I was looking to buy a rental property in Spain. I saw if you are from the US that Spain doesn’t require a vaccine if you fly directly in. Is that still true? Keeping the country open to as many visitors possible and not making people’s lives difficult is what will benefit the tourism industry there.
You articulated the section about personal transformation really well! I agree, living in a different country does change your life but it doesn’t exactly change you (without putting in the work). My anxiety also followed me from the U.S. to also living in Japan and Croatia. It’s something I’m working on! Great video, thanks James.👏🏼
Some great advice here….we moved to Spain o er 17 years ago. It’s so much better than the UK in so many ways….but the best advice is…learn to speak Spanish. Don’t congregate in English speaking ex pat enclaves….you’ll be accepted by the locals and appreciate the country so much more. 👍🍷
When you get your residency in Spain you get three years of Spanish school for free. Why expats don’t take advantage of this benefit is beyond me. Wise rocks!
Les as dicho la verdad ,tienen que aprender Español ✅ También eso que no pegen a otros migrantes ingleses o de su país natal ,así no aprenden nada de Español ni de su cultura , entonces a los ojos de los Españoles es que no quieren integrarse y solo quieren lo que les ofrece España pero no integrarse ,lo vemos mal
@@deniseannekewilliams9004 Si te parece mal la vida de los Español ,no comprendo porque te mudarias a España. Nosotros vemos si no intentas si quiera hablar los básico de español e integrarte ,pues solo los vemos como personas que no aportan o que solo vienen por la seguridad social
I feel that you've made one of your best vlogs with this one. These are excellent issues and you've covered them fairly, with insight, and with the proper emphasis. I think, indeed, that each topic deserves a video. There are so many vlogs that unrealistically portray Spain and this is not helpful to people who turn to UA-cam for actual information and realistic coverage of life in Spain.
All is spot on! We moved to Mexico 12 years ago - we are canadian - and went full immersion for the first 3 weeks with private tutoring for years after that. It does a world of difference in our experience here, with locals etc. We also did lots of research before the move so we knew what we got ourselves into. I also suggest to anyone wanting to move to another country to not buy right away, rent for at least 1 year to really get the feel of the place before committing. And if it doesn't work out, no shame! Remember: you are not a tree, you can move if a place is not for you!
I like to sit on a terrace between classes, have a pitxo and a glass of wine or cafe con leche (Corto el leche) a massive reason for me to live here. 20 years in and still find the street scene so relaxing. But then again I'm Irish, so very easy to assimilate
@@FSL123 well, winters are long and it rains a lot, but I find it rather mild if you think that we have no tornados, nor huracanes, not intensive heat waves in summer… It’s cold and rather unstable…
Hello! As someone who teaches English as a second language, I can say that nothing beats full immersion. Being surrounded by people who do not speak your language is also a blessing because it forces you to learn. Also, using what you know from your first language is critical to second language learning because languages do have things in common that you can bring to your targeted language. For example, cognates are something that I do teach my students to remember since English and Spanish share 40% of the words. Just don't be afraid of using your target language in every chance you get and learn from your mistakes. Excellent video!
Former ESL teacher here! I agree 100% with everything you've written. One thing to do is to avoid "expat communities" (immigrant communities) and truly immerse yourself in the native language.
I did and still do read spanish newspaper every day. Better than books you will find a lot of text in short portions with a lot of different styles. Sometimes you don't understand a single word, but no problem, switch to the next story. And it gives you a lot of information about what people are concerned about and topics to discuss including the vocabulary.
ESL teachers should be careful with their ego. Drop the whole immersion drama, unless you have a degree in Cultural Anthropology or European Studies from a pretigious academic institution and you plant to return to the academe, tone down on the delussional quest for knowledge and try to just be with people as your authentic self. Don’t try to pretend that you are an explorer or a journalist, when you can’t even write a decent paragraph about your school days, because the only diploma you have is that TESOL certificate you purchased in Thailand or Bali.
@@manuelfresco6879 I had 2 years of HS Spanish in the US before being a full-immersion student in Madrid. I took pride in reading El Pais (newspaper) waiting the bus stop, and impressed relatives of my host family, when they discovered I could WRITE in Spanish. What a great experience.
Love this Ricardo, we like to think of the languages you know as pools and then it's a question of finding the bridges between them. And yes, mindset is everything, the more you 'aprovechar' each opportunity to speak, the quicker you will advance.
Soy español y el video incide en cuestiones cruciales pero yo añadiría una que es la geografía. La experiencia de vida en España no es igual en las islas que en la península, y no es igual en un pueblo andaluz que en una ciudad industrial del norte. No sólo desde el punto de vista de la experiencia vital sino también desde el punto de vista administrativo. España es un país muy descentralizado y un servicio puede ser excelente en un sitio y no serlo igual en otra zona del país.
Por alguna razón, los extranjeros suelen decidirse por la costa mediterránea para vivir cómodamente y con felicidad. Yo, que soy un habitante del norte de España, muchas veces me cuesta reconocerme en esas zonas mediterráneas. Su manera de vivir resulta extraña y sorprendente incluso para los españoles no acostumbrados. El otro fin de semana estuve en Sevilla, me encantó cómo se vive en la ciudad, el buen tiempo, la alegría de vivir de todo el mundo, la calidad y variedad de la comida, pero en el fondo no podía sentir una cierta sensación de "pintoresquismo" sin ir más lejos porque en pleno enero había gente en manga corta por la calle. Eso no ocurre en otras zonas de España quizás menos conocidas.
Es cierto. Ya había yo visitado distintas zonas de España cuando me tocó vivir en Asturias, donde jamás había estado. Pues frío, lluvia, capital mal comunicada, pocos vuelos, rutas fatales de autobuses... es decir nada que ver con lo que yo conocí de España en otras províncias. Asturias para visitar, genial. Para vivir ya no...
@Paseos por Madrid Sí, claro. A la gente jubilada pienso que le cae super bien. A quien le gusta el clima y la tranquilidad de las montañas también está genial. Asturias no está para movidas, la verdad. Y sí, está muy mal comunicado. Fíjate que para irse desde Oviedo hacia Santiago de Compostela en bus o tren uno llevaría como 7 o 8 horas. Como no tengas coche, no vas a ningún lado.
@@marilins yo soy de Asturias y estoy completamente de acuerdo contigo: está fatal comunicada, de vergüenza, tanto con el resto del país como dentro de Asturias. Solo está bien comunicada entre Gijón, Oviedo y Avilés, del resto de sitios deja bastante que desear. Aquí o tienes coche, o te mueres del asco.
Great tips! I’m currently in Madrid for a month doing exactly what you said: try and stay a little longer to see things less through rose tinted glasses. This one month won’t be the end of that process, but I’m certainly learning more than I did on a one-week holiday!
James, again thank you for another informative video. While our intended move to Spain may not ever happen now as circumstances have changed, you never know. Also, we very much appreciated your open and honest comments about yourself. Don't know if it was hard to speak about yourself like that but it came across as very sincere. Thank you again.
Everybody thinking of a move abroad anywhere should watch this and especially the part on personal reinvention and seeing everything through rose tinted glasses and changing one's self i.e. we basically stay the same. Excellent to include that here.
Excellent video! I'm from the U.S. and lived in Barcelona for a year on a NLV. Since COVID happened, I ended up moving back to California. But hope to return to Spain again soon, because I so enjoyed the lifestyle there. Took a Devour tour on one of my first trips to Barcelona, and absolutely loved it! Plus during lockdown, I learned how to cook a tortilla and other Spanish dishes thanks to you and Yoly! Salud
Hi, I am thinking of living in Spain for a year, so that means I will need the NLV. Was it easy to get? I will have a monthly pension income of $3,100 USD.
@@steve75889 Yes it was, but you have to jump through a few hoops to get it. Just follow the instructions carefully when submitting the paperwork and required documents. Buena suerte!
We have been watching your videos for past few months and moved to Spain a month back. You really hit the nail when you said that some things are better and some may be worse. It all depends on where you come from. Thanks for your videos.
The thing is, I not only want to visit Spain but to literally move and live there for good 😭😭🇪🇸❤ Thanks for the things you mentioned, watchin from the Philippines!
Great advice and pretty spot on. I´m a retired brit and I have lived in Spain in southern Alicante province for 2 years now and i agree with everything you say in this video. Spain is an amazing place and very diverse and i don´t think i would move back to the UK but it is not a utopia and has it´s own set of challenges (Residency, language, politics, taxation, employment etc) as well as opportunities so i recomend that people do their homework well and start learning the language before moving if possible. Incidently, I have been using WISE since before I moved to Spain and i´m a big fan of their currency exchange & transfer service and with their mobile phone app it really is so easy to transfer funds and their exchange rate (on British pounds to Euros) is pretty much the best going so WISE gets a thumbs up from me.
Hi, I am planning to move to Spain this year. Could you please let me know,: is it convenient for me to leave my money in the bank in London and use "wise" every month to transfer my monthly expenses? I most probably will pay a full year rent in advance and then leave from monthly transfers. And if I leave my money in the Uk I still need to pay taxes in spain if I don't work? sorry to bother you and I know I will speak to a lawyer when I arrive. Thank you.
@@marisolalmenara7658 I recently moved back to Spain from the Uk and I haven’t closed my English bank account..I have transferred most of my money to my Spanish account through Wise..and left some money in the English one
As a US citizen living in Spain.. I am double taxed since I make more than the tax free limit allows!! That really sucks and is completely insane since I do not use any of the public services in the US. Its really complicated and expensive since I have (2) corporations in Spain. Filling out your US taxes is nightmare and super complicated. In this aspect being a US expat having a company abroad is worse than any other country. Not sure how other US expats do that have small business abroad like (bars, scuba diving companies, language schools, etc..). The big corporations/family foundations like Google, Uber, Haliburton.. pay no taxes through loopholes, but the little guys have all the tax burden. Don't get me started. I luv living in Spain!
@@ardas77 if you have a bank account anywhere in the world and a US citizen it is reported by FACTA and FINCEN.. ALSO you cannot have a bank in Spain with transfers coming in regularly and not raise red flags with hacienda. That is why many US people denounce citizenship if not coming back.
I am confused by this because I thought there was some accommodation protecting people.from double taxation. I would.be in Spain on a non-lucrative visa, myself, but I have not been able to find clear information online regarding to U.S. citizens' tax obligations with Spanish residence. Can anyone point to a good resource to look at for clear information about this?
Great vid ! For US citizens living in Spain they can file 2555 form for foreign income exclusion of $107,600 for 2021 if the income was earned hence not paying US tax as part of their worldwide income.
I have personally experienced many of the issues that are mentioned in the video, thank you and I hope this video will help others think and prepare for moving better than I did! I have been living in Spain for 7 years and I'm very happy here :) Moving to another country is a very interesting and rewarding experience in your life Good luck
I have been living in Italy for over twenty years. I have never had any lessons of Italian ( I did buy a grammar book in the first months but never got past the 'congiuntivo'). I'm bilingual. I grew up speaking two languages : French and English, so I guess that helped. And as I like reading I quickly picked up newspapers and magazines which helped to increase my basic vocabulary to a proficient level. I think a person's ability to learn a language depends on a lot of factors. Not all people learn academically , as a teacher I see that often. For some people, full immersion by living in a country may suffice. However I would agree that acquiring the language of the country you're living in is crucial to fitting in.
Great Video , can I add one piece of advice given to us moving here 10 years ago with small children , Go to every Birthday party , every event , best way to meet parent in similar position , now some of our best friends !
Very good video. A Mad Englishman that moved here in 2019 with very little Spanish. Still havent learned much but the locals here in Asturias have been wonderfully patient with me. I'm Dyslexic and looking for a teaching program with little success. I have had 2 schoosl dump me due to lack of basics.
Try the Pimsleur program. I’m working my way through it and found it to be the best for learning Spanish. It’s all audio based (speaking and listening) so not based on reading/writing which might be better for you.
Loved Asturias, so different from the Spain I was more familiar with. Not that I don't love the rest of Spain, I do, but Asturias was a bit of a shock, it was so Celtic in influence, the scenery almost reminded me of northwest NA (a lot wetter, greener, lush forests) than the more arid areas of the rest of Spain.
This is a really good video. My husband is Afro Latino but grew up in Spain and I am Canadian. We lived in Bilbao for a year and I have never witnessed so much racism, I was blown away. That coupled with the unemployment rate is why we ended up moving back to Canada. We think about moving back all the time but it’s important to remember that every country has its down sides and the grass isn’t always greener.
Extremely important topics, and really well-made! Thanks for informing. It's valuable to keep a grounded view on society, and many need to understand that all societies face social and political challenges, maybe not as exacerbated as some but not negligibly so.
Dude , I am Argentine and my wife Russian. We both live in Berlin and we own a tapas bar. We are planning to sell it and move to Spain , probable málaga , and open some tapas bar there. She is currently studying spanish hough she has a huge vocabulary. Your videos are actually interesting , practical and smart I love you guys . You guys are great. You are a great example of what a couple should be and you James are an excellent example for other people who what to move to Spain …. Do not ever wait for things to happen !! Study Spanish , open your own business and adapt yourself to the new culture of the country your are actually moving in.!!! Bravo 👏. You are just awesome and your wife is just a rock star 😂😂😂😂 trough your videos I ve been going out in Madrid to most of the bars you recommended and it always has been a hit , a great spot to go. Thanks for all what you do, for showing Spanish culture the way you do and helping with smart advices to love to Spain. . Salud 🥂 papaaaaa !!!! Abrazo desde Berlín 😂😂
@@lucasgentilemalaga I wish you luck, you will obviously face very stiff competition. Every street has 3-4 places where you can get tapas. Hopefully you have something that can differentiate you from the others. Good luck!
@@Frank-wo3qm thanks frank . I had a tapas bar in Berlin for over 10 years. I live in Malaga. I moved in August here and I love it. Hopefully next week I am gonna sign a rental agreement for my brand new restaurant. 👍 once again , thanks for your support 👏👏👏
I taught immigrant students from China and Vietnam when I was a college professor and I can confirm that James is 100% correct that no one "absorbs" a language as an adult. All of my students had to work very hard to attain a functional level of English. Compounding that issue for the Chinese immigrants was that they could gather in San Francisco's Chinatown and function day to day without using English; the Vietnamese students didn't have that luxury, so they tended to progress faster. In addition, many Vietnamese students were already multilingual, since Vietnamese often learn Mandarin because it's the "language of commerce" in Southeast Asia (and they also often knew French and Cantonese, too), and we all know that being bilingual or multilingual makes it easier to acquire another language. I'm working very hard to raise my level of Spanish now that I'm retired, because I'd love to travel in Spanish-speaking countries and be able to fully experience the richness of their cultures.
I retired a while back and took up the task of learning to speak Spanish about a year ago so that someday I could speak with my niece who minored in the language in college. It's slow going , but I plug away at it almost every day. I peg myself at a solid A1 and this is after a year of self study. I concur with you and James that there's no "absorbing" the language. Well, perhaps one can catch on to the lingo a tiny bit, but for the most part, you really have to know how to conjugate a verb or two. In other words, there's no substitute for daily drills in the mechanics of language. Additionally, and I haven't started to do this yet, I have to begin to actually speak with a native Spanish speaker at some point. That's my biggest fear, but I'll take the plunge someday, I promise. To kickstart my admittedly slow progress, I enrolled in an Olly Richards course. Are you familiar with his work? His schtick is to learn the language by reading it at a level of comprehensive input. I think it has it's good points, but it won't make me fluent any time soon.
Great video, James, and as someone who participated in your first intake I can highly recommend your Move to Spain Masterclass. It was well worth every penny.
That was a great informative video. I have been to Spain twice and loved every minute. I am fortunate in that I have been speaking Spanish daily my entire adult life. I would love to return soon to visit more cities.
Hi, I feel like this is the most honest video you've made about us, and about what means living abroad. If you don't get involve with the people where you move, you'll probably end in a small group fomed by people of your own culture. So you have to more or less enjoy living how people live where you move. I lived for more than 3 years in The Netherlands and I agree with you. Even it's a great country as well and I will always recomend living there at least for a while, it's not perfect either, and it's not for everybody. Tell your friend that I'm sorry. It's sad anywhere it happens.
Great video... I'm happy you talked about real issues that exist when moving abroad. We are generally "sold " a highlight reality when it comes to moving abroad, especially to places like Spain. Again thank you for sheding genuine light on the topic. Hello from Poland!!!
Hi James- brilliant! Im an American who moved to France 20 years ago (and live in Toulouse your city meeting Yoly!). Same kind of issues with Americans dreaming about moving to France. You are doing an outstanding job, the videos are perfect--and I saw that as both an Anglo expat AND as someone who works in marketing and communications. Bravo!
Hi James. Many thanks for your video. What a lucky day for me to stumble upon your channel. I'd love to live and work in Spain. I lived in the UK for 8 years and returned to Poland where I come from, a year ago. But I still feel like it's only a stop on my journey to finding the right place. I used to work for the NHS in various admin roles so I don't have a proper career which concerns me greatly. I met loads of people there from different cultures and countries and I don't think I'd have problems adjusting but the unemployment rate in Spain is worrying. I'm learning Spanish online and I definitely need motivation to improve. Thanks again
James Blick, you are a wonderful human! Thanks for sharing this info, 100% right on. Great mix of practical tips + mindset and expectations. Especially thanks for the honesty regarding social issues in Spain, and for speaking so openly about living with low level anxiety. We are here for it 👏👏
I know folks are complaining about your politics but I, for one, appreciate your perspective. Thank you for telling your truth and being genuine. Much love to you and Yoly and the baby. I took a Devour Tour in Seville in September and it was a real highlight of our trip!
There is another 'gotcha' or 'pitfall' that gets you when you first move to Spain and that is bringing in money into the country needs to be declared in your annual Spanish tax return if over a certain amoung. So say (this happened to a Spanish friend of mine) even as a Spaniard you work 15 years in central London, sell your London flat and make £120,000 on that flat, if you transfer all that money from England to Spain via bank transfer and don't declares 'that' amount you just transfered and any other capital you may have abroad, the Spanish tax man can tax you again on that amount and give you a massive fine. I think it was tax form modulo 720 for capital abroad for the Agencia Tributaria in addition to the usual yearly Spanish income tax return modulo 100 (where I think you state the amounts you transferred in addition to any other income from within Spain you receive.).
So my wife and I transferred 200000 EURO to purchase a home which she recently settled on (she is Spain born but is now US citizen and fiscal citizen) she used her old INE number for the transaction. Do we need to file something for that money transfer?.?
@@patrickbailey1249 I dunno what the INE number is, i'm guessing it's a foreigner identification number rather like what national Spaniards have which is DNI. I happen to be in the odd situation that I have Spanish nationality but was raised and worked and lived in England most of my life... so when I sold up in the U.K. and mover to Spain years ago whenever I transferred large amounts of money from my uk savings i did this yearly regardless of whether or not I transferred loads of cash over to Spain. I filed my MODULO 100 to the Agencia Tributaria online (this is like a basic income tax declaration for individual citizens) and also I filed a MODULO 720 which is a declaration of foreign assets (e.g. in the U.K.), this includes cash savings in foreign U.K. bank accounts etc etc. So if I remember correctly I would declare the 200000 EURO as money received for that year in the MODULO 100 form and declare your U.S. savings in the MODULO 720 form so the Agencia Tributaria can see 'where that 200,000 euros came from i.e. your U.S. dollar savings account to Euro spanish bank savings account. The Spanish tax year I believe runs from january to january but the dates / deadlines for 'modulo' forms tax submissions for the modulo 100 and modulo 720 forms are slightly different so check that. Remember I am a Spanish national so the forms you may have to fill in 'may be' different or there maybe some additional form you have to fill in, I would check and double check this. Also my recollection of all this is a bit vague early this morning so please check what I wrote about the modulo forms and don't take it as gospel, just as a starting point.
@@davedogge2280 I have just seen in the news that the 720 module has been condemned as unfair by the Court of Justice of the European Union. I think that the Spanish government will have to pay back what was charged for this module. Try to find out more.
I have just seen in the news that the 720 module has been condemned as unfair by the Court of Justice of the European Union. I think that the Spanish government will have to pay back what was charged for this module. Try to find out more.
@@pedrolardies9597 thanks i will keep an eye on any further developments. but deemed unfair doesn't mean it has been abolished, will be still applicable.
I hired a tutor two years ago for the Spanish tests I had to take for the Sephardic Citizenship. I studied it in college many years before but needed a refresher . I had a good experience with Carolina on Verbolocity. She is from Guatamala.
Agree with the work and effort you have to invest for to learn a new language. I speak perfectly German and French and my English is pretty ok. So I'm used to languages. But still it was something like three years to get a level in Castelano that is what you call functional. The next thing will be to learn a bit more of Valenciá, venga... thx for the allways informative Videos.
Spain is a great place to live for the weather and for the fun way of life. BUT, of course, every country has its drawbacks. I've been living here for 5 years. Spain is great for those who aren't ready to settle down and those who have a substantial amount of savings, a.k.a. retirees. If you want to come here, it's best to look at how your sector is doing in this country. It REALLY helps if you speak Spanish and have the proper visa to work. If you don't speak Spanish, you'll probably end up teaching or working in tourism. Where you won't be treated with respect, and people will always try to find a way to get more out of you while paying you little. If your career isn't one of the in demand jobs, you will be having a hard time landing a job In my opinion, it's best to be a freelancer here and run your own little business. Don't depend on companies here and wait for them to hire you.
I am retiring from the military… so I won’t pay taxes on my pension and disability? Don’t plan on working anymore.. just want to live in Valencia and travel from there… but also goin to wait till this Covid thing simmers down.
In the course of researching a move to France I discovered that for an American French taxation laws are much more favorable than those of Spain or Portugal depending on the situation. In particular, by the terms of the relevant tax treaty between the US and France, distributions from a US IRA or Roth IRA are not taxable (by virtue of being "national pensions.") However, in Spain and Portuga[, which have different treaties with the US, they are taxable. Not only that, but capital gains realized with the IRA or Roth IRA appear to be taxable even if not distributed, because to the Spanish and Portugese tax authorities those accounts are just after-tax accounts with no special tax treatment. So, if you have a significant portion of you American assets in TIRA or Roth IRA accounts, Spain and Portugal taxes may be an unpleasant surprise.
Thanks for the info I've been trying to figure out how the IRA interest & distribution works wthout success. However, my understanding was that Portugal does not have wealth tax. Do they tax immigrants/residents on worldwide income/wealth? It's all confusing for me. Thanks for bringing it up
@@smiletwice8384 My comment was about income tax, not a wealth tax. So, if you realize a capital gain in your IRA, Portugal will tax that gain in the year it occurred just as though the gain happened in an after-tax account rather than an IRA, because to the Portugeese an IRA is just another after-tax account. All these European countries seem to tax their residents on worldwide income. Keep in mind that for your first four years in Spain or ten years in Portugal, they won't tax you at all. The tax consequences I am referring to only apply once that initial period has passed.
I think this is a great video!! While I have never lived in Spain as such I have traveled all over the country with my family and have regularly spent several months at a time there. I agree about learning the language. I have a c1 level of Spanish and I can say if I hadn’t learned the language when I was young I doubt I’d have made the Spanish friends that I made because the truth is that outside tourist/resort areas many locals in Spain don’t speak English. I have met expats, Irish and English, and other northern Europeans that have lived in Spain for years that can barely get by in the language. 1 year ago we were in Malaga province and met an Irish couple living in a small town with not many expats. They had been living there for more than 6 years and couldn’t speak a single word of Spanish, and most of their friends were either Irish or English and they mostly relied on translators to get by. I couldn’t imagine living like that. I must say that despite it’s problems I feel that Spain has been so much more welcoming towards the disabled than here in ireland. I am visually impaired and I went to university here in Ireland got an undergrad and masters and despite having lived here all my life, joined various societies, groups etc, I have made very few friends here. I have often asked people if they’d like to hang out for a few hours on weekends, or after work etc but sadly have been given the cold shoulder more times than I care to remember. I was in Spain one summer, and 2 friends traveled from Granada to see me in Malaga province, they traveled more than an hour and a half to see me, and it was one of the nicest things they ever did. Not a single person has done that here in Ireland despite the fact I have lived here all my life. Things were so much more welcoming in Spain. And of course, I realise that every country has its pros and cons.
Fantastic video thanks James. My partner is basque and we've got av long range plan to move to bilbao. This was full of useful information and so well presented - lots to start researching! I think your comments about moving to another country not changing who you are is so true. Also some great comments here about considering where in Spain you move to as it does make a huge difference not just in terms of culture, geography (and weather!) But the standard of public services and the local political situation. Would highly recommend the show 'El Intermedio' for anyone who wants a satirical, fun insight into Spanish politics and current affairs! Super helpful, keep up the good work.
El intermedio is bullshit. It's a show that belongs to the comunist and extreme left party, they're just a tool. They're not interesested in telling the truth, they just say what their bosses tell them to.
@Paseos por Madrid I agree with you, but they're not biased against certain political options, let's call a spade a spade, they're biased against everything that's not the extreme left. It would be ok they say whatever they want if they used their own money and not the money of the whole spanish country, given to them by the comunist and left party that are in power.
Well done James. Diane & I have been "self-learning" Spanish and I can see now we need the tutor. The "re-inventing" segment was so well thought out. Yes I will finally become a guitarist, but I will still be an introvert.
I agree with so many comments here, this was a much-needed video. Many people move to a country after just having vacationed there, real-life is very different. Thank you for including the political stuff, too.
Great video. It's definately true that you need to learn Spanish. I agree it's good advice to understand your tax and visa application obligations/limitations.
keep us updated on the digital nomad visa developements... not that i'm a digital nomad ... but who knows the future ... great outline as a guide to getting through all these things and keeping people from surprise hassles.
Great video as always, thanks. Agreed with all your points here. Visa was the biggest one for us. We moved before our visa was in place which became very stressful as we were the counting down the days on our 90 day tourist visa. If you can make sure it’s sorted before you move. We applied from Spain using a Spanish law firm which was good as they knew the system and could attend appointments with us etc
Good video James.. I'm Irish in Madrid a total of 15 years.. ppl please beware that salaries are not great here and worsening.. also if you have kids esp. if you are separated (custody and maintenance) life won't be easy for you here.. also coming here as a tax resident for ppl as digital nomads you will pay a lot to be self employed, social security is obligatory and up to 300€a month
Very interesting video. I love what I’ve seen of Spain during numerous holidays and am considering spending more time there in future. Your videos are an excellent source of information and most enjoyable!
the recommendations in this video are coming from someone who is most respectful and curious for the country he has chosen for living, your approach is so valuable. regrettably i don't see this behaviour in most of the expats i know. many of them seem not to have any interest to learn spanish, get into our culture or mix with local people. there is a good bunch of them who are parents of other kids in my daughter's school. when it is time to pick up our children they only talk among themselves and some of them even struggle to reply to a friendly "hola!". they hardly have the courage or interest to come into the spanish group of parents, even if we try to put things as easy as posible to do so. sad, annoying and difficult to understand at the same time. the way we live and are in spain leads us to think something like "what the heck is wrong with you?"
Nicely done! Especially appreciated the "Understanding Society" segment and all for awareness, engagement, and involvement in advocating fot causes important to you.👏🏽
Excellent video, James! You made a ton of great points! We especially agree with the understanding society and personal reinvention. Many people from the US look at Spain with rose-colored glasses and don't even know VOX exists here. We just moved to Spain in September through the Auxiliares de Conversacion Program on a student visa, which is not what we want to do long-term. As certified educators in the US, our goal is to find a job at an international or private school here. We've been working on it, but it's also been a struggle to get out and connect as much with COVID. Can't wait for the next video!
Good luck with your job search. I’m also a 1st year Aux in a small town, but in summer there’s 10 times as many people. Also turned 60 after school started, so I can only do one more year. I like it here, but Covid is messing up traveling around. Also, a lot of German, French and English people here. It’s hard to connect with locals at my age. Hoping to do some intercambios with locals.
@@kennielsen3896 I’ve found Intercambios are a great way to learn the language and to meet friends. It maybe take some trial and error to find some that you have things in common with though. Which city are you in?
All the points you make James are well considered and important. Where you are planning to live is a key question (geografía, ya comentado abajo). Larger cities tend to be more diverse and therefore more open. (That applies in many countries). Living in another country long term can be challenging as at some level you always remain an outsider. EU passport holders who are permanent residents in Spain cannot vote in the national elections, for example. You would have to apply for Spanish nationality to vote. I guess that is one of the trade-offs that you assume. Distance from your home country is also a factor worth considering. I'm also from NZ, so a trip back for a weekend or a week is out of the question.
Living in Camposol Murcia for thirteen years and would never go back to Hampshire UK. Most things were slightly better organised in the UK but the climate is much better here. The way businesses shut down for the afternoon is still annoying. The ITV test for cars is much better than the UK MOT test. Being able to surround the garden with high walls adds to a feeling of privacy and this is usually not allowed in the UK. Brexit is a pain; it is now more difficult and expensive to buy items from EBAY UK and Amazon UK. We are retired it is much more difficult for people who need to earn a living.
Great info from my favourite spot (El Retiro). One caveat concerning learning Spanish: however good the tutor or course may be, the key is 'live' interaction in Spanish: conversations with Hispanohablantes about a variety of subjets, from simple (comida, tiempo...) to complicated (política). Three years of university level Spanish was excellent, but no alternative to the real life 'language baths' in Madrid for this English teacher. As the Spanish cliché goes (metaphorically, of course): el idioma se aprende en la cama.
realmente adaptarse a un país es muy complicado, y desgraciadamente el mundo es una torre de Babel con diferentes lenguas, costumbres, culturas, religiones y una cosa es ir como turista y otra vivir allí y adaptarse a otra realidad diferente al país en que naciste, tú eres una persona extrovertida , más bien sociable, alegre y que aprende con relativa facilidad pero no todos son como tu ni tienen tu personalidad
Been a fan of the channel since I planned my trip this past year to visit this upcoming summer! Excited to see Spain and if it’s a place I’d like to spend more time in. Can’t wait to binge some videos before I go to hit some of the recommended stops :)
I think it was important that you discussed the negatives of Spain. It's important that ppl understand that politics impact our life. Good thing I watched the video before I responded to the comments.
I have been exploring the idea of moving to Europe for some time now, although not yet too seriously since I have 5+ years away at the very least. That said, I have seen some variation of this same video from other expats in France, Ireland, Germany, Belgium, and so on over the past few months. I will say that yours, while largely covering similar issues as most of the others, has been one of the more honest and insightful. This is especially true on your last your past point. Moving to a different city, state or country, or even ordering your morning coffee in a different language, does not make you a different person.
People living in a country other than their place of birth are not actually expats, unless you renounce your citizenship, in that case you’re an expat, but if you didn’t renounce your citizenship, you are an immigrant, not an expat
One question, James, is how do native Spaniards feel about foreigners moving to Spain? You present a very clear-eyed view of the issues and one of the best presentations on your channel! Best to you, Yoli, and Lucia!
Well, they don't really mind at all. Spaniards are very friendly people. Though it's true for some people it probably depends where you're coming from (sadly).
If you speak spanish there will be no problem. If you have been living for 2 years and only can articulate a simple "hola" you will be hated as f***. In Spain you can be critic with politics and economy. But never ever with: language(s) and food.
@@paseospormadrid1751And here an example of what’s going on in Spain. A person that believes that humans can be qualified by legal or illegal; feels entitled to whether welcome or not someone to a country; and somehow assumes that all nationals are qualified as “good” citizens by being born in Spain. You’ll be very welcome in Spain if you come from a Western country and, even better if you are wealthy (no matter how you had earned your money). And I am not going to get into other issues (religion, misogyny, corruption, etc)
I understand you need sponsors, but you yourself making propaganda during the videos make your comments less trustworthy. You could insert commercial brakes and then let the propaganda speak for itself.
My plan is to start an IT company in Spain. Hope to be a part of your Masterclass in a near future :) Thank you again for a very informant video :) Have a beautiful day
Very thorough and I feel, very wise. Well done! Thanks. I've got great advice to help me start prepping over the next 4-5yrs to make the move. #1 get serious about learning Spanish!
@@spainrevealed I could name so many I wouldn't have enough space, but here you have a few: extremely high taxes for middle and low classes (for autonomous, incrementation of petrol taxes, incrementation of electricity prices), expropriation policies from Podemos, high inflationary rates, etc. These are all typical left, far-left policies (some of them admitted by Podemos, others applied). I don't support neither left nor right, but I find myself fascinated about how lefties feel so comfortable with far-left parties and pretend to censor far-right parties (which Vox doubtfully is). Honest answer.
I'm going to Malaga for my year abroad next year and I cannot for the life of me figure out the tax system despite learning about the culture for 6 years now - would definitely recommend getting advice for it!
Spot on. I moved to Switzerland 20 years ago ( I am a Dutchie) and it is very recognizable. Putting language first is so important and so true. You can't expect from the locals that they speak english al the time, that is a thing were a lot of expats get frustrated, blaming the country where they are, instead of looking into the mirror. Funny fact is that I want to retire early in 3 years and move back to the Netherlands (to the island Texel, famous for its sheep, like New Zealand ;) ) with my Swiss wife and we tend to travel a lot during the winterperiod in Spain and Portugal. ( We don't like very hot weather and crowded places ) And I will learn spanish, because also as a tourist you will enjoy the local culture more if you have a basic skill in language.
thank you for the information. I never thought of moving to another country but maybe for a year, I might. Definitely to visit and to eat all those goodies.
Hello Spain lovers! Agree/disagree with these reasons? What did I miss? Let us know in the comments! 👇🏽
I was looking to buy a rental property in Spain. I saw if you are from the US that Spain doesn’t require a vaccine if you fly directly in. Is that still true? Keeping the country open to as many visitors possible and not making people’s lives difficult is what will benefit the tourism industry there.
I would disagree with your statements about Vox but otherwise great video as always
You articulated the section about personal transformation really well! I agree, living in a different country does change your life but it doesn’t exactly change you (without putting in the work). My anxiety also followed me from the U.S. to also living in Japan and Croatia. It’s something I’m working on! Great video, thanks James.👏🏼
Well Done Video!
@@louiselpadarino1701 Yes, he was too much benevolent in his opinions about VOX
Some great advice here….we moved to Spain o er 17 years ago. It’s so much better than the UK in so many ways….but the best advice is…learn to speak Spanish. Don’t congregate in English speaking ex pat enclaves….you’ll be accepted by the locals and appreciate the country so much more. 👍🍷
I agree about the language and not trying to stìck like glue to other expats.
When you get your residency in Spain you get three years of Spanish school for free.
Why expats don’t take advantage of this benefit is beyond me.
Wise rocks!
Les as dicho la verdad ,tienen que aprender Español ✅
También eso que no pegen a otros migrantes ingleses o de su país natal ,así no aprenden nada de Español ni de su cultura , entonces a los ojos de los Españoles es que no quieren integrarse y solo quieren lo que les ofrece España pero no integrarse ,lo vemos mal
@@deniseannekewilliams9004 Si te parece mal la vida de los Español ,no comprendo porque te mudarias a España.
Nosotros vemos si no intentas si quiera hablar los básico de español e integrarte ,pues solo los vemos como personas que no aportan o que solo vienen por la seguridad social
@@oiausdlkasuldhflaksjdhoiausydoEnjoy the sadness.
I feel that you've made one of your best vlogs with this one. These are excellent issues and you've covered them fairly, with insight, and with the proper emphasis. I think, indeed, that each topic deserves a video. There are so many vlogs that unrealistically portray Spain and this is not helpful to people who turn to UA-cam for actual information and realistic coverage of life in Spain.
All is spot on! We moved to Mexico 12 years ago - we are canadian - and went full immersion for the first 3 weeks with private tutoring for years after that. It does a world of difference in our experience here, with locals etc. We also did lots of research before the move so we knew what we got ourselves into. I also suggest to anyone wanting to move to another country to not buy right away, rent for at least 1 year to really get the feel of the place before committing. And if it doesn't work out, no shame! Remember: you are not a tree, you can move if a place is not for you!
Mexico is not Spain.
@@lorenzocebrianmadrid7396 obviously! The message is the same for wherever you move.
Where did you move to in Mexico? I am about to retire and I have both Spain and Mexico on my radar. I am from the USA. Thanks
@@steve75889 We moved in July 2010, in the Yucatan. Very safe. Very HOT. :D
@@steve75889 Yucatan. Spain is also fabulous but we wanted to be closer to our family.
I like to sit on a terrace between classes, have a pitxo and a glass of wine or cafe con leche (Corto el leche) a massive reason for me to live here. 20 years in and still find the street scene so relaxing. But then again I'm Irish, so very easy to assimilate
Irish just adapt anywhere! You guys are the best
Where in Ireland are you from
@@sethroganlegend I'm an Armagh man but living in Pamplona now (my new home), and you?
@@naomhfermin What about the weather in Pamplona?
@@FSL123 well, winters are long and it rains a lot, but I find it rather mild if you think that we have no tornados, nor huracanes, not intensive heat waves in summer… It’s cold and rather unstable…
Hello! As someone who teaches English as a second language, I can say that nothing beats full immersion. Being surrounded by people who do not speak your language is also a blessing because it forces you to learn. Also, using what you know from your first language is critical to second language learning because languages do have things in common that you can bring to your targeted language. For example, cognates are something that I do teach my students to remember since English and Spanish share 40% of the words. Just don't be afraid of using your target language in every chance you get and learn from your mistakes. Excellent video!
Former ESL teacher here! I agree 100% with everything you've written. One thing to do is to avoid "expat communities" (immigrant communities) and truly immerse yourself in the native language.
I did and still do read spanish newspaper every day. Better than books you will find a lot of text in short portions with a lot of different styles. Sometimes you don't understand a single word, but no problem, switch to the next story. And it gives you a lot of information about what people are concerned about and topics to discuss including the vocabulary.
ESL teachers should be careful with their ego. Drop the whole immersion drama, unless you have a degree in Cultural Anthropology or European Studies from a pretigious academic institution and you plant to return to the academe, tone down on the delussional quest for knowledge and try to just be with people as your authentic self. Don’t try to pretend that you are an explorer or a journalist, when you can’t even write a decent paragraph about your school days, because the only diploma you have is that TESOL certificate you purchased in Thailand or Bali.
@@manuelfresco6879 I had 2 years of HS Spanish in the US before being a full-immersion student in Madrid. I took pride in reading El Pais (newspaper) waiting the bus stop, and impressed relatives of my host family, when they discovered I could WRITE in Spanish. What a great experience.
Love this Ricardo, we like to think of the languages you know as pools and then it's a question of finding the bridges between them. And yes, mindset is everything, the more you 'aprovechar' each opportunity to speak, the quicker you will advance.
Soy español y el video incide en cuestiones cruciales pero yo añadiría una que es la geografía. La experiencia de vida en España no es igual en las islas que en la península, y no es igual en un pueblo andaluz que en una ciudad industrial del norte. No sólo desde el punto de vista de la experiencia vital sino también desde el punto de vista administrativo. España es un país muy descentralizado y un servicio puede ser excelente en un sitio y no serlo igual en otra zona del país.
That’s also true in the USA
Por alguna razón, los extranjeros suelen decidirse por la costa mediterránea para vivir cómodamente y con felicidad. Yo, que soy un habitante del norte de España, muchas veces me cuesta reconocerme en esas zonas mediterráneas. Su manera de vivir resulta extraña y sorprendente incluso para los españoles no acostumbrados. El otro fin de semana estuve en Sevilla, me encantó cómo se vive en la ciudad, el buen tiempo, la alegría de vivir de todo el mundo, la calidad y variedad de la comida, pero en el fondo no podía sentir una cierta sensación de "pintoresquismo" sin ir más lejos porque en pleno enero había gente en manga corta por la calle. Eso no ocurre en otras zonas de España quizás menos conocidas.
Es cierto. Ya había yo visitado distintas zonas de España cuando me tocó vivir en Asturias, donde jamás había estado. Pues frío, lluvia, capital mal comunicada, pocos vuelos, rutas fatales de autobuses... es decir nada que ver con lo que yo conocí de España en otras províncias. Asturias para visitar, genial. Para vivir ya no...
@Paseos por Madrid Sí, claro. A la gente jubilada pienso que le cae super bien. A quien le gusta el clima y la tranquilidad de las montañas también está genial. Asturias no está para movidas, la verdad. Y sí, está muy mal comunicado. Fíjate que para irse desde Oviedo hacia Santiago de Compostela en bus o tren uno llevaría como 7 o 8 horas. Como no tengas coche, no vas a ningún lado.
@@marilins yo soy de Asturias y estoy completamente de acuerdo contigo: está fatal comunicada, de vergüenza, tanto con el resto del país como dentro de Asturias. Solo está bien comunicada entre Gijón, Oviedo y Avilés, del resto de sitios deja bastante que desear. Aquí o tienes coche, o te mueres del asco.
I have lived in Galicia for more than 6 years. Your advice for people was EXTREMELY helpful and accurate.
This video could literally be applied to any person wanting to emigrate anywhere! Love it. Thanx James.
Great tips! I’m currently in Madrid for a month doing exactly what you said: try and stay a little longer to see things less through rose tinted glasses. This one month won’t be the end of that process, but I’m certainly learning more than I did on a one-week holiday!
James, again thank you for another informative video. While our intended move to Spain may not ever happen now as circumstances have changed, you never know. Also, we very much appreciated your open and honest comments about yourself. Don't know if it was hard to speak about yourself like that but it came across as very sincere. Thank you again.
Hi Art, I'm glad it resonated!
Everybody thinking of a move abroad anywhere should watch this and especially the part on personal reinvention and seeing everything through rose tinted glasses and changing one's self i.e. we basically stay the same. Excellent to include that here.
Excellent video! I'm from the U.S. and lived in Barcelona for a year on a NLV. Since COVID happened, I ended up moving back to California. But hope to return to Spain again soon, because I so enjoyed the lifestyle there. Took a Devour tour on one of my first trips to Barcelona, and absolutely loved it! Plus during lockdown, I learned how to cook a tortilla and other Spanish dishes thanks to you and Yoly! Salud
Hi, I am thinking of living in Spain for a year, so that means I will need the NLV. Was it easy to get? I will have a monthly pension income of $3,100 USD.
@@steve75889 Yes it was, but you have to jump through a few hoops to get it. Just follow the instructions carefully when submitting the paperwork and required documents. Buena suerte!
We have been watching your videos for past few months and moved to Spain a month back. You really hit the nail when you said that some things are better and some may be worse. It all depends on where you come from. Thanks for your videos.
"some things are better and some may be worse" can apply to just any situation - it's a typical demagogue construction often used in astrology
The thing is, I not only want to visit Spain but to literally move and live there for good 😭😭🇪🇸❤
Thanks for the things you mentioned, watchin from the Philippines!
@Victor Haro Yeah thats what the law says too 🤷♂️
Great advice and pretty spot on. I´m a retired brit and I have lived in Spain in southern Alicante province for 2 years now and i agree with everything you say in this video. Spain is an amazing place and very diverse and i don´t think i would move back to the UK but it is not a utopia and has it´s own set of challenges (Residency, language, politics, taxation, employment etc) as well as opportunities so i recomend that people do their homework well and start learning the language before moving if possible. Incidently, I have been using WISE since before I moved to Spain and i´m a big fan of their currency exchange & transfer service and with their mobile phone app it really is so easy to transfer funds and their exchange rate (on British pounds to Euros) is pretty much the best going so WISE gets a thumbs up from me.
Hi, I am planning to move to Spain this year. Could you please let me know,: is it convenient for me to leave my money in the bank in London and use "wise" every month to transfer my monthly expenses? I most probably will pay a full year rent in advance and then leave from monthly transfers. And if I leave my money in the Uk I still need to pay taxes in spain if I don't work? sorry to bother you and I know I will speak to a lawyer when I arrive. Thank you.
@@marisolalmenara7658 I recently moved back to Spain from the Uk and I haven’t closed my English bank account..I have transferred most of my money to my Spanish account through Wise..and left some money in the English one
@@asunsol thank you 👍
As a US citizen living in Spain.. I am double taxed since I make more than the tax free limit allows!! That really sucks and is completely insane since I do not use any of the public services in the US. Its really complicated and expensive since I have (2) corporations in Spain. Filling out your US taxes is nightmare and super complicated. In this aspect being a US expat having a company abroad is worse than any other country. Not sure how other US expats do that have small business abroad like (bars, scuba diving companies, language schools, etc..). The big corporations/family foundations like Google, Uber, Haliburton.. pay no taxes through loopholes, but the little guys have all the tax burden. Don't get me started. I luv living in Spain!
Perhaps think of moving your companies to other country within EU and operate normally in Spain paying taxes in _other_ country.
@@ardas77 if you have a bank account anywhere in the world and a US citizen it is reported by FACTA and FINCEN.. ALSO you cannot have a bank in Spain with transfers coming in regularly and not raise red flags with hacienda. That is why many US people denounce citizenship if not coming back.
@@rickdeckard7470 Is hacienda similar to the IRS in the U.S.?
@@tobyo99 Yes, it’s the same kind of institution
I am confused by this because I thought there was some accommodation protecting people.from double taxation. I would.be in Spain on a non-lucrative visa, myself, but I have not been able to find clear information online regarding to U.S. citizens' tax obligations with Spanish residence. Can anyone point to a good resource to look at for clear information about this?
Great vid ! For US citizens living in Spain they can file 2555 form for foreign income exclusion of $107,600 for 2021 if the income was earned hence not paying US tax as part of their worldwide income.
I have personally experienced many of the issues that are mentioned in the video, thank you and I hope this video will help others think and prepare for moving better than I did!
I have been living in Spain for 7 years and I'm very happy here :) Moving to another country is a very interesting and rewarding experience in your life
Good luck
I have been living in Italy for over twenty years. I have never had any lessons of Italian ( I did buy a grammar book in the first months but never got past the 'congiuntivo'). I'm bilingual. I grew up speaking two languages : French and English, so I guess that helped. And as I like reading I quickly picked up newspapers and magazines which helped to increase my basic vocabulary to a proficient level. I think a person's ability to learn a language depends on a lot of factors. Not all people learn academically , as a teacher I see that often. For some people, full immersion by living in a country may suffice.
However I would agree that acquiring the language of the country you're living in is crucial to fitting in.
Great Video , can I add one piece of advice given to us moving here 10 years ago with small children , Go to every Birthday party , every event , best way to meet parent in similar position , now some of our best friends !
Great advice!
Very good video. A Mad Englishman that moved here in 2019 with very little Spanish. Still havent learned much but the locals here in Asturias have been wonderfully patient with me. I'm Dyslexic and looking for a teaching program with little success. I have had 2 schoosl dump me due to lack of basics.
Try the Pimsleur program. I’m working my way through it and found it to be the best for learning Spanish. It’s all audio based (speaking and listening) so not based on reading/writing which might be better for you.
Loved Asturias, so different from the Spain I was more familiar with. Not that I don't love the rest of Spain, I do, but Asturias was a bit of a shock, it was so Celtic in influence, the scenery almost reminded me of northwest NA (a lot wetter, greener, lush forests) than the more arid areas of the rest of Spain.
This is a really good video. My husband is Afro Latino but grew up in Spain and I am Canadian. We lived in Bilbao for a year and I have never witnessed so much racism, I was blown away. That coupled with the unemployment rate is why we ended up moving back to Canada. We think about moving back all the time but it’s important to remember that every country has its down sides and the grass isn’t always greener.
You moved back to a nightmare. I want out of Canada!
Extremely important topics, and really well-made! Thanks for informing. It's valuable to keep a grounded view on society, and many need to understand that all societies face social and political challenges, maybe not as exacerbated as some but not negligibly so.
Dude , I am Argentine and my wife Russian. We both live in Berlin and we own a tapas bar.
We are planning to sell it and move to Spain , probable málaga , and open some tapas bar there.
She is currently studying spanish hough she has a huge vocabulary.
Your videos are actually interesting , practical and smart
I love you guys . You guys are great.
You are a great example of what a couple should be and you James are an excellent example for other people who what to move to Spain …. Do not ever wait for things to happen !! Study Spanish , open your own business and adapt yourself to the new culture of the country your are actually moving in.!!! Bravo 👏. You are just awesome and your wife is just a rock star 😂😂😂😂 trough your videos I ve been going out in Madrid to most of the bars you recommended and it always has been a hit , a great spot to go. Thanks for all what you do, for showing Spanish culture the way you do and helping with smart advices to love to Spain. . Salud 🥂 papaaaaa !!!! Abrazo desde Berlín 😂😂
no vengais. esto es una ruina.
@@rogersan4352 igual sos vos el que no sabe hacer negocios ….
@@lucasgentilemalaga I wish you luck, you will obviously face very stiff competition. Every street has 3-4 places where you can get tapas. Hopefully you have something that can differentiate you from the others. Good luck!
@@Frank-wo3qm thanks frank . I had a tapas bar in Berlin for over 10 years. I live in Malaga. I moved in August here and I love it. Hopefully next week I am gonna sign a rental agreement for my brand new restaurant. 👍 once again , thanks for your support 👏👏👏
The biggest problem by far is tax. Losing 40% of your retirement income is a joke.
This is putting me off totally.
I taught immigrant students from China and Vietnam when I was a college professor and I can confirm that James is 100% correct that no one "absorbs" a language as an adult. All of my students had to work very hard to attain a functional level of English. Compounding that issue for the Chinese immigrants was that they could gather in San Francisco's Chinatown and function day to day without using English; the Vietnamese students didn't have that luxury, so they tended to progress faster. In addition, many Vietnamese students were already multilingual, since Vietnamese often learn Mandarin because it's the "language of commerce" in Southeast Asia (and they also often knew French and Cantonese, too), and we all know that being bilingual or multilingual makes it easier to acquire another language. I'm working very hard to raise my level of Spanish now that I'm retired, because I'd love to travel in Spanish-speaking countries and be able to fully experience the richness of their cultures.
I retired a while back and took up the task of learning to speak Spanish about a year ago so that someday I could speak with my niece who minored in the language in college. It's slow going , but I plug away at it almost every day. I peg myself at a solid A1 and this is after a year of self study.
I concur with you and James that there's no "absorbing" the language. Well, perhaps one can catch on to the lingo a tiny bit, but for the most part, you really have to know how to conjugate a verb or two. In other words, there's no substitute for daily drills in the mechanics of language. Additionally, and I haven't started to do this yet, I have to begin to actually speak with a native Spanish speaker at some point. That's my biggest fear, but I'll take the plunge someday, I promise.
To kickstart my admittedly slow progress, I enrolled in an Olly Richards course. Are you familiar with his work? His schtick is to learn the language by reading it at a level of comprehensive input. I think it has it's good points, but it won't make me fluent any time soon.
Very honest & accurate advice on how migration works ! Tks a lot !!. . .from Argentina.
Great video, James, and as someone who participated in your first intake I can highly recommend your Move to Spain Masterclass. It was well worth every penny.
That was a great informative video. I have been to Spain twice and loved every minute. I am fortunate in that I have been speaking Spanish daily my entire adult life. I would love to return soon to visit more cities.
Even though I have no plans of moving to Spain, I really enjoyed your comprehensive advice for those who are contemplating the big move. Great job!
Mi sueño es vivir en España y estoy perdida con el proceso. Has proveído un muy informativo y excelente vídeo. Gracias 🙏🏽 New subby here 👋🏽
Hi, I feel like this is the most honest video you've made about us, and about what means living abroad. If you don't get involve with the people where you move, you'll probably end in a small group fomed by people of your own culture. So you have to more or less enjoy living how people live where you move. I lived for more than 3 years in The Netherlands and I agree with you. Even it's a great country as well and I will always recomend living there at least for a while, it's not perfect either, and it's not for everybody.
Tell your friend that I'm sorry. It's sad anywhere it happens.
Thank you so much for this video James. I am already learning Spanish. I will apply for visa soon.
Great video... I'm happy you talked about real issues that exist when moving abroad. We are generally "sold " a highlight reality when it comes to moving abroad, especially to places like Spain. Again thank you for sheding genuine light on the topic. Hello from Poland!!!
Hi James- brilliant! Im an American who moved to France 20 years ago (and live in Toulouse your city meeting Yoly!). Same kind of issues with Americans dreaming about moving to France. You are doing an outstanding job, the videos are perfect--and I saw that as both an Anglo expat AND as someone who works in marketing and communications. Bravo!
Hi James. Many thanks for your video. What a lucky day for me to stumble upon your channel. I'd love to live and work in Spain. I lived in the UK for 8 years and returned to Poland where I come from, a year ago. But I still feel like it's only a stop on my journey to finding the right place. I used to work for the NHS in various admin roles so I don't have a proper career which concerns me greatly. I met loads of people there from different cultures and countries and I don't think I'd have problems adjusting but the unemployment rate in Spain is worrying. I'm learning Spanish online and I definitely need motivation to improve. Thanks again
James Blick, you are a wonderful human! Thanks for sharing this info, 100% right on. Great mix of practical tips + mindset and expectations. Especially thanks for the honesty regarding social issues in Spain, and for speaking so openly about living with low level anxiety. We are here for it 👏👏
I know folks are complaining about your politics but I, for one, appreciate your perspective. Thank you for telling your truth and being genuine. Much love to you and Yoly and the baby. I took a Devour Tour in Seville in September and it was a real highlight of our trip!
There is another 'gotcha' or 'pitfall' that gets you when you first move to Spain and that is bringing in money into the country needs to be declared in your annual Spanish tax return if over a certain amoung. So say (this happened to a Spanish friend of mine) even as a Spaniard you work 15 years in central London, sell your London flat and make £120,000 on that flat, if you transfer all that money from England to Spain via bank transfer and don't declares 'that' amount you just transfered and any other capital you may have abroad, the Spanish tax man can tax you again on that amount and give you a massive fine. I think it was tax form modulo 720 for capital abroad for the Agencia Tributaria in addition to the usual yearly Spanish income tax return modulo 100 (where I think you state the amounts you transferred in addition to any other income from within Spain you receive.).
So my wife and I transferred 200000 EURO to purchase a home which she recently settled on (she is Spain born but is now US citizen and fiscal citizen) she used her old INE number for the transaction. Do we need to file something for that money transfer?.?
@@patrickbailey1249 I dunno what the INE number is, i'm guessing it's a foreigner identification number rather like what national Spaniards have which is DNI. I happen to be in the odd situation that I have Spanish nationality but was raised and worked and lived in England most of my life... so when I sold up in the U.K. and mover to Spain years ago whenever I transferred large amounts of money from my uk savings i did this yearly regardless of whether or not I transferred loads of cash over to Spain.
I filed my MODULO 100 to the Agencia Tributaria online (this is like a basic income tax declaration for individual citizens) and also I filed a MODULO 720 which is a declaration of foreign assets (e.g. in the U.K.), this includes cash savings in foreign U.K. bank accounts etc etc. So if I remember correctly I would declare the 200000 EURO as money received for that year in the MODULO 100 form and declare your U.S. savings in the MODULO 720 form so the Agencia Tributaria can see 'where that 200,000 euros came from i.e. your U.S. dollar savings account to Euro spanish bank savings account. The Spanish tax year I believe runs from january to january but the dates / deadlines for 'modulo' forms tax submissions for the modulo 100 and modulo 720 forms are slightly different so check that.
Remember I am a Spanish national so the forms you may have to fill in 'may be' different or there maybe some additional form you have to fill in, I would check and double check this. Also my recollection of all this is a bit vague early this morning so please check what I wrote about the modulo forms and don't take it as gospel, just as a starting point.
@@davedogge2280 I have just seen in the news that the 720 module has been condemned as unfair by the Court of Justice of the European Union. I think that the Spanish government will have to pay back what was charged for this module. Try to find out more.
I have just seen in the news that the 720 module has been condemned as unfair by the Court of Justice of the European Union. I think that the Spanish government will have to pay back what was charged for this module. Try to find out more.
@@pedrolardies9597 thanks i will keep an eye on any further developments. but deemed unfair doesn't mean it has been abolished, will be still applicable.
I hired a tutor two years ago for the Spanish tests I had to take for the Sephardic Citizenship. I studied it in college many years before but needed a refresher . I had a good experience with Carolina on Verbolocity. She is from Guatamala.
Agree with the work and effort you have to invest for to learn a new language. I speak perfectly German and French and my English is pretty ok. So I'm used to languages. But still it was something like three years to get a level in Castelano that is what you call functional. The next thing will be to learn a bit more of Valenciá, venga... thx for the allways informative Videos.
SUPER helpful. Often over looked or underrated topics to be seriously considered.
Spain is a great place to live for the weather and for the fun way of life. BUT, of course, every country has its drawbacks. I've been living here for 5 years. Spain is great for those who aren't ready to settle down and those who have a substantial amount of savings, a.k.a. retirees. If you want to come here, it's best to look at how your sector is doing in this country. It REALLY helps if you speak Spanish and have the proper visa to work. If you don't speak Spanish, you'll probably end up teaching or working in tourism. Where you won't be treated with respect, and people will always try to find a way to get more out of you while paying you little. If your career isn't one of the in demand jobs, you will be having a hard time landing a job In my opinion, it's best to be a freelancer here and run your own little business. Don't depend on companies here and wait for them to hire you.
I am retiring from the military… so I won’t pay taxes on my pension and disability? Don’t plan on working anymore.. just want to live in Valencia and travel from there… but also goin to wait till this Covid thing simmers down.
In the course of researching a move to France I discovered that for an American French taxation laws are much more favorable than those of Spain or Portugal depending on the situation. In particular, by the terms of the relevant tax treaty between the US and France, distributions from a US IRA or Roth IRA are not taxable (by virtue of being "national pensions.") However, in Spain and Portuga[, which have different treaties with the US, they are taxable. Not only that, but capital gains realized with the IRA or Roth IRA appear to be taxable even if not distributed, because to the Spanish and Portugese tax authorities those accounts are just after-tax accounts with no special tax treatment.
So, if you have a significant portion of you American assets in TIRA or Roth IRA accounts, Spain and Portugal taxes may be an unpleasant surprise.
Thanks for the info
I've been trying to figure out how the IRA interest & distribution works wthout success.
However, my understanding was that Portugal does not have wealth tax.
Do they tax immigrants/residents on worldwide income/wealth?
It's all confusing for me.
Thanks for bringing it up
@@smiletwice8384 My comment was about income tax, not a wealth tax. So, if you realize a capital gain in your IRA, Portugal will tax that gain in the year it occurred just as though the gain happened in an after-tax account rather than an IRA, because to the Portugeese an IRA is just another after-tax account.
All these European countries seem to tax their residents on worldwide income.
Keep in mind that for your first four years in Spain or ten years in Portugal, they won't tax you at all. The tax consequences I am referring to only apply once that initial period has passed.
Thank you so much.
Did you get this information on internet or lawyer?
I searched for it and couldn't find this info.
🙏
Excellent information! My mother is from Madrid and we lived in Spain for several years a long time ago…I would absolutely love to retire in Spain!
Truly genuine advice. Really helpful. Thank you.
I think this is a great video!! While I have never lived in Spain as such I have traveled all over the country with my family and have regularly spent several months at a time there. I agree about learning the language.
I have a c1 level of Spanish and I can say if I hadn’t learned the language when I was young I doubt I’d have made the Spanish friends that I made because the truth is that outside tourist/resort areas many locals in Spain don’t speak English.
I have met expats, Irish and English, and other northern Europeans that have lived in Spain for years that can barely get by in the language.
1 year ago we were in Malaga province and met an Irish couple living in a small town with not many expats. They had been living there for more than 6 years and couldn’t speak a single word of Spanish, and most of their friends were either Irish or English and they mostly relied on translators to get by. I couldn’t imagine living like that.
I must say that despite it’s problems I feel that Spain has been so much more welcoming towards the disabled than here in ireland. I am visually impaired and I went to university here in Ireland got an undergrad and masters and despite having lived here all my life, joined various societies, groups etc, I have made very few friends here. I have often asked people if they’d like to hang out for a few hours on weekends, or after work etc but sadly have been given the cold shoulder more times than I care to remember. I was in Spain one summer, and 2 friends traveled from Granada to see me in Malaga province, they traveled more than an hour and a half to see me, and it was one of the nicest things they ever did. Not a single person has done that here in Ireland despite the fact I have lived here all my life. Things were so much more welcoming in Spain. And of course, I realise that every country has its pros and cons.
Fantastic video thanks James. My partner is basque and we've got av long range plan to move to bilbao. This was full of useful information and so well presented - lots to start researching! I think your comments about moving to another country not changing who you are is so true. Also some great comments here about considering where in Spain you move to as it does make a huge difference not just in terms of culture, geography (and weather!) But the standard of public services and the local political situation. Would highly recommend the show 'El Intermedio' for anyone who wants a satirical, fun insight into Spanish politics and current affairs! Super helpful, keep up the good work.
El intermedio is bullshit. It's a show that belongs to the comunist and extreme left party, they're just a tool. They're not interesested in telling the truth, they just say what their bosses tell them to.
@Paseos por Madrid I agree with you, but they're not biased against certain political options, let's call a spade a spade, they're biased against everything that's not the extreme left.
It would be ok they say whatever they want if they used their own money and not the money of the whole spanish country, given to them by the comunist and left party that are in power.
one of the best video's I have seen
Well done James. Diane & I have been "self-learning" Spanish and I can see now we need the tutor. The "re-inventing" segment was so well thought out. Yes I will finally become a guitarist, but I will still be an introvert.
I'm glad it was helpful Tom!
James, this is an excellent, frank, and educational video. We’ll done!
I agree with so many comments here, this was a much-needed video. Many people move to a country after just having vacationed there, real-life is very different. Thank you for including the political stuff, too.
Great video. It's definately true that you need to learn Spanish. I agree it's good advice to understand your tax and visa application obligations/limitations.
keep us updated on the digital nomad visa developements... not that i'm a digital nomad ... but who knows the future ... great outline as a guide to getting through all these things and keeping people from surprise hassles.
Great video as always, thanks. Agreed with all your points here. Visa was the biggest one for us. We moved before our visa was in place which became very stressful as we were the counting down the days on our 90 day tourist visa. If you can make sure it’s sorted before you move. We applied from Spain using a Spanish law firm which was good as they knew the system and could attend appointments with us etc
Very honest and helpful video.
Good video James.. I'm Irish in Madrid a total of 15 years.. ppl please beware that salaries are not great here and worsening.. also if you have kids esp. if you are separated (custody and maintenance) life won't be easy for you here.. also coming here as a tax resident for ppl as digital nomads you will pay a lot to be self employed, social security is obligatory and up to 300€a month
Thank you for the advice
I used -'Wise' for many months. I love it.
You are always very informative and you cover important areas.
Very interesting video. I love what I’ve seen of Spain during numerous holidays and am considering spending more time there in future. Your videos are an excellent source of information and most enjoyable!
the recommendations in this video are coming from someone who is most respectful and curious for the country he has chosen for living, your approach is so valuable. regrettably i don't see this behaviour in most of the expats i know. many of them seem not to have any interest to learn spanish, get into our culture or mix with local people. there is a good bunch of them who are parents of other kids in my daughter's school. when it is time to pick up our children they only talk among themselves and some of them even struggle to reply to a friendly "hola!". they hardly have the courage or interest to come into the spanish group of parents, even if we try to put things as easy as posible to do so. sad, annoying and difficult to understand at the same time. the way we live and are in spain leads us to think something like "what the heck is wrong with you?"
I can imagine how cringey the awkward “hola” gets and I never want to be that person
@@sophiegrace2938 so sad
Absolutely brilliant on every point. You are a font of information. Hello to Yoly and the little one. Thank you for this video.
Nicely done! Especially appreciated the "Understanding Society" segment and all for awareness, engagement, and involvement in advocating fot causes important to you.👏🏽
Excellent video, James! You made a ton of great points! We especially agree with the understanding society and personal reinvention. Many people from the US look at Spain with rose-colored glasses and don't even know VOX exists here. We just moved to Spain in September through the Auxiliares de Conversacion Program on a student visa, which is not what we want to do long-term. As certified educators in the US, our goal is to find a job at an international or private school here. We've been working on it, but it's also been a struggle to get out and connect as much with COVID. Can't wait for the next video!
Good luck with your job search. I’m also a 1st year Aux in a small town, but in summer there’s 10 times as many people. Also turned 60 after school started, so I can only do one more year. I like it here, but Covid is messing up traveling around. Also, a lot of German, French and English people here. It’s hard to connect with locals at my age. Hoping to do some intercambios with locals.
@@kennielsen3896 I’ve found Intercambios are a great way to learn the language and to meet friends. It maybe take some trial and error to find some that you have things in common with though. Which city are you in?
Keep working on it guys --- you'll get there!!!
@@MYTravelBF Alcossebre (part of Alcalá de Xivert).
I saw you today by Retiro! 2022 celebrity spot of the year!
All the points you make James are well considered and important. Where you are planning to live is a key question (geografía, ya comentado abajo). Larger cities tend to be more diverse and therefore more open. (That applies in many countries). Living in another country long term can be challenging as at some level you always remain an outsider. EU passport holders who are permanent residents in Spain cannot vote in the national elections, for example. You would have to apply for Spanish nationality to vote. I guess that is one of the trade-offs that you assume. Distance from your home country is also a factor worth considering. I'm also from NZ, so a trip back for a weekend or a week is out of the question.
One problem I encountered was that my Spanish colleagues wanted to improve their English. This made me less encouraged to improve my own Spanish.
Living in Camposol Murcia for thirteen years and would never go back to Hampshire UK. Most things were slightly better organised in the UK but the climate is much better here. The way businesses shut down for the afternoon is still annoying. The ITV test for cars is much better than the UK MOT test. Being able to surround the garden with high walls adds to a feeling of privacy and this is usually not allowed in the UK. Brexit is a pain; it is now more difficult and expensive to buy items from EBAY UK and Amazon UK. We are retired it is much more difficult for people who need to earn a living.
Comprehensive and well articulated.
Great info from my favourite spot (El Retiro). One caveat concerning learning Spanish: however good the tutor or course may be, the key is 'live' interaction in Spanish: conversations with Hispanohablantes about a variety of subjets, from simple (comida, tiempo...) to complicated (política). Three years of university level Spanish was excellent, but no alternative to the real life 'language baths' in Madrid for this English teacher. As the Spanish cliché goes (metaphorically, of course): el idioma se aprende en la cama.
realmente adaptarse a un país es muy complicado, y desgraciadamente el mundo es una torre de Babel con diferentes lenguas, costumbres, culturas, religiones y una cosa es ir como turista y otra vivir allí y adaptarse a otra realidad diferente al país en que naciste, tú eres una persona extrovertida , más bien sociable, alegre y que aprende con relativa facilidad pero no todos son como tu ni tienen tu personalidad
Watching your videos make me feel homesick. I hope I can come back soon… ¡un abrazo a los 3!
Been a fan of the channel since I planned my trip this past year to visit this upcoming summer! Excited to see Spain and if it’s a place I’d like to spend more time in. Can’t wait to binge some videos before I go to hit some of the recommended stops :)
Man, that last part was really philosophical!
This is such a comprehensive and thorough video! All great advice!
Regarding jobs: tech sector ( programming, software development, SRE, cloud engineers etc etc ) is definitely a sector that has a lot of offers.
I think it was important that you discussed the negatives of Spain. It's important that ppl understand that politics impact our life. Good thing I watched the video before I responded to the comments.
James, you always give such excellent, well-informed advice! bravo!
That’s a lot of good information. I’m glad I know Spanish decently already.
I have been exploring the idea of moving to Europe for some time now, although not yet too seriously since I have 5+ years away at the very least. That said, I have seen some variation of this same video from other expats in France, Ireland, Germany, Belgium, and so on over the past few months. I will say that yours, while largely covering similar issues as most of the others, has been one of the more honest and insightful. This is especially true on your last your past point. Moving to a different city, state or country, or even ordering your morning coffee in a different language, does not make you a different person.
People living in a country other than their place of birth are not actually expats, unless you renounce your citizenship, in that case you’re an expat, but if you didn’t renounce your citizenship, you are an immigrant, not an expat
One question, James, is how do native Spaniards feel about foreigners moving to Spain? You present a very clear-eyed view of the issues and one of the best presentations on your channel! Best to you, Yoli, and Lucia!
Well, they don't really mind at all. Spaniards are very friendly people. Though it's true for some people it probably depends where you're coming from (sadly).
If you speak spanish there will be no problem. If you have been living for 2 years and only can articulate a simple "hola" you will be hated as f***.
In Spain you can be critic with politics and economy. But never ever with: language(s) and food.
If you are white you will be fine... if not you might experience some unpleasant situations every now and then even if you are legal (is the true!)
@@paseospormadrid1751And here an example of what’s going on in Spain. A person that believes that humans can be qualified by legal or illegal; feels entitled to whether welcome or not someone to a country; and somehow assumes that all nationals are qualified as “good” citizens by being born in Spain.
You’ll be very welcome in Spain if you come from a Western country and, even better if you are wealthy (no matter how you had earned your money).
And I am not going to get into other issues (religion, misogyny, corruption, etc)
Lived in Spain for years. Speak the lingo love the people.
I understand you need sponsors, but you yourself making propaganda during the videos make your comments less trustworthy. You could insert commercial brakes and then let the propaganda speak for itself.
My plan is to start an IT company in Spain. Hope to be a part of your Masterclass in a near future :) Thank you again for a very informant video :) Have a beautiful day
Real good basic information. Thank you, James.
well done, hopefully this enlightens those that are naive and as you said are looking with 'rose coloured glasses'
Very thorough and I feel, very wise. Well done! Thanks. I've got great advice to help me start prepping over the next 4-5yrs to make the move. #1 get serious about learning Spanish!
Hi James! You forgot to name the far left which is at least as much dangerous as the far right.
Hi Alejandro, which specific policies by the left do you consider dangerous. Honest question.
@@spainrevealed I could name so many I wouldn't have enough space, but here you have a few: extremely high taxes for middle and low classes (for autonomous, incrementation of petrol taxes, incrementation of electricity prices), expropriation policies from Podemos, high inflationary rates, etc. These are all typical left, far-left policies (some of them admitted by Podemos, others applied).
I don't support neither left nor right, but I find myself fascinated about how lefties feel so comfortable with far-left parties and pretend to censor far-right parties (which Vox doubtfully is). Honest answer.
@@moltderenou I understand he is on holiday in NZ. No doubt he will when back home. I'm also interested to see what he says
This was so comprehensive, THANK YOU
I've watched a few these. Nicely Done
I was getting concerned. You almost made it through an entire video without a Vino Tinto! You finally pulled through at the end! 👏😆
I'm going to Malaga for my year abroad next year and I cannot for the life of me figure out the tax system despite learning about the culture for 6 years now - would definitely recommend getting advice for it!
Malaga is a dream .. looove it
I'm madrileño and i don't understand it either lol. It's just nuts.
Love your videos, James. Your tips are highly appreciated! Gracias.
Spot on. I moved to Switzerland 20 years ago ( I am a Dutchie) and it is very recognizable. Putting language first is so important and so true. You can't expect from the locals that they speak english al the time, that is a thing were a lot of expats get frustrated, blaming the country where they are, instead of looking into the mirror. Funny fact is that I want to retire early in 3 years and move back to the Netherlands (to the island Texel, famous for its sheep, like New Zealand ;) ) with my Swiss wife and we tend to travel a lot during the winterperiod in Spain and Portugal. ( We don't like very hot weather and crowded places ) And I will learn spanish, because also as a tourist you will enjoy the local culture more if you have a basic skill in language.
Super cool video, how can you speak so clearly after drinking so many nice drinks? 😎 Good stuff, Sir!
Omg a baby!! Congrats!! So happy for you both!!!!!! Now you need 6 more, like myself! Lol
Not everyone is a Leftist. Some of us are social conservatives.
You sound like an idiot! 😂
¡Tu español es impecable!
thank you for the information. I never thought of moving to another country but maybe for a year, I might. Definitely to visit and to eat all those goodies.