Last week felt quiet and busy at the same time. I only attended two classes, but that definitely did not mean I had free days. Somehow everything still filled itself up.
Monday: Empadronamiento
Monday was originally supposed to be a TV class with Marcel Montealegre, where the rest of the group practiced running a full television programme ahead of our exam later that week. However, I had something slightly more important to take care of: my empadronamiento appointment, which I needed in order to apply for my five-year residency.
For anyone who has gone through that process, you know that getting a cita previa for the padrón feels almost impossible. I checked my phone every ten minutes for days to see if a slot would open. Somehow, the Friday before, I managed to grab one in Hortaleza.
That morning I had breakfast with my mom before she left for the airport, went to the gym, and then took the metro to Hortaleza. From there it was a 20-minute walk in 20-degree sunshine, which honestly made the whole bureaucratic process feel less intimidating. Everything went smoothly, and I walked out with my empadronamiento sorted.
Later that evening, out of curiosity, I checked for a NIE appointment, and somehow there was already a slot available for March 3rd, so I immediately booked that one.
Midweek: Paperwork and Champions League
Tuesday and Wednesday followed the usual routine: gym in the morning and then organizing all the paperwork needed for the NIE. And there is a lot of paperwork.
On Wednesday, I also met up with my group for our next project about hosting an NFL game in Madrid. We met around the Bernabéu before some of us attended the Real Madrid – Benfica match later that night. After our meeting, we stopped at Gottamix for some Swedish candy, which is basically my only sweet craving.
The Champions League night itself was intense. The atmosphere was loud, tense, and exactly what you expect from a knockout game. I wrote a separate Match Days post about it if you want the full report.
Thursday & Friday: TV Exams and Chaos
Thursday started, as usual, at the gym before heading to Villaviciosa for our TV programme exam. My role was attached to the camera, making sure it followed the presenters smoothly and stayed sharp and correctly framed. After many, many trial runs, the final result was actually pretty decent.
Friday’s class with Marcos López, a presenter at Televisión Española, was slightly chaotic but very fun. We practiced reading autocue and reporting live news. It was messy at times, but there were plenty of laughs.
Right after class, I rushed home, packed quickly, and caught the train to Valencia.
Valencia & Fallas
Fallas season had just started, so when I arrived in Torrent, many roads were blocked because of the mascletà. I am used to fireworks (the Netherlands take New Year’s seriously), but this was something else. Every time I thought it was over, it somehow got louder. Intense, slightly overwhelming, but definitely worth experiencing.
Saturday turned into an unexpected rest day. My boyfriend wasn’t feeling well, so we spent the day on the couch watching about four movies. Honestly, a Sunday-type evening on a Saturday isn’t the worst thing.
Sunday was already my last day. We spent time at his family’s restaurant, did some manual driving lessons, watched Arsenal vs Chelsea, and had tacos before I had to head back to Madrid again.
