25 May Moving to Spain Was One of the Best Decisions I’ve Ever Made, Here’s Why
Moving to Spain was an amazing decision
I’m writing this as I sit on my little couch, in my little apartment, gazing out the window on my colorful street in La Barceloneta. The closest barrio to the beach in Barcelona.
Neighbors are speaking to each other loudly from their balconies while pedestrians are walking their dogs or scurrying to get groceries. Bright yellow and blue Barceloneta flags are waving in the salty sea breeze as it gently sweeps through the street.
I moved to Barcelona about eight months ago. After packing up my bags in Budapest, taking a one-month break in Venice, and traveling a couple of weeks in Asia, I moved to Spain to start my new adventure.
Now, this is the part where I should mention that it wasn’t my plan to come to Spain. It was kind of a last-minute decision, but more on that later.
I always wanted to live in Spain. Its warm weather, bustling streets, tasty food, and friendly people reminded me of Italy where I grew up. The language is similar, and it seemed feasible to learn in a short amount of time. Barcelona had been my prime target. A harmonious cosmopolitan community, beachy vibe, and a world-famous reputation for crazy nightlife.
In August 2019, I accepted an offer to work at my current company. Once signed the contract, I immediately started feeling butterflies in my stomach as I mentally embarked on my adventure.
I grabbed a notepad and jotted down a preliminary to-do list:
- buy new preppy clothes
- brush up on Spanish
- buy SPF (it’s super sunny there right?!)
- read up on some must-see attractions, traditional foods, and cultural facts to get to know the city
- Bank account
- Phone plans
- A HOME
…Ok, that’s definitely not an exhaustive list.
I grabbed the essentials and flew to my new home in Barcelona in October 2019, with a packed luggage and an open heart.
Living in Spain
Once arrived, I immediately noticed that the culture was similar to the one back home in Italy. People are warm, friendly, and full of life. Neighbors all know each other, cafes and restaurants are buzzing with people, and streets are packed with locals and tourists.
The food is delicious, the first few days were a tapas and restaurant tour for me as I gorged through loads of paella, tapas, and sweets of all kinds. I also had plenty of vermouth and local wines, which are to die for.
Plus, Barcelona has the beach. I’ve been missing the sea while living in landlocked European countries, so this was an absolute dream come true.
As aforementioned, Spain was a last-minute leap of faith. Before eyeing Barcelona and accepting the job offer, I was on the brink of taking a sabbatical and traveling to Australia. My ideas was to jump headfirst into an adventure-packed year in the great outback. I had my visa ready and my plan beginning in Sydney (beach please!), but I decided to follow my instincts and move to Spain. I didn’t regret it.
For me, adapting to Spanish culture wasn’t difficult, but there are some things I wish I knew before moving, and things someone coming from a different culture should know. So, I crowd-sourced some tips, asking locals and expats from all over the world living in Spain for their tips on moving here.
Now I’d like to share these tips, plus my personal experience moving to Spain:
Do your research
Researching the place you’ll be living in before actually moving is pivotal for managing expectations.
Looking up cultural facts, a bit of history, and getting to know the geography a bit better will go a long way for when you need to whip out some knowledge.
I visited Barcelona just once before moving and I fell in love. I definitely saw myself living here as I roamed through the crowded La Rambla and Plaza Catalunya, and ate my way through tapas.
I looked up what transportation was available, the different barrios (neighborhoods), local politics, and even listened to some extra Latin music!
This research gave me a better sense of what I could expect when I moved.
Learn Spanish
It may seem obvious, but yes, learning one or two sentences will help make your stay in Spain much easier. Sure, people speak English in bigger cities and tourist hot-spots, but are those the places you want to be limited to?
There are many apps out there to get started, such as Duolingo, Babbel, and Mango Languages (my new personal favorite).
When I first moved I signed up to a Spanish course in the city since I never studied it before, but even prior to moving I began practicing on the apps. I also listened to Coffee Break Spanish, a lovely podcast with bite-sized Spanish lessons.
Once in Spain, practice practice practice. Try speaking Spanish whenever you can and don’t be afraid to make mistakes! People really appreciate the effort and will be happy to listen and help out when possible.
If moving for work: sign up for Beckham’s Law
If you are moving to Spain to work, this will really be a Godsend in the long run. There are few things worse than taxes, but fortunately for all expats, the Spanish tax system has a glorious opportunity to save some money.
In your first six months living in Spain, sign up for Beckham’s Law.
What is Beckham’s Law? It’s a special tax regime that enables foreigners who anywhere in the Spanish territory to pay a flat fee of 24% only on the sources of income they get in Spain as opposed to a progressive tax on their worldwide incomes (anywhere between 19-45%).
So, basically, this exceptional tax regime helps expats pay much lower taxes, and be able to save loads of cash.
This normative is contained in section number 93 of the Spanish Income Tax Act and was first published in 2004.
Make sure to do your research and sign up ASAP. This application must begin within 6 months prior to when the job contract in Spain starts, doing it afterwards will end up in a denial.
How to apply?
To apply and enjoy this tax regime, you must inform the Spanish tax agency by filling out and submitting the model 149, which you can find here. Plus, you will also need to include:
- Job contract
- Your passport and NIE
- Social security number
After then, you will benefit from Beckham’s Law for up to 6 years.
Adapt and grow fond of the Spanish culture
The Spanish schedule
The Spanish have different schedules from Anglo-Saxon cultures. Lunch and dinner are much later, with people gathering around 2 pm for lunch and at about 10 pm for dinner.
If you’re keen on sharing a meal at the office, keep this in mind when scheduling breakfast and snacks! Coming from Italy, we eat quite late as well. In Venice, lunch is around 1 pm and dinner between 8-9 pm, so it wasn’t too much of a stretch.
But I still found it hard to not feel famished by lunchtime after a coffee-powered morning of meetings and work.
In the evening, drinks are typically around 8 pm and last a couple of hours before people head out to dinner. Drinks are usually accompanied by snacks, such as aforementioned patatas bravas and tapas.
Life is more relaxed in Spain and people have a looser interpretation of time. If you’re used to punctuality and planning, be ready for some frustration at first. Take it easy and know that not everything may go according to the original plan, and that’s the beauty of it.
Personal space and relationships in Spain
People are a lot warmer and friendlier in Spain than in other countries. People have a their own concept of personal space and relationships.
Please note, I’m not saying that anyone can just walk up to and grope you out of the blue. The Spanish have their personal space, but the moment you’re introduced to someone, it’s common that the distance is greatly reduced. Especially when it comes to parts of the body such as hands and cheeks.
People aren’t afraid to give each other a kiss on each cheek even upon just meeting them. This can happen both between male-female, female-female, and male-male interactions. But careful, these aren’t actual kisses, they’re mostly air kisses with people making the “mwah” sound for the kiss. Hugs aren’t as common but accepted.
As with every culture, there are unspoken social norms that dictate where one can touch another person. It mostly depends on the relationship (e.g. pat on the back is OK, while slapping someone’s butt definitely isn’t). Physical feedback, let’s call it, is also very context-based. You won’t come as close or touch someone from work as you do someone you met at a party.
After living in Spain a bit you’ll notice patterns and will be able to understand when things are and aren’t acceptable. But, be ready for more touching in general if you come from a colder culture and aren’t used to close contact.
Food and fashion in Spain
Similarly to Italians, as I found out, Spaniards value great taste in both their cuisine and sense of fashion.
There are many regions in Spain, with each having their own version of traditional cuisine. This leaves lots of room to explore a plethora of new flavors. Researching each place’s traditional food will help you navigate each city’s offerings. Overall, these are the most popular dishes to lookout for:
- Paella: a rice-based dish with a mixture of vegetable, meat and fish),
- Tapas: hot or cold appetizers, such as patatas bravas, chorizo, spicy lamb meat balls, deep-fried calamari, grilled artichoke, eggplant, etc.)
- Tortilla: Spanish omelette with potatoes and onions
In terms of fashion, Spaniards tend to be stylish yet conservative, when in business and social environments. Elegant accessories such as necklaces and watches are important for both sexes, respectively.
You’ll notice many people having different styles, but on average you can expect well-dressed folks on the streets of Spain.
Conclusion
Living in Spain was always a dream of mine and I’m lucky to have found a wonderful place like Barcelona to call home.
I wish I had done it sooner as Spain has the perfect mix of sunny weather, warm culture, friendly people, and delicious food. All chief criteria on my priority list.
I will write more tips as I spend more time here, but so far these are some useful tips for someone looking to move to this beautiful country. I hope I inspired you to take that leap and move here, you’ll love it!