For most of my life, I resided in the Ruhr area of Germany, moving several times within my hometown of Gelsenkirchen. I also spent a brief period in Hamburg and about a year in Osnabrück, a city in Lower Saxony. Additionally, I spent several months in Canberra, Australia, working at the Australian National University. Although I never felt particularly rooted in my hometown, the decision to relocate my family and household to Madrid, Spain, was incredibly difficult. Our children were still very young, and while they already understood some Spanish, which eased the transition slightly, leaving our family and friends in Germany to move to Madrid was challenging. Initially, it was all stress, and we had no time to second-guess our decision because we had so many things to manage. However, once we completed the move and had a moment to settle in, we regretfully realized how much we would miss our loved ones.

The beginning was especially tough for me, as I was the only one in the family who couldn’t speak a word of Spanish. I threw myself into work to get my new lab up and running as quickly as possible, which wasn’t always enjoyable. Nevertheless, we were pleased with the location where we found our new home. After spending countless hours searching for an apartment from Germany via the internet, we finally enlisted a real estate agency and found a lovely place in Navalcarnero, Madrid. Navalcarnero is a municipality about 30 km southwest of central Madrid, with around 33,000 inhabitants. It boasts a rich history, having been founded in 1499 and gaining independent city rights in 1627. Its historical heritage is proudly displayed in landmarks like the Plaza de Segovia and the Church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción, which reflect centuries of Castilian tradition. Strolling through the beautiful historic city center, with its traditional architecture, lively squares, and local cafés, feels both charming and authentic. It’s a place where everyday life moves at a pleasant pace, making Navalcarnero an especially enjoyable place to live or visit.

Since 2010, we have been living in Navalcarnero, and we truly enjoy residing outside the bustling capital. During the COVID lockdown, we especially appreciated how fortunate we were to have a patio and a house near a pine forest, which allowed us the opportunity to go for walks or bike rides. By now, we feel quite at home in Navalcarnero, with its traditions, fiestas, and agricultural surroundings. While it would be wonderful to eventually have the train line extended to Navalcarnero to ease public commuting, we would never trade our home for an apartment in Madrid. After all these years in Spain, we can hardly imagine moving back to Germany. We would miss the blue skies and the warmth of the south far too much. While I’m uncertain if we’ll remain in Navalcarnero, as I still dream of living by the sea someday, for now, Navalcarnero is ‘mi pueblo‘.