Today, a normal day in Zaragoza, pretty much how it usually goes.
Morning, coffee, out the door
The alarm goes off somewhere between 7:30 and 8:00. Brush teeth, shower, and then the most important part: the little coffee machine gets fired up. Thermos in hand, backpack on my shoulder, I head out.
The Casablanca tram stop is right in front of the student hotel. Tap the card, about €0.50 per ride. The tram is usually pretty packed, so I stand.
Something I’ve noticed: if someone looks older or would clearly struggle to stand, they get a seat offered almost instantly. Matter-of-fact, no fuss. Getting on and off is a different story though. In Germany there’s this unspoken rule that you let people off before you board. In Zaragoza, that rule simply doesn’t exist. As someone trying to get off, you have to actively weave through the people boarding, nobody moves aside, and nobody seems to think anything of it.
At the office
When I arrive at the co-working space, I have to ring the bell. No key, no card, either reception lets me in, or I go next door to Mundus and get buzzed in from there. Then I greet my colleagues, there are people from Poland here at the moment. Set up my workspace. After that: head down, three to four hours of focused work.
Lunch break
At some point, hunger kicks in. There are a few options nearby that I’ve worked through over the past few weeks: PrimMax, which is pretty close to a DM, an EROSKI, the Spanish equivalent of Penny or Lidl, the Café Le Petit Croissant, a burger place around the corner, and a tapas bar right next door.
Most days I grab a filled roll with a yoghurt or something sweet. Heating food up isn’t really an option at the office. The bread here isn’t quite what you’d find in Germany, but there’s a white bread I used to eat a lot as a kid. Every time I buy it, there’s a brief flicker of nostalgia.
Afternoon and the ride home
After lunch, work continues until the office day wraps up. Sometimes I run a quick errand on the way, today though, I head straight home.
In the beginning I’d often wander into the city after work, exploring corners and checking things out. That’s changed. I don’t know the city inside out, but by my own standards I’ve already seen quite a bit. These days I deliberately save the exploring for the weekend.
Evenings at the hotel
Back at the student hotel, there’s usually some sport on the agenda. Either the hotel gym or a run, a habit I’ve actually picked up here for the first time. I’ve found a route where I can cover a few kilometres without having to worry about traffic or losing my way. In a few spots it even has a decent view.
I keep cooking pretty minimal. The kitchenette is a bit small for anything ambitious, mostly I heat something up or fry something quickly. Depending on my mood, the evening ends in the activity room playing foosball, in the film room, or in the study room working on a personal project. Occasionally I drift toward the snack machine in the lounge.
Cinema night
Tonight I had plans to go to the cinema. Wednesday turned out to be a good call, the place was nearly empty and tickets are only €5.70. Hard to feel bad about grabbing popcorn on top of that.
Anillo Verde de Zaragoza is my current running route. Part of the path used to be a railway line, later converted for pedestrians and cyclists. At the cinema we watched Project Hail Mary. If you’re into sci-fi and willing to bring a bit of imagination: 8 out of 10 stars. Really good.
The rest
In the evening I call my girlfriend and read for a bit. I just finished the last Harry Potter book, for my evening reading I wanted something in a similar vein: adventure, a bit of fantasy. So I picked up Percy Jackson – The Lightning Thief. Hasn’t quite grabbed me yet, but I’m giving it a chance.
At some point my eyes give up. The book lands on the nightstand, and the day is done. Tomorrow the same rhythm starts all over again.