Hello friends! Now that I am in Granada for the semester, I will be taking a break from crafting to update you all on my time in Spain! My first day in Spain was spent in Madrid. I flew into Madrid late at night, so it only made sense to stay there! When I was planning my trip, I didn't know where I would stay in Madrid, because I am traveling alone and have never been to Spain... or Europe… talk about anxiousness! Then a friend of mine who studied in Granada a couple years ago told me I should try Couchsurfing. 

If you don't know about Couchsurfing, it is basically an online system of travelers and hosts. You create an account, and say whether you want to host someone or be hosted somewhere. Oh, and it's free. Awesome, right?! Although the whole idea of sleeping on a complete stranger's couch initially made me nervous, I went for it. After reading about Couchsurfing's mission and seeing the people who wanted to host, I felt so much better. I ended up finding an awesome host in Madrid, and it was the smartest and most fun thing I have done so far! My very sweet host came to get me from the subway station about an hour later than I told him because of my delayed flight and wifi problems at the airport, and he and his roommate made me feel so welcome in their home! I highly recommend trying it out if you are traveling alone or in a pair, especially if you are going to a new place. Staying with someone who knows the area well is a great advantage. 

I had a great experience with Couchsurfing, and while I was researching it I found that most people had positive experiences, too. After my two nights in Madrid, here are a few tips I've learned to help those of you interested in trying out Couchsurfing!

• Research your host

         
         Message them on the Couchsurfing website to see if you will be compatible before 
         accepting or sending a couch request. This way you avoid being stuck in a place with 
         someone you will not get along with, and you can see if they really want to host you or          if they're just a creepy person (they exist). Read the reviews other surfers have left on 
         their profile. These help so much! Reading about other surfers experiences with a 
         particular host is the perfect way to see what a host is like.

• Make your intentions clear 

         If you are a new traveler, alone, or are nervous about going to the city (or all three like 
         myself), let your host know while you are still searching. While I did message my host 
         before making arrangements to meet, I did not tell him how nervous I was to travel 
         alone to Madrid or that I really wanted someone to show me around. Because of this, I 
         was on my own for most of the day in Madrid. It ended up being fine - I learned how to 
         get around, and he and his roommate were able to take me out to the city later and 
         show me a great time. But next time I go somewhere new and I know I will want some 
         help, I will make sure let them know before accepting their invitation.

• Look at where their address is located before you arrive

         I misunderstood what my host told me and thought that his place was in the city
         center… I was wrong! It was actually in the northern part of the city, very close to the  
         airport (which was actually very nice), but it limited what I got to do during my day there. 
         I still made it to the city center with my hosts, but only for one night.


Madrid was great, but now I am so excited to be in Granada, which is a much smaller city. I look forward to updating you all on my adventures here! Until next time :)