Living with a host family is an incredibly immersive opportunity that allows you to observe, understand and adopt local traditions when moving abroad. I am with a host mom, or mamá anfitriona, in a cute neighborhood of Madrid, close to major attractions but not in the heart of the tourist spots. I love learning about daily cultural practices here, through living in this place and with this person, and my fluency in Spanish has increased significantly by constantly using the language in a casual setting.
Through the images in this article, you can explore the Royal Palace, or Palacio Real de Madrid that I toured this weekend, for a look into the daily life of royals. The Royal Palace was originally built in the 9th century during Islamic rule (around 800 AD), was then burnt down on Christmas Eve in 1734, and has since been reconstructed into it's current structure. The modern Spanish royal family does not live in the palace - it is purely used for museum-like purposes.
