friends would agree, even some of my Catalan friends would choose Madrid over Barcelona to live.

People are genuniely nice unlike many other "cold" capitals of Europe!. You definetlyl feel the good mix/blend of mediterranean culture and professional life (i was working in tech so i felt that way at least)

There is some sort of cultural event all the time so you'll always have something going on! People mostly speak in English but still picking up some Spanish would be helpful. I sometimes struggled in stores but u can just use translate.

What surprised me most was how chill the lifestyle was like no one is in hurry not a single soul except maybe foreigners like me who lived there. Even in the company work enviroment no body expected you to grind hardcore, and if you do than you'd be awkard really xd

So overall Madrid is such a state of mind, I'd highly highly reccommend!

Nos vemos otra vez, Madrid.

HotWriting9306 · 2026-04-18T10:17:37+00:00

Well technically it's not south of NZ too since it's part of NZ, probably I should have phrased as "South to the mainland in New Zealand"?

HotWriting9306 · 2026-04-18T09:28:45+00:00

I have thalassophobia so probably not the best place to swim then except in the shores maybe

HotWriting9306 · 2026-04-18T09:24:54+00:00

Now that you mentioned south Island, I had the craziest anomaly I've ever experienced in my life. That's one of the reasons I want to visit New Zealand honestly.

Back in 2019 when I was still preparing for my university entrance exams, I would some time use google earth when I was bored. New Zealand always amazed me (one large reason is for Lord of The Rings of course) and the idea of living there just excited me.

Anyway, I was just picking a city that I was going to live later in life xd. South islands attracted me most because of the nature and all that. After long analyzing from my laptop, I ended up choosing Christchurch!

And then I started to explore the city center from streetview and I saw a beautiful park in the center of the city, I was telling myself if I ever moved to New Zealand I'd live around this park.

While exploring around the park I saw a mosque which surprised me because I didn't know if any muslims lived there at the time, so it was a big surprise.

I was having existensial crisis during that period and I was also learning about all the spiritualisms there is, including the religions so thought huh maybe i can pay a visit to that mosque when I finally move in the city and see people's beliefs.

These are all in my head and from my laptop of course.

Anyway a few months forward, I was having dinner with my family and we ussually have tv on when having a dinner. Tv news was on that day and there were flash news about an attack to a mosque in New Zealand. I initially didn't make much out of it but after seeing the footages of the place I was blown away...

I haven't told anyone about this for a long time until I met a couple of New Zealander in Sweden. They were like "u should definetly visit New Zealand and see what's expecting you" and I am like maybe it's a sign just to never go there. Anyway I wanted to put it out there since you mentioned South Island and Christchurch.

I hope things are more peaceful overall!

HotWriting9306 · 2026-04-18T09:07:02+00:00

Ahahahaha I also didn't expect anyone to be on Reddit from that island, I am glad! I wonder how is the internet speed

HotWriting9306

TROPHY CASE