Making friends in Madrid (part II)

I arrived in Madrid two months ago and already feel sad when I think about returning to France in August. There are many explanations for this (the warm weather, beautiful city, holidays and markets etc) but there was one very specific reason everything went well from day one: my first Spanish night out immediately introduced me to the people who became my friends here and gave me a feeling of confidence in a brand new, otherwise strange city. And the event responsible for this seamless integration was none other than the Fiesta con AIL in Madrid organized by my Spanish academy, AIL Madrid.

You may be wondering, “what’s that, ‘Fiesta con AIL?” I would answer: certainly the most fun way to practice Spanish. Every Friday night at 10pm, AIL students, teachers, and team meet in a cool bar (the place changes every week) in order to spend time with each other and meet new people while enjoying some good drinks. This is by far the best way to meet people in the same situation as you; recently arrived in Madrid, looking to improve their Spanish skills, and open-minded/looking forward to making new friends.

I’m a prime example of how well it works: I set foot in Madrid on Wednesday and, thanks to the following Friday Fiesta con AIL, immediately had exciting Saturday night plans with new friends!

Now, I’m a regular: there’s no better way to celebrate the arrival of the weekend than by gathering with your friends in a good atmosphere and meeting new people who will enrich your stay and allow you to practice your Spanish.

This is the most anticipated event of the week for AIL students, making AIL an unique group of friends that offers so much more than just Spanish classes. If you’re feeling particularly enthusiastic, many students also go to the Se Habla Español Intercambio on Thursdays, which provides another great occasion to see familiar faces before Fiesta con AIL on Friday.

The bottom line is that I can’t recommend a better way to make friends and learn Spanish at the same time than by becoming an AIL student, so I look forward to see you on your first Friday in Madrid!