Arrived in autumn 2021, amidst the pandemic, Hanna Lindl, from Germany, shares her experience as a physics intern living in Madrid. Besides the blue sky, she tells what are the pros and cons of being an expatriate during the Covid-19 pandemic, gives some advice and more!
Can you introduce yourself?
I'm Hannah Lindl, from Germany, where I study physics. Currently, I'm doing an Erasmus internship at an energy research institute in Madrid. I grew up on a small farm in southern Germany, close to the mountains. My parents still live there, my two younger siblings both moved away for their studies/work. But we all love coming home; it's a really peaceful place!
In my free time, I mostly meet friends; we often go to bars, have game nights or just cook something. I also love being in nature, going hiking, swimming, running… And of course, I really enjoy travelling, especially meeting people and exchanging stories.
What is it like to live in Spain?
So far, it has been great! Especially the weather is just amazing, I have never had such a sunny winter which is a real mood booster. What I enjoy about Madrid are the countless activities, there is something to do every day: exhibitions, museums, concerts, clubs, etc. Also, in general, the people here are pretty extroverted, which makes it really easy to get to know them. And there are a lot of interesting people from all kinds of backgrounds!
In which countries have you already lived?
When I was 15 years old, I did an exchange program with Australia and spent 3 months at a high school in Melbourne. I stayed with a host family, which made the transition to another country really easy and helped my English a lot! Also, I did another Erasmus in Budapest, Hungary, in 2020. Unfortunately, it was during Covid-19, so the university was mostly online, and I didn't get to travel as much as I had planned to, but it was still a great experience!
What are the pros-cons of being an expat in Spain?
Pros: Meeting people from all over the world and being able to exchange so many stories, get to know so many cultures and thereby a different outlook on life! It really made me aware of problems other people have to face that I didn't realize before. But it also makes me appreciate certain things in Germany more (the country is really safe, there is less sexism/misogyny, a great healthcare system, better salaries and less unemployment).
Cons: Of course, living so far away from your friends and family, not being able to just see them for a weekend. Also, knowing that your friends will just continue making memories without you and that you're missing out on a lot of things, can be really difficult at times. Apart from that, there was obviously a reason why I learned to appreciate the things about Germany that I mentioned above.
What's the craziest thing you've ever done while living abroad?
Probably deciding to stay in Hungary after the outbreak of the global pandemic. I even had to sign a document that they wouldn't get me out of the country in case the situation got worse. But it was one of the best decisions I made. At that time there were only very few Covid-19 cases in Hungary, so I actually got to go to an amazing festival whilst my German friends weren't even allowed to sit in a park!
Do you face any difficulties living in Spain? If so, how do you deal with them?
In the beginning, it was really exhausting to talk in Spanish all the time. But I adapted after a few weeks (although I'm still making a lot of mistakes). Apart from that, it was difficult to get a doctor's appointment here (in the end, I just didn't see one). And I'm still getting used to the noise; Spanish people are very loud and always talking simultaneously. So in order to be heard, you need to do that too!
What do you miss the most about your country?
Apart from family and friends, very German answer: the bread. That's just something no other country can reproduce, and I'm really sick of always eating white bread.
As a physician, if you had to explain to a child what you do at work, what would you say?
I'm working with Fusion energy. Basically, we are trying to build a mini sun on earth to create energy! In order to do that, we make things (called atoms) very, very hot so that they will eventually melt (fuse) together. But so far, it's not working too well; we can only create the hot soup (called plasma) for very little time. I'm doing some experiments to see what exactly is happening and what we can do to make this time longer!
What were or still are your challenges while moving to Spain?
Luckily, Covid-19 didn't affect my move at all. Of course, I experienced some general challenges like finding a flat (but that worked out really well) and getting used to speaking Spanish constantly (but I also got used to that rather quickly).
What advice would you give to someone interested to move abroad during the pandemic?
Just do it! It's easier than you think. But before going to the country, make yourself familiar with the health care system. What do you need to get, for example, a PCR Test? Are rapid tests available? What are the current restrictions, and how is the country in general dealing with the pandemic?
I would not recommend moving to another place during the lockdown, it is incredibly difficult to adjust to a new place without being able to go out and meet people.
What are your plans for the future?
I am finishing my internship by the end of this month. Afterwards, I'm planning on travelling through Spain and Portugal for another month before heading back to Germany to write my master thesis. And then, who knows what will happen!
