Moving abroad to any country can be a life-changing experience in the best ways possible. However, this doesn’t mean that the adjustment isn’t sometimes difficult to navigate.
Adapting to an entirely different culture and way of life can be challenging, and Spanish living can feel like a new world compared to life in the US. Moving abroad can entail new languages, daily customs, culture and religions and even food. Here are a few things to expect and some helpful ways to adjust if you plan on moving to Spain.
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Beliefs and Religion
Most of the Spanish population is Catholic in faith and their religion plays a major role in their culture.
If you too follow this religion, this can be a great way to help you integrate into a community. If you’re familiar with the language, you might want to invest in a Spanish bible and join a church. If you don’t know enough Spanish to immerse yourself in this way, there will be plenty of English religious communities for you to join too!
If you’re not religious, it’s important to simply show respect for the faith and culture of the Spanish population.
The People
The Spanish culture is one of socialising and celebrating at any opportunity. Surrounded by such a friendly group of people, you should have no trouble making friends once you move abroad. However, you should take some initiative and show your interest by learning the language, participating in events and taking an interest in traditions.
Some traditional celebrations you can experience include religious festivals like Semana Santa and the Fallas of Valencia, as well as other fun festivals like Carnival and Running of the Bulls. Immersing yourself in this culture and these traditions will help you to understand the people and the history of the country a little better.
The Place
Spanish nature is more laid-back than what you might be used to, and it’s not typical that people have a ‘live for work’ mentality. This has an impact on not only the people themselves but the surroundings you’ll find yourself in.
You’ll find yourself on a new adventure every weekend, with plenty of fun outdoor activities to take part in and beautiful sights to see, restaurants to try out and nightclubs to visit.
On top of this, the country has a great public transport system, top-rated healthcare and a very affordable cost of living.
The Food
Your dining experiences in Spain will be far removed from what you might be used to but in the best way possible. The best way to adapt to this new way of eating is to embrace it!
Spanish cuisine is known for bold, intense flavours that arise from all the different spices used. Spanish dishes rely a lot on fish and seafood, as well as pork and other fatty meats. The food also reflects the principles of a Mediterranean diet which means you’ll see a major focus on fresh fruit and veg, olive oils, nuts and wine!
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