Top Reasons to Live in Spain

I’ve really enjoyed my time in Barcelona and am considering spending more time here over the summer – I’m not quite sure yet if I’m ready to leave. Many people seem somewhat confused when I tell them I’ve moved to Spain from Australia, as if Australia is regarded as a paradise. I always find it funny because while I love Australia, if I could live in Spain forever I really would. There’s so many great things about Spain, and if you’ve not been here or not visited then you might be none-the-wiser, so I thought I’d clue you up:

1) Great Food
Pintxos, churros, paella and so on, Spanish food is delicious. In southern Spain you often get complementary tapas with your drinks when in bars – who doesn’t love free, tiny food? Not only are the meals delicious, but because of the great climate in Spain the food itself that grows here is delicious, very flavoursome and really affordable. Food is so cheap here compared to Australia, and that includes eating out or just buying the ingredients yourself.

2) Easy, affordable transport
Some parts of Europe are ridiculously expensive to get around, which is kind of a bummer. If you’re living somewhere as an au pair, you should really make the most of your weekends and free time, and explore. Spain has Alsa which is the bus company that allows you to travel across the country for cheap. Many of the buses even have WIFI, so you can browse Facebook or my blog while you travel between places.

3) The people are fun
I’ve spent some time in countries where the majority of people didn’t seem to be fun, or particularly social. While there’s nothing wrong with that, I’m quite a social person so the Spanish lifestyle suits me well. My host parents regularly go out with their friends until the wee hours of the morning, leaving the kids with the grandparents. I like that just because they’ve had a family doesn’t mean they put their lives on hold.

4) Lots of free stuff
From browsing cute outdoor markets, to enjoying some of the best parks in the world, there’s a lot of great free things to do in Spain. Barcelona’s got the beach, of course, and there are a handful of museums that are free on certain days of the week or month. Even though I’m paid as an au pair, it’s not a huge amount of money so it helps to find cheap/free things to do and Spain’s perfect for that.

5) Amazing shopping
The Spanish love to shop and they love to look good. I’d say overall the Spanish standard of dress is much higher than back home and you’ll frequently see girls dolled up who are just nipping to the store. During the summer months there’s a crazy sale, usually around July or August and I’m saving my pennies and waiting.

Spain is such a great place to live, there’s so much to do and see and it’s surprisingly affordable. If you are thinking about moving here but aren’t sure – do it! It’ll be one of the best experiences you could ever have.