Robert
Nelson

A bag fit for summer

pre-cut botanical print fabric

I sewed my very first stitch on my mom’s Janome At Home sewing machine about a week before the Coronavirus pandemic started to shut everything down. A strap had broken on one of my tote bags, and I decided to repair it rather than purchase a new one. The stitches were crooked and the thread didn’t match, but hey, it’s still kickin’ today. From

Tapapiés, murales, y Retiro, ¡por dios!

My routine during the week has all but solidified – Monday through Thursday, I wake up early and catch the metro from Delicias to Las Tablas, work at school until 4 and then teach one or two private English lessons, and finally stop on my way home for groceries or a caña with a friend. Luckily the private lessons I give cover my weekly

Un finde calmado e introspectivo

As I am growing into my routine here in Madrid I’m so happy to be meeting new people and developing closer friendships. Last weekend was a blast! All of the English assistants at my school had Friday off, so we united in Retiro to reflect over some tentempiés and vino. A few had to split off before to sunset to eat, but Becky, Sarah,

El logro de encontrar la tranquilidad

I started my job this week and the dust cloud caused by my move is finally starting to settle – I have found my route to and from work, I’ve gotten to know my neighborhood better, I’ve mapped out where all the good grocery and convenience stores are, and I’ve even started cooking in my apartment. Last week I wrote about finally finding an

Al final, la búsqueda del infierno se ha acabado

Wow, wow, wow. For the past week I have felt like someone took my brain out of my head, placed it in a Boston shaker, and has been relentlessly rattling it back and forth. Finally, though, I feel as though I can breathe – I have a place to stay! Danielle, Frank, and I had looked at apartments almost every day since our arrival

Bienvenidos a Madrid

Wow, the past two days have been a whirlwind. I’m completely drained but I have had so much fun! Danielle and I met up at the Charlotte airport on Monday morning and sped through security no problem. We walked around the terminal for an hour or so catching up about our summer jobs, sharing excitement about our upcoming adventure, and exchanging tips on life

Farewell, U.S.A.

In wrapping up my time here in Raleigh I have felt the need to live life to the fullest that I possibly can and document as much of it as possible; I would hate to regret not making the most of my time once I move to Madrid. As such, I have kept plenty busy since the end of August. I’ve kept a physical

Dusting off the ol’ blog

Read a summary of Robert’s last year of college and summer before traveling abroad to Madrid to teach English for the 2019-2020 school year.

It’s a wonderful world with Leighanne in it

This last semester at school has proven itself to be a bit monotonous thus far – I can’t shake the feeling that I’ve done all of this before and I’m itching to embark on adventures ahead. My weeks have started to follow a common timeline: I’ll get out of bed fifteen minutes after my 8 o’clock alarm goes off Monday through Friday, make breakfast,

Chugging along (with exciting news!)

Last week I wrote about the fall semester, difficulties surrounding study abroad, and a few goals I have for the current semester and beyond. I am happy to report that my application to teach English abroad in Spain next year has been accepted! Now all I have to wait for is my assignment before I formally accept the position. The first word that comes