IS LIFE IN SPAIN ALL THAT GREAT? We enjoyed this chance to bust a few myths about life in Spain. But what did we miss? Maybe we could do a part 2 down the line! Let us know while we go off and take a siesta! 👇🏽
We just moved here in September from the US and we couldn't be happier. What we love is how convenient everything is and how the Spanish have kept a lot of the traditions but also embraced the modern world. I feel like they are integrating old and new beautifully. We live in the city and walk everywhere. We appreciate the specialized stores: bakeries everywhere, butcher shops, fish shops, hardware stores, shoe stores, book stores, etc., all within walking distance. Some things have taken a bit of adjustment, but the trade-off is totally worth it. We were eating in a cafe the other day and people would walk passed and say, "Buen provecho". Wonderful manners, too. Cars stopping to patiently let people cross. We live in Asturias and are so happy here.
@@j.n.sloane I am curious and if you don't mind me asking, are you retired? because the 11-year average unemployment rate is 13.8% and I am wondering if that is being factored into your experience as I am considering moving up to northern Spain from the US. Thank you and I hope you keep having a wonderful time!
I always think Spain and other European countries have a less materialistic culture. My perception maybe really skewed because I live in California, which has many areas on the extreme side of materialism. Every year folks line up at apple to buy the latest and greatest, with perfectly good phones in their hands. Sure there are wealthy folks who can buy-buy-buy, but many are spending every penny on “things” not because they need them, but because they want them. Also materialism flows right into the car culture here. Folks here will spend a high % of their income on car loans and leases for certain brands of cars. Folks will put this lifestyle of ahead of other big life purchases, like home buying.
@@FurrKnight, I am retired and you're right, that does make a huge difference. I don't know what the unemployment rate is here in Asturias, but this region doesn't rely on tourism as much as other areas of Spain. I'm happy to answer any questions I might be able to help with.
@@janemarie150, I think that their materialism takes a different form. I feel like the American consumer has been trained to a "throw away" society and because a lot of products are designed to have short lifespans, we came to accept replacing things routinely. As James and Yoly said in the video, the Spanish do love their cell phones and there are many shops that sell just accessories for cell phones, but in other respects they are holding onto their own manufacturing and I find it easier to buy Made in Spain products or at least Made in the EU. I think that the US got used to all our space and seemingly unlimited resources so we aren't in the habit of being frugal; whereas, Europeans don't have that luxury of space so they are more particular about where they spend. Just my theory.
I'm from the States. One aspect of Spanish food culture I had never heard about, but love now that I am here, is the menu of the day. You get 3 courses for the price of one (plus wine!) and choosing is so much fun! Usually my partner and I each choose something different and share so that we can try as many things as possible. Great fun.
Oh, I have another one: coffee. When I was in the United States I had expectations that the coffee in Spain would be really good (It's Europe...Spain is so close to Italy and France...). In reality, the coffee in Spain is not very good -- quite bitter, torrefacto, cafeterias don't use fresh milk for the cafe con leche, etc. I'm still experimenting with different methods and brands to find something I like. Hilariously, I had the opposite experience on vacation in Italy last summer. The first morning in the AirBnB, I made coffee from the free grounds provided by the host in a ceramic jar. It was fantastic, exactly the thing I have been searching for in Spain. I asked my host what it was and he laughed a good laugh at the American: it turns out it was the generic brand from an Italian supermarket chain. I bought 3 bags to bring back to Spain. Hey, at least there is always fantastic inexpensive wine!
They have that in the states, at least they do in NYC. (Although as a foreigner living there now from Denmark, I’ve learned there are a lot of things in NYC that other states don’t have at all, so that could be it?) It’s usually called prix fixe. It’s like $35 and you get 3 courses and a drink.
@@farrahsinkey2082 hahah you were in southern Spain, isn´t it??? Because I am spaniard, from the north...and I didn´t know about the torrefacto coffee until I watched a video of an australian girl who moved from the south to the north, and she mentioned the torrefacto thing...in the north we use real coffee and real milk, in Andalucia, at least they drink the torrefacto
@@farrahsinkey2082 Ask for a "café americano" or a "cafe con leche" if you don't like strong coffee. It's a matter of opinion/taste.If you are making it yourself, just water it down. Milk in Europe is processed differently and comes in unrefrigerated boxes or bags for long term use. Guess what? It is coming to the US now. Maybe Italy catered to American tourists? But enjoy your café con churros!
@@farrahsinkey2082 As a Spaniard I have to say you are right about coffe, torrefacto is shit. But at supermarkets like Lidl I can say that I found pretty good coffe if you buy 100% arabiga, you will see it in golden packages, the brand is Gold, and works fine for me.
I'm an Argentinean living in Galicia. My English husband and I nap every day, shops close from 14 to 16/17 pm. People in Galicia go out for walks or to the bar before dinner. Life is slower here, I guess, than in Madrid. Also, I feel it's very safe here, and I can compare it with one of the unsafest and dangerous countries: Argentina (you get killed for a cell phone). And always sun... hahaha! Galicia and the North of Spain is very rainy. Yes, I find Galicians to be really kind, nice, generous, I love them. I'm very happy here and very grateful
Once the pandemic is over and we can travel from the USA to Spain, we want to explore Galicia (A Coruña) and Asturias (Gijon, Oviedo) for our retirement. We like cooler weather, even the rain. Hablamos español pero nada de gallego. Puede ser, Asturias nos convendría mejor?
@@thomasmcdowell9057 Galicia and Asturias are two quite beautiful places. Nature is amazing in both but maybe more exhuberant in Asturias (which has more mountains). Galicia is culturally more different to the rest of Spain, it has two languages and a lot of celtic culture (don’t worry because in the cities most of the people speak in Spanish). And it has also more contrasts, because rural areas are more isolated but urban areas, specially A Coruña, are more cosmopolitan than Asturias ones. Both are great choices tho
@@thomasmcdowell9057 I'm in the same boat. I had to cancel my trip in March due to the pandemic... but as soon as we can travel again, I'll be spending time in Portugal (Porto and it's surroundings) and Asturias (Oviedo and it's surroundings). I'm hoping to figure out which one of the two places I like the best for retirement.
As a British English teacher living in Zaragoza I can say that for me, after 1 year....its the Spanish people i love☺.They live life with PASSION ( good OR bad) but they LIVE! Luckily for me 95% of the people I know are incredibly warm hearted and friendly.
@@grazianolaudisio3644 I'm a Kiwi living in Zaragoza and I think it's a lovely city. It's not on the tourist trail which is great. I don't speak Spanish yet but people are kind and patient with me. I can't comment on the school system as our children are back in New Zealand at university and working. Summers are hot and Wnter is windy but with little rain. Much of Spain and Europe is accessible via train, plan or bus from Zaragoza.
As the son of my Madrileño father (R.I.P) who immigrated to the U.S. a very long time ago, he would always have the need to get out and walk for an hour at about 11 or 2 pm, clearly his Spanish trait. As a middle-aged adult now who's first trip and tickets to Spain was smashed by the current pandemic, I have this same trait to get out and walk. I swear it's genetic..great video.
There are a number of things that resonate with the Spaniard wannabe crowd - however one of the things that I love is the pride and genuine nature that Spaniards have on simple and good things like wine, cheese, jamon, pan, and 'cosas tipicas' of their home, their region or their country. What I really love is the artisanal aspects of these practices (making Jamon, Quesos, Vinos y pan) and how much care and respect the true artists give to their craft. Spaniards are friendly and welcoming and I find that they want to share what they know to be good or incredible about their personal experience (food, drink, architecture, art, literature, etc..). Sure - you don't want to talk futbol in a mixed crowd of club fans as history and politics would be less confrontational - but on the surface topics of everyday living, I have found Spaniards to be very open and sharing.
I've known many areas of this planet and despite whatever anyone says about Spain, IMHO, I haven't yet discovered another country to live better than Spain overall ...
@@VincentGonzalezVeg Nope! I haven't learned anything anyone else can't learn, I'm not so arrogant ... nor do I compare anything, I'm not so rude, all countries have good and bad things. They're just sensations, feelings: I can't explain why Spain's my favourite place in the world.
The thumbnail for this video is hilarious and so was the "choking the chicken" part (yes, my mind did go there). I am not surprised by anything that you've shared, since I am familiar with the reality of Spanish living, but I do want to acknowledge that both of you look very radiant. This might have something to do with the new lighting equipment that you are using or that you have been traveling and enjoying yourselves. As always, thank you for educating us with your knowledge and I look forward to when you share your experience in Galicia via another one of your videos.
And with a map the distance Cadiz - Las Palmas is a joke that we are in the same country, but french people have Reunion or New Caledonia even far away-
I think the perspective of how much people work in Spain depends on where you come from. As someone from the US living in Spain the amount of holidays, vacations, etc. in Spain make me laugh/cry
Orginally from California and I lived in Valencia for nearly two years. Three things that haven't been mentioned: 1) Bureaucracy - much more oppressive in Spain 2) Pace - everything is done at a slower pace 3) Cost - for me, Valencia is about 1/3 of the cost of San Francisco with a comparable lifestyle
The pace its more related to regions. Its not the same in the Basque country than in Andalucia. About the bureaucracy... well thats an extensive topic. I lived in California and it took me way too much (literally months and like 5 visits to the office) to have my social security number that i needed for everything haha ironic.
Loved this....I will still have a rose coloured tint to my glasses when looking at Spain: the tapas, the drinking, the weather, the fun evenings, the difference in almost every conceivable way from cold North West England.....but I know it's not totally the reality. I love Spain. Gracias Tony
There is something primal about Spain that wasn’t touched in this video but it’s probably the overarching idea about life there and that aligns all the points made. Humans don’t need too much to be happy but gosh what a difference it makes the little things in life and feeling connected with our neighbours. Add to that the relative milder weather compared to northern europe and you have an irresistible mix. Why is it like that in Spain when compared to elsewhere in Europe, let alone in the US? There are many theories about this but that’s a different topic that could take hours, if not days, to comprehend
Thank you for providing a much needed break from waiting for the election results here in the US! I walk to work every day, but it's certainly not the same as walking in Spain (lived in Logroño & Madrid). There's just so much beautiful stimulus. I love that Spain makes you feel that it's acceptable to nap. I always felt safe walking around by myself as a petite woman.
I can't tell you how much I LOVE your screen capture! That was MY experience in January and February! I had NO IDEA Madrid and everywhere north would be bone-chilling! Lesson learned and thank God for Malaga, Barcelona and the southern coast!
You didn´t learn that in your first year of studying Spanish? We learned refranes, and one was about Madrid ¨seis meses invierno, seis meses infierno¨. The number of months varied with the teller.
In my experience, the main point about eating in Spain is not about whether you are ordering a "tapa" or "raccion", it's about the fact that even sitting in one single restaurant you decide as you go what you want to eat. You don't say at the beginning, I'm going to have this starter and then this main course, you just order something and see how it goes, and then you can order something else. And whether that happens in one single restaurant, or as you move from one place to the next, that is the main thing, seeing what you feel like next rather than carrying out a plan you have to decide on at the beginning. And they don't usually do that in so-called "tapas" bars in London or wherever, and that is the main thing that makes these not genuine.
Great video and very useful info. When in Spain I experienced the kindness of the Spaniards and the wonderful food but as you said no siesta observed at all. People work all day however I must say Spaniards also play hard too. 😁. I enjoyed going out at night and just eating and walking around. Tapas bars are very loud and full of life. I never felt afraid when out at night even though I wasn’t alone but all seemed very well lit and safe.
All these are exactly pretty much same with us Filipinos. ... From foods like jamon, queso de bola... all the way to being family-oriented, friendliness, being religious, and much love & respect for our seniors and parents. Well, thank you España for coming into Phils centuries ago. There are still plenty of insulares and peninsulares living in Felipinas until now.
I live near Lerida in Catalonia and it's quite different here. No tapas, extreme weather, serious people. (Yoli is such a warm friendly person which is not typical of people here). Economically my salary (per hour) hasn't changed in 15 years but everything has got more expensive so I have to work many more hours. On the plus side we do have some fantastic scenery and empty roads / trails which are a dream for cycling but little else to recommend! Our goal this year is to move to a different region. I'd love Castellon province but will probably end up close to Madrid thanks to work available!
I lived in Sevilla and I absolutely loved it. The only thing I didn’t like was the buses. I would wait at the bus stop for 20 minutes and the bus would come and just drive by because it was full. It happened all the time. I would just end up walking home which took over an hour.
Great place to retire!! Not such a good place to work. Visite España con mi familia hace dos años, me quede encantado, sobre todo con el caracter de la gente, te hacen sentir en casa. Saludos desde USA!!
USA - ESPAÑA En relación a la economía podría decir que aunque parezca que en España los salarios son más bajos que en USA, puedo explicar algunas cosas. Son diferentes formas de medir. En USA hablan de salario Bruto, y no NETO. Es decir que de ahí le tienes que quitar tasas, seguro de salud y otras cosas. Además hay otras muchas diferencias: En USA un SEGURO de carro cuesta como 300$ al MES. En Europa 350€ al AÑO. En USA el servicio de transporte público es básico o inexistente, con lo que requieres 1 coche por cada persona en la familia. En Europa el servicio de transporte público es excelente y perfectamente puedes vivir sin carro. En USA un seguro de salud que te de el servicio que te da el seguro de salud en España puede costar 800$ al mes. (España tiene el tercer mejor sistema sanitario del mundo) En USA los medicamentos pueden ser hasta 10 veces más caros que en España En USA hacer una carrera no baja de 50.000$ y hasta 200.000$ mientras que en Europa es gratis o como en España de 2.000€ al año (amortizando la inversión realizada, deberías quitar una buena parte del salario en los primeros años de trabajo) Un viaje en avión en USA no baja de 300$ cuando en Europa viajar entre paises puede costar 30€ a 100€ ya sea avión o tren de Alta Velocidad. En USA lo mismo que un profesional gana mucho, cuando contrata a otro profesional le paga mucho. En USA un abogado puede costar 200$ la hora.. y en España 50€ la hora. En USA los alquileres son mucho más caros. En USA no hay parques públicos como los hay en España (Público solo están los Mall) En USA el coste de la comida puede suponer el doble que en España En USA las casas de protección oficial son barrios invivibles, y en Europa muchas son de muy buena calidad. En USA las vacaciones no están pagadas, y en Europa tenemos un mes de vacaciones pagadas y más días festivos pagados. En USA no hay permisos de paternidad pagados, y en Europa te pagan 4 meses de salario para que cuides de tus hijos. En USA no hay servicio de cuidado de niños, y en regiones como Madrid tienes guarderias gratis hasta los 3 años que el niño entra a la escuela. Hay un soporte de días libres, ayudas a niños con problemas, a personas con pocos recursos, servicios gratuitos, subvenciones, conciliación laboral, integración social etc que no existe en USA. www.telemadrid.es/programas/buenos-dias-madrid/Comunidad-gratuidad-escuelas-infantiles-publicas-2-2111208859--20190409073245.html En España dan ayudas y descuentos para que las personas mayores viajen con precios muy reducidos.(IMSERSO) www.20minutos.es/noticia/3566652/0/que-es-el-imserso/ En España un profesor gana en torno a los 2.000€ al mes. th-cam.com/video/cN0oVi1A4Mw/w-d-xo.html Otra diferencia es que la jubilación en España para un profesor con 35 años de trabajo sería del 100% del salario y con TODOS los derechos Sociales anteriormente mencionados y en USA se jubilaría con el 50% de su salario. Y así podríamos estar explicando las diferencias un buen rato. Si dos personas trabajando , con dos hijos, dos vehículos, podrían necesitar 6000$ mínimo al mes para vivir en USA. Llevando a sus hijos a una guardería, los gastos de los dos coches, viajes, alquiler, gastos, etc prestamos para pagar la carrera, necesitarían pagar facturas de al menos 8.000$ al mes o mas en USA. En España podrías tener la misma calidad de vida por 2.000€ Todo lo demás lo aporta el Estado. Vacaciones, seguro sanitario, viajes subvencionados, medicinas subvencionadas, guardería gratis, etc. Un barrendero gana 1.800€ al mes, con 4 pagas extra, y trabaja 7 horas al día Un bombero gana en torno a los 2.000€ al mes Un policia en torno a los 1.800€ al mes Un profesor en torno a los 2.000€ al mes (salarios Netos, descontando todo)
@@TheRaul45tosavia el nivel de desempleo de españa es alto y la economia es muy inestable, estoy de acuerdo en mucho de lo que dices pero el seguro de autos depende de donde vivas, yo pago solo 140 al mes por 3 coches, las casas aca en USA son mas baratas que en España, creo que el sistema Americano tiene mucho que aprender del Europeo pero no todo es horrible.
@@TheRaul45 de acuerdo en mucho que has comentado, pero no está tan fácil encontrar un trabajo hoy en día en España, ojalá yo me movía a España ya. Otra cosa, lo que comentas de 🇺🇸 depende mucho de donde vivas, no todos los sitios son tan caros. Saludos
When I lived in Madrid and Aranjuez I walked so so much. There are so many things to see and do in every direction that it was endlessly interesting and pretty safe.
Great video, I have visited med Spain for a few years and lived in Spain for one year on the med coast south of Alicante and I love it. Of course the pandemic and restrictions currently have changed how people live but compared to South Wales in the UK it is pretty amazing. However, even here it gets cold in winter and the houses are built for summer so In the winter they hold the cold and we get the hot water bottles out..!.
Después de estar viviendo en el extranjero y volver a España, lo aprecio más que nunca. Sin duda es un país especial. Si fuese bien económicamente creo que sería el país ideal
Si tienes razon. He vivido en España y por amor estaba allí, pero el mercado laboral es una puta mierda. No hay trabajo y si lo tienes te pagan una mierda. Parece que los únicos trabajos estables en España son en lo publico o sea ser funcionario. Por eso volví tambien a mi pais donde hay trabago para todos, pero si no fuera asi me quedaría seguro..
@@lorenzoferandes9463 Emm... el desempleo en España es del 13% (Francia por ejemplo tiene 9%). ¿Qué esperas, venir del 3er mundo a limpiar baños y ganar como un ministro?
No entiendo lo de la economía. La gente habla por su experiencia y piensa que debe ganar mucho aunque aporte poco al sistema. En España hay muchísimos trabajadores que ganan mucho dinero y viven muy bien. Pero claro, solo se expresan los negativos a los que todo le sale mal.
Day drinking? I live near the Pyrenees in Girona, and the most popular breakfasts in the rural cafes consist of bread/cold meat/hot meat...and a carafe of wine or beer, all inclusive for a set price. Our village bar opens at 8am and the men are waiting outside lol. Then they drive off to work, then come back for lunch, repeat the process with Menu del Dia, inclusive of alcohol. :o)
I love seeing your videos, im mexican and im planning on moving to Spain, but im so afraid because i love my food so much, my family etc, im so scared but at the same time this helps a lot to take the big step.
Great video guys. Whenever my family and friends back in Ireland ask me about life in Spain I'll be sure to direct them here lol Like you said, tapas is a more complicated concept than people might think. I think the idea of tapas, "tapas crawls", "tapas bars" etc is very much geared towards foreigners and is used as a way to sell Spain, but it's not really the reality. I've lived in Spain for 6 years now and it's not a word you hear *that* often. For example I've never heard any of my Spanish friends say "vámonos a un bar de tapas", afterall almost all Spanish bars serve food. For me it sort of slips more casually into conversation, for example if you meet with friends and everyone is feeling peckish but you don't fancy a full sit down meal, you might say "let's go to X bar, tienen unas tapas muy buenas" o "ponen unas tapas muy grandes". Its like, going for tapas isn't the main reason for meeting or going out, it's more secondary. At least from my own experience of living in Spain (Madrid and Salamanca specifically). But like you said, can depend on the place. In Bilbao the pintxos culture definitely is more prevalent and it is the norm to hop around from bar to bar. Anyway sorry for the long comment, just thought I'd share my two cents on the subject lol
You are totally right. As a Spaniard living in Berlin, I miss this feeling of meeting some friends for a beer and then ordering some tapas without much thinking, sharing them while having a good conversation, which is the main reason to be there. In a tapas bar abroad people behave like in a kind of restaurant. "Ir de tapas" is an experience that cannot really be exported.
We use to spend winter months on Tenerife (this year on Madeira though). Spain is great now if we have money to spend. Not good to work (I worked 5 y. in Italy as chef and I dont think it is much different or better in Spain). Welcome from Finland!!
Yep. If you have a good job with a good salary it's great, otherwise it's not. Long working hours and poor family/work balance, if you have kids there aren't enough kindergartens and the Government doesn't help families enough. But if you love the "Spanish way of life" so much, it can be worth it to move there. It all depends on your priorities. There are Spaniards who have emigrated to other EU countries, received a better salary there but weren't happy overall, and those who could returned to Spain.
13- Mediterranean weather... due to the humidity, Barcelona feels colder at +14ºC, than Njarðvík at -10ºC. The first winter my husband came to Barcelona with me, I warned him to pack a good winter jacket, but he did not believe my words of Barcelona being so cold. He froze his ass off, and as I used to move around in a motorbike, he was sick when we went back to Iceland; stubborn ass. A part from the humidity, buildings are not really well prepared for the cold, or the heat, and since gas and electricity are quite expensive, people don't use climatizers as much as they'd like. ☺
Good one!! Yes and everyone has ideas about Spain that are kinda crazy but I guess that's how it is moving anywhere. Keep up the great content and thanks!
1600 hours worked is 400 less than Americans. Americans tend to work 2080 hours a year (40 hours a week), but we do have 2 to 4 weeks off for vacation, typically.
Knowing the languages is what truly makes life enjoyable in another country. I have friends who immigrated to the US many years ago and are still feeling unhappy with the culture and the language here.
I'm Spaniard and our economy is a disaster, unemployment is becoming higher and those who work are dealing with precariousness. Freelance taxes are one of the highest in the world, young graduates are emigrating, engineers, doctors etc. It's impossible to rent or buy a place to live, salaries are stuck since 2003, so it's normal to see people in their 30 working and living with their parents. Our economy is based more and more on tourism, less industry than ever, and a host of politicians have been condemned by corruption but they don't resign, it's just a political and economical mob ruled by banks, influences and manipulation. We have even a king condemned for corruption that is still receiving benefits... So, we try to enjoy food, sun and friends, because the rest is just bullshit.
Hi. Thanks for this openness about the economical situation. I just made a post about meeting someone in Madrid who I absolutely adore. I started thinking of how I could reorient my life to live here. I heard stories before about the things you describe: especially the difficult economic situation.... not to be negative but more as a reality check, it seems really hard to build a successful life in Spain after 40. I wouldn't have a clue where to start...
I am a Spanish speaker (Mexican) and the one thing I’m nervous about is the accent 🥹 I understand Spanish but there’s some accent where I’ll need the speaker to speak slower…
I really enjoy your videos, i think your energy, you both exude high energy which is very appealing. One fun fact for you: i am an older lady, 76 to be exact, and I was raise in northern Alberta Canada which is about as far away form Spain as you can get, at least it certainly feels that way, and m grandmother used a mop. Hmmm I wonder how that invention got to northern Canada way back then. Lol. Jus fun fact. I would love to still experience everything that is Spain.
Spain is a big country with very different cultures, north of Spain is more like north europe, south and specially andaluce is more relaxed. Visit valencia, sevilla or malaga and feel the difference.
There’s a quick screenshot of an el pais article, a great place to live, a terrible place to work, in the video. The longer work hours than Germany and France was like a cold douse of water on my dreams of living in Spain. Has anyone endured it for at least two years and moved to Germany or other countries for work?
WHOEVER THAT'S READING THIS , I PRAY THAT ONE DAY YOU WILL REACH YOUR DREAMS. ALWAYS KNOW THAT THE SECRET OF YOUR FUTURE IS HIDDEN IN YOUR DAILY ROUTINE. SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE DO DAILY WHAT THE UNSUCCESSFUL DO ONLY ON OCCASIONALLY.. which is investing persistently a little to get more
Thanks so much James and Yoly. This made me a little scared at first to confront my own potential rose coloured glassed about Spain and my want to move there. However you touched probably on the thing that pulls me to Spain the most and that is the last point, the Spanish Personality. The rest was a bit "oh no" and then a "well, actually that wasn't why I wanted to, but was also there" kind of thing. Mainly I think the grass isn't greener anywhere, however I think, the grass might be different, and the difference is enough of a reason. The rest is just life and problems and growth. Thanks again from Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Hope to see a few more about these "dose of reality" videos about living in Spain.
You'll meet a lot of friendly, unselfish, and party-lover people. you can't even imagine yet and,as a spaniard, I can assure you won't regret visiting us.
I've lived in Madrid off and on for about 6 years. They definitely have the "Work to live, not live to work" mentality. It's not even just about how much you work. It's how much you enjoy and take advantage of your free time.There are a lot of long weekends as well in Spain and many people take the entire month of August off. Spanish people also work longer hours but often have a two-hour lunch. And at least some of my Spanish friends told me that they work from 9 to 7 for most of the year and 9 to 3 in summer. Also, with regards to the siesta, aren't there still a lot of shops that close for 3 hours in the middle of the day?
German here: most Germans I know visit their families each week. Mostly on sundays, when most shops and businesses are closed, we meet our families and have "Kaffee und Kuchen" (coffee and cake), which is a cultural institution on German sundays, so I can not confirm that part. But what I can confirm is, that Spain is far more family friendly and open minded towards children than Germany.
I have always since i was like 10 years old wanted to live or at least soend more time there. Wanna experience the non tourist day to dat places. I took tiny spanish in school, im always learning more online 😉 Love the people þ, the language, the atmosphere and lets not forget the food 😜. Love your channel you are awesome. With love from Iceland 🥶
Great video as always and love that you are upping your game. I certainly ration my consumption of jamón and this week I was teaching the difference between "used to" and "get used to" and my example of something I will never get used to (slight exaggeration) is people drinking spirits first thing in the morning. That said I had a summer job the other year and I used to see an extremely ancient man (in a wheelchair) how was wheeled out very day at about 11:30 for his shot of anís so there may be something in it!
Much as I love Spain the amount of ridiculous cliches, for better or worse, is infuriating. People also have a habit of talking about Spain as a totality when the regions can offer very different experiences. I think the most obvious misunderstanding is that a holiday experience does not reflect working life. Unless you're connected or have a top job most jobs are insecure, have little career progression and are poorly paid compared to northern Europe. Just finding a job is a tall order, hence the massive exodus of talented Spaniards to northern Europe. Tapas, we all like it but it's no substitute for real food and is strain on your wallet if you have too much of it. A couple of pintxos and a glass of wine in San Sebastian will set you back $10 per person. Spain is a fantastic place to live if you have a good income and a great place to retire too. That's when the cliches become real. Brandy with your breakfast, long lunches, bottles of wine in the afternoon, late nights, etc, etc...Just like on holiday.
About the terrace, you would consider herbal eatable plants as "romero" rosemary "tomillo" thyme and others that will also keep your terrace free of flies. Also add a vinegar "chato" glass with one finger more or less in the kitchen to avoid flies. There is one American plant called jathropa curcas en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jatropha_curcas that also can provide anti mosquito oil potions. A "parra" that would provide you grapes and some shadow is also a great option.
Definitely can't share the security aspect in BCN. I'm here only for 3 months and already had 2 incidents that end up well only because everyone warned me about "pickpocketing" (because it actually can get quite a robbery instead). Not to mention my Spanish friends here who had their phones and wallets stolen anyway (just going home late). There are many beautiful places in Barcelona, including those that are actually very lovely at night. But I really don't want to risk going there. And I hate the whole thing of "be cautious when you go shooting on your iPhone"
Barcelona con los regidores que tiene actualmente a empeorado muchísimo en todo, sobretodo en seguridad y limpieza, no es ni sombra de lo que era hace 30 años.
I’ve been living in Spain for 11 years and definitely never have long, slow lunches 😅 I usually have an hour to cook, eat and clean up at lunchtime. So no time for siestas either! Sorry to burst anyone’s bubble!
'they will not try to turn a table in spain' okay i've been living in madrid since september, and i think maybe because of the regulations and bars closing early but this isn't true (at least anymore!). once you've all finished your drink, bars definitely say they need your table if you're not buying more drinks!!
This vlog just popped up on my recommendations so i clicked it to watch and when your wife started to explain about (Sobremesa) which iv never heard of, i listened closely, and she said “if you had lunch and your dessert and then you just stay their” but then next i thought i heard her say this at 11:15 Then Knickers Start To Come Off”😱😆😂🤣 i had to keep rewinding it but then i thought she said Lickers🤔😆🤣 hope you dont think im being rude as im not and thankyou on teaching me a few things i never had heard of before👍🏼
Los guiris llaman siesta al tiempo que los comercios están cerrados, de 2 a 4. Confunden ese tiempo que usamos para almorzar con la siesta propiamente dicha
There's nothing you can say in any way shape or form. I've been there and that's where I'm going to be spending some of my winter months when I'm fully retired... Away from the ridiculous touristy areas where I'm going to enjoy churros, tapas and jamon.... And wash it down with great wine. See you in about 15 years if I don't see you sooner 🍖🥘🍷🍷
We were considering moving to Espana from Los Angeles,, the main reason was cheap rents, and real estate prices, I’ve been to Spain a half dozen times but really use your videos to make our choices . I thank you for all the talks on moving to Spain. I think we decided to stay in the USA for multiple. Health reasons, but will still be visiting when this pandemic is over
@@KCFlightClub10 this is very old post from 2 years ago, we are planning on moving out of Los Angeles to another state probably Florida, Los Angeles has become too expensive
I enjoyed walking around Spain, but that depends where you are and what you want to see. You have to drive to many sites, but once you there, walking to explore the area is great. When I visited Andalusia area; Ronda, Nerja, Cordoba, Casares, Sevilla etc., we parked and walked the entire town as much as we could. You definitely need a full day to see it all...maybe a day and a half. I will return maybe in 2021, if this pandemic is under control and if Americans are allowed to return. Love, love my family's heritage.
Just caught your video and I would like to hear your take on retiring early in Andalucía. Alicante, Malaga, Ameria etc. I am use to the heat. I am from Hot Atlanta. I just need a place were its very active all year long and a need a good gym for my sanity. Any recommendations? Any questions?
Hi James and Yoly! I have loved your videos, and I am wondering if you can answer a question I have about Spain. Next year, I will be graduating from a university in Spain. As an American citizen, how can I stay here/ what are the best ways to get a work visa? Thanks for all your grat videos!
Hello friends! I am from Virginia, USA My name is Roger Hunnell me and my family are coming to Barcelona the end of May and we would love to meet some friends before we get there so maybe we can meet up for lunch 🙏 have a blessed day!
I think nowadays people look down to those who take siesta but ... What's wrong with that? I can't live without it, I'd be depressed with only the thought of not being able to taking it xd
Relax a bit more and listen to each other more in the videos please, it's sad to see how anxious you were to move on to the next point- people are also watching to become invested in you!
Adapt to a foreign country is not so easy, more Well complicated, the first dificulty is to learn language, the second to look for a Life, you are alone in a foreign country , you are isolated, alone, without your family , no support emotional or finantial, you only account with yourself, its better for you, to be a extrovert person, as you but not only foreigners has your personality or your facility for language, not all are as you, I can tell you one thing, I,ve been in some foreign countries for personal matters or tourism and I,ve been felt very alone and disconected and I ,d like to find someone that would felt me as in my home and there has not been like that,its not the same to travel by tourism and other thing look for a Life, its not the same, better to know somebody there , somebody that can help you or support you
Estoy contemplando una mudanza a España y alquilando un apartamento. Estoy jubilado de la enseñanza pues tengo mi pensión y beneficios de la seguridad social. Mis ingresos netos mensuales son 5,186 euros. Según lo tengo entendido, mis ingresos se depositarían en un banco en EEUU y luego yo podría transferir los fondos a un banco en España. Pasé mi infancia en Puerto Rico y trabajé como maestro bilingüe así que no tengo una barrera lingüística. Quiero vuestra honesta opinión. Gracias
Spain is a tough place to live depending on your family financial situation and education. I have lived many years in both Galicia and Andalusia and struggled very much with life in Spain, job unstability, difficulty to get the good pay, the permanent contract. Life was a constant battle when you do not have the education, the money and most important the enchufes. Now I am living in England, I miss Spain so much but here I have made something, the good job the good money, something very tough to achieve in Spain when you have the missing support. Un saludo.
@@jdlc903 You can not compare the two. Having any job at all in Spain as an unqualified person is so so difficult, nobody want to pay you properly, give you the contract you are totally disposable! I have many friends and family that arrive in England and within a couple of days are working. It is what English think are "rubbish jobs" but they are jobs and they are everywhere and they pay for living (predominantly warehouse jobs). For people in my family working in Spain 50 hours of the week on 1000 euro per month salaries as waiters STILL and in their 30s and 40s, every few months being thrown out, they can only dream to have the English "rubbish job".
@@TamAnjelica how does English "rubbish jobs" pay for living. Minimum wage zero hour contract vs expensive rent . Maybe if you work 50 hours and share a house or even a room.its okay when you are very young.
@@jdlc903 Hahaha it is not like that trust me, try coming from another country where the struggle is real to England and you will see it is not so bad. Until you have lived this you truly do not know.
IS LIFE IN SPAIN ALL THAT GREAT? We enjoyed this chance to bust a few myths about life in Spain. But what did we miss? Maybe we could do a part 2 down the line! Let us know while we go off and take a siesta! 👇🏽
We just moved here in September from the US and we couldn't be happier. What we love is how convenient everything is and how the Spanish have kept a lot of the traditions but also embraced the modern world. I feel like they are integrating old and new beautifully. We live in the city and walk everywhere. We appreciate the specialized stores: bakeries everywhere, butcher shops, fish shops, hardware stores, shoe stores, book stores, etc., all within walking distance. Some things have taken a bit of adjustment, but the trade-off is totally worth it. We were eating in a cafe the other day and people would walk passed and say, "Buen provecho". Wonderful manners, too. Cars stopping to patiently let people cross. We live in Asturias and are so happy here.
@@j.n.sloane I am curious and if you don't mind me asking, are you retired? because the 11-year average unemployment rate is 13.8% and I am wondering if that is being factored into your experience as I am considering moving up to northern Spain from the US. Thank you and I hope you keep having a wonderful time!
I always think Spain and other European countries have a less materialistic culture.
My perception maybe really skewed because I live in California, which has many areas on the extreme side of materialism. Every year folks line up at apple to buy the latest and greatest, with perfectly good phones in their hands. Sure there are wealthy folks who can buy-buy-buy, but many are spending every penny on “things” not because they need them, but because they want them. Also materialism flows right into the car culture here. Folks here will spend a high % of their income on car loans and leases for certain brands of cars. Folks will put this lifestyle of ahead of other big life purchases, like home buying.
@@FurrKnight, I am retired and you're right, that does make a huge difference. I don't know what the unemployment rate is here in Asturias, but this region doesn't rely on tourism as much as other areas of Spain. I'm happy to answer any questions I might be able to help with.
@@janemarie150, I think that their materialism takes a different form. I feel like the American consumer has been trained to a "throw away" society and because a lot of products are designed to have short lifespans, we came to accept replacing things routinely. As James and Yoly said in the video, the Spanish do love their cell phones and there are many shops that sell just accessories for cell phones, but in other respects they are holding onto their own manufacturing and I find it easier to buy Made in Spain products or at least Made in the EU. I think that the US got used to all our space and seemingly unlimited resources so we aren't in the habit of being frugal; whereas, Europeans don't have that luxury of space so they are more particular about where they spend. Just my theory.
I'm from the States. One aspect of Spanish food culture I had never heard about, but love now that I am here, is the menu of the day. You get 3 courses for the price of one (plus wine!) and choosing is so much fun! Usually my partner and I each choose something different and share so that we can try as many things as possible. Great fun.
Oh, I have another one: coffee. When I was in the United States I had expectations that the coffee in Spain would be really good (It's Europe...Spain is so close to Italy and France...). In reality, the coffee in Spain is not very good -- quite bitter, torrefacto, cafeterias don't use fresh milk for the cafe con leche, etc. I'm still experimenting with different methods and brands to find something I like. Hilariously, I had the opposite experience on vacation in Italy last summer. The first morning in the AirBnB, I made coffee from the free grounds provided by the host in a ceramic jar. It was fantastic, exactly the thing I have been searching for in Spain. I asked my host what it was and he laughed a good laugh at the American: it turns out it was the generic brand from an Italian supermarket chain. I bought 3 bags to bring back to Spain. Hey, at least there is always fantastic inexpensive wine!
They have that in the states, at least they do in NYC. (Although as a foreigner living there now from Denmark, I’ve learned there are a lot of things in NYC that other states don’t have at all, so that could be it?) It’s usually called prix fixe. It’s like $35 and you get 3 courses and a drink.
@@farrahsinkey2082 hahah you were in southern Spain, isn´t it??? Because I am spaniard, from the north...and I didn´t know about the torrefacto coffee until I watched a video of an australian girl who moved from the south to the north, and she mentioned the torrefacto thing...in the north we use real coffee and real milk, in Andalucia, at least they drink the torrefacto
@@farrahsinkey2082 Ask for a "café americano" or a "cafe con leche" if you don't like strong coffee. It's a matter of opinion/taste.If you are making it yourself, just water it down. Milk in Europe is processed differently and comes in unrefrigerated boxes or bags for long term use. Guess what? It is coming to the US now. Maybe Italy catered to American tourists? But enjoy your café con churros!
@@farrahsinkey2082 As a Spaniard I have to say you are right about coffe, torrefacto is shit. But at supermarkets like Lidl I can say that I found pretty good coffe if you buy 100% arabiga, you will see it in golden packages, the brand is Gold, and works fine for me.
I'm an Argentinean living in Galicia. My English husband and I nap every day, shops close from 14 to 16/17 pm. People in Galicia go out for walks or to the bar before dinner. Life is slower here, I guess, than in Madrid. Also, I feel it's very safe here, and I can compare it with one of the unsafest and dangerous countries: Argentina (you get killed for a cell phone). And always sun... hahaha! Galicia and the North of Spain is very rainy. Yes, I find Galicians to be really kind, nice, generous, I love them. I'm very happy here and very grateful
Once the pandemic is over and we can travel from the USA to Spain, we want to explore Galicia (A Coruña) and Asturias (Gijon, Oviedo) for our retirement. We like cooler weather, even the rain. Hablamos español pero nada de gallego. Puede ser, Asturias nos convendría mejor?
@@thomasmcdowell9057 Galicia and Asturias are two quite beautiful places. Nature is amazing in both but maybe more exhuberant in Asturias (which has more mountains).
Galicia is culturally more different to the rest of Spain, it has two languages and a lot of celtic culture (don’t worry because in the cities most of the people speak in Spanish). And it has also more contrasts, because rural areas are more isolated but urban areas, specially A Coruña, are more cosmopolitan than Asturias ones.
Both are great choices tho
@@thomasmcdowell9057 In Galicia we speak Spanish too. So you should not to worry about that thing.
@@thomasmcdowell9057 I'm in the same boat. I had to cancel my trip in March due to the pandemic... but as soon as we can travel again, I'll be spending time in Portugal (Porto and it's surroundings) and Asturias (Oviedo and it's surroundings).
I'm hoping to figure out which one of the two places I like the best for retirement.
Friendly tip from a fellow non English speaking person. You don't need to put am/pm if you use 24h system. xx
As a British English teacher living in Zaragoza I can say that for me, after 1 year....its the Spanish people i love☺.They live life with PASSION ( good OR bad) but they LIVE! Luckily for me 95% of the people I know are incredibly warm hearted and friendly.
How is Zaragoza? My wife, children and me are thinking about moving there from the Netherlands.
@@grazianolaudisio3644 I'm a Kiwi living in Zaragoza and I think it's a lovely city. It's not on the tourist trail which is great. I don't speak Spanish yet but people are kind and patient with me. I can't comment on the school system as our children are back in New Zealand at university and working. Summers are hot and Wnter is windy but with little rain. Much of Spain and Europe is accessible via train, plan or bus from Zaragoza.
@@peggymckenzie5290 I taught in Zaragoza, great city, I regret leaving!
As the son of my Madrileño father (R.I.P) who immigrated to the U.S. a very long time ago, he would always have the need to get out and walk for an hour at about 11 or 2 pm, clearly his Spanish trait. As a middle-aged adult now who's first trip and tickets to Spain was smashed by the current pandemic, I have this same trait to get out and walk. I swear it's genetic..great video.
Pero supongo que te enseñaría a hablar español??
@@27GLA y por qué lo presupones? Acaso tuene que hablar español? Le das al traductor y punto
There are a number of things that resonate with the Spaniard wannabe crowd - however one of the things that I love is the pride and genuine nature that Spaniards have on simple and good things like wine, cheese, jamon, pan, and 'cosas tipicas' of their home, their region or their country. What I really love is the artisanal aspects of these practices (making Jamon, Quesos, Vinos y pan) and how much care and respect the true artists give to their craft.
Spaniards are friendly and welcoming and I find that they want to share what they know to be good or incredible about their personal experience (food, drink, architecture, art, literature, etc..). Sure - you don't want to talk futbol in a mixed crowd of club fans as history and politics would be less confrontational - but on the surface topics of everyday living, I have found Spaniards to be very open and sharing.
I've known many areas of this planet and despite whatever anyone says about Spain, IMHO, I haven't yet discovered another country to live better than Spain overall ...
I would argue that Portugal is a better deal all around
@@newmoneymarcus I know Portugal and as I see it, there would be nothing to argue about my comment, sorry ...
@@rsnankivell1962 seems like you learned the lay of the lands a wee bit
How do they compare?
What about them are similar that you really appreciate?
@@VincentGonzalezVeg Nope! I haven't learned anything anyone else can't learn, I'm not so arrogant ... nor do I compare anything, I'm not so rude, all countries have good and bad things. They're just sensations, feelings: I can't explain why Spain's my favourite place in the world.
@Slaf Nankivell which part of Spain do you live in and have you lived in different parts of Spain.
The thumbnail for this video is hilarious and so was the "choking the chicken" part (yes, my mind did go there). I am not surprised by anything that you've shared, since I am familiar with the reality of Spanish living, but I do want to acknowledge that both of you look very radiant. This might have something to do with the new lighting equipment that you are using or that you have been traveling and enjoying yourselves. As always, thank you for educating us with your knowledge and I look forward to when you share your experience in Galicia via another one of your videos.
Thank you Gina -- and yes, I'm sure it's the lighting jeje
Of course there is a place in Spain with warm weather the whole year, you forgot Canarie Islands
And with a map the distance Cadiz - Las Palmas is a joke that we are in the same country, but french people have Reunion or New Caledonia even far away-
What about Andalusia?
@@Superinsanoguasa47 Andalucia is with a c not an s and is a sort of state having many major cities.
@@rodrigodemiguel8561 Andalusia is the english word
I think the perspective of how much people work in Spain depends on where you come from. As someone from the US living in Spain the amount of holidays, vacations, etc. in Spain make me laugh/cry
In most of Europe we do enjoy more vacations than people in the American continent, not only the USA.
Orginally from California and I lived in Valencia for nearly two years. Three things that haven't been mentioned:
1) Bureaucracy - much more oppressive in Spain
2) Pace - everything is done at a slower pace
3) Cost - for me, Valencia is about 1/3 of the cost of San Francisco with a comparable lifestyle
The pace its more related to regions. Its not the same in the Basque country than in Andalucia.
About the bureaucracy... well thats an extensive topic. I lived in California and it took me way too much (literally months and like 5 visits to the office) to have my social security number that i needed for everything haha ironic.
I would add misinformation and not being on the same page between government bodies or banks.
@Bob el Silencioso Not to mention that the públic administration has improved a lot since 2007 with the electrónic administration.
@@Alejojojo6 I wish it took me only several months to get/renew my Tarjeta de Extranjero every year.
San Francisco is shit compared with Valencia.
Loved this....I will still have a rose coloured tint to my glasses when looking at Spain: the tapas, the drinking, the weather, the fun evenings, the difference in almost every conceivable way from cold North West England.....but I know it's not totally the reality. I love Spain. Gracias
Tony
There is something primal about Spain that wasn’t touched in this video but it’s probably the overarching idea about life there and that aligns all the points made. Humans don’t need too much to be happy but gosh what a difference it makes the little things in life and feeling connected with our neighbours. Add to that the relative milder weather compared to northern europe and you have an irresistible mix.
Why is it like that in Spain when compared to elsewhere in Europe, let alone in the US? There are many theories about this but that’s a different topic that could take hours, if not days, to comprehend
Thank you for providing a much needed break from waiting for the election results here in the US! I walk to work every day, but it's certainly not the same as walking in Spain (lived in Logroño & Madrid). There's just so much beautiful stimulus. I love that Spain makes you feel that it's acceptable to nap. I always felt safe walking around by myself as a petite woman.
Glad it gave you a little escape Miriam! And yes, walking here is does indeed have a lot of stimuli
its not acceptable to nap-healthy people should be up and about-i only nap when sick
I can't tell you how much I LOVE your screen capture! That was MY experience in January and February! I had NO IDEA Madrid and everywhere north would be bone-chilling! Lesson learned and thank God for Malaga, Barcelona and the southern coast!
You didn´t learn that in your first year of studying Spanish? We learned refranes, and one was about Madrid ¨seis meses invierno, seis meses infierno¨. The number of months varied with the teller.
Great video.
Finally moved into our new home in Sagunto on Monday and loving it.
Congratulations!!!
Just up the road!
Yessss! Another NZer living in Spain. Love it here, my new home. Great video guys ❤❤
In my experience, the main point about eating in Spain is not about whether you are ordering a "tapa" or "raccion", it's about the fact that even sitting in one single restaurant you decide as you go what you want to eat. You don't say at the beginning, I'm going to have this starter and then this main course, you just order something and see how it goes, and then you can order something else. And whether that happens in one single restaurant, or as you move from one place to the next, that is the main thing, seeing what you feel like next rather than carrying out a plan you have to decide on at the beginning. And they don't usually do that in so-called "tapas" bars in London or wherever, and that is the main thing that makes these not genuine.
Great video and very useful info. When in Spain I experienced the kindness of the Spaniards and the wonderful food but as you said no siesta observed at all. People work all day however I must say Spaniards also play hard too. 😁. I enjoyed going out at night and just eating and walking around. Tapas bars are very loud and full of life. I never felt afraid when out at night even though I wasn’t alone but all seemed very well lit and safe.
All these are exactly pretty much same with us Filipinos. ...
From foods like jamon, queso de bola... all the way to being family-oriented, friendliness, being religious, and much love & respect for our seniors and parents.
Well, thank you España for coming into Phils centuries ago. There are still plenty of insulares and peninsulares living in Felipinas until now.
I'm sorry to say that, but you are wrong. Most people under 35 year old are not religious in Spain.
I live near Lerida in Catalonia and it's quite different here. No tapas, extreme weather, serious people. (Yoli is such a warm friendly person which is not typical of people here). Economically my salary (per hour) hasn't changed in 15 years but everything has got more expensive so I have to work many more hours. On the plus side we do have some fantastic scenery and empty roads / trails which are a dream for cycling but little else to recommend! Our goal this year is to move to a different region. I'd love Castellon province but will probably end up close to Madrid thanks to work available!
Thank you for this! I'm graduating college this year and am making plans to live in Spain for at least a year. My mother's of the family is from Spain
Muy bien, como siempre
Gracias Jonny!
I lived in Sevilla and I absolutely loved it. The only thing I didn’t like was the buses. I would wait at the bus stop for 20 minutes and the bus would come and just drive by because it was full. It happened all the time. I would just end up walking home which took over an hour.
Great place to retire!! Not such a good place to work.
Visite España con mi familia hace dos años, me quede encantado, sobre todo con el caracter de la gente, te hacen sentir en casa.
Saludos desde USA!!
Agree 100%
USA - ESPAÑA
En relación a la economía podría decir que aunque parezca que en España los salarios son más bajos que en USA, puedo explicar algunas cosas.
Son diferentes formas de medir. En USA hablan de salario Bruto, y no NETO.
Es decir que de ahí le tienes que quitar tasas, seguro de salud y otras cosas.
Además hay otras muchas diferencias:
En USA un SEGURO de carro cuesta como 300$ al MES. En Europa 350€ al AÑO.
En USA el servicio de transporte público es básico o inexistente, con lo que requieres 1 coche por cada persona en la familia. En Europa el servicio de transporte público es excelente y perfectamente puedes vivir sin carro.
En USA un seguro de salud que te de el servicio que te da el seguro de salud en España puede costar 800$ al mes. (España tiene el tercer mejor sistema sanitario del mundo)
En USA los medicamentos pueden ser hasta 10 veces más caros que en España
En USA hacer una carrera no baja de 50.000$ y hasta 200.000$ mientras que en Europa es gratis o como en España de 2.000€ al año (amortizando la inversión realizada, deberías quitar una buena parte del salario en los primeros años de trabajo)
Un viaje en avión en USA no baja de 300$ cuando en Europa viajar entre paises puede costar 30€ a 100€ ya sea avión o tren de Alta Velocidad.
En USA lo mismo que un profesional gana mucho, cuando contrata a otro profesional le paga mucho. En USA un abogado puede costar 200$ la hora.. y en España 50€ la hora.
En USA los alquileres son mucho más caros.
En USA no hay parques públicos como los hay en España (Público solo están los Mall)
En USA el coste de la comida puede suponer el doble que en España
En USA las casas de protección oficial son barrios invivibles, y en Europa muchas son de muy buena calidad.
En USA las vacaciones no están pagadas, y en Europa tenemos un mes de vacaciones pagadas y más días festivos pagados.
En USA no hay permisos de paternidad pagados, y en Europa te pagan 4 meses de salario para que cuides de tus hijos.
En USA no hay servicio de cuidado de niños, y en regiones como Madrid tienes guarderias gratis hasta los 3 años que el niño entra a la escuela.
Hay un soporte de días libres, ayudas a niños con problemas, a personas con pocos recursos, servicios gratuitos, subvenciones, conciliación laboral, integración social etc que no existe en USA.
www.telemadrid.es/programas/buenos-dias-madrid/Comunidad-gratuidad-escuelas-infantiles-publicas-2-2111208859--20190409073245.html
En España dan ayudas y descuentos para que las personas mayores viajen con precios muy reducidos.(IMSERSO)
www.20minutos.es/noticia/3566652/0/que-es-el-imserso/
En España un profesor gana en torno a los 2.000€ al mes.
th-cam.com/video/cN0oVi1A4Mw/w-d-xo.html
Otra diferencia es que la jubilación en España para un profesor con 35 años de trabajo sería del 100% del salario y con TODOS los derechos Sociales anteriormente mencionados y en USA se jubilaría con el 50% de su salario.
Y así podríamos estar explicando las diferencias un buen rato.
Si dos personas trabajando , con dos hijos, dos vehículos, podrían necesitar 6000$ mínimo al mes para vivir en USA.
Llevando a sus hijos a una guardería, los gastos de los dos coches, viajes, alquiler, gastos, etc prestamos para pagar la carrera, necesitarían pagar facturas de al menos 8.000$ al mes o mas en USA.
En España podrías tener la misma calidad de vida por 2.000€ Todo lo demás lo aporta el Estado. Vacaciones, seguro sanitario, viajes subvencionados, medicinas subvencionadas, guardería gratis, etc.
Un barrendero gana 1.800€ al mes, con 4 pagas extra, y trabaja 7 horas al día
Un bombero gana en torno a los 2.000€ al mes
Un policia en torno a los 1.800€ al mes
Un profesor en torno a los 2.000€ al mes (salarios Netos, descontando todo)
@@TheRaul45tosavia el nivel de desempleo de españa es alto y la economia es muy inestable, estoy de acuerdo en mucho de lo que dices pero el seguro de autos depende de donde vivas, yo pago solo 140 al mes por 3 coches, las casas aca en USA son mas baratas que en España, creo que el sistema Americano tiene mucho que aprender del Europeo pero no todo es horrible.
@@TheRaul45 de acuerdo en mucho que has comentado, pero no está tan fácil encontrar un trabajo hoy en día en España, ojalá yo me movía a España ya. Otra cosa, lo que comentas de 🇺🇸 depende mucho de donde vivas, no todos los sitios son tan caros.
Saludos
When I lived in Madrid and Aranjuez I walked so so much. There are so many things to see and do in every direction that it was endlessly interesting and pretty safe.
This is painfully very accurate. Love from Madrid xD
Great video, I have visited med Spain for a few years and lived in Spain for one year on the med coast south of Alicante and I love it. Of course the pandemic and restrictions currently have changed how people live but compared to South Wales in the UK it is pretty amazing. However, even here it gets cold in winter and the houses are built for summer so In the winter they hold the cold and we get the hot water bottles out..!.
Después de estar viviendo en el extranjero y volver a España, lo aprecio más que nunca. Sin duda es un país especial. Si fuese bien económicamente creo que sería el país ideal
Si tienes razon. He vivido en España y por amor estaba allí, pero el mercado laboral es una puta mierda. No hay trabajo y si lo tienes te pagan una mierda. Parece que los únicos trabajos estables en España son en lo publico o sea ser funcionario. Por eso volví tambien a mi pais donde hay trabago para todos, pero si no fuera asi me quedaría seguro..
@@lorenzoferandes9463 En lo personal (ingenieria) me resulta muy fácil encontrar trabajo. Otra cosa es que paguen bien.
@@lorenzoferandes9463 Emm... el desempleo en España es del 13% (Francia por ejemplo tiene 9%). ¿Qué esperas, venir del 3er mundo a limpiar baños y ganar como un ministro?
@@piloto88ed No, pero más o menos como en Holanda dónde me había criado.
No entiendo lo de la economía. La gente habla por su experiencia y piensa que debe ganar mucho aunque aporte poco al sistema. En España hay muchísimos trabajadores que ganan mucho dinero y viven muy bien. Pero claro, solo se expresan los negativos a los que todo le sale mal.
Day drinking? I live near the Pyrenees in Girona, and the most popular breakfasts in the rural cafes consist of bread/cold meat/hot meat...and a carafe of wine or beer, all inclusive for a set price. Our village bar opens at 8am and the men are waiting outside lol. Then they drive off to work, then come back for lunch, repeat the process with Menu del Dia, inclusive of alcohol. :o)
I love seeing your videos, im mexican and im planning on moving to Spain, but im so afraid because i love my food so much, my family etc, im so scared but at the same time this helps a lot to take the big step.
Let me know if you do decide on moving, I been thinking about the samething!
Cualquier rincón de España que elijáis vais a acertar. Y seréis bienvenidas. :)
You guys are soo energetic, I love you guys! ♥
Great video guys. Whenever my family and friends back in Ireland ask me about life in Spain I'll be sure to direct them here lol
Like you said, tapas is a more complicated concept than people might think. I think the idea of tapas, "tapas crawls", "tapas bars" etc is very much geared towards foreigners and is used as a way to sell Spain, but it's not really the reality. I've lived in Spain for 6 years now and it's not a word you hear *that* often. For example I've never heard any of my Spanish friends say "vámonos a un bar de tapas", afterall almost all Spanish bars serve food. For me it sort of slips more casually into conversation, for example if you meet with friends and everyone is feeling peckish but you don't fancy a full sit down meal, you might say "let's go to X bar, tienen unas tapas muy buenas" o "ponen unas tapas muy grandes". Its like, going for tapas isn't the main reason for meeting or going out, it's more secondary. At least from my own experience of living in Spain (Madrid and Salamanca specifically). But like you said, can depend on the place. In Bilbao the pintxos culture definitely is more prevalent and it is the norm to hop around from bar to bar. Anyway sorry for the long comment, just thought I'd share my two cents on the subject lol
You are totally right. As a Spaniard living in Berlin, I miss this feeling of meeting some friends for a beer and then ordering some tapas without much thinking, sharing them while having a good conversation, which is the main reason to be there. In a tapas bar abroad people behave like in a kind of restaurant. "Ir de tapas" is an experience that cannot really be exported.
We use to spend winter months on Tenerife (this year on Madeira though). Spain is great now if we have money to spend. Not good to work (I worked 5 y. in Italy as chef and I dont think it is much different or better in Spain). Welcome from Finland!!
Yep. If you have a good job with a good salary it's great, otherwise it's not. Long working hours and poor family/work balance, if you have kids there aren't enough kindergartens and the Government doesn't help families enough. But if you love the "Spanish way of life" so much, it can be worth it to move there. It all depends on your priorities.
There are Spaniards who have emigrated to other EU countries, received a better salary there but weren't happy overall, and those who could returned to Spain.
I cannot wait to have the chance to return to Spain. Hopefully soon. ¡Me encanta España!
You, Spaniards, are so sweet. Thank you2 👒🎩😎😍
hola from san antonio.texas USA luv your TH-cam channel about the motherland espana never been there.🇪🇸
13- Mediterranean weather... due to the humidity, Barcelona feels colder at +14ºC, than Njarðvík at -10ºC. The first winter my husband came to Barcelona with me, I warned him to pack a good winter jacket, but he did not believe my words of Barcelona being so cold. He froze his ass off, and as I used to move around in a motorbike, he was sick when we went back to Iceland; stubborn ass. A part from the humidity, buildings are not really well prepared for the cold, or the heat, and since gas and electricity are quite expensive, people don't use climatizers as much as they'd like.
☺
"OH yeah...my brother has very strong family ties....." lol
Good one!! Yes and everyone has ideas about Spain that are kinda crazy but I guess that's how it is moving anywhere. Keep up the great content and thanks!
1600 hours worked is 400 less than Americans. Americans tend to work 2080 hours a year (40 hours a week), but we do have 2 to 4 weeks off for vacation, typically.
Knowing the languages is what truly makes life enjoyable in another country. I have friends who immigrated to the US many years ago and are still feeling unhappy with the culture and the language here.
I'm Spaniard and our economy is a disaster, unemployment is becoming higher and those who work are dealing with precariousness. Freelance taxes are one of the highest in the world, young graduates are emigrating, engineers, doctors etc. It's impossible to rent or buy a place to live, salaries are stuck since 2003, so it's normal to see people in their 30 working and living with their parents. Our economy is based more and more on tourism, less industry than ever, and a host of politicians have been condemned by corruption but they don't resign, it's just a political and economical mob ruled by banks, influences and manipulation. We have even a king condemned for corruption that is still receiving benefits... So, we try to enjoy food, sun and friends, because the rest is just bullshit.
Hi. Thanks for this openness about the economical situation. I just made a post about meeting someone in Madrid who I absolutely adore. I started thinking of how I could reorient my life to live here.
I heard stories before about the things you describe: especially the difficult economic situation.... not to be negative but more as a reality check, it seems really hard to build a successful life in Spain after 40. I wouldn't have a clue where to start...
Educational and fun, you have a great way sharing all you know and love about Spain. Thank you!
I am a Spanish speaker (Mexican) and the one thing I’m nervous about is the accent 🥹 I understand Spanish but there’s some accent where I’ll need the speaker to speak slower…
I really enjoy your videos, i think your energy, you both exude high energy which is very appealing. One fun fact for you: i am an older lady, 76 to be exact, and I was raise in northern Alberta Canada which is about as far away form Spain as you can get, at least it certainly feels that way, and m grandmother used a mop. Hmmm I wonder how that invention got to northern Canada way back then. Lol. Jus fun fact. I would love to still experience everything that is Spain.
No Yoli, el clima atlántico no es frío, excepto en la montaña, que es otro tipo de clima. Y te olvidas el clima tropical de las Canarias.
Yoli is Madrid-centric, forgive her ;)
Dentro del contexto-cliche con el que viene muchos turistas, sí, el clima atlántico (cantábrico) es frio.
Att: un donostierra afincado en Madrid.
Spain is a big country with very different cultures, north of Spain is more like north europe, south and specially andaluce is more relaxed. Visit valencia, sevilla or malaga and feel the difference.
Ingleses que vienen al norte de España huyendo del clima londinense y resulta que llueve más
Tío, te veo en todos los vídeos sobre España xD
There’s a quick screenshot of an el pais article, a great place to live, a terrible place to work, in the video. The longer work hours than Germany and France was like a cold douse of water on my dreams of living in Spain. Has anyone endured it for at least two years and moved to Germany or other countries for work?
Así es aunque tengamos fama de trabajar poco, también es buena opción para la jubilación.
WHOEVER THAT'S READING THIS , I PRAY THAT ONE DAY YOU WILL REACH YOUR DREAMS. ALWAYS KNOW THAT THE SECRET OF YOUR FUTURE IS HIDDEN IN YOUR DAILY ROUTINE. SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE DO DAILY WHAT THE UNSUCCESSFUL DO ONLY ON OCCASIONALLY.. which is investing persistently a little to get more
That's true...
Cryptocurrency is a gamble. But everyone should be investing on....
@Judith Cheryl But anyone who is not investlng now is missing a tremendous opportunity.
@@maryamsuleeman3232 Yes. It's better to take risk and make sacrifices than to remain poor or settle for less..
lnvestlng in financial_market is what all rich people do. This is not a living but to grow our portfolio.
Spot on content ! Thank you for the interesting facts!
Thanks so much James and Yoly. This made me a little scared at first to confront my own potential rose coloured glassed about Spain and my want to move there. However you touched probably on the thing that pulls me to Spain the most and that is the last point, the Spanish Personality. The rest was a bit "oh no" and then a "well, actually that wasn't why I wanted to, but was also there" kind of thing.
Mainly I think the grass isn't greener anywhere, however I think, the grass might be different, and the difference is enough of a reason. The rest is just life and problems and growth.
Thanks again from Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Hope to see a few more about these "dose of reality" videos about living in Spain.
Love your comment Fanjan -- and yes, the personality is key. And it's not a myth -- it's a wonderful thing. A big chicken for you!!!
You'll meet a lot of friendly, unselfish, and party-lover people. you can't even imagine yet and,as a spaniard, I can assure you won't regret visiting us.
Very enjoyable!
Gracias!
I've lived in Madrid off and on for about 6 years. They definitely have the "Work to live, not live to work" mentality. It's not even just about how much you work. It's how much you enjoy and take advantage of your free time.There are a lot of long weekends as well in Spain and many people take the entire month of August off. Spanish people also work longer hours but often have a two-hour lunch. And at least some of my Spanish friends told me that they work from 9 to 7 for most of the year and 9 to 3 in summer.
Also, with regards to the siesta, aren't there still a lot of shops that close for 3 hours in the middle of the day?
Hi, I love your videos. I'm a follower from Spain ❤️❤️❤️
German here: most Germans I know visit their families each week. Mostly on sundays, when most shops and businesses are closed, we meet our families and have "Kaffee und Kuchen" (coffee and cake), which is a cultural institution on German sundays, so I can not confirm that part. But what I can confirm is, that Spain is far more family friendly and open minded towards children than Germany.
I have always since i was like 10 years old wanted to live or at least soend more time there. Wanna experience the non tourist day to dat places. I took tiny spanish in school, im always learning more online 😉
Love the people þ, the language, the atmosphere and lets not forget the food 😜.
Love your channel you are awesome. With love from Iceland 🥶
Great video as always and love that you are upping your game.
I certainly ration my consumption of jamón and this week I was teaching the difference between "used to" and "get used to" and my example of something I will never get used to (slight exaggeration) is people drinking spirits first thing in the morning. That said I had a summer job the other year and I used to see an extremely ancient man (in a wheelchair) how was wheeled out very day at about 11:30 for his shot of anís so there may be something in it!
Much as I love Spain the amount of ridiculous cliches, for better or worse, is infuriating. People also have a habit of talking about Spain as a totality when the regions can offer very different experiences. I think the most obvious misunderstanding is that a holiday experience does not reflect working life. Unless you're connected or have a top job most jobs are insecure, have little career progression and are poorly paid compared to northern Europe. Just finding a job is a tall order, hence the massive exodus of talented Spaniards to northern Europe. Tapas, we all like it but it's no substitute for real food and is strain on your wallet if you have too much of it. A couple of pintxos and a glass of wine in San Sebastian will set you back $10 per person. Spain is a fantastic place to live if you have a good income and a great place to retire too. That's when the cliches become real. Brandy with your breakfast, long lunches, bottles of wine in the afternoon, late nights, etc, etc...Just like on holiday.
About the terrace, you would consider herbal eatable plants as "romero" rosemary "tomillo" thyme and others that will also keep your terrace free of flies. Also add a vinegar "chato" glass with one finger more or less in the kitchen to avoid flies. There is one American plant called jathropa curcas en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jatropha_curcas that also can provide anti mosquito oil potions. A "parra" that would provide you grapes and some shadow is also a great option.
Definitely can't share the security aspect in BCN. I'm here only for 3 months and already had 2 incidents that end up well only because everyone warned me about "pickpocketing" (because it actually can get quite a robbery instead). Not to mention my Spanish friends here who had their phones and wallets stolen anyway (just going home late). There are many beautiful places in Barcelona, including those that are actually very lovely at night. But I really don't want to risk going there. And I hate the whole thing of "be cautious when you go shooting on your iPhone"
Barcelona con los regidores que tiene actualmente a empeorado muchísimo en todo, sobretodo en seguridad y limpieza, no es ni sombra de lo que era hace 30 años.
I’ve been living in Spain for 11 years and definitely never have long, slow lunches 😅 I usually have an hour to cook, eat and clean up at lunchtime. So no time for siestas either! Sorry to burst anyone’s bubble!
'they will not try to turn a table in spain' okay i've been living in madrid since september, and i think maybe because of the regulations and bars closing early but this isn't true (at least anymore!). once you've all finished your drink, bars definitely say they need your table if you're not buying more drinks!!
Great video as always. Never thought I'd see James choking his chicken on TH-cam though. 😀🐔
jeje - couldn't bring myself to use the actual language. Next time!
This vlog just popped up on my recommendations so i clicked it to watch and when your wife started to explain about (Sobremesa) which iv never heard of, i listened closely, and she said “if you had lunch and your dessert and then you just stay their” but then next i thought i heard her say this at 11:15 Then Knickers Start To Come Off”😱😆😂🤣 i had to keep rewinding it but then i thought she said Lickers🤔😆🤣 hope you dont think im being rude as im not and thankyou on teaching me a few things i never had heard of before👍🏼
🤣
Hmm, I'm New Zealander wanting to move Spain exactly for the reason where Kiwis don't really leave their house that much.
Los guiris llaman siesta al tiempo que los comercios están cerrados, de 2 a 4. Confunden ese tiempo que usamos para almorzar con la siesta propiamente dicha
Nice information
Love your blogs!!
If I were a monied person, every year I would live 4 months in Spain, 4 months in Italy, and 4 months in Taiwan.
Me apunto al plan.👏
That chicken got my dog all worked up.
Mine too 😆
Great video, we have been coming to Spain for twenty years and much of what you have said rings true.
There's nothing you can say in any way shape or form. I've been there and that's where I'm going to be spending some of my winter months when I'm fully retired... Away from the ridiculous touristy areas where I'm going to enjoy churros, tapas and jamon.... And wash it down with great wine. See you in about 15 years if I don't see you sooner 🍖🥘🍷🍷
We were considering moving to Espana from Los Angeles,, the main reason was cheap rents, and real estate prices, I’ve been to Spain a half dozen times but really use your videos to make our choices . I thank you for all the talks on moving to Spain. I think we decided to stay in the USA for multiple. Health reasons, but will still be visiting when this pandemic is over
Why?
@@KCFlightClub10 this is very old post from 2 years ago, we are planning on moving out of Los Angeles to another state probably Florida, Los Angeles has become too expensive
Love you guys!!!!
I enjoyed walking around Spain, but that depends where you are and what you want to see. You have to drive to many sites, but once you there, walking to explore the area is great. When I visited Andalusia area; Ronda, Nerja, Cordoba, Casares, Sevilla etc., we parked and walked the entire town as much as we could. You definitely need a full day to see it all...maybe a day and a half. I will return maybe in 2021, if this pandemic is under control and if Americans are allowed to return. Love, love my family's heritage.
Great informative video on the reality of living in Spain 🇪🇸.
You have crazy energy! Wonderful video 👍
gracias¡
Just caught your video and I would like to hear your take on retiring early in Andalucía. Alicante, Malaga, Ameria etc. I am use to the heat. I am from Hot Atlanta. I just need a place were its very active all year long and a need a good gym for my sanity. Any recommendations? Any questions?
Tapas. In US cities, tapas are much fancier and mini main courses rather than bar snacks as in much of Spain.
Stop interrupting the lady!!!
Hi James and Yoly! I have loved your videos, and I am wondering if you can answer a question I have about Spain. Next year, I will be graduating from a university in Spain. As an American citizen, how can I stay here/ what are the best ways to get a work visa? Thanks for all your grat videos!
What sort of income would I need to live comfortably as a retiree? Short term, not looking to move permanently. Tks!
Hello friends! I am from Virginia, USA My name is Roger Hunnell me and my family are coming to Barcelona the end of May and we would love to meet some friends before we get there so maybe we can meet up for lunch 🙏 have a blessed day!
Really enjoyed this video thank you
Working 1665 hours in a year? Man! Thats like 9 more weeks of vacation than I get here in usa.
I think nowadays people look down to those who take siesta but ... What's wrong with that? I can't live without it, I'd be depressed with only the thought of not being able to taking it xd
Relax a bit more and listen to each other more in the videos please, it's sad to see how anxious you were to move on to the next point- people are also watching to become invested in you!
As a spanish, thanks for the video.
My German Sheppard, Maya, LOVES the chicken. Olé
What's your best advice for someone that's wants to move to Spain after college? What would be a good degree to get?
Adapt to a foreign country is not so easy, more Well complicated, the first dificulty is to learn language, the second to look for a Life, you are alone in a foreign country , you are isolated, alone, without your family , no support emotional or finantial, you only account with yourself, its better for you, to be a extrovert person, as you but not only foreigners has your personality or your facility for language, not all are as you, I can tell you one thing, I,ve been in some foreign countries for personal matters or tourism and I,ve been felt very alone and disconected and I ,d like to find someone that would felt me as in my home and there has not been like that,its not the same to travel by tourism and other thing look for a Life, its not the same, better to know somebody there , somebody that can help you or support you
If you are in a suit and come into a bar for a drink, it's suppose to be a martini!
Hence the phrase: "A three-martini lunch."
:-P
Yoly is simply gorgeous 😎 Great advice btw.
I’m just interested because they have actually good urban planning
Estoy contemplando una mudanza a España y alquilando un apartamento. Estoy jubilado de la enseñanza pues tengo mi pensión y beneficios de la seguridad social. Mis ingresos netos mensuales son 5,186 euros. Según lo tengo entendido, mis ingresos se depositarían en un banco en EEUU y luego yo podría transferir los fondos a un banco en España. Pasé mi infancia en Puerto Rico y trabajé como maestro bilingüe así que no tengo una barrera lingüística. Quiero vuestra honesta opinión. Gracias
Spain is a tough place to live depending on your family financial situation and education. I have lived many years in both Galicia and Andalusia and struggled very much with life in Spain, job unstability, difficulty to get the good pay, the permanent contract. Life was a constant battle when you do not have the education, the money and most important the enchufes. Now I am living in England, I miss Spain so much but here I have made something, the good job the good money, something very tough to achieve in Spain when you have the missing support. Un saludo.
How did you do well in England?i feel like it can be very tough economically in England as well for a lot of ppl for the same reasons you said
@@jdlc903 You can not compare the two. Having any job at all in Spain as an unqualified person is so so difficult, nobody want to pay you properly, give you the contract you are totally disposable! I have many friends and family that arrive in England and within a couple of days are working. It is what English think are "rubbish jobs" but they are jobs and they are everywhere and they pay for living (predominantly warehouse jobs). For people in my family working in Spain 50 hours of the week on 1000 euro per month salaries as waiters STILL and in their 30s and 40s, every few months being thrown out, they can only dream to have the English "rubbish job".
@David Tienes toda la razón David. Fue simplemente una dosis de realidad para los que creen que es la panacea... jaja
@@TamAnjelica how does English "rubbish jobs" pay for living. Minimum wage zero hour contract vs expensive rent .
Maybe if you work 50 hours and share a house or even a room.its okay when you are very young.
@@jdlc903 Hahaha it is not like that trust me, try coming from another country where the struggle is real to England and you will see it is not so bad. Until you have lived this you truly do not know.
Thanks 😊👍
Just a comment on the work hours. The minimum work hours for a full time job in the USA is 2000 hours per year. Far more than any European country.