I despise routine. I think it’s boring, predictable, and if you’re following one everyday, then you must be living a boring life.
Okay, so that’s a quote from my younger self…
After moving to a foreign country, working and working out travel plans, I find myself craving a routine. I’m craving the protection and security that a routine can provide.
Where am I traveling for the long weekend? What am I doing tonight? What am I eating for dinner? These simple questions are a breeze and easy to answer but from time to time, they lead me into more difficult topics.
What am I doing with my life? Where will I settle down? What big girl job will I have as a career? Do I want a big girl job?
These questions deter me from my beautiful present life here in Madrid, Spain! So I’m going to break down my day.
Here’s my typical workday at a primary/elementary school in Spain:
I wake up, like most people do and I get ready for work.
I arrive at my job before 9a.m.
I have three classes
I have a coffee break
I have another class
I have an hour break
I have another hour for lunch
I have two more classes
I work Monday-Thursday and two out of those four days, I teach private English lessons after school.
After classes I might go for a jog around Retiro Park, get a coffee with a friend, explore a new area of the city, or sometimes I go salsa dancing.
It changes day-to-day, night-to-night, and weekend-to-weekend. Balance is a moment-to-moment challenge no matter where your “habitat” might reside.
I think it’s natural to crave a familiar routine to recharge, especially in a thriving capital city. I’m not sure when a new place stops being new but I enjoy the time I spend in figuring it out.