studying abroad pushes you out of your comfort zone.

madrid
on film

you learn so much about yourself when you're figuring things out in a new place. every hoosier deserves to experience that.

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盛放于所在之处
wechat: jadewowgreen goodreads: jadewowgreen github: jadewowgreen
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about

jade zhao,
creative storyteller

i build calm, photo-first digital stories around identity, place, and memory. madrid on film is my anchor project: a 20-episode visual diary built from studying abroad.

this site keeps my personal vibe, but now uses a universal portfolio structure that can grow with new projects, writing, and experiments.

featured work

portfolio
highlights

Madrid On Film

20-episode photo diary with soundtrack pairings, custom hover captions, and editorial storytelling.

Visual Storytelling

photo sequencing, caption writing, and mood-based layouts focused on calm, emotionally clear narratives.

Creative Toolkit

html, css, vanilla js, github pages, light performance optimization, and content-first interface design.

journey

episode archive
spring 2026

the full madrid on film sequence stays intact below: 20 episodes, 80 photos, and the personal captions that shaped the semester.

episode 1

the part before
the good part

first week: jet-lagged, underdressed, and pretending i wasn't overwhelmed.

sounds like holocene · bon iver

Looking up at ornate cream-coloured apartment buildings with iron balconies on a sunny Madrid street.
Rooftop view of a Madrid residential neighbourhood with a Spanish flag, apartment blocks, and large white clouds against a blue sky.
Ornate black iron gates of the Palacio Real reflected in a rain puddle on the plaza, visitors walking nearby, Madrid.
The neoclassical facade of Almudena Cathedral with twin dark spires against a dramatic cloudy sky, Madrid.

i didn't know what kind of city madrid was yet, so i just kept looking up.

episode 2

your sign
to go

one yes. no plan. complete leap of faith.

sounds like run away with me · carly rae jepsen

Gothic brick church entrance with ornate stone archway, rain-wet stone steps and plaza in the foreground, Madrid.
Street-level view of Gran Vía crowded with pedestrians, historic early 20th-century buildings and a winged bronze statue on a rooftop, Madrid.
Stone statue on a plinth at Plaza de España with the Torre de España skyscraper rising behind it against a grey sky, Madrid.
Red-brick facade of the Museo del Prado with a no-dogs sign in the foreground and a lone figure walking past, Madrid.

i said yes before i felt ready, and the city met me halfway.

episode 3

what nobody
posts about

homesick days. lonely days. the week you almost went home.

sounds like homesick · noah kahan

Multi-storey Zara storefront glowing at blue hour, wet street reflecting traffic lights, Madrid.
The painted frescoed facade of Casa de la Panadería at Plaza Mayor bathed in golden afternoon light, Madrid and Community flags below, Spain.
Upward view between ornate Belle Époque buildings with curved facades and iron balconies on a central Madrid street.
The facade of the Royal Palace of Madrid with ornate stone carvings and a large clock tower against a clear blue sky.

nobody talks about the part where it's hard before it's good, but it was worth it.

episode 4

not
barcelona

everyone asked why madrid. nobody accepted "it felt right."

sounds like this must be the place · talking heads

Morning light filtering through trees in Retiro Park, Madrid.
Urban textures of weathered stone walls and iron railings in central Madrid.
Sunrise over the Manzanares River with modern bridges in the background.
Empty plaza at dawn with historic buildings casting long shadows.

some cities choose you back, and madrid made it easy to stop explaining.

episode 5

third choice,
first love

third choice. backup plan. total accident.

sounds like home · edward sharpe and the magnetic zeros

Narrow alleyway with colorful graffiti and hanging laundry in Malasaña district.
Evening light on a quiet residential street with parked bicycles.
Historic doorways and wrought iron gates in an old Madrid neighborhood.
Sunset over the rooftops with television antennas silhouetted against orange sky.

the ones you travel with weren't plan A either, and now i can't imagine any other version.

episode 6

calmer
here

slower mornings. longer coffees. no rushing.

sounds like put your records on · corinne bailey rae

Colorful fruit and vegetable stalls at Mercado de San Miguel.
Fresh seafood display with ice and shellfish at a local market.
Artisanal cheeses and cured meats hanging in a traditional deli.
Outdoor café tables with people enjoying tapas and conversation.

nobody here knew who i was before, and i let my pace change.

episode 7

what a
privilege

first-gen kid. far from home. standing in the rain in madrid.

sounds like ribs · lorde

Rain-slicked streets reflecting neon signs and traffic lights.
Wet cobblestones in Plaza Mayor with umbrella-carrying pedestrians.
Reflections of historic architecture in rain puddles.
Overcast sky over the Royal Palace with rain clouds.

to be young and abroad and just exist without explaining yourself is the whole thing.

episode 8

we met on
erasmus (it counts)

met in a kitchen. bonded in three days. friends forever probably.

sounds like we are young · fun.

Illuminated fountains at night in a central plaza.
Crowded bars and restaurants along a lit-up street.
Theatre marquees and billboards glowing in the evening.
Night view of the Puerta del Sol with digital screens.

our erasmus friendship survived airports, time zones, and post-semester silence.

episode 9

no more
madrid

last coffee. last walk. last time pretending it wasn't the last.

sounds like the night we met · lord huron

Lush greenery and walking paths in Retiro Park.
Crystal Palace structure surrounded by trees.
Boats on the lake with people rowing in the background.
Statues and monuments dotted throughout the park.

i started counting my last walks before i was ready to call them last.

episode 10

still here,
already grieving

still living it. already missing it. both things true.

sounds like august · taylor swift

Intricate stone carvings on a historic building facade.
Ornate ironwork on balconies and windows.
Modern glass buildings contrasting with old stone structures.
Detailed view of a cathedral's stained glass windows.

the last weeks of a semester abroad feel like showing up and saying goodbye at the same time.

episode 11

bloom where
you are

arrived unsure. left softer. left louder. left more myself.

sounds like bloom · troye sivan

Sunset over the city skyline from a high vantage point.
Empty streets at dawn, capturing the quiet before the day begins.
Final walk through familiar neighborhoods.
Madrid's flag waving against a clear blue sky.

i came here not knowing who i was becoming, and madrid knew before i did.

episode 12

tenerife,
no notes

one week. no wifi. completely unserious.

sounds like island in the sun · weezer

Street view in Tenerife with white buildings and palm trees under bright skies.
Historic architecture in La Orotava, Tenerife with cinematic mountain light.
Coastal scene in Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife with waves and volcanic textures.
Atlantic cliffs in Tenerife at golden hour with ocean horizon beyond.

the ones you travel with turned a cheap flight into sun, atlantic, and good memories.

episode 13

back,
but different

tenerife was warm and easy. madrid felt heavier coming back. like you knew something now that you didn't before.

sounds like the 1 · taylor swift

A young woman stands on an outdoor ledge at the top of a cathedral tower in Segovia, Spain, looking softly at the camera. Her hair is loose and windswept, with a small decorative clip. Behind her the dome and spires of the Segovia Cathedral rise against a dramatic cloudy sky, with red rooftops of the city and mountains in the distance. The stone walls around her are ancient and worn.
A young woman stands at the bottom of a grand stone staircase in Tenerife, Spain, smiling softly at the camera. She is wearing a black dress with a red flower in her hair. Behind her a large pink and grey stone building is draped with three ornate deep red ceremonial banners with gold embroidery, typical of Semana Santa Easter celebrations. Two workers can be seen sweeping the entrance steps in the background.
A young woman sits at a rooftop bar above Gran Vía in Madrid, Spain, smiling softly at the camera. The sky behind her is layered in pink, orange, and blue — the last light of sunset. The city stretches out below her, buildings lit up gold, street lights coming on. She's wearing a dark green coat, dark hair down. It looks like the kind of evening you don't want to end.
Two young women stand at a wooden kitchen counter during a cooking class in Madrid, both wearing matching striped shirts and tan aprons that say 'a petit oh!' They are smiling and holding raw prawns, mid-prep. Shelves of spices and ingredients line the white wall behind them. It looks like the kind of afternoon that becomes a favorite memory.

tenerife was easy. madrid was heavy. both necessary.

episode 14

coming
soon

coming soon.

episode 15

coming
soon

coming soon.

episode 16

coming
soon

coming soon.

episode 17

coming
soon

coming soon.

episode 18

coming
soon

coming soon.

episode 19

coming
soon

coming soon.

episode 20

coming
soon

coming soon.

contact

let's make
something meaningful

open to creative collaborations, storytelling projects, and internships.

wechat: jadewowgreen goodreads: jadewowgreen github: jadewowgreen