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Introducing a New Guiri, Anne Grant-Anderson

January 19th, 2011 | Posted by AnneGA in Anne - (0 Comments)


6 years ago I travelled around Europe by myself and was in awe of the people I met and the places I experienced – the UK, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, and Italy.  4 years ago I joined two of my girlfriends and set off on another European adventure following grad school – the UK, Italy, Spain, and France.  3 months ago I started on the best adventure yet – a year with my wonderful husband, Kyle, and our 5 pound dog, Abby, living in Madrid.

But why another adventure?  We were settled happily in our Seattle townhouse surrounded by incredible family and friends.  We loved the restaurants, the healthy lifestyle, and just about everything about our life in Seattle.  So why move to Madrid?

Kyle and I have known each other for over 11 years (yes, since high school…) and have always talked dreamily about living abroad.  After 6 years of dating, we went our separate ways for almost 2 years – a time we now endearingly call our ‘trial divorce’ – and during that time Kyle started thinking about getting his MBA.  Ultimately, Kyle and I decided to spend the rest of our lives together rather than apart and soon got married two years ago in our hometown of Boise, Idaho.  We continued to talk about Kyle’s hopes of going back to school and our ideas about living abroad and he ultimately applied to just one school – Instituto de Empressa in Madrid.  I can still remember the morning he checked his email to find he’d been accepted to IE and the reality sunk in that we could actually be moving halfway across the world.

Now that we’re here, we have no doubt that we made the right choice.  I was fortunate enough to keep my job by working remotely and Abby is loving our cozy little studio on Diego de Leon, in Salamanca.  We’re thankful for Skype, Google Translate, and our dear “Madrileno” friends, Cesar and Karina, for giving us a local perspective on life in Madrid.  Kyle and I know that this will be the year we look back on for the rest of our lives and say “remember when we were in Madrid…”

I’m looking forward to sharing my trials and tribulations along with the joys and celebrations of living in the incredible city of Madrid – welcome to the Guiri Guide.

10 best things/the 10 things I’ll miss most about Madrid

December 20th, 2010 | Posted by jodiehop in Entertainment | Fitness | Food and Restaurants | Jodie | Lifestyle | Traveling outside Madrid | What's Happening Madrid - (3 Comments)


After 15months in this fun city, it’s time for me to say Hasta Luego Madrid and Bonjour Paris. The GuiriGuide will continue with my fellow Guiri’s, including new Guiri Allison who has already made a huge impact on the site.

I’d like to leave you with the 10 things that I like most about living in Madrid:

1. The Sun – the sun really does shine a hell of a lot and for a Brit who is used to talking about the weather as a primary topic of conversation, this really makes a difference to life

2. Large glasses of Vermut (vermouth) over ice on a summers day and (for 2euro)

3. Plaza Olavide which has become my hang out, especially in spring, summer and autumn months sitting under the dappled shade on cafe terraces with friends whiling the weekend away.

4. Free food. As you may have noticed, I am a foodie. I love eating. And I love that every time you order a round of drinks, food comes with it. From a basket of patatas fritas to large slices of tortilla and croquettas (particularly in Salamanca!)

(And there is much to be said for combining points 1-4 above: sitting in the sun at a cafe on Plaza Olavide drinking Vermouth and eating free food!)

5. Orange juice. Not just any juice but freshly squeezed just before drinking it delicous orange juice. And every day.

6. The Markets:

a. Mercado San Miguel. I was taken to this place as the first meeting of who would become my Spanish food guru. It is a recently reconstructed market that houses the most wonderful foodstuffs that you can purchase and eat right there – be it chocolate con churros, jamon, vermut and olives, oystersor of course tapas.

b. The Chamberi Market is a joy to do my shopping in. I now have favourite places to go and know the stall owners. The food is great and I actually enjoy my trips there!

7. Discovering a different part of Spain every few weeks (you can see some of my write ups here)

8. Jamon (ham), Morcilla (black pudding/blood sausage) and the general apetite for pork products in Spain.

9. Transport:  The metro and bus systems are efficient and easy to use and most of the time I walk. But the best thing is that I can step out the front door and get a taxi in under five minutes at pretty much any time of day or night. usually spending under 10euros to get where I need to go.

10. The Metropolitan Gym will go down in history as the palce that actually made me want to do sport.

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Hasta Luego, Stephanie!

December 15th, 2010 | Posted by Courtney in Courtney - (0 Comments)

Co-founding Guiri Guide writer, Stephanie, is saying her good byes to Madrid.

We will miss her!

Tomorrow, December 16th, IE will hold its graduation ceremonies for its November 2009 intake MBA class. Now Stephanie and her husband will return to The States to take the next step in their lives.

Throughout the past year we’ve all enjoyed Stephanie’s advice and personal insight on Madrid. As a jazz enthusiast and Huertas expert, she always opened up a side of Madrid that we were all too unfamiliar with.

Stephanie is leaving behind a city she loves filled with many life long friends…I don’t think she’ll be able to stay away forever…at least we hope not.

As for Guiri Guide, well it remains our ongoing quest to provide you with constant and thorough insight for your transition to Madrid. Keep with us, as we continually provide you with new fresh information and recommendations for your reading (and experiencing) enjoyment.

Hasta Luego, Stephanie!  Buena Suerte!

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Introducing a new Guiri, Allison Stendardi-Deptolla

October 30th, 2010 | Posted by jodiehop in Allison - (1 Comments)

Madrid – Round 2

I arrived in Madrid, for the first time, in the winter of 2004. I was a study abroad student from a small town in Upstate New York, and I was itching to see the world.  How did I end up in Madrid? Well, my university had a small campus here, and after years of Spanish classes yet having no real grasp on speaking the language, I decided it was about time to really learn it (did I? Not quite, but I’m working on it). I lived with a Spanish family near Diego de Leon, took classes like the Culture of Spain and Art History, and explored Spain and some of Europe. It was my first experience really seeing the world, and I told myself as I headed to Barajas for my flight back to New York, after five months in Madrid, that I would return one day. There was still so much more to see here.

Well, that day has come. My husband, Andreas, and I were living in Los Angeles when he applied, and was accepted to, IE Business School here in Madrid. Though the move would take us far from my family in the States, we would be closer to his family in Germany, and we were both looking forward to spending 15 months in Spain.

Upon receiving the acceptance, we started thinking about our year ahead. We had already planned a beach wedding in Malibu for the following spring, which was attended by our immediate families and a pod of dolphins, and we had always dreamed of a grand honeymoon. Since we were taking 13 months for his IMBA anyway, we figured why not take an ‘Around The World’ honeymoon before the program started? We sold all of our furniture, along with most of our possessions, and packed what was left into a VW hatchback, which we drove from Los Angeles to New York.  After that we headed to South America, South Africa, and finally, to the most intense traveling experience: India.

Eventually it was time to head to Spain. We decided to walk the Camino de Santiago a week before arriving in Madrid. It was one of those experiences that had always been on the bucket list: to complete the Camino de Santiago on foot. After 31 days of walking we reached Santiago de Compostela, tired but proud.

Finally, we are now in Madrid, ready for the year ahead. We have a great apartment in Goya, near Parque del Buen Retiro, which is wonderful as my husband is a runner and I am trying to become one. The city itself amazes me. Sometimes I’ll see a plaza or a building (or a bar…) that brings back memories from my time here 2004, and other times I feel like I am discovering a whole new city. Madrid has so many different neighborhoods to explore, and Spain itself has so many various regions with their own culture and flair, and sometimes even a totally different language. I feel fortunate to be back in Madrid, this time with more life experience under my belt. It’s going to be an exciting year.

Life in Madrid is an adventure, and I’m looking forward to sharing this adventure through the Guiri Guide.

www.stendardi-editing.com

15 October, EXPAT SEMINAR: Residence in Spain

October 12th, 2010 | Posted by jodiehop in Courtney | Visas | Work and Employment - (0 Comments)

If you are interested in knowing more about the new legislative changes in law regarding expatriates and residence in Spain, then this informative session is for you. Held on Friday, October 15th at 9:30am. Please follow these directions by October 13th to register.

El Marco Jurídico de las Personas con Residencia Legal – Viernes 15 de Octubre, 9:30, C/Argumosa 28. Metro: Lavapies y Atocha

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