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You are here: Home Life in Lifestyle Editor's Guide: Lifestyle in Spain

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12/04/2011Editor's Guide: Lifestyle in Spain

Editor's Guide: Lifestyle in Spain Here's an introduction to our Lifestyle section for Spain, from dating in the age of social media to shopping and gardening.

First coined in 1929 by an Austrian psychologist, the term ‘lifestyle' reflects the attitudes and values of a person or group, which includes social relations, consumption, entertainment, and dress. Being an expat, of course, is a lifestyle in and of itself. At Expatica Spain, we have all the articles you need when it comes to sculpting the expat life that's good for you.

Expat lifestyle: The chameleon
Expat life engenders an international outlook coupled with an ability to blend relatively ‘seamlessly' into other cultures. "Members" of the expat culture club are hard to spot; after all, expat living is an experience, not an identity. Expatica has tips for men and women on how to make it work, even when the expat lifestyle becomes exhausting, from dating to home living.

According to recent research, third culture kids (TCKs, or children who have grown up living abroad) "hide themselves in an attempt to blend into constantly changing surroundings." Your lifestyle as an expat might also encompass children, and Expatica Spain offers plenty of help with keeping a family climate healthy and positive. And don't be surprised if you find repatriating the most difficult acceptance for your kids. Learn how to make expat life enjoyable and comfortable for your TCK's present and future; even former expats like blogger Maria Foley know why the expat life was good for her kids.


Shopping and fashion
How you shop and what you buy certainly helps define your ‘image', and expats will be influenced by what's on offer in Spain no matter how much they resist. Read in our Lifestyle section how to look slimmer in your clothes and more about shopping in big Spanish cities like Barcelona. In the business world, first impressions can be lasting. Here are some tips for dressing across cultures.

Home decoration is key to the heart of comfort, so see how a little spring cleaning can do wonders for success. Even when it's time to head home, expats keep their taste full of memories. Have a green thumb? Dig deep in the dirt with gardening and planting, or dabble with landscape at an affordable price despite your location cost.

Making 'green' choices
Green living is a lifestyle, from organic clothing to green eggs and ham. Across Europe eco-friendly can only add value to a label. Reducing waste and choosing foods with a lower impact on the environment can also help us battle climate change, as article Buying food in the UK: Making greener choices illustrates.

When it comes to entertaining, benefit from one of our reader's tips on how to throw a garden party. Our article "Beat the crunch" offers tips on making good use of the things we would normally throw away.

Relationships and networking
Flirting across cultures requires just a little thought, and in the era of text messaging and social networking the approach has changed. Read ‘Love in the age of Facebook' and ‘Breaking up in the time of Twitter' for a look into the web dating world, while YouTube reports and articles on how teens consume media and internet tell more about online connections globally.

What is love? The marketplace of Eros examines this age-old question in the light of the modern world. And if you're single ready to mingle join Expatica Spain's dating site to increase your chances of meeting like-minded internationals. Or connect with other expats in the Expatica forums.

Just wanting a casual firendship? Click through for various listings of groups and clubs in Spain to find expats like you. Overall, enjoy the experience of life abroad -- a once in a lifetime opportunity.


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