[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.22″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.11.2″ text_font=”||||||||” text_line_height=”1.6em” link_font=”||||||||” link_text_color=”#eb6d76″ link_line_height=”1.6em” header_2_font=”||||||||” header_2_line_height=”1.6em” header_3_font=”||||||||” header_3_line_height=”1.4em” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n
We are delighted to introduce a writer whose first novel is about life and love in Madrid, from the point of view of a young professional who moves to the city from the UK. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Kate Boyle<\/a> is the author of Happy as a Partridge<\/em><\/a>, her first novel published in April 2018.<\/p>\n Kate\u2019s inspiration came from her own move from London to Madrid. Previously, she had moved from Essex (where she grew up) to university in Bristol, before starting her career in London.<\/p>\n She is now back in London, working for an arts PR agency and writing her second novel.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Although I think I\u2019d always subconsciously harboured the desire to live abroad at some stage, I moved to Madrid on a bit of a whim.\u00a0 <\/span>I had recently become unemployed and, similar to the protagonist in my novel, I randomly won a competition for a month of Spanish lessons which saved me from the tedium of job hunting for a few weeks.\u00a0 <\/span>I\u2019d been to Barcelona several times and wanted to try somewhere different, so having heard good things about Madrid from some friends I decided to give it a go.\u00a0 <\/span>Initially I thought I\u2019d do the Spanish lessons and then see if I could find some work for a month or two, but I fell head over heels in love with the city, the months came and went and I ended up staying for nearly three years!<\/p>\n Before I left London I blithely told everyone that I knew enough Spanish to easily get by, but I realised on day one that this was most definitely not the case as I totally froze everytime someone spoke to me.\u00a0 <\/span>I\u2019d done a year of lessons at school and more recently four months of evening classes, but I would definitely have been classified as an unconfident beginner.<\/p>\n Winning the competition and deciding to move to Madrid felt like a dream at first and I\u2019m embarrassed to admit that I did very little research and planning before boarding the plane.\u00a0 <\/span>I bought a couple of guide books and looked at some blogs such as Madrid Cool Blog, Madrid Confidential, My Little Madrid etc which all got me excited about the city and gave me a flavour of the Spanish way of life, but in terms of practical research I was pretty clueless.<\/p>\n As I said before, I wasn\u2019t planning on staying more than a couple of months initially so I didn\u2019t worry too much about things to be honest.\u00a0 <\/span>I think my main concerns were finding some friends and properly getting to grips with the language, in order to make things like paperwork much easier.<\/p>\n I booked myself into a hostel for three nights, ambitiously thinking that I would be able to find somewhere a bit more permanent in that short space of time.\u00a0 <\/span>I looked at many flats through websites such as idealista and A Small World, but didn\u2019t immediately find anywhere I could see myself living.\u00a0 <\/span>I was very lucky when I met an English friend of a friend who offered me her room for two weeks while she went on holiday, which gave me more time to get myself sorted.\u00a0 <\/span>After visiting some pretty grim places I found a lovely flat in Arg\u00fcelles with a Spanish girl who became a great friend.\u00a0 <\/span>I also spent time in Chamberi which was my favourite area to live in, as well as a brief stint next to El Retiro.\u00a0 <\/span>The different barrios have such varied characters, if you are new to the city it would be very useful to have advice from a local on them all.<\/p>\n Having always been overtly fond of efficiency in my life, let\u2019s just say I found the Spanish bureaucracy a challenge! I traipsed around lots of banks before I found one that would let me open an account with just a passport and no other paperwork, and then had endless appointments for the empadronamiento and social security etc.\u00a0 <\/span>I struggled with this as my language skills were limited at the time and I seemed to get different advice from everyone that I spoke to about what papers were needed for each stage \u2013 very frustrating at the time, but I felt very proud of myself when I finally got it all sorted!<\/p>\n I stayed for nearly three years, but now I\u2019m back in London I still visit at least two or three times a year \u2013 I miss the city hugely.<\/p>\n For me the best things are the bright, Spanish light which put a spring in my step every day, the endless warmth and friendliness of the madrile\u00f1os, the relaxed attitude to time and the unbeatable quality of life. The food is pretty fabulous too \u2013 I could go on and on! \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In terms of negatives, I found the late meals hard to adjust to and the directness of Spaniards sometimes upset me at first, although I came to admire this in comparison to long-winded English waffling!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I didn\u2019t look for help from any agencies in terms of settling down, but in hindsight had I known I was going to end up staying for so long I think it would have been very useful to have help getting to grips with the city and it\u2019s quirks earlier on in my stay.<\/p>\n I definitely wouldn\u2019t say it\u2019s autobiographical, although of course it was inspired by my time in Madrid and it includes elements of my experiences there.\u00a0 <\/span>The main events such as the Spanish lessons, the move, the entertaining classes with the mechanics etc are all things that happened to me, although I\u2019ve used a lot of artistic license and imagination to hopefully make the book far more interesting and entertaining than a straightforward autobiography would have been!<\/p>\n I have always worked in the art world in London and while I was in Madrid I visited many art galleries, museums and auctions.\u00a0 <\/span>Obviously the Prado, Reina Sofia and Thyssen are all fantastic, but I particularly loved the more intimate Museo Sorolla which was close to where I lived in Chamberi \u2013 the beautiful garden and warm, sunny paintings drew me back again and again. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n It\u2019s still early days with novel number two so I can\u2019t tell you too much yet I\u2019m afraid, but it\u2019s set in a hostel in southern Spain which is run by an eccentric American expat, and where no day ever runs smoothly. I\u2019m hoping to finish it in 2019 but I\u2019ll keep you posted on it\u2019s development.<\/p>\n We look forward to hearing more about this second novel! We\u2019re sure it will be as entertaining and successful as Happy as a partridge. Thanks Kate for sharing with us your experience in Madrid.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If you are planning to move to Madrid soon, you\u2019ll find all the relevant information in The secret of relocating to Madrid<\/em><\/a>. If, in addition, you need help with the organization or even if we accompany you, check out our services<\/a>.<\/p>\n In the meantime, you can receive regular information by filling out this questionnaire. And if you find it useful, we thank you for sharing it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.27.4″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n\u2600\ufe0f Could you explain why you chose Madrid? Which reasons motivated your decisions?\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
\u2600\ufe0f Did you speak Spanish before arriving?<\/h3>\n
\u2600\ufe0f Once you had decided to relocate to Madrid, how did you start planning your move? Did you do some research? Where did you find info? Was it helpful?<\/h3>\n
\u2600\ufe0f Before travelling, what was your main concern? Could you arrange anything regarding housing, paperwork, job, etc beforehand?<\/h3>\n
\u2600\ufe0f\u00a0 Where did you first stay? How was your house-hunting process?<\/h3>\n
\u2600\ufe0f Being a EU national all formalities are mere routines but could you tell us about your experience with them?\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
\u2600\ufe0f How long did you stay in Madrid?<\/h3>\n
\u2600\ufe0f Now that your stay is over (for now!), what would you say it was the best and the worst? Is there anything you would like to have done differently?<\/h3>\n
\u2600\ufe0f\u00a0 Your novel, Happy as a partridge<\/em>, is based on your experience but would you say it\u2019s autobiographical?<\/h3>\n
\u2600\ufe0f You also write for an antiques magazine and have contributed to two architectural books, could you tell us something related to these subjects that called your attention in Madrid?<\/h3>\n
\u2600\ufe0f We know you\u2019re working on a second novel, is there anything you could tell us about it?<\/h3>\n