There is no beach in Madrid!

This is my second time living in Spain, or is it my first? I’m not so sure myself. I don’t feel like I’m living here for the first time. Many things are familiar to me. I understand the language. I know where to go in order to buy whatever I need. I am even familiar with the personalities on TV. So why do I feel like it’s the first time? The reason is that the first time I lived in Spain, I actually lived in Catalonia. Anyone who has lived in Catalonia will tell you that you never really feel like you are living in Spain. At times it can feel like you are in Spain, at others times it is as Spanish as Benidorm at the height of summer. In Catalonia, you can speak Spanish and get by. You can watch Spanish TV, read Spanish newspapers and shop in Zara and El Corte Ingles. In this respect, you could be anywhere in Spain. However, once you start interacting with the people you realise you are dealing with a different animal. The first time I came to live in Spain it was as a student. I was obliged to live in Spain for one year as part of my degree in Spanish. The idea was to improve my knowledge of the language but also to get to know the people and culture of Spain. Well, I was sent to Catalonia, to an inland town 40 km from Barcelona but 1000 miles from Barcelona in most other ways. My year there was unforgettable and I learned a lot about another nation, culture and language. Unfortunately for my studies, this nation and culture was not that of Spain although my Spanish undoubtedly improved. Looking back, I do not regret my year in Catalonia. I made many friends there, some of whom remain good friends today. I have a soft spot for the Catalans, perhaps being Scottish helped me understand them better than other foreigners do. Despite moving to Madrid, I will support FC Barcelona in El Clasico. However it is time for me to discover Spain, the Spain I was supposed to discover during my studies and what better place to start than in Madrid. When I told my Catalan friends I was moving to Madrid they were totally bemused. The most common response was, but Jamie, you know there is no beach in Madrid? After my first few days in Madrid I wrote an email to one friend in Catalonia in which I commented on how I was struggling with the summer heat. I got no sympathy in response, just a reply saying, well I told you there was no beach in Madrid. The reaction of my Catalan friends was not surprising at all, indeed one would receive the same reaction if they told a Scottish friend they were moving to England or told a Krakowian friend of their plans to move to Warsaw. I haven’t decided how long I will stay in Madrid yet. Madrid is a huge city and it will take a while to get to know it well. As well as being the capital of Spain, Madrid is the home to thousands of immigrants, many of whom are from Latin America and Africa. It is therefore not only a Spanish city but an international city and I am setting no time limit on how long I will stay. When it is time to go, I will know.