For me, it was very difficult to make the decision to move to Madrid. I lived in Sevilla with my family for a year when I was 12. It wasn't easy because I didn't know any Spanish and I went through major culture shock. After I graduated from high school I backpacked around Spain with a friend and I loved it! I vowed to return for a year or more so that I could become fluent in Spanish. Well, it's been over 10 years and I am now married (no kids, though). I tried many times to repress this dream, but it just kept popping up, until finally about a year and a half ago, at age 28, I just said to myself one day, "That's it, I am going to save up and go to Spain, alone if I have to." I've been waiting for my husband to go with me back to Spain for an extended stay, but I have accepted that he just does not want to. That's okay, I understand that the thought of just going over there like that scares him to death. He also doesn't have the same passion for Spain, probably because he has not been there yet.

So, I finally decided to just go for it and go without him for a few months to a year. Yes, it will be very difficult, but he is a teacher and he will be able to visit me on all of his vacations. He is going to go with me in August for a couple of weeks and then he will come back to the States so that he can start the school year, and I will stay in Madrid. So, I just want to say, to anyone who lives in Madrid now, I would like to get together and hang out. So, please e-mail and keep in touch! I will be arriving in Madrid August 21st.