Hi, MissMadrid98--
You're AMAZING! If I had half the nerve you do, I would have moved back to Spain after my summer in Salamanca in 1990! I can completely relate to what you said on your website--about passion and being most at home in Spain.

I have a lovely life here in America with a fabulous husband and daughter, but I certainly fantasize about scooping them up and plunking them down in a pueblo in Spain, opening a bed and breakfast, and teaching English forever!

So congratulations and hooray for you--you're living your dream and mine too!

And for now, I am just excited to be taking my husband to Spain for his first visit this Thursday! He has NO IDEA what he's in for--and I can't wait to watch him fall in love too!

yes i am still alive!!!! well i have 2 weeks left in the CELTA course, so hopefully after that i can get that certification and i ca obtain some leagal work so i can get some papers. i have already been looking for work in english academies all over madrid, but the second they hear my voice they ask me "are you an american" no one wnats to do the paperwork for an american, so i am desperately trying to find someone that will take me in and do my paperwork.... so we´ll see. i am still teaching those 3 private english classes, so i am sort of making it by. flamenco is great but i am tired. I go out alot though, i go out like all the time, i need to sleep for a while, i was out like monday, thursday friday, all days of the week, it´s crazy, i love it, but i am so busy during the day it catches up with me. well after this course is done, i can sort myself out a little better with time. i went to santander 2 weekends ago to see a friend, i loved it up there i had so much fun, i am going back this weekend. then the weekend after that i am going to barcelona for a weekend to see another friend. i am soooooooo looking forward to semana santa and FERIA!!!!!!!!!!!!! whoo hooo, i am so going to feria!!! i don´t care if i take a bus to sevilla with a backpack, i am going. anyways i will keep you posted. i also went to a capea last weekend OH MY GOD i love spain is all i can say, it was like 115 spanish guys from the ages of 20 to 27 and like 10 girls, it was so funny, i knew alot of the people it was hilarious. they all got drunk and went into the mini bull ring to fihgt bulls. and then by the end of the day they were plasteres and singing soccer fight songs!!!! oh dude soo funny i love it here... anyways But i guess it has proven that you can move to spain, leave all that you have, come with nothing, no papers, no job, no place to live and somehow make things happen. it´s not easy at all, it has been VERY hard, but i guess if there is a will there is a way!! i was poor and struggling in Los Angeles and unhappy, but i am poor and struggling here, but i am SO DAMN HAPPY! i am finally where i want to be. i went to have a cafe´ con leche at the miranda in el escorial, and one of the waiters saw me, and said "hola que tal" and i told him " bien y tu" and he said "bien, y tu estas visitando otra vez" and i said "no..... yo vivo aqui" and he said "por fin, maria cristina, por fin!!! i was thinking in my head..... ya por fin!

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Spain Page!! Check it out! http://www.geocities.com/missmadrid98

Reading your updates on your life in Spain is making me missing Spain so much and I was just there. I know that things will work out for you because you are willing to take the risks and most of all the sacrifices to make it happen. Do write a journal of your daily experience and who knows, one day it would be published.

I always wait for your updates. Take care, Maria Cristina and Besos!

Mclarke

I glad to hear that all is well with you. I was just thinking to myself yesterday, what is MissMadrid doing? Please inform us about the details of your trip to sevilla, many of us will be vicarously reveling in your report. I am planning on being in Spain around September in order to enroll in a language programme, I have already sold my car and have begun selling some personal affects to finance my 8 or 9 month trek through heaven on earth. I will spend a few days in Madrid prior to heading off to either Salamanca or Valladolid for instruction. I will email you when I know the exact date of my arrival.

Saludos from the insipid urban sprawl of Los Angeles.

hello all!!! well things are going well, I have a job interview this thursday for an english teaching job. i have been subbing for some classes and i have been continuing with my private english classes. i am looking to move to a city in spain that is on the beach for the summer, so i am looking for summer work, we´ll see how it goes. the weather is picking up and life is good. i finish the CELTA course on friday then i am going to barcelona for the weekend to hang out with a spanish friend of mine. then i am going to santander in a few weeks then down to sevilla for feria!!!!!! I am all over the map!! well i must bail i gotta catch a bus. ta luego!!!

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Spain Page!! Check it out! http://www.geocities.com/missmadrid98

[originally posted by missmadrid98 on 5-1-01...]

hello everyone remember me!!!! well i am still alve and doing great, having way to uch fun and living the spanish life, like I always wanted, though it has been very hard to start a new life, i have been poor and hungry, i am a survivor and i made it happen. i regret that i haevn´t update my site with all the new info i have gathered but honetly i haven´t had the time, but i am working on it and have lists of things to add and put it. i have received tons of e-mails of people asking for my help, and i just wanted to add, i am always here to help those who wnat to come here to madrid and need a little help along the way!! one of the board members came into madrid the other day and contacted me and offered to pay me to store her luggage in my spare bedroom while she did the camino de santiago walk, i was like wow, she was like you have no idea how much you have helped me by storing my luggage, i know its in a safe place and i don´t have to worry about it. i am glad i can help those you need help. well i have two teaching jobs and i get paid on a monthly basis, i am already working on one, and i start the otehr one may7th, so i will get a nice pay day beginning of june for the whole month of may, so finally i have things established in a way, i am getting money. i am still taking flamenco classes and going out al the time. i got to some little flamenco bars and go out salsa dancing from tiem to time, but i always reign in my little towns discoteque calld " la gramola" it is snowing today in el escorial can you beleive it!!!! well anyways peopel i have to go, but i will try to update soon, love you all!!! and dreams really do come true
missmadrid98
maria cristina

p.s. this site has changed a bit, i am not sure how to post this messgae hahahah

[originally posted by Jo-Anne on 5-1-01...]

So good to hear from you. I was wondering how things were going.

I thought of you last night when I went to see Paca Pena and his Flamenco Dance Company in Salford (UK). It was a capacity (1700+) audience and his main lady dancer was from a studio in Lavapies I think. I'll try to find out her name and let you know.

Dont miss out on the Madrid dinner group which I know several board members are organising in Madrid (obviously!)

Have fun.

(I'll be hassling you about the small flamenco dress question again sometime!!! )

Jo-Anne

MM98- Thanks for the update! We chatted with jdowney at dinner last month and she was SO grateful to have a place to stow her luggage while on the camino. You're awesome! I'm glad to hear that things are going along for you. I hope you're soon to be out of the living from hand to mouth stage and into the "I know where my next meal is coming from" stage. Now you know how the pilgrims lived along the camino in centuries gone by! What an experience! Keep up the hard work (and we hope you continue to reap the payoffs!).

most people never do what they dream ... if nothing else, you can say when life is all over ... you lived. enjoy spain every moment. maybe oneday life will bring you back to la, but for the moment experience this wonderful gift that God has placed in your life. i hope that oneday i can be brave enough to do what you have done. please keep us posted on all the good and bad things that happen. it will help all of us on our adventure in life. all the best and good luck missmadrid...roses.

I agree 100%. If you don't follow through with your dreams you will live a life of regret. At least this way, even if things dídn't work out, (although luckily they are!)you could always say that you gave it a shot. In two years I'm going to graduate with a bachelors in Spanish/Linguistics, and I hope to be able to get over to Spain for at least a couple of years. Its a tought thing to just pick up your whole life and move, but major props to you!!! You're an inspiration.