101 Free or Ridiculously Cheap Things To Do in Madrid

March 27, 2018 By sugwueze 8 Comments

101 Free or Cheap Things To Do in Madrid

Palacio de Cristal at El Retiro — Palacio de Cristal is a transparent, artistic creation that also serves as a museum.

I really miss living in Madrid because it’s ridiculously cheap and just beautiful (much more than the mega-touristy Barcelona) From rooftop bars to parks, there’s no shortage of activities to do in the Spanish capital. Chances are, if you’re reading this you’re planning to visit Madrid. Great choice! I’ve compiled a list of 101 free or cheap things to do in Madrid to help you plan your visit.

How To Move Abroad When You’re Dead Broke (And Why You Should)

January 30, 2018 By sugwueze 26 Comments

How to Move Abroad When You’re Young and Broke

Madrid, Spain cityscape above Gran Via shopping street. View from Circulo de Bellas Artes — Madrid, Spain cityscape above Gran Via shopping street.

One morning in September 2015, I packed my belongings into a giant suitcase and said goodbye to California. I moved to Madrid, Spain, fulfilling a long-held dream. With just about $1,000 to live on, I was worried about making ends meet. Despite that, I was determined to make it work because I had amazing memories from studying abroad in the Spanish Basque Country. I was 23 and didn’t have kids or a mortgage so what better time to explore.

With some careful planning, I was able to live in Spain for 11 months, become nearly fluent in Spanish, travel to dozens of countries, and make friends from around the world. I’m not writing this to brag; I just want to show you that you don’t have to be rich to travel long-term. This post is for if you’re considering moving abroad (to Europe particularly) but aren’t sure how to go about it or don’t think you can afford it. I’m going to break down the steps I took to move to Spain and live comfortably with little money. I want to show you how to move abroad when you’re broke. It’s possible!

Step 1: Get a Job as an English Teacher

Teaching English is probably the fastest and easiest way to get a long-term visa to many countries, including Spain. Japan and Korea have some of the must lucrative teaching programs for English teachers, called JET and EPIK, respectively. I was interested in Spain so I applied and was accepted to The North American Language and Culture Assistant Program, a cultural exchange program organized by the Spanish Ministry of Education. The program allows American and Canadian Citizens who have a college degree to teach English at a primary or secondary school in Spain for one academic year. Teachers are known as Auxiliares de Conversación or simply language assistants. At the end of the academic year, they have the option to renew their contract and can do so up to three times.

Click here to read my comprehensive post about English teaching programs around the world.

Language assistants are paid between 700-1000 euros per month, depending on where they are placed. Those in the Community of Madrid are paid 1000 euros because the cost of living is higher there. On the other hand, those in Andalucia, which is cheaper, are paid 700 euros. Language assistants typically work 16 hours a week and get one weekday off. They don’t actually teach a class; they support the English teachers by helping students improve their pronunciation and prepare for standardized tests.

There are several other English-teaching programs in Spain, such as BEDA and Activa. The pay for those programs is lower and they have different work requirements. I compared the programs and chose the North American Language and Culture Assistant Program, which places about 3,000 language assistants every year. I was assigned to C.E.I.P Doctor Severo Ochoa, an elementary school in Madrid. I’m going to go over how to apply to the program in Spain, but you can also learn how to apply to 20 programs around the world.

Letter of acceptance with placement in Madrid — This is the letter of acceptance I received from the North American Language & Culture Assistant program with my placement in the Community of Madrid

Gates to my school in Madrid — The entrance to my school, CEIP Doctor Severo Ochoa, in the suburbs of Madrid.

My second-grade class before the students came back from lunch.

The procedure for applying to the program is as follows.

Submit an application

You have to submit your application through their online application portal called Profex. It will walk you through each stage of the process. The application opens in January and closes in April. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND you apply the day the application opens to increase your chances of getting your first choice location. You get to rank your top three autonomous communities in Spain, not cities. That means if you choose the Community of Madrid, you may get placed in a town outside the city of Madrid.

Completing the application is straightforward. You need to fill out biographical information, write an essay, and obtain one letter of recommendation. I got my letter of recommendation from my former Spanish teacher in college. You may encounter potential headaches in the next step.

The homepage of the Profex application portal. You'll create a usuario (username) and a contrasena (password) — The homepage of the Profex application portal. You’ll create a usuario (username) and a contrasena (password)

Get a visa

You will receive a notification of acceptance sometime between June and August. Once accepted, you can apply for a long-term student visa. The process varies depending on where you live. I had to go through the Spanish Consulate in Los Angeles, and it was a nightmare! I ran around for weeks trying to assemble the long list of requirements, including a notarized translation of my medical history. If I had a question, no one at the consulate seemed to know the answer. It was just so disorganized. Other language assistants that I’ve talked to had a much more pleasant experience.

Prepare for the move

Once you have a visa, you’re almost set. You’ll need to do some research. First, research your assigned location: the neighborhoods, transportation, weather, social etiquette, and so on. From your research, you’ll figure out the neighborhoods where you want to live. Then you can start searching for apartments. There are two websites that Spanish people, as well as language assistants, typically recommend: www.pisocompartido.com and www.easypiso.com. You can browse those sites by city and also by neighborhood. For me, I loved the Retiro neighborhood in Madrid so I focused my search on that area, making a list of apartments that would be available in September or October 2015.

Fly off to Spain

Once you arrive in Spain, you will need to stay in a hostel or Airbnb for the first week or so. Then you can email the owners of the apartments on your list and ask to come for a tour. It really helps to speak at least some basic Spanish. Most of the landlords do not speak English. I toured three apartments in the Retiro neighborhood and chose the second. It was one of the best decisions I made while in Madrid! My landlady, Pilar, treated me like her own daughter. Some of my friends, on the other hand, had landlords from hell. One landlord wanted to install cameras in the apartment! Moral of the story: make sure you meet with the landlord and get a sense of what they’re like before you sign the lease.

Posing at Plaza Mayor in Madrid — Exploring Madrid a few days after my move. I stayed in an Airbnb while I toured apartments.

Seafood paella I had at Plaza Mayor in Madrid — The first paella I had in Madrid – seafood paella at Plaza Mayor, the city center.

2. Create and Stick to a Budget.

My 1000 euro per month salary was enough for me to live comfortably. Groceries and living expenses in Madrid are super affordable. You can buy a gallon of water for 30 euro cents! To travel frequently though, I had to find a way to save more. One popular option among language assistants is the offer private English lessons to kids. These are often arranged through referrals from other language assistants and on expat Facebook groups. You can expect to earn 15-20 euros per hour per child. I considered that option but didn’t like the idea of teaching more kids after work (I don’t enjoy teaching kids.) I also wanted to take advantage of my free time. My solution was to manage my money like a pro. My monthly budget looked something like this:

Rent: 360 euros

Groceries: 80 euros

Metro Card: 20 euros

Entertainment/Miscellaneous: 100 euros

Total: 560 euros

Money left for travel: 440 euros

3. Take Advantage of Ridesharing, Group Trips, and Travel Deals

Transportation

The great thing about Europe is that there are many budget airlines, such as Ryanair, Wow Air, and Easyjet, which offer flights for as low as 10 euros. I would go on Skyscanner regularly, search for flights to anywhere, and look at the best deals. I once found a flight from London to Milan for 14 euros! Hunting for bargain flights became a fun game for me. I set alerts to be notified about price drops.

For travel within and near Spain, I used Alsa, a popular bus service that can take you from Madrid to Lisbon for as low as 5 euros each way! Yes, 5 euros! You have to start your search early and be flexible with dates to snag those deals. There is also Bla Bla Car, a ride-sharing service that can take you from Madrid to Barcelona for just 25 euros. The name is beyond ridiculous, but the prices are unbeatable. Taking Spain’s national train system, Renfe, from Madrid to Barcelona will cost you somewhere around 100 euros round trip. Learn more about 15 easy tips to save money while traveling.

Accommodation

I normally stayed at an Airbnb, hostel, bed and breakfast, or boutique hotel. The highest I ever paid for a place to stay was 65 euros/night. I would start my research about a month in advance because, with hostels especially, prices increase fast the longer you wait.

I’ll use my trip to Budapest to give you an example:

Flight: Ryanair – 85 euros round trip

Accommodation: Wombats City Hostel Budapest – 31 euros for two nights

Activities and Food: 70 euros

Total: 186 euros

I used this same method to plan most of my trips, like my solo adventures to Greece, Italy, and Croatia.

Standing at the entrance to the city of Cordoba — By taking advantage of group trips, I travel cheaply around Spain, to places like Cordoba and Sevilla.

Cordoba narrow street — Cordoba is famous for its colorful, narrow streets and Moorish architecture.

The famous Plaza de Espana in Sevilla is a must-see

When I didn’t want to do any planning, I would join a group tour organized by travel companies like BeMadrid. These trips cater to study abroad students and young expats. They range from day trips to 2-week Euro trips. Most trips are less than 100 euros, but longer trips may cost as much as 450 euros.

You see: long-term travel doesn’t have to be expensive. You have to sacrifice some comfort to stretch your money, but you still get to see the world! If you don’t have kids or a mortgage, long-term travel is one of the best gifts you can give to yourself. A mentor once told me ‘Your 20s are for learning and your 30s are for earning.’ I wholeheartedly agree! After college, there’s so much pressure on us to get a ‘real job’ and climb the corporate ladder. Screw that! There’s so much more to life than sitting a cubicle. Living abroad will help develop independence, make friends from around the world, and gain a perspective that you can’t get any other way. And the memories will last a lifetime.

Are you thinking about traveling long-term? What are your concerns and/or questions. Leave a comment.

5 Self-Limiting Beliefs I Overcame through Solo Travel

November 14, 2017 By sugwueze 16 Comments

5 Self-Limiting Beliefs I Crushed While Traveling Solo

Looking out into the horizon at the Cliffs of Moher — Cliffs of Moher, Ireland

Do you know the quickest destroyers of hopes and dreams?

Self-limiting beliefs. Everyone has them. They are those pesky little voices in your head replaying negative affirmations nonstop. They tell you that you’re not smart enough. That you’re going to fail. They make you second guess your worth, your decisions, and your ambitions. I’ve been there.

In fact, my self-limiting beliefs talked me out of writing this post for a while. I thought, ‘Who do I think I am writing about self-improvement? I’m not a wellness coach or a therapist. Why should anyone care what I have to say?’

I brushed those thoughts aside and continued to write. I was getting tired of second-guessing myself so I decided to just write this darn thing! I may not be a therapist, but I’ve learned a few things about overcoming self-limiting beliefs through experience. Solo travel has been the key to overcoming the worst of them. Alone on the road for weeks, I learned that I was more resourceful and capable than I thought. I want to share my experience to hopefully inspire you to challenge your own self-limiting beliefs so they can stop holding you back.

Self-Limiting Belief #1: I am not outgoing enough.

Since childhood, I’ve been introverted and somewhat shy. I became even more shy after moving to America at age nine. Because I struggled to make friends, I usually kept to myself. I’m a native English speaker, but I still had no clue what the other kids in my 5th grade class were talking about half the time. They also thought that I, the new girl from Africa, was kind of odd. For a couple of years, I felt invisible and unwanted.

Although I now have a solid circle of friends, I still harbor this lingering belief that I am not good at socializing. When I first started traveling solo, I was worried that I’d be alone. I felt that I wouldn’t be able to strike up a conversation with other travelers. I’d be sitting in a restaurant by myself, and the other diners would think I was a loner or a loser or both.

The reality was the complete opposite. Traveling solo around Europe, I made more friends than I had back in California. I made friends at hostels, on trains, randomly on the streets, and during walking tours and pub crawls – basically in every situation imaginable. I found myself letting go of the ‘quiet, anti-social’ persona that I had come to believe was my nature. It wasn’t. I’m actually a pretty social person. I genuinely enjoy meeting new people. This realization has made me more excited and less nervous about talking to strangers.

Self-Limiting Belief #2: I keep making bad decisions. This will be another disaster.

I like to say that between 2011 and 2014 I made more mistakes than in the previous 20 years of my life. Failed classes in college? Check. Lost jobs? Check. Broke and directionless? Check. Those failures took a toll on my self-confidence and made me feel hopeless. I constantly compared myself to my friends, who all seemed to be doing better than me professionally.

Then I packed my bags and moved to Madrid, Spain to teach English and travel. I thought I was making a reckless decision but was too depressed to care. Spain had been calling my name. In the back of my mind, though, I was thinking ‘Shouldn’t I try to get a real job?’ I was already behind professionally. Moving abroad would set me back even more. What I didn’t know was that teaching English abroad would inspire me to become a travel writer. It would connect me with other independent minds living life on their own terms. It would give me the courage to look beyond a traditional 9 to 5 and find work that suits my nomadic spirit. Here I am two years later getting paid to write about my travels and moving closer to making it my full-time career.

No, moving to Spain was not a bad decision. It did not set me back at all. In fact, it gave me direction and purpose. I look back on that move as one of the boldest and smartest actions I’ve ever taken.

Palacio Real in Madrid, Spain — Madrid, where I called home for nearly a year

Somto at the beach in Palma de Mallorca, Spain — Palma de Mallorca, Spain

Somto looking out in the distance in Spain — A Coruna, Spain

Self-Limiting Belief #3: I’m too nice. People will take advantage of me.

My mom used to say that I should toughen up or else I would be crushed by this mean world. Compared to my no-nonsense, assertive twin sister, I’m easygoing and gentle. In Nigerian culture, that can be seen as a sign of weakness. Surviving in Nigeria is really hard so you need to be tough and even ruthless to make it. Being nice just doesn’t cut it.

After trying to toughen up with no success. I realized that I couldn’t just change my personality at the snap of a finger. So I stopped trying. Then I traveled solo. No one took advantage of me. In fact, most people I met were more than willing to go out of their way to help me. In Paris, a 40-something Danish man bought me a train ticket when I was struggling to work the machine. I was suspicious. What did he want from me? Nothing, actually. It was just plain old kindness. There is still a lot of that in the world.

Self-Limiting Belief #4: I’m too indecisive. I need someone to help me make a choice.

If you’ve ever gone out to lunch with me, you’ll know that I can take forever to make up my mind. I’ve started to look at menus before going out to eat to save time. Given my indecisiveness, I was worried that if I traveled solo I would waste a lot of time trying to decide what to do and end up not doing much.

Wrong! Case in point: during my three day solo trip to Germany and Austria, I…

1) Had a few pints at Spring Fest (the spring version of Octoberfest) in Munich.
2) Toured the Sound of Music filming locations in Salzburg.
3) Got lost at the Salzburg Fortress (it took me a good 45 minutes to find the exit.)
4) Visited the Dachau Concentration Camp.
5) Visited Mozart’s birthplace.
6) Ate wienerschnitzel for the first time.
7) Fell in love with German wheat beer.

There was no indecisiveness at all. I am a planner so I mapped everything out ahead of time. Once I got to my destination, I was constantly on the move. Solo travel can help you become more proactive. Everything is up to you so you have to take charge. You learn to trust your intuition and your decision-making process.

The front of Mozart's birthplace — Mozart’s birthplace in Salzburg, Austria

The entrance to the Dachau Concentration Camp — The entrance to Dachau

Self-Limiting Belief #5: I can’t find directions to save my life.

This one is kind of true. Remember that I got lost at the fortress in Salzburg? But solo travel made me realize that I wasn’t as directionally challenged as I had thought. About 90% of the time, I knew exactly where I was going. In 22 days, I traveled through the U.K., Croatia, Italy, and Greece. I didn’t get lost even once! I was so proud of myself.

The bottom line is that traveling solo forced me to confront myself in the most unfiltered way. I couldn’t hang onto the comfort of my friends or siblings. It was just me and the beliefs in my head. I learned that I am a resourceful, strong-willed lady who can do things for herself. When those self-limiting beliefs creep up, I remind myself of those times when I traveled solo like a boss.

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The Wildest Ride: Exploring Cuba Amidst Hurricane Irma

September 23, 2017 By sugwueze 4 Comments

With Hurricane Irma brewing in the southern Caribbean, I had an important decision to make: continue with my trip to Cuba or cancel it, my family’s recommendation.

Havana had been calling my name for years! Fascinated by Celia Cruz and Afro-Cuban culture, I dreamed of strolling through the streets of Old Havana and listening to the African-infused rhythms of salsa. I wanted to sit in an open terrace restaurant, devouring some ropa vieja and yucca frita. Basically, I had been having a love affair with this island for a while.

So the decision wasn’t actually too hard: let’s go! When it comes to travel, I can be impulsive, throwing reason out the window in favor of instant gratification. It was Tuesday morning, and Irma was projected to hit Cuba on Saturday. Eager to justify my decision, I reasoned that I had enough of a time window to evade the hurricane. In the worst-case scenario, I would move up my departure flight. [Read more…] about The Wildest Ride: Exploring Cuba Amidst Hurricane Irma

Solo Travel Safety: How I Dealt With a Stalker in Croatia

September 1, 2017 By sugwueze 10 Comments

How I Fought Off a Stalker in Dubrovnik, Croatia

I sat at the entrance to Dubrovnik’s Old Town, eating some vanilla ice cream to cope with the July heat. Blissfully watching tourists walk by, I could never have imagined the nightmare that would follow.

The afternoon sun was melting my ice cream so I hurried to finish it up. I was also eager to get started on my first planned activity: a tour of the city walls. It was only my second day in the medieval Croatian city, but I was already in love! Dubrovnik reminded me of those idyllic oil paintings of the Mediterranean. It seemed to be a perfect travel destination for a solo female traveler.

The Nightmare Begins

I was about to get up when a 50-something-year-old man approached me out of nowhere. He was dressed in khaki shorts, a Hawaiian shirt, and dark sun shades.

“Hey, what’s your name?” he asked

“Um, Sheila,” I lied. Well, Sheila’s actually my middle name.

“I was looking at you and was wondering… Are you by yourself?”

“No, I’m waiting for some friends.”

That wasn’t entirely a lie either. I had coincidentally arrived in Dubrovnik at the same time as my Croatian-American friends from college, Cody and Clay. We had had dinner the night before, along with their friend Ting, and planned to meet up again later in the day. For now, I was going to explore the city on my own.

“Oh, okay,” he continued in a broken accent, “While you wait I can take you out to lunch, get to know you a little better. I like dark-skinned girls. Very beautiful.”

“No, thank you,” I retorted, “I’m not interested.”

“Are you sure? I’ll take you to a fine restaurant. The best Croatian food. You’ll like it.” he insisted.

“No, I’m okay. Really.” I said, walking away.

I power walked through the gate into the Old Town, arriving at Dubrovnik’s Main Street, Stradun. Then I looked around to find the ticket vendor for the city wall tour.

Spotting the little shop, I went over and purchased my ticket. Then I came back towards the city gate to join the line for the tour. He was standing by the line, staring directly at me!

“Will you change your mind?” he asked

“No! I’m not interested! Leave me alone!” I replied, feeling agitated.

The other tourists began to stare so he reluctantly walked away as I joined the line for the tour. I tried my best to cool down, dismissing him as a nuisance.

I walked the city’s stone walls, following a path at the top of the structure. The elevation provided spectacular views of Dubrovnik’s orange-roofed buildings and the surrounding Mediterranean Sea.

It took me about 45 minutes to walk the entire wall. Then I climbed back down to Stradun and headed in the direction of my hostel. This time I was more vigilant, looking at my surroundings. He didn’t show up again so I breathed a sigh of relief.

I stopped for a quick bite and drinks at a beach bar nearby then headed back to my hostel to freshen up. After taking a quick nap, I met up with Cody and Clay for dinner. The rest of the evening was pure bliss – eating cevapi, having a laugh, and touring Game of Thrones filming locations.

The next day, my last full day in Dubrovnik, was also without problems. I met up with Cody, Clay, and Ting again, and we took a ferry to nearby Lokrum Island, where peacocks were roaming everywhere. Afterward, we went bar hopping in Lapad then took the Dubrovnik Cable Car up to the highest point in the city, taking in the sunset.

The Final Encounter

The next morning, it was time to say goodbye to Dubrovnik. I packed my bag and headed to catch the bus to the airport.

As I passed Pile Bay, a small boating dock close to my hostel, I spotted him. Again!

“Why you don’t give me chance? You think I’m going to do something bad to you? I’m a nice guy. I just want to treat you to lunch. That’s all.”

“Get away from me! Get out of here!” I was fuming.

“Are you going to the airport? I can give you a ride. Just give me chance. I’m really sad that you don’t give me chance. Do you think I’m a bad guy.”

Exasperated, I stormed off. I was leaving so now there was no need to argue anymore.

“Really? You won’t give me chance at all?” I heard him say from a distance.

Unamused, I kept walking.

Soon, I caught my bus, got to the airport, and caught my flight. As I flew to my next destination, Greece, I reflected on that encounter and wondered if I had handled it well. Was he a nuisance or a serious threat? Should I have gone to the police? What would I have told the police?

Although this experience was unsettling, it has not deterred me from solo travel. There are risks. However, the vast majority of people I’ve encountered have been more than pleasant. This was my first and only negative experience as a solo female traveler.

What would you have done if you were in my shoes? Have you experienced a similar mishap while traveling solo? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Solo Female Travel Tips: Positano, Italy

August 12, 2017 By sugwueze 15 Comments

How To Experience Positano, Italy as a Female Solo Traveler

As I stood at the top of a hill opposite Positano’s iconic cliffside, I felt like I was in a dream. I thought to myself, ‘This has to be the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen in my life!’ Colorful bungalows and villas were perched on the cliff, stacked upon one another in an asymmetrical fashion. The houses cascaded down to the base of the cliff, a pebble stone beach. There is a saying that when people from the Amalfi Coast go to heaven, they will not notice any difference. I don’t remember where I heard that, but my experience driving to Positano and exploring its hilly landscape makes me believe it 100%. Positano’s ethereal beauty and maze-like landscape make it the perfect place for a solo female traveler to wander for a few days. Here’s what you can expect on a solo trip to Positano.

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