Empowering Expat Adventures in Barcelona

Have you ever wondered why people choose to trade the comfort of the familiar for the thrill of the unknown, setting sail for other lands, and embracing expat life? It’s a question that sparks the mind, but only a few brave people do so. So, what’s the allure of planting roots in a bustling city like Barcelona? To shed light on this journey, we caught up with one of our dear clients, now happily settled in Barcelona since September. Alongside her partner and their two young children, they swapped the comfortable surroundings of the US for the sunny embrace of Catalonia, diving headfirst into the adventure of expat living!

Leaving your own country’s comforts behind is not a simple undertaking. However, it has the capacity to completely change your values and perspective on life. Our customer and her family decided to move across continents, and today they live in the beautiful city of Barcelona. They thought about moving during the COVID-19 pandemic due to the situation in the US. “We thought about the impact on our kids and also ourselves in our day-to-day lives. We thought about coming up with an alternative, another place, a place where we could reimagine our future as a family.”

 Barcelona is a very family-friendly and multinational city. Additionally, it’s a diversified city with plenty of options for expats, like international schools. Barcelona also provides a high standard of living because of its stunning architecture, lively culture, and easy access to stunning beaches. Additionally, the city offers a friendly expat community that facilitates a family’s adjustment to and success in their new surroundings.

International School for Expat Families

LearnLife is the international school that drew our client’s interest. There are two locations for this international school: one is in Barcelona and the other is in Castelldefels, a small coastal town close to Barcelona. Compared to most traditional schools, LearnLife offers a different philosophy. They believe that rather than continuing the traditional educational system of our grandparents’ generation, schools should better educate students for a world that is changing constantly.

In order to build an inspirational future, children should have access to human-centred learning. LearnLife strives to teach qualities such as developing positive connections and establishing personal ideals and vision. They support giving students the freedom to take charge of their education and build skills that will be valuable in the future. LearnLife also emphasizes the value of creativity, critical thinking, and teamwork to thrive in a rapidly evolving society. LearnLife is a great example of many international schools in Barcelona. Barcelona is home to many great international schools, which makes the city a great place for expats and their families to move here.

Becoming an expat in Spain

When migrating to another country or even continent, it is crucial to take differences in language and culture into account. Expats must remember that the customs and beliefs of the country they are moving to might not align with their own. A person experiencing culture shock may indeed feel very alone. When deciding to live elsewhere, it’s critical to maintain an open mind toward other social and cultural norms and values and put yourself out there.

One cultural difference that many visitors to Spain notice is work-life balance. Spaniards are accustomed to taking things more slowly and prioritizing their lives over their jobs. Compared to most other countries, Spain has a better work-life balance. Even labor laws safeguard this. A law such as this one requires that companies provide at least 30 paid days off and 12 public holidays annually.

Our client also saw the cultural difference between Spain and the United States;“I think what people talk about here is much more relaxed, life is definitely slower. Here there is so much more community, I think in the US everyone is very settled. Here it is so much more spontaneous.” Learn more about the Spanish business culture here.

One major benefit of being an expat in Spain, and more especially in Barcelona, is the wide range of communities that are open to anyone. It includes women’s societies, sports clubs, Erasmus groups, and expat communities. Click here for a list of worthwhile groups to join. Being a part of a community gives us a sense of acceptance. In Spanish society, friends and co-workers are just as important as family. Spending a lot of time with your loved ones over dinners and other fun activities is common, especially when it happens spontaneously.

For anyone deciding if they want to move to a new country, the language is significant. In Spain generally, not many people speak well English. Only 27% of the population in Spain can speak English. Which is much lower than other European countries. However, in big cities like Barcelona, Madrid, and Sevilla, as a non-Spanish speaker, you can still get around. Nevertheless, it is still very convenient to learn some basic Spanish, especially when you are in contact about more important matters like healthcare and housing to prevent any miscommunications. “We love Barcelona because it’s so international. You can use English pretty easily, but sometimes I think we should speak Spanish. But we are still learning and it’s going well!”.

Why choose Casamona to move abroad and become an expat?

Relocating overseas can be intimidating, particularly if you don’t have any contacts yet and find it difficult to get in touch with the appropriate people while being abroad and possibly experiencing a time difference. Casamona is here to help you navigate the process of finding a new home in a foreign country. Our team of experts can provide guidance and support to make your relocation experience as smooth as possible. We are focused on our international clientele, we speak many languages and have a deep understanding of the unique challenges that come with moving to a new country, as most of our team members are international. 

“We reached out to many different agencies, and frankly, Casamona responded the quickest. We were still waiting to hear back from some other agencies, but Casamona was very quick to provide us with the information we needed and answered all of our questions promptly. Also, our Spanish was not that good, so we liked to work with an agency with an international clientele. We met with Tine Mathiassen and a sales agent, and we felt like it was a perfect match.” Have you become interested in taking the gamble of moving abroad to Barcelona? You can contact us for more information and to start the process of making your dreams a reality. Contact us here.