I finally got to meet quite a few of my fellow MBA classmates in person. They seem like a great bunch of people and I am quite hopeful that I will be able to make some very long lasting friendships in my time here....Of course the backgrounds of my classmates are very impressive, and it is quite obvious that many of my classmates are accustomed to working 70-80 hour weeks. However, for the moment everyone is very relaxed. We are currently only taking Spanish classes so my classmates are taking this opportunity to discover Madrid (especially the nightlife)........
I spoke very very basic Spanish before I got here and I have realised that one can actually get around Madrid with a basic knowledge of Spanish. Actually there are a few people here (non-professionals) who have been surviving in Spain for a number of years without actually being able to speak much Spanish...... Its funny how far a little bit of eye contact and some hand gestures can take you...
Of course, I know this is a fantastic opportunity to properly grasp another language and I intend to make every effort to learn Spanish properly.........Somehow I managed to get myself into the more advanced Spanish class.....and its quite an experience :). The teacher is very animated and he speaks almost exclusively in Spanish, and going to his class is a very entertaining experience .........I think my knowledge of Spanish is among the weakest in the class, but Im doing my best to keep up with the rest. I think I will learn a lot more in doing that than if I went to the less advanced class and I had knowledge of more of the material being taught.......However, it does feel like the teacher is moving at a 100 miles per hour so I always have to concentrate 100% (and frequently check my iPhone dictionary) in order to keep up......but its an invigorating experience and Im loving it......
On another note, I have found a great flat and I will be sharing it with some fellow IE MBA students. Its a very spacious flat, with 5 bedrooms, of which 3 are currently occupied. My flatmates are a very energetic and enthusiastic bunch.....I think I have made a great choice:)........Shortly there will be a couple of native Spanish speakers arriving and I think that would be a real boon as we will be able to practice our Spanish at home on a daily basis...
Its Saturday morning here, and I am going to be spending most of the weekend getting to know Madrid more intimately......
Till next time - adios.
