Daily Bread

Just tonight, after reading some applicants' blogs, I was inspired to devote more time on writing about starting my MBA.

I have a lot of issues to talk about - from niggling doubt about being a student again and deep-seated insecurity issues, to costs of studying and living in Madrid, to learning a new language all at 31!

The one that bugs me the most these days is the question: What would daily life be like in Madrid? Having moved from Manila to Bangkok this last year, I know how difficult it is to land in a city where you don't speak the language and everything is alien. I feel like five year old child let loose in a big city - I felt very small and helpless.

Add that to the fact that I have to learn Spanish - and financial literacy! - all in a brief span of time, and you can begin to imagine the trepidation.

I feel that finding a comfortable flat where things work and finding a good place to buy my gourmet products and Asian food would go a long way to making me feel settled, and ready to tackle the challenges of an International MBA.

¿Dónde usted vive? So obviously, the first thing I want to know about my soon-to-be new home city is - where will I live??? Last year, I thought that the school will provide us information packets to help us make a decision about this ahead of time. Seriously, are we supposed to land in Madrid, check into a hotel (or hostel!) and then start looking for a flat?

I would really hope to get a flat that is walking distance (I don't mind a long walk, I need to lose lots of weight anyway!) and have a female Spanish speaking room-mate. Hopefully one who is a neat freak and keeps straightening up the flat (because I hate dusting and all that). I will be the one to do the grocery and cook, because I love that. I am looking at this, and hopefully can find someone willing to share.

¿Cuándo es la cena? I have researched on international food stores in Madrid (something I had to struggle with in Bangkok - I only "discovered" the expat grocery chain The Villa nine months after moving here!), and I am glad to find a place to get my Asian and spice fix, which I will blog about separately (the topic of food is always worthy of its own entry!)

¿Donde está el laundrette? I don't do laundry. All my life, I either have a maid to do it or we send it out to the laundrette. The first time I did my laundry was during my summer study in Paris, and that was a disaster. I didn't know about separating colours, and my batik top tainted all my clothes. For a week (before my student allowance was available) I went to school in pink-ed Oxford shirts and "tie-dyed" denims.

I feel that once I have got these mundane details out of the way I can focus better on the harder tasks of learning.