Living in Spain

Navigating the practical and cultural sides of this vibrant country

Check bellow our impressions on what living in Spain is like and see if it will be a right fit for you. As usual, I’ll be transparent about my impressions, for better or worse. Keep in mind that even though Benalmadena smells likes flowers (it does!), life is not perfect even in Spain.

As soon as you arrive in Spain you’ll have to deal with the local documentation, which will be important for everything in your new life. I hope the topics above clarify what is needed and help you, wether you decide to do the documents on your own or to get the help of a professional.

Choosing a new home is such an exciting part of starting a new life! The future home was what I dreamed about the most before moving. The problem was that I couldn’t figure out the whole process of buying, and had quite a few doubts. I hope you’ll have less with the tips of this section!

Schools are the number one concern of many a parent that moved recently to Spain. But rest assured, Spanish schools are quite good and they do put effort into welcoming foreign kids and integrating them into Spanish society. Here I ‘teach’ you how to enroll, how the school system works and share our experience with both private and public schools. I think it will be on the exam!

Traffic, roundabouts, having a hard time finding a place to park, dealing with different driving rules… all things we experience when driving around Spain – better watchout. But the public transportation system comes to the rescue. I’m a fan of the trains! And I like the buses too, even more when they come on time…

This is both the section for culture – and there is so much to talk about culture in Spain! – and for cultural or reality shocks (calima, mosquitoes, water drought) as well as the topics I don’t know where to fit. 😛 I hope you enjoy the particularity of this section: a bit of the best and of the worst of life in Spain; day dreaming and reality check.

In the next page, Traveling to the Costa del Sol, you’ll find interesting activities to do with or without kids. Come to know more about the ferias, hotels, parks, shows, processions; discover with me, as I am still finding them out – I already know there are things going on all year round and that Spain is an amazing place for vacations! If you are still considering wether to move or not, check also our first section, Moving to Spain, where I share our experience and the things we learned on the way. Have a good time!

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