katy mclaren

Hola everyone

My name is katrina and i have just moved to madrid from Jerez. I work in centro comercial Xanadu and now live in Arroyomolinos. I was wanting to go to evening classes for spanish and also i would like to meet new and interesting people. does anyone have any info or help!!!

I am a 31year old SWF and would like to make new and exciting friends

Hope to hear from anyone soonXX

betris

Whats a SWF then.

Agnes

single white female.

wy did you move to Madrid from Jerez?

katy mclaren

I moved from Jerez to madrid due to work. I work in the Primark in Xanadu (store manager) That was the only reason!!!

I have worked for the company back home in Scotland for 6 years and after separating from my boyfriend of 8 years i decided for a new life in Spain. I opened the store in Jerez and after 6months working there i received a transfer to Madrid and to a bigger store and turnover.

Whats your story?

lynnxa

How do you run a big store without speaking spanish??


serious question

katy mclaren

I get by, the staff are very helpful and i have a mix of management team who speak english and spanish. I can speak the basics and i understand a lot more now when they are speaking to me, i just find it hard to reply back to them, however i am trying very hard where possible to speak spanish all the time and i am learning every day!!

lynnxa

tbh you'll probably learn a lot more quickly by working with the Spanish & talking to them as much as possible, than going to lessons!

I think if you did start lessons you'd probably start worrying about being 'correct' & clam up -

just open your mouth & speak - they'll correct you if you make mistakes - you are in a very enviable position

Agnes

Hi Katy

I am also Scottish and teach English to Spanish in Jerez. I have visited Primark in Jerez and actually saw you and commented to my husband a member of staff speaking Scottish. I wish I had spoken to you now.

Good luck with your new venture in Madid

katy mclaren

Ah thats a shame, well the manager now in the store is irish and is getting in Malaga in two weeks time and then off work for 3 weeks so i may be down to the store cover for a couple of days to make sure that everything is ok!!!

so you may see me yet

steviedeluxe

Hey Katy. I think you'll feel at home come the winter. You'll be able to see the snow-capped mountains to the north of Madrid. It's still generally drier in Madrid than Scotland though.
If you want to meet a decent set of expats in Madrid, try Triskels bar in Malasana.

steviedeluxe

Oh, and by the way, there are lots of VO cinemas in Madrid. Try to watch a good film once a week (with the Spanish subtitles)*. It really helps with vocabulary and expressions. Once you get to a better level you can then progress to normal cinemas (although I prefer the class of film in the VO cinema, funnily enough).

* I know you can turn on subtitles with dvd or television, but I find the cinema forces you to pay attention for 1 or 2 hours. At home you soon get distracted.

Glasgowgeekess

Silly question,but what is a VO cinema?

Nicky

EsuriJohn

Version Original

marisol

Hi Katy,
I live in Madrid, i'm spanish but i'm afraid i am too old, i am 50, i am MWF. i'm sure you are not going to have problems living in Madrid. A virtue of the persons from Madrid is that they accept all with opened arms, nobody is foreigner here.
Good luck
marisol

betris

whay area of madrid as madrid is a verry big place.