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Writer's pictureIza Marszałek

What I wish I knew before moving to Spain

Updated: Oct 31, 2021



Stunning beaches, 364 days of sun, fresh seafood, tapas, handsome Spanish boys, beautiful language and international environment... Sounds appealing, doesn't it?

Apart from all of these things, what I've been looking for when going to Spain - was fun. Did I find it in Barcelona? Hell yeah! But, was it easy to pack all of my things and just start a new life here? Let’s find out!

Paperwork is a hell of a work.


First of all, if you consider living in Spain for a while and you wish to have some basic privileges, you should be prepared for a lot of paperwork! In order to get a legal job, open a bank account, sign up for the gym or library, often even rent a flat or a room you need to obtain a document called NIE (Número de identidad de extranjero - Foreigners' Identity number). This is equivalent to a tax number which then is essential to get a Social Security number (health care). Without these two things, you basically cannot survive in Spain.

I remember I had knowledge of this documentation before landing in Spain. However, I was not aware of all the hassle needed in order to obtain this little piece of paper.

Most of the employers require NIE but to have NIE, you should have a job. So this is like running in circles, super frustrating. Although, I am from an EU country, it was not quite easy for me. If you’re from outside of the European Union, it gets even messier, sorry! These 9 digits and letters will haunt you in your dreams until one lucky morning, a grumpy lady in la Oficina will hand it over to you.

Should you seriously think about starting your life in Barna, make sure you get your NIE (follow the link below for tips).

Important :

If you don't receive a green card that looks like that, you need to renew your NIE form after 3 months!



Sunkissed doom


Ok, maybe I am exaggerating a little bit but I have to admit - that the sun here can be a pain.

I remember that exciting feeling when I felt the Spanish sun on my skin right after landing in the Iberian peninsula...

It was an amazing sensation for the first time... Not so great anymore when I got sunburnt all over my body. Ain’t no fun going to the toilet when you look like a shrimp, trust me.

I don’t have to give you a speech about using sunscreens, glasses, hats etc...Nor remind you that too much sun exposure can lead to premature ageing and cancer, right?

The habit of not leaving a house without at least a bit of solar cream will come naturally.



Nevertheless, the combination of the sun and humidity can be a nightmare.

Forget about wearing heavy make-up in the summer and get used to the sweaty moustache. Flip flops and fans will become your best friends. If you work in the office, spending 8 hours in the air-conditioned room will be a blessing, even if you have to wear a sweater there.

The average percentage of humidity on a sunny day is 72%! On top of that, all those conditions combined with the seawater have damaged my hair completely. It’s never been drier.

To sum up, we all love summer days and there is nothing better than a lazy Sunday on the beach. Yet, there will always be those days (mostly in August, the hottest month) where you’ll dream about rain and snow.



- ?Hablas inglés?

- Un poco!


When I moved to Barcelona, my intention wasn’t to settle down for good. Thus, I did not focus on learning Spanish.

Referring to the first paragraph, paperwork is a nightmare. I understood the importance of speaking Spanish when it comes to dealing with issues regarding documentation in the government offices. While I was stressed enough about getting the papers, the fact that they actually don’t speak English in those places was making it much harder. Before I moved here, I was sure that in such an international city, English would be everywhere and I would just get through easily. Well, I was wrong. Those 2 phrases that I wrote in the subtitle - you’re going to hear a lot. Ask someone (in a restaurant, bar, office, on the street…) if they speak English, they would most likely say “a little” and you’ll find yourself frustrated over and over again. What is the solution then? Learn Spanish! It is quite difficult but isn’t it just lovely? Life is easier with Spanish...

“Get yourself a Spanish boyfriend,” they said, “You’ll learn Spanish” - they said...


I had 2 and well... My Spanish still sucks! As I wrote in the paragraph above, it is not very common to meet a Spaniard with good English. All my friends were sure that if I had a boyfriend, I would learn Spanish faster. Unfortunately, I know for a fact, it actually happens very rarely. The truth is that once you’ll connect with these hot-blooded people, they will love the opportunity to practice their English with you. And this language is going to stick to your relationship even if you try to switch after some time. It is sad but true!

I even found a funny blog post about issues like these, where speaking to your partner in their mother language is compared to wearing a wet T-shirt. https://asmarttranslatorsreunion.wordpress.com/2019/02/14/7-things-only-those-in-a-bilingual-relationship-can-understand%EF%BB%BF/

"I will learn Catalan easily, it's almost the same as Spanish!"


No, it isn't. Catalan is way different from español. Even for Spanish speakers from different parts of Spain or Latinos. After years of living here, they still aren't really eager to learn this language.

If I couldn't get Spanish properly, how can I learn this language that is a mix of Italian, French and Portuguese?

Without Catalan though, you can survive in Barcelona. On the other hand, try to go to any smaller town in Catalonia and it may be much more difficult.




"What is important is to spread confusion, not eliminate it." - Salvador Dali.

This funny quote sometimes pictures my point of view of the Catalan political situation. I am one of those people, who doesn’t really follow the news when it comes to politics. I just have an overview of the current situation and it is very complicated. When I’ve been trying to find out more by talking to the locals, I was even more confused. What I know now is that once you find yourself in a group of Catalans, it is better not to start a “P conversation”. Catalans are very proud and they love speaking about politics. They love speaking loud. For your own good, avoid this topic.

Protests are Spain’s bread and butter.


What I’ve quickly noticed after settling down in Spain, was the fact that people here like to “go with the flow”. Planning too much ahead doesn’t make sense sometimes. Why? Imagine that you’re planning to walk to work and you’re enjoying the morning sun. You are passing by and boom! - the street is closed. It happens very often because of the protests. Spaniards love to go on the streets and manifest. Whether it is a peaceful feminist demonstration or a violent riot supporting an arrested rapper*, the city will be disturbed. Sometimes, for some people, protesting is an excuse to destroy the city and set things on fire while normally manifestations are for a good cause. As a result, metros are closed, you are now late for work and your plans are ruined.

To conclude, people will go with the flow, follow the loud crowd and speak out. It is a normal thing in Barcelona.




*This happened for real. There was almost a week of wild protests in Barcelona that turned a whole city upside down thanks to the controversial rapper´s arrest. You can find some information here: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/17/spanish-riot-police-clash-with-protesters-after-rapper-arrested



Daily workout plan: the stairs.



Although I love working out, I did not sign up for this; a daily workout a.k.a climbing up the 4th floor a few times a day in 30 degrees. Yes, Spain has amazing architecture but most of the buildings are quite old hence no lifts. It may shape your bum quite well after a while and you can probably get used to it, but the unhappy faces and short breaths of your visitors will keep annoying you again and again.





Last thing: my heart belongs to Barcelona.

It's a love and hate city. You will be riding an emotional roller coaster sometimes. Barna will kick your ass more than once but then will bring you new opportunities. I came here in 2017 with a ticket back home, aiming to spend “a summer of fun”. 4 years after, despite tons of tears shed, 3 phones stolen, heartbroken repeatedly, I’ve fallen in love with you, Barcelona.


With all that I know now, I can almost assure you that once you land in El Prat Airport, you probably will never want to leave.




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1 Comment


roksana marszalek
roksana marszalek
Sep 18, 2021

Great post, very helpful 💜

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