Who are you?
Hi my name is Anna and I’m a 27-year-old German girl from Hamburg.I’ve always loved to travel and discover new places. So far I have lived in the US for an exchange, in Brazil for an internship and different cities in Germany. The next big step was moving to Spain.
Where, when and why did you move abroad?
I moved to the Costa Blanca in May 2017 because my boyfriend is from Spain. After having lived in Germany for more than 7 years we decided to take this big step together and move to Spain. We started looking for jobs and landed here. We live in Finestrat, in the Provincia of Alicante and I started working in the city of Alicante.
What challenges did you face during the move?
As a European citizen I was surprised that things were so easy. I obviously need no visa, no work permit or any other document. It is easy to find an apartment in our area and the prices are lower or comparable to what I’m used to. So far we live in a furnished home and start saving up to find our own place in the next few years.
Are there many other expats in your area?
Benidorm is full of tourists and internationals and so is our neighborhood. But most of the people don’t live and work here, they mainly spend the summer. In general the area is home to many expats I would say and I would gladly meet some soon.
What do you like about life where you are?
Our place has a beautiful view, we have the sea in front of us and the skyline of Benidorm. The life in Benidorm is touristy and joyful and at the same time we live so close to beautiful small towns and the mountains are right behind our house. It’s a mixture I wasn’t used to before because I lived in a big city. The nature and the silence amazes me. The sun is always shining and people spend their days outside.
What do you dislike about your expat life?
I find it hard to get to know people because we have not many things close to our place. I am looking into finding international groups or language partners.
What is the biggest cultural difference you have experienced between your new country and life back home?
Well, Spanish people are more laid back and relaxed in many ways. I have noticed that everything can be solved and people stay calm while Germans tend to complain a lot. Even though Spaniards speak loudly and seem to argue they just have a good time and enjoy themselves. But sometimes the voice level is a bit too loud for me.
What do you think of the food and drink in your new country? What are your particular likes or dislikes?
I like many different Spanish dishes. One main point is that we live at the coast and I don’t eat any sea food and eat meat only from time to time. When I go out I prefer ordering vegetarian options because people like to eat A LOT of meat on their plates…
My favorite foods are gazpacho, patatas bravas, fried vegetables and tapas and pintxos in general. Luckily there are many options with cheese as well that taste really good. The Spanish tortilla is amazing and I enjoy ordering vegetable a la plancha which means grilled.
What advice would you give to anyone following in your footsteps?
Just do It! On the one hand it might feel scary or huge but in the end you can always go back. I’ve become more relaxed and laid back since I’ve been living here. And some days you like it and some days it seems hard but that’s the same in every life, no matter where you live!
What are your plans for the future?
As of right now I want to save some money and meet new people. My Spanish needs to improve so that one day I can work in Spanish. Right now my job is mainly in German… and I can’t wait what the life holds for us here in Spain!
You can keep up to date with Anna's adventures on her blog, Annaespaña.
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