Spain

Life in Spain: Our Experience & Advice for Families

Updated: March 2025 – This page was originally written in 2020 about our move in May 2018. It has been updated with new insights and reflections.

In May 2018, we learned that my husband, Clive, was being retrenched from his job. We had suspected for about a year that this day would come. We had been actively searching for new opportunities but struggled to find anything suitable in South Africa. The job market was tough, and unfortunately, Clive’s age and being a white male made it even harder to find employment.

Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) is a significant issue in South Africa. The program gives preferential treatment to black, coloured, and Indian South Africans in employment and business opportunities. For Clive—who is a 50-year-old white male—the job market was challenging. The prospects of finding a sustainable career seemed slim.

A Leap of Faith: Moving to Spain

As we continued to grapple with our situation, a friend of Clive’s suggested we consider starting fresh in Spain. He had moved there a few years earlier and found it to be a wonderful place to raise a family, with a relaxed lifestyle, rich culture, and lots of opportunities. This idea intrigued us. Our dream of worldschooling our children had always been on the horizon. This suggestion gave us the push we needed.

After doing thorough research, we decided to take a leap of faith and pursue the possibility of starting over in Southern Spain. With Clive’s retrenchment package (which wasn’t huge, but enough to get us started), we planned to make the move in just over a month! In hindsight, many would consider this impulsive and perhaps “crazy.” The recommended planning time for moving overseas is generally six months or more. But we felt it was our only shot at turning our dreams into a reality.

The Challenges and Reality of Moving Abroad

Making a big move like this is no small feat. There were plenty of obstacles along the way, both practical and emotional. We had to navigate the complexities of Spanish residency. We also had to find a place to live and figure out how to make a living in a foreign country. But we were determined to make it work and weren’t afraid to take on new challenges.

Looking back, we’ve learned so much—both the positive and the negative sides of living and moving abroad. We navigated Spanish bureaucracy and adapted to a new culture and lifestyle. It’s been a steep learning curve, but each challenge has offered a chance to grow.

What We Want to Share with You

Whether you’re planning a move to Spain, considering relocating elsewhere, or are already living abroad, we hope our experiences provide guidance. Our posts will focus on:

• Practical tips for moving and settling in Spain (or anywhere)

• Personal experiences and lessons learned

• Reviews of services and resources we’ve found helpful

• Information on living in Spain and managing the challenges of settling in as expats

Our goal is to offer support to those making similar decisions, whether you’re thinking about moving to Spain or are already in Spain, trying to find your footing.

Here’s to Big Dreams and New Beginnings

Taking the plunge into the unknown can be daunting, but it can also be the start of something exciting. We’re embracing this adventure with open hearts and minds. Our big dreams of worldschooling, exploring new cultures, and giving our children a broader perspective on life are becoming a reality.

If you’re interested in learning more about specific regions we’ve explored, check out our Regions section, where we share insights into different areas we’ve lived in or visited.

You can also find reviews and recommendations in Products, covering useful items we discovered during our time in Spain.

If you’d like to stay updated on our journey and receive more posts with tips and insights, click the follow button on this site. We’ll continue to share our story and help guide others on their own journey of starting fresh abroad.

Here’s to thinking outside the box, chasing dreams, and embracing the challenges that come with them!