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For our next interview we have the pleasure of meeting Rocio, a young Colombian woman who moved to Madrid some years ago.

Hi Rocio, Please tell us a bit about yourself and where do you come from?

Hi, My name is Rocio del Carmen Castellar.  I come from Barranquilla in Colombia.  I am twenty eight years old.  I have being working for ING Direct as a sales assistant for the last two years.  I’m very interested in foreign languages and love to travel.  After a bit here in Madrid I’m looking forward to moving to somewhere like France or Switzerland in  the near future, maybe in a couple of years.  It would definitely be a dream come true since I’ve always wanted to live in France and would love to learn French.  My hometown is Barranquilla where I lived until I graduated from my at the Universidad del Atlántico.  The city’s population is around 1.5 million; it’s a coastal city in Northern Colombia on the Caribbean Coast.  It lies between Cartagena de Indias and Santa Marta, the three of them known as the three pearls of the Caribbean due to its moderate climate and picturesque beaches.  Barranquilla is a city buzzing with life but also with chaos, du to its ill planning in the past.

What is that drove you to come to Madrid?

Since I was a little girl I always dreamt of travelling and seeing new places.  I am not sure exactly when but I guess somewhere between being ten and twelve during my first years in Secondary School when they introduced International Geography in my classes I began to feel an urge to learn about different cultures and languages.  When the time had come for me to travel and live in a foreign country I chose Spain because of the common language and Madrid for two reasons.  Firstly I chose this city because since it’s the capital city I was sure to find better job opportunities here and secondly, I already had a close friend from my university (William) living here.  He has definitely being an incredible support for me ever since I came here.

How long have you being living in Madrid?

I came here in 2004; it’s being five years now.  At the beginning the experience was quite difficult for me.  I started working for Ahorra Más in their cafeteria and we had a supervisor who has impossible to work with.  She spent every day humiliating each one of us who had to work there.  I hated the simple fact of having to go to work but I had to stay there until a minimum period of three to four months which is the waiting period for my residence permit to be approved.  Once it was processed, I stayed for a short while out of simple courtesy and gratitude but as soon as I had the chance I left for a better job.  After that I started my PHD in Sustainable Economy and the Management of our Natural Resources at the Universidad Politécnica in Madrid.  To be honest its very exhausting to be working and studying at the same time in a big city but at then of the day I do believe it’s worth it.  Right now I’m working to achieve my DEA (Advanced Studies Diploma) and the completion of my Thesis.

 Tell us a bit about your job here in Madrid

As I mentioned above I have being working at ING for the las two years.  I am a sales assistant and work with private customers.   A lot of the work is done over the phone since ING has very few offices or branches.  In Spain the company has approximately seven hundred employees most of which work in my office in Las Rozas.  I have an evening shift which gives me free time in the morning to study and do my class projects.  Most employees there are quite young, with a good command of English and University Graduates.  ING in Spain has a hierarchical structure in their organisation chart.  Everyone’s tasks, responsibilities and position within the company is clearly defined and established.  The company is renowned for rewarding the employees’ performances and making sure their efforts do not go unnoticed.  The company also makes a big effort in ensuring that there is a good atmosphere at work and has various facilities at the disposal for all employees like a library, with books and films.  They also carry out constant training programs in areas like English, MS Excel, Negotiation etc.  For all sport fans, ING has a gym, football and basketball teams, tennis and paddle courts and golf courses. The company also provides free of charge meals for their employees. 

Tell us a bit of your social life here in Madrid, where do you like to go to relax?

I really like Madrid; I think it’s an interesting mix between Latin American, Hispanic and European Cultures.  Obviously there is still some ground to cover but I see it as a solid bridge between Latin America and Europe.  In my free time I like to go for a stroll in the Parque del Retiro where I also go skating occasionally.  I enjoy going to the Plaza Mayor and admiring its classical buildings or got to La Castellana and appreciate its modern landscape with the wide roads and the skyscrapers.  Above all I have to say I take huge delight in going for a wander in la Calle Fuencarral and admiring the variety of its unique characters.  Each barrio here and occasionally each street holds its own personality and inimitable identity.  During my weekends besides going to El Retiro I also enjoy going out for some tapas and drinks to La Latina. 

What differences do you notice between Madrid and Barranquilla?

I would say that in Barranquilla people are less reserved when displaying their emotions especially with their close relatives or loved ones.  Here people tend to keep a certain distance.  The way people relate here seems more structured.  Here in Madrid for example it is inconceivable to present myself at a friend’s house unannounced without making a prior arrangement.  In Barranquilla on the other hand it is absolutely all right to go to someone’s house spontaneously.  People act more in the spur of the moment.  People also take longer here in opening up to strangers.  Back home for example, people will open up their lives and trust to any stranger if there seems to be an initial element of mutual trust.  One negative aspect I have noticed of Madrid is that I feel that today’s youngsters have very little respect for ones elders within their family circle or at school towards their teachers.  For me it’s quite shocking to see how kids consume copious amounts of alcohol and drugs in public without any consideration for any by passers.  Lastly and to finish on a positive thought when it comes to comparing Madrid not only to my hometown but even to other major European cities like London or Paris, its infrastructure concerning transport or public health is second to no one; its definitely a great place.