Madrid secondment story

Having fallen in love with Madrid during my year abroad at university, coming back here on secondment was a dream come true. This time around presents a whole new challenge as I adjust to working life in the financing team at Uría Menéndez, Slaughter and May’s Spanish "best friend". However, the transition has been made easier by the warm welcome I have received from everyone and I feel much more like a madrileño (someone from Madrid) on this occasion.

I have been given a good level of responsibility in the office, including involvement in the closing of a large energy deal, the drawing up of a shareholder bank guarantee and the drafting of certain services agreements for a joint venture arrangement. I am currently contributing to an academic article on mortgage loan portfolio transfers. Speaking to my colleagues and working in Spanish every day has meant that my language skills have improved enormously.

Out of work, life is never dull. Forget New York - Madrid can truly lay claim to the title as the city that never sleeps! Spaniards won’t even think about going out to dinner before 9.30pm and don’t expect anyone to be in a club before about 2.30am. But aside from being a party city, Madrid is not short on culture and proudly boasts some of the finest art galleries in the world, one of which, El Prado, I was fortunate enough to be taken to on a work visit. Madrid is also fiercely traditional and maintains many of its age-old customs - I witnessed this first hand by going to a bullfight at the weekend - something I will not repeat but am glad to have experienced!

Overall, my Spanish secondment has so far fulfilled all of my expectations. If you want to work hard but enjoy sunshine, tapas and fiesta, then Madrid is the place for you!

• Holly Sage
• Trainee secondment