Moving from the UK to Spain wasn’t difficult for this young woman who goes by the pseudonym SH. Living in Barcelona, though, is another story. Let SH tell you what she thinks are the highs and lows of living and working in Catalonia’s capital city.	SH

January 18 2007

-Where were you born?
UK

-In which country and city are you living now?
Spain, Barcelona

-Are you living alone or with your family?
I live with two flatmates.

-How long have you been living in Spain?
2 years

-What is your age?
24

-When did you come up with the idea of living in Spain?
As I am half Spanish I always spent vacations in Spain with my family when I was younger. This influenced my decision to study Spanish at University and spend a year abroad studying in Madrid. I spent my final year studying in the UK and found that I really missed living in Spain, as luck would have it, shortly after leaving university I was offered a job in Barcelona.

-Was it hard to get a visa or a working permit?
No – I come from an EU country.

-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived?
I currently use the Spanish national healthcare system.

-How do you make your living in Spain? Do you have any type of income generated?
I was offered a job before I moved here and 2 years later I am still working in the same place. I was fortunate enough to make contacts before I arrived so I did not have all the problems many ex-pats have looking for jobs.

-Do you speak Spanish and do you think it's important to speak the local language?
I speak fluent Spanish, although in Barcelona it is very easy to get by with no Spanish at all. There are so many foreigners living here it is not surprising if you don’t meet any locals especially if you spend your time in ex-pat hang outs. Saying this I do think that it is important for expats to respect and observe the local customs and make an effort with the language. There are loads of excellent language schools where you can take an intensive course and have a basic knowledge in no time. I do not, as yet, speak Catalan and I get the feeling that locals can look down on you for this. They can also be very nationalistic with regards to Catalunya and get offended if you try and debate with them on the subject :P

-Do you miss home and family sometimes?
Of course I miss my family on occasion! But living here is great, the lifestyle is much more laid back and it is great to have the beach so close by in Summer and the mountains for skiing in Winter. There are hundreds of bars and terraces where you can just hang out and watch the world go by. It is also a fantastic city for seeing the latest up and coming bands.

-Do you have other plans for the future?
One day I would love to travel around South America.

-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it?
Housing in Barcelona is ridiculously expensive. Young people here are finding it increasingly difficult to get on the property ladder. Even the price of renting is very high: a 2-bedroom apartment can easily cost 1000 Euros in central Barcelona. There is no way I could consider buying a property by myself, which is why a lot of Spaniards live with their parents until they are married. I currently share an apartment with 2 other people as the rent is so high.

-What is the cost of living in Spain?
Barcelona is an expensive city compared to the rest of Spain. Its reputation as the New York of Europe means a constant influx of tourists and therefore tourist prices are the norm.

-What do you think about the Spaniards?
I find Catalans to be a lot more closed than other Spaniards I have encountered in Andalusia and Madrid for example. They seem wary of foreigners and non-Catalan speaking people and as such make little attempt to socialise with them. From my experience, Catalan men approach foreign girls for fun but when looking for something more serious would never look at dating/marrying a non-Catalan/Spaniard. The Spaniards still have quite traditional views about things like marriage and dating.

-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in Spain?
On the plus side - The way of life is so much more laid back. The weather is great! There are miles of stunning coastline less than an hour away, the mountains are also just as close. The city is vibrant and exciting. There is never a shortage of things to do!

On the minus side – Everything always seems to take forever to do and there are queues for everything. The wages are very low and the living cost is very high :(. In Catalunya, all official documents are written in Catalan which can be difficult for someone who has just moved here and has no knowledge of the language.

-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in Spain?
Look for the local English magazines/newspapers. They are usually free and can provide a wealth of information on living in Spain, local events and places.

-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about Spain?
My own humble blog can be found at http://theshamelesshussy.blogspot.com, where I write about my life in Barcelona.

http://guirilandia.blogspot.com is a great blog by a guy also living in Barcelona. Very informative and humorous.