1 year ago practically day to day, I arrived in Spain. In Granada, to be precise. When I arrived, I planned to stay there for at least six months, to learn to speak the language well (and, I must admit, to avoid the winter that was falling on the rest of Europe). In the end, everything did not go exactly as planned and I keep my stay there a more than mixed memory. Whatever, Spain is an excellent country to emigrate. And if you do not believe me on my word, I give you in this article 5 good reasons to put your luggage for a few months (or a little more, according to your desires).
But before developing them, I would like to give you an advice which is for me essential when one decides to expatriate oneself in Spain. Book a plane ticket for one of the cities that tempts you, and see if you are satisfied with what it has to offer at that moment. Of course you need to prepare visa for Spain in advance.
There can sometimes be a big difference between the image of a place and its everyday reality. And admit that it would be a shame to come and settle in Seville or Granada before having tested the city beforehand during a pleasant and convincing stay according to your criteria. Book a week in a good hotel. Once there, take the opportunity to meet people and see if you like people, their mentality. Talk to locals; take the pulse of the city, and only then will you decide if you like it enough for an extended expat of a few months, or if you prefer to settle elsewhere.
That being said, let’s move on to concrete things: 5 good reasons to move to Spain:
The favorable climate all year (or almost)
The advantage of Spain is to be able to walk in shorts and flip flops almost all year long. As recently as last December, I spent my late afternoons on the beaches of Calahonda, near Malaga, admiring the sun set over the Mediterranean, while my friends were trimmings with jackets and scarves.
The ease of learning the language (and its usefulness)
Spanish is one of the easiest languages ​​to learn (the opposite is not necessarily true on the other hand; I could see it on the spot). The sentence structures are similar with some of other European languages and we can easily guess the meaning of the words when we see them in writing (or that the speakers make a minimum effort to articulate correctly – which is not always the case, especially in Andalusia with their absolutely frightening accent). Want to know how to learn Spanish effectively? Click here.
The cost of living particularly affordable
I must admit that this was for me one of the main criteria of my Spanish expatriation. My income does not exceed the 3 monthly figures, the cost of living in Spain allowed me to offer small pleasures that I would never have allowed elsewhere. Overall, if you move elsewhere than Barcelona or Madrid, you can divide the price by 3 compared to us on stuff (especially fruits and vegetables).
The ease of finding a home
What surprised me the most when I arrived in Granada, it’s the thousands of little words everywhere on all the posts, grids, trees, and any other display support of the city. Some are service proposals of the type ‘language course’ or ‘cheap electrician’, but most are roommate offers or apartments for rent. If you decide to go to Spain, the best advice I can give you for accommodation is to spend your first nights at the hotel or hostel, and go around your neighborhood looking for classified ads corresponding to what you are looking for. In a few hours, you will have already visited a handful of apartments, and maybe one of them will be your new home sweet home!
The relative security of the country
For my part, I put security among the paramount criteria when I decide to expatriate myself somewhere. I hate having to be constantly on my guard, always watching my stuff, watching people around or having to take a taxi to get around after 10pm. And on this subject, during my expatriation in Granada, I found Spain not dangerous for a sub. Of course there are some neighborhoods to avoid, but the city center and its surroundings are not afraid for someone who walks alone.
The 5 reasons above are the important reasons why immigration to Spain is increasing year by year.
