I hear you Val...I find myself in the same situation, but haven´t been here in Spain nearly as long as you have (BTW we still are long overdue on a café con leche). Fortunately I met the really cool PIMSTER at a Madridman gathering, just don´t get to see her much with me being all the way up the mountain. Maybe we need to just grab the bull by the horns (pun fully intended) and plan a GNO (girls´ night out) and invite PIM, Carmendeespaña, and whichever other fair ladies would like to join us. I think, part of what we have going against us is our age...I mean as a 30 something year old, what do I do? Tap the lady ahead of me in the panadería on the shoulder and say, excuse me, I´m from the USA would you like to be my friend? je je je :p

Matador...it all starts with a friendship. At least that´s how it happened with my madrileño. Friendship first. Perhaps the girls are intimidated about the concept of becoming romantically involved knowing that your stay in Spain is only temporary.

Becks,

It's hard to believe that a lovely gal like yourself hasn't made tons of friends yet!

Just so you know....TE QUIERO MUUUCHO!!!

I can't wait to see you on Thursday for Thanksgiving dinner, I have some news to tell you; oh wait, you'll see for yourself....Woo Hoo!

Val, it was lovely meeting you a couple of months ago .

Dang how old are the people that visit the website I must be the youngest one at 16 yrs. old????

Matador,

I was lucky enough to find my "chica" 13 years ago in Madrid, and it all started with a smile. We stopped and talked for awhile, became friends, dated and were married in Madrid. I don't know if it is still like this with the younger generation, but my brother-in-laws have been dating their girl friends for 15-20 years. When I asked them about the length of their relationships they told me it is the custom to date for an extended period of time. I was only in Spain for 3 short years so we sped things up once we knew we wanted to be together.

There used to be a Miltary Base in Torrejon which is really close to Madrid. So you might be seeing some of the same things you mentioned about Zaragoza. I always tried to avoid other groups of Americans when I was in Madrid.

My advice to you is to make the friendships, get to know them, use the Spanish you know and try some you don't (it doesn't hurt to try). I've made a fool of myself more than once and still do when we visit.

Best of luck to you.

Q- you're not the youngest member. We have a new born and a 14 year old I'm not sure of other younger people... I'm sure there are though. I'm in my 20's so that's also a new grouping...

Matador, Interracial marriages between Spaniards and Americans, could your professor have ment InterCULTURAL perhaps?

Quintos- Don't worry . Jeje- for a while I thought I was the youngest around here...I'm only 19! Seriously though, it really doesn't matter much on this board!!!!
Kelly

A new born come on Espe the 14 yr. I can believe but a newborn would not understand any thing on this site.

Great thing about this board is!!! (among other things), that it does not matter how young or old you are, nor race, sex, profession, ...

I hope nobody took my comments the wrong way on Spanish ladies!!!! Actually, now that I'm making a special effort to find the "international minded" ones, its starting to pay off! Plus, my best friend is Carlos.

PIM writes...
Wait are those wedding bells I hear??!!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!

Val, PIM and Tonytorero the apple pies are DONE!

Q-
The new born thing is a joke! LIGHTEN UP KID!
We joke that the 'youngest' member, is because one of the members of the board (an American living in Madrid) had a baby this summer. So the baby is a member by proxy
Nothing to get bent out of shape for!