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I think about this country every single day
reminds me of fish and wine and olive oil and good cheese/pork and just chilling out - not my native tongue unlike my parents and I want to become fluent eventually
May 10, 2024
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i've lived in Spain for 3.5 years now, and my number one regret is not becoming involved in the "local" scene sooner. Many ex-pats say that it is impossible and not worth the effort, and sure, it can be fun to be in an anglophone bubble and you'll still have a great time. But befriending locals enriches the experience so much; rather than feeling like a glorified tourist, you can actually feel a part of it all. in my experience, most spainards are pretty open and excited to share their culture! a great way to do this is by going to intercambios (language exchanges) at bars, as a lot of people want to improve their english.
other miscellaneous advice:
1) idk how old you are but many museums are free/reduced admission for those under 30. there is a thing called a youth card which allows you to go to basically any museum, for free, as much as you want. this is one of my favorite parts of living in madrid especially; spending an afternoon at the prado, soaking it all in at a languid pace, knowing you can come back whenever is magical!!
2) spanish food is commonly hated on my foreigners but i love it so much now, peak comfort food. eat as much tortilla, bravas, huevos rotos, jamon, croquettas etc. as you can. drink vermut
3) working at a school is kind of a crapshoot. i've worked in two schools; one was wonderful, the other kinda hellish. like abbooo said communication and patience are really necessary— if you need support don't be afraid to ask.
4) watch spanish films and listen to spanish music. get excited!! being familiar with at least a couple almodovar films (they're amaze) (law of desire is the best) will be surprisingly useful in conversation
5) things take longer, life is slower, when it takes over an hour to get the check at a restaurant try to avoid frustration and take things less seriously
Jan 25, 2025
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specifically the fact I can’t speak or comprehend my family bc Puerto Ricans and dominicans speak so fast….. I get on my zoom (busuu language learning I love u) everyday but I fear I need to immerse myself in a country to pick this skill up
Apr 18, 2024
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hiii i have lived in spain for a few years and it has changed who i am and how i see life so positively!! im v jealous you're just starting the whole experience
re: the job—i'm not teaching atm but did for the three years before. i didn't get a TEFOL certificate so i taught through the auxiliars program (i was a teaching assistant). in my case, it was super chill, i didn't have to plan lessons and the teachers helped me a lot. in any case, most public schools in spain run from 9-2 which is a work schedule i'll probably miss for the rest of my life. private schools generally run on a standard 9-5 schedule. the main problem you'll come across in the schools is poor organization and communication. my main piece of advice is brushing up on language skills if necessary—knowing spanish helps you communicate with the kids and the teachers a lot better. to be honest, the job had almost nothing to do with why i moved here, i just wanted to live in spain. that was mostly not a problem. my main issue with the job was being bored.
okay, work aside—life in spain is a dream. spaniards value work much less than we do in the us, and it's a more social, laid-back culture. take advantage of it!! travel around spain—it's pretty cheap and there is sooo much to see. i never experienced "culture shock" or anything like that, but i live in madrid so it's maybe easier than in a pueblo. that doesn't mean it's always easy or that it doesn't take a bit of time to adapt, but i don't personally know anyone who has moved here and had a negative experience. sooo anyways idk what else to add but rest assured you're making a great decision
Jan 25, 2025
Top Recs from @aidanaguirre
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As often as possible
May 7, 2024
Jun 2, 2024
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The bastard child of the kitchen, the most misunderstood condiment
You might be underutilizing it, if you don’t like it I can’t help you
Apr 11, 2024