Why I upped sticks and moved to Spain when I graduated

University of Leeds Classics graduate, Lydia, explains why she decided to leave the UK when she graduated - and how much it has benefitted her: both personally and professionally.

I graduated from the University of Leeds last summer, and - rather on a whim - my best friend and I decided to up sticks and give life in Spain a go (Madrid, to be precise). Since a Classics degree doesn't naturally guide you into many careers (apart from archaeology, museum work or teaching, none of which particularly appealed to me) I decided to apply for anything and everything. That led me to my current internship at a global human resources company.

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Apart from the obvious (and great) differences you experience living in Spain - siestas and tapas topping the list - the Spanish style of working is also very different to what I'm accustomed to in the UK. One of the advantages of working abroad is the crash course in the local language that you get within an office environment. I knew only beginner-level Spanish when I arrived, but since working with colleagues who exclusively speak Spanish, my competency has improved week-on-week. Listening to Spaniards all day means that you are able to learn nuances of the language that don't present themselves in everyday lessons, and that has been invaluable.
 
Professionally, learning to adapt to a completely different - often very last minute - culture has taught me the importance of being flexible to others' needs, a skill which I'm sure will be greatly utilised going forward in my working life.
 
I've felt really welcomed into the city and have been met with friendly faces wherever I've turned. From language classes to nightclubs, there's always someone who is willing to take some time to talk to you, even in a brand new city. I think that's something to remember, wherever my career ends up taking me in the future.
 
The greatest thing I'll take away from my time abroad is my belief in the massive rewards you stand to gain if you are bold enough to take that initial risk. The lack of Spanish knowledge I had before coming to Madrid (I had never actually visited the city until I arrived in September...) was of course, terrifying, but it's made my time here that much more valuable. Oh, and of course, the sangria is second to none.
 
You can get more from Lydia on Twitter and her blog, https://encyclopediaoflydia.wordpress.com/