Hannah - Madrid - Week 4

Hi all,

The Prado Museum

Just from my first few weeks I could see that the atmosphere at my office is very laid back and friendly. Everyone has formed strong relationships with one another, whether it be with the directors, the interns, or the lady who comes in daily to clean the office. It seems that they don’t consider themselves as just coworkers, but more as friends who work together.

The people who have worked here for quite some time and have more knowledge of the organization often act as informal mentors for those who haven’t had much experience in a professional setting. There are two other interns here who are just out of high school and they have been doing some office paperwork. 

Their supervisor always likes to ask how they are doing and takes the time to chat with them. Because the office is essentially one room, the conversations end up involving everyone.

For me, it is more difficult to establish concrete relationships with my coworkers because I’m still not completely fluent in Spanish. However, one of the girls who works here as the graphic designer has helped me learn some of the different Adobe design programs and is always willing to elaborate on any directions that seem unclear to me. What I appreciate most is that she demonstrates a lot of patience with me and always tries to explain unfamiliar words in different ways so that I can understand. She always seems to maintain a sense of humor and a positive attitude.

By now, I feel like I've adjusted to finding my way around Madrid. I visited most of the tourist attractions already so now I'm seeing more of what it's like to live and work here like a Spaniard(kind of). Nevertheless, I keep discovering new shops, restaurants, and cafes here that I'm definitely going to miss when I go back to the U.S.

Retiro Park

Hasta luego,

Hannah