Job Discussion Forums

sarahbrom · Joined: 21 Jun 2005 Posts: 21

I'd love to get some informed opinions from as many people as possible.

Here's my 'dilemma'.
Do I:
a) accept the job I've been offered at InLingua in Santander to start in September
b) go to Madrid at the beginning of September and look for a job there

I've asked on here before about Santander and had more or less decided against it because I thought it would be too small and quiet there, but now I've been offered a job there that changes things! What are the pros and cons of Madrid? I've spent a week there, that's it. If Santander's a holiday town, what's it like during winter?

This seems like such a big decision to make based on not much!

grahamb · Joined: 30 Apr 2003 Posts: 1945

... are basically the same as in any other city, ie plenty of work, places to visit and things to do, but it's also crowded and polluted.
I have no idea about Santander.

Moore · Joined: 25 Aug 2004 Posts: 730 Location: Madrid

It�s very rainy and damp up North in winter, extremely cold and dry here: tough choice!

foss · Joined: 17 Aug 2004 Posts: 55

Santander's not only a holiday town, it's also the capital of Cantabria. It's an affluent and conservative place, they say that many of the Basque elite live there out of harm's way. I've been there a few times, when I was a student I used to take the 24 hour ferry from England and cycle to the Picos de Europa. Beautiful area.

Quiet? Every town in Spain has a busy nightlife at the weekends so there'll be places to have dinner and stay out all night, but the question is who with.

Most people in the smaller cities are settled with their families and lifelong friends. On the other hand, in Madrid you have thousands of unattached people from all over so opportunities are endless.

Why not go for 2 years?

sarahbrom · Joined: 21 Jun 2005 Posts: 21

I think you've hit the nail on the head there foss - Madrid is the better place to be when you don't know anyone because there'll also be a lot of other people there who don't know anyone.
I'm very much a city person and I shouldn't let the lure of a definite job offer persuade me otherwise!
Thanks...

gmjones · Joined: 25 Oct 2004 Posts: 72 Location: UK

I spent 3 months teaching in Madrid and wouldnt really recommend it... The accommodation is very expensive (I paid 450 euros for a room in a shared place), and you can spend several hours every day travelling between classes. To be fair there is lots of work, but I think that living in a smaller place is much more settling and probably more sociable too.