# Is Madrid A Good Place?



## FranksOnAPlane (May 2, 2016)

Hi. I was wondering about how good it is to live in the Castille region around Madrid. Because Barcelona seems like a [cut], and Southern Spain comes off as a little too quiet. I don't mind if you make a list, I actually like to know how everything works. About jobs, I'm sure I'll dig one up somewhere, maybe as an English teacher if I have to - I'm more asking about honest pros and cons of the cities around Madrid.

Thx!


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

FranksOnAPlane said:


> Hi. I was wondering about how good it is to live in the Castille region around Madrid. Because Barcelona seems like a [cut], and Southern Spain comes off as a little too quiet. I don't mind if you make a list, I actually like to know how everything works. About jobs, I'm sure I'll dig one up somewhere, maybe as an English teacher if I have to - I'm more asking about honest pros and cons of the cities around Madrid.
> 
> Thx!


Hi Frank,
As explained before, you, as a non EU citizen can not just come to Spain and find a job.
As a qualified, experienced English teacher myself I wouldn't advise you to start teaching people without having been trained.
I live 30kms from Madrid and like it very much.


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## carquinyoli (Jan 5, 2016)

FranksOnAPlane said:


> Hi. I was wondering about how good it is to live in the Castille region around Madrid. Because Barcelona seems like a [cut], and Southern Spain comes off as a little too quiet. I don't mind if you make a list, I actually like to know how everything works. About jobs, I'm sure I'll dig one up somewhere, maybe as an English teacher if I have to - I'm more asking about honest pros and cons of the cities around Madrid.
> 
> Thx!



You do it right. I am a member of the Ku Klux Katalan. Please, don't read EL MUNDO.


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## FranksOnAPlane (May 2, 2016)

Pesky,

As I explained before, I'm not worrying about jobs yet because I won't move to Spain for about 10 years. 



> I live 30kms from Madrid and like it very much.


Thank you, that's what I wanted to know.

Barcelona guy,



> You do it right. I am a member of the Ku Klux


I knew it!


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## mickbcn (Feb 4, 2013)

FranksOnAPlane said:


> Hi. I was wondering about how good it is to live in the Castille region around Madrid. Because Barcelona seems like a [cut], and Southern Spain comes off as a little too quiet. I don't mind if you make a list, I actually like to know how everything works. About jobs, I'm sure I'll dig one up somewhere, maybe as an English teacher if I have to - I'm more asking about honest pros and cons of the cities around Madrid.
> 
> Thx!


Barcelona is racist? you are joking?there are thousands and thousands of inmigrants here from around the world Africa,Asia,South and North America and I am sure that the majority of they don't have your opinion,you allways can find the exception but is only one exception, and let me say something,maybe Catalonia is one of the less racist place of Spain, maybe we are not sticky like in other places and you think this mean that this is racism.,and I am sure that you don't talk with the milions of persons who are living in Barcelona,is possible that you find the tipical stupid, they are everywhere in the world.


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## Helenameva (Aug 15, 2014)

FranksOnAPlane said:


> Hi. I was wondering about how good it is to live in the Castille region around Madrid. Because Barcelona seems like a [cut], and Southern Spain comes off as a little too quiet. I don't mind if you make a list, I actually like to know how everything works. About jobs, I'm sure I'll dig one up somewhere, maybe as an English teacher if I have to - I'm more asking about honest pros and cons of the cities around Madrid.
> 
> Thx!


Maybe you should stay on your plane, if you think Barcelona is a racist hell hole I doubt you will be happy with anywhere in Spain, maybe even Europe.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

FranksOnAPlane said:


> Pesky,
> 
> As I explained before, I'm not worrying about jobs yet because I won't move to Spain for about 10 years.
> 
> ...


In the first 10 years of living where I live now the population doubled. This made a huge impact on services like the health centre, schools etc. Transport options changed completely from having a bus an hour to buses every 5 mins at peak times in the morning and an extra lane on the motorway, followed by another lane being added a few years later... That made working in Madrid for example and living here a real possibility that wasn't there before. It also meant that more businesses opened up here...
Looking 10 years into the future as to places to live is a bit too much.
You could concentrate on getting your language and "cultural" skills up to scratch though by taking Spanish classes and finding out about history/ economics/ art/ politics...

Oh and what made you come to that conclusion about Barcelona?


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## FranksOnAPlane (May 2, 2016)

*Apologies*

I've asked the moderators to delete my posts since I can't find the edit button. 

I apologize to the Catalonian members. I got my facts messed up and realized later the incidents were done by immigrants in Barcelona. You guys were cool about it unlike the user Helena who didn't add to the discussion and just made a snide comment. 

And I apologize to Pesky because although the welcome you gave me wasn't exactly pleasant, I shouldn't have tried to do anything back. And thanks for giving me an answer.

I frankly want to have a pleasant time on here and be a member in good standing.

Sincerely,

Frank


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## soja (Apr 10, 2016)

FranksOnAPlane said:


> I've asked the moderators to delete my posts since I can't find the edit button.
> 
> I apologize to the Catalonian members. I got my facts messed up and realized later the incidents were done by immigrants in Barcelona. You guys were cool about it unlike the user Helena who didn't add to the discussion and just made a snide comment.
> 
> ...


Just curious, what made you think Barcelona was racist? If anything, Madrid and Barcelona are the least racist places in Spain because they're used to immigrants. But Racism in Spain and Northern/Western Europe is nothing like what you find in the US.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

soja said:


> Just curious, what made you think Barcelona was racist? If anything, Madrid and Barcelona are the least racist places in Spain because they're used to immigrants. But Racism in Spain and Northern/Western Europe is nothing like what you find in the US.


He said


> I got my facts messed up


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## soja (Apr 10, 2016)

Pesky Wesky said:


> He said



That didn't answer my question, he just blamed racism on immigrants. That still means from his view that people in Barcelona are racist and I wanna know why.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

soja said:


> That didn't answer my question, he just blamed racism on immigrants. That still means from his view that people in Barcelona are racist and I wanna know why.


Fair enough, but as you can see that part of his post has actually been cut and so further comments about Barcelona are actually no longer relevant to this thread, the title of which is actually about Madrid ...


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## Helenameva (Aug 15, 2014)

FranksOnAPlane said:


> I've asked the moderators to delete my posts since I can't find the edit button.
> 
> I apologize to the Catalonian members. I got my facts messed up and realized later the incidents were done by immigrants in Barcelona. You guys were cool about it unlike the user Helena who didn't add to the discussion and just made a snide comment.
> 
> ...


Frank, my comment wasn't snide, it was a genuine reply. If you think (or thought) Barcelona is what you said, I don't think Spain is the right place for you. As has previously been said, there are immigrants from all over the place, in the main people rub together nicely, sometimes not so well, overall, for me, it's fine. If your comment was geniune, as I took it to be, and you became an immigrant here but with a low tolerance threshold for other immigrants, then I don't think you would be happy here. I don't really understand your explanation why you wrote what you did ("the incidents were done by immigrants in Barcelona") but never mind.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Helenameva said:


> Frank, my comment wasn't snide, it was a genuine reply. If you think (or thought) Barcelona is what you said, I don't think Spain is the right place for you. As has previously been said, there are immigrants from all over the place, in the main people rub together nicely, sometimes not so well, overall, for me, it's fine. If your comment was geniune, as I took it to be, and you became an immigrant here but with a low tolerance threshold for other immigrants, then I don't think you would be happy here. I don't really understand your explanation why you wrote what you did ("the incidents were done by immigrants in Barcelona") but never mind.


Exactly, never, mind because the thread is about Madrid and what's it like to live in this region.
I can say people who think of Madrid as built up area are very mistaken. Once you're out of the city, which really isn't that big and I find quite maneagable with public transport, you can be in pasture land or climbing up a rocky scree in minutes. I posted photos on another thread . I'll see if I can find it.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

One of my favourite places is La Pedriza in Madrid. I think this is a fairly typical photo (not mine I confess)









More here
Parque Natural de la Pedriza, Manzanares el Real, Sierra de Madrid, Guadarrama, lugares con encanto

From this thread which is quite interesting
http://www.expatforum.com/expats/sp.../161002-favorite-place-visit.html#post1225475

Just a couple of photos to show you what some of the countryside is like high up around Madrid. 
A steep climb, but a great day!



 In this photo, right in the distance, we could see the towers in the Plaza Castilla in Madrid. Don't know if you'll be able to make them out.

El Yelmo, La Pedriza, Manzanares el Real, Madrid

From this short thread
http://www.expatforum.com/expats/spain-expat-forum-expats-living-spain/62480-madrid-countryside.html

And this thread _Living in a Spanish City_ might be helpful
http://www.expatforum.com/expats/sp...n/986977-living-spanish-city.html#post9429937


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

soja said:


> That didn't answer my question, he just blamed racism on immigrants. That still means from his view that people in Barcelona are racist and I wanna know why.


I think it may be incidents like this that made Frank think Barcelona is racist as he didn't read the articles properly. It is clear from this that it was Senegalese immigrants whop caused the rioting because the police were doing their jobs cracking down on crime.

https://www.knightstemplarinternational.com/senegal-migrants-riot-in-barcelona/


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Veronica said:


> I think it may be incidents like this that made Frank think Barcelona is racist as he didn't read the articles properly. It is clear from this that it was Senegalese immigrants whop caused the rioting because the police were doing their jobs cracking down on crime.
> 
> https://www.knightstemplarinternational.com/senegal-migrants-riot-in-barcelona/


Yeah, you know what? This was a very murky happening with many versions being put forward until they arrived at the present one.
Personally, I don't think this is the place to discuss Barcelona, immigrants, the Mossos actions (which have been cause for concern _again_ in a case this week). My view is that only those involved know what happened and will ever know. 
Anyway, if this thread is going to willfully carry on in the immigrant line of discussion I won't be looking at it for the above reasons, so ... remember you're on the forum boys and girls!


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## Justina (Jan 25, 2013)

*Madrid*



Pesky Wesky said:


> Exactly, never, mind because the thread is about Madrid and what's it like to live in this region.
> I can say people who only think of Madrid as built up area are very mistaken. Once you're out of the city, which really isn't that big and I find quite maneagable with public transport, you can be in pasture land or climbing up a rocky scree in minutes. I posted photos on another thread . I'll see if I can find it.


I must agree with you that Madrid is just a lovely city which is not too big and not too small. I do like cities, there is a certain dynamic about them that one doesn't get in little cities like Cadiz for example. 
I spent a month there when I first arrived to Spain almost four years ago and was so impressed with the museums, the various areas and generally the relaxed lifestyle. As my son was living there at the time I was able to go on several occasions and at different periods of the year. I also liked the small shops selling whatever, rather than the soulless malls, although I think Madrid probably has its fair share of them, too.


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