Mon, 28 May 2012
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Blogger Jeremy Holland talks about why Americans may find it exceptionally hard to adjust to life in Spain.
Who is this written for? I don't understand why someone who might have corporate-ladder ambitions would need to be told that Catalan is the official language in Barcelona. This is something you'd need to tell a person who only wanted to stand on the bottom rung of that ladder.
Who moves to a country expecting to make a lot of money without first doing some research, or having a position available? You're talking to two different target audiences: ladder-climbing career seekers and students doing "the European thing" who should go back sooner than the six or nine months you suggest.
By the way, having work define you is not solely American. Are you really taking full advantage of being out of the States or are you an "Accidental Expat"?
You would be surprised at the number of intelligent people who just want to "escape" where they are from and don't even speak the language and ask me every day via email... Do you think its a good idea for me to move to Spain. I give them the same advice as this article but it still shocks me that they haven't thought it through. And these are people who have highly paid jobs in the UK, US etc... It appears they have a romantic view of running away to a new life without thinking about how they are going to accomplish it!
Also, another piece of advice...save! We have a saying in Sitges.. "How do you make a small fortune in Sitges... The answer..Start with a big one!"
What if you can speak Spanish, have a graduate degree, over 15 yrs professional experience and do not need a work permit? My spouse is an EU citizen, and I enjoy all the benefits of working and living in Europe as he does, except voting.
Hi Keith,
I definitely think there's the Hemingway myth that everyone has about Spain, but I couldn't possibly take someone serious if they haven't already done a bit of research. I usually tell these people to run INTO the bulls.
I don't even take my friends and family serious if they want to come visit and haven't got any idea about what they want to do on their holiday. I'm not a tour guide and certainly not some type of immigration counselor. Certainly willing to help out, but do your homework first! I think the blog should simply state that people need to do their research before pursuing anything.
I question your use of the word "intelligent" here. One of the things that allows intelligence to flourish is to keep the capricious "escape" fantasy in check with a bit of pragmatic logic. No? Or have people gotten to the point that emotions are the compass direction they follow through life. I bit dumb if you ask me. And certainly dangerous in this economic climate.
Interesting article. Only a remark: Spanish, or Castellano, is by law as official as Catalan in Catalonia.
I find this funny that it is directed at Americans. I am American living in Sitges and have been for 6 years. What I have found in these 6 years is it is not only Americans who come to Spain with a dream of a better life and soon find themselves going back home. I know many Europeans (Dutch, Germans, French, UK) that find it very hard to live in Spain. The prices here are now on an even par with all these European countries, but the pay is far far less with more hours worked.
If you want to live in Spain that is great, but to expect to keep your old lifestyle is almost impossible. Lower your expectations and you will love it here.
Hi Jay,
I find the same thing, but the blog is written by an American, I'm Dutch-American and I speak from that perspective. It's improper to generalize outside of ones scope of experience.
I guess what you mean by lowering your expectations has to do with financial gains and career opportunities. I think that's the case everywhere in the world today so it really doesn't say much about Spain itself. I would have said it differently; something like, have realistic thought-out expectations. People in general need to, are forced to and are reluctant to "grow up" in unforeseeable ways when they immigrate.
Thanks for all the comments!
In regards to some of the questions brought up. I wrote this mostly for Americans because, unlike Europeans, they have to deal with the fact that they aren't technically allowed to work here which means their choices are limited as far as work. Also, you're right Jaye, they should do research, but I think it's easier said than done when you live thousands of miles away and your only resource is the internet. plus, the fact is you can't truly understand the way a country works until you live there.
Also, I don't doubt that in many countries a person's work is important, but I will argue that in the states this is particularly strong, so much so that the sense of self-worth is often tied to the job they have. this can be seen throughout American literature from Horatio Alger to Gatsby. To read more about this I suggest The American Idea of Success by Richard Huber. This part of the American psyche presents a unique challenge to moving abroad, I think.
So what does this mean? As many of you said, if a person's willing to lower their expectations and accept Spain for what it is, then you'll do well. But from my many conversations with Americans I've found that, while they'll often say this when they first arrive, the desire to be successful in terms of money and status often sees them going home before they planned to.
Stop feeling sorry for yourseld and face the facts..ES LO QUE HAY!!! There is no future in this third world country..LOL
Sincerely, Barrack Hussein OBAMA ( Oh Boy, Another Mistake America)
Solid article. When I moved to Barcelona for professional reasons (transferred), another tough area I encountered was finding a place to live. My advice to anyone wanting to move to Barcelona (and even doesn't know much Spanish) would be to visit http://www.bornliving.com/. All kinds of info on the hotspots around the city, advice for getting acclimated, stuff to do, etc, too. Hope this helps!
hello everybody!!! i'm a spanish guy who lives in valencia and maybe i think i can help you. First of all talking about languages is true that in all the country people know to speak in spanish (or castillian) as we called our language because it was born in region with the same name. The problem i find with moving to Catalonia is that although everybody will speak to you in spanish they will be always trying to speak to you in their mother tongue: Catalan. They have several problems with the rest of the country because they are imposing their language all they can. in my opionion living in Barcelona is not the best way to learn spanish altough is a wonderful city.
Talking about salaries is depressing here. I have travelled to some different countries in europe and i can say that prices are slightly higher than here in spain but salaries here are really lower. Here is very common for a recent graduate university student to earn 18.000 -20.000 euros per year (brutto) and in thre or four years to reach 25.000-28.000. In other countries of europe this figures are really different and many brilliant spanish students go to europe to have better professional careers.
Of course is not all bad about spain, we enjoy of thousands of hours of sun every year and what is more important in my opinion: natural light.
Furthermore, Our diet is one of the best in the world, we enjoy of fresh vegetables, meat, fish and all in a really reasonably prices.
Talking about money I think that a four member family with a total salary of 60.000-80.000 euros per year (both parents working) can live really well here. I mean to live in a flat in property 100-120 square meter 3-4 bedrooms, have a dinner every weekend travel in holidays and drive a pair of cars.
With this salary I think that you can live here really well but it is difficult to reach them even if you are really qualified.
Need a degree at the earliest??? For a premium and genuine MBA degree <a href="http://www.gurukulamuniversity.in/">click here</a>.
Who is this written for? I don't understand why someone who might have corporate-ladder ambitions would need to be told that Catalan is the official language in Barcelona. This is something you'd need to tell a person who only wanted to stand on the bottom rung of that ladder.
Who moves to a country expecting to make a lot of money without first doing some research, or having a position available? You're talking to two different target audiences: ladder-climbing career seekers and students doing "the European thing" who should go back sooner than the six or nine months you suggest.
By the way, having work define you is not solely American. Are you really taking full advantage of being out of the States or are you an "Accidental Expat"?
You would be surprised at the number of intelligent people who just want to "escape" where they are from and don't even speak the language and ask me every day via email... Do you think its a good idea for me to move to Spain. I give them the same advice as this article but it still shocks me that they haven't thought it through. And these are people who have highly paid jobs in the UK, US etc... It appears they have a romantic view of running away to a new life without thinking about how they are going to accomplish it!
Also, another piece of advice...save! We have a saying in Sitges.. "How do you make a small fortune in Sitges... The answer..Start with a big one!"
What if you can speak Spanish, have a graduate degree, over 15 yrs professional experience and do not need a work permit? My spouse is an EU citizen, and I enjoy all the benefits of working and living in Europe as he does, except voting.
Hi Keith,
I definitely think there's the Hemingway myth that everyone has about Spain, but I couldn't possibly take someone serious if they haven't already done a bit of research. I usually tell these people to run INTO the bulls.
I don't even take my friends and family serious if they want to come visit and haven't got any idea about what they want to do on their holiday. I'm not a tour guide and certainly not some type of immigration counselor. Certainly willing to help out, but do your homework first! I think the blog should simply state that people need to do their research before pursuing anything.
I question your use of the word "intelligent" here. One of the things that allows intelligence to flourish is to keep the capricious "escape" fantasy in check with a bit of pragmatic logic. No? Or have people gotten to the point that emotions are the compass direction they follow through life. I bit dumb if you ask me. And certainly dangerous in this economic climate.
Interesting article. Only a remark: Spanish, or Castellano, is by law as official as Catalan in Catalonia.
I find this funny that it is directed at Americans. I am American living in Sitges and have been for 6 years. What I have found in these 6 years is it is not only Americans who come to Spain with a dream of a better life and soon find themselves going back home. I know many Europeans (Dutch, Germans, French, UK) that find it very hard to live in Spain. The prices here are now on an even par with all these European countries, but the pay is far far less with more hours worked.
If you want to live in Spain that is great, but to expect to keep your old lifestyle is almost impossible. Lower your expectations and you will love it here.
Hi Jay,
I find the same thing, but the blog is written by an American, I'm Dutch-American and I speak from that perspective. It's improper to generalize outside of ones scope of experience.
I guess what you mean by lowering your expectations has to do with financial gains and career opportunities. I think that's the case everywhere in the world today so it really doesn't say much about Spain itself. I would have said it differently; something like, have realistic thought-out expectations. People in general need to, are forced to and are reluctant to "grow up" in unforeseeable ways when they immigrate.
Thanks for all the comments!
In regards to some of the questions brought up. I wrote this mostly for Americans because, unlike Europeans, they have to deal with the fact that they aren't technically allowed to work here which means their choices are limited as far as work. Also, you're right Jaye, they should do research, but I think it's easier said than done when you live thousands of miles away and your only resource is the internet. plus, the fact is you can't truly understand the way a country works until you live there.
Also, I don't doubt that in many countries a person's work is important, but I will argue that in the states this is particularly strong, so much so that the sense of self-worth is often tied to the job they have. this can be seen throughout American literature from Horatio Alger to Gatsby. To read more about this I suggest The American Idea of Success by Richard Huber. This part of the American psyche presents a unique challenge to moving abroad, I think.
So what does this mean? As many of you said, if a person's willing to lower their expectations and accept Spain for what it is, then you'll do well. But from my many conversations with Americans I've found that, while they'll often say this when they first arrive, the desire to be successful in terms of money and status often sees them going home before they planned to.
Stop feeling sorry for yourseld and face the facts..ES LO QUE HAY!!! There is no future in this third world country..LOL
Sincerely, Barrack Hussein OBAMA ( Oh Boy, Another Mistake America)
Solid article. When I moved to Barcelona for professional reasons (transferred), another tough area I encountered was finding a place to live. My advice to anyone wanting to move to Barcelona (and even doesn't know much Spanish) would be to visit http://www.bornliving.com/. All kinds of info on the hotspots around the city, advice for getting acclimated, stuff to do, etc, too. Hope this helps!
hello everybody!!! i'm a spanish guy who lives in valencia and maybe i think i can help you. First of all talking about languages is true that in all the country people know to speak in spanish (or castillian) as we called our language because it was born in region with the same name. The problem i find with moving to Catalonia is that although everybody will speak to you in spanish they will be always trying to speak to you in their mother tongue: Catalan. They have several problems with the rest of the country because they are imposing their language all they can. in my opionion living in Barcelona is not the best way to learn spanish altough is a wonderful city.
Talking about salaries is depressing here. I have travelled to some different countries in europe and i can say that prices are slightly higher than here in spain but salaries here are really lower. Here is very common for a recent graduate university student to earn 18.000 -20.000 euros per year (brutto) and in thre or four years to reach 25.000-28.000. In other countries of europe this figures are really different and many brilliant spanish students go to europe to have better professional careers.
Of course is not all bad about spain, we enjoy of thousands of hours of sun every year and what is more important in my opinion: natural light.
Furthermore, Our diet is one of the best in the world, we enjoy of fresh vegetables, meat, fish and all in a really reasonably prices.
Talking about money I think that a four member family with a total salary of 60.000-80.000 euros per year (both parents working) can live really well here. I mean to live in a flat in property 100-120 square meter 3-4 bedrooms, have a dinner every weekend travel in holidays and drive a pair of cars.
With this salary I think that you can live here really well but it is difficult to reach them even if you are really qualified.
Need a degree at the earliest??? For a premium and genuine MBA degree <a href="http://www.gurukulamuniversity.in/">click here</a>.
Expatica's Getting Started section will provide practical information on how you can open a bank account, exchange your driving licence, improve your Spanish, and more.
Here's a guide to an extensive list of groups and clubs in Madrid for expats, from sports groups to social and family gatherings.
A brief introduction to our Tax section for Spain, from help with inheritance tax to accounting advice.
Here's a short introduction to our Banking section for those living in Spain, from what to ask the experts to opening a Spanish bank account.
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