Many stories read and heard about Americans who landed in Barcelona or anywhere else in Spain by chance and ended up building a life here. But why do Americans move to Spain? Business, love, adventure… Many reasons have pushed American citizens to start a life in Spain. And after hearing some of them, we wanted to share the most common reasons with all of you. You might feel identified with them or maybe inspired to make the move.
To live a new experience overseas
Barcelona is a cosmopolitan city with citizens from all over the world, with nice weather and delicious food. It sounds like a great scenario for an adventure abroad, this is why some Americans decide to move temporarily to this country and enjoy a new experience overseas. Moving to Spain for a couple of months thanks to an exchange opportunity to work as an English teacher in Spain is one of the most common reasons. So why do Americans move to Spain? This is one first good reason.
The one year abroad that turns into a lifetime
But what if that experience turns into a lifetime living in Spain, and you end up calling this country “home”? This is what happened to some Americans which still hate the tedious Spanish bureaucracy but it is somehow worth it to go through if it means having their best life in Spain.
When you lose everything (in economic terms) and a new life makes its way
That is what happened to Marsha Scarbrough. After losing everything as a consequence of the crisis in 2008, she found out how she could also enjoy life and take the most of it. A dramatic situation was unexpectedly turned into a new and exciting life in Spain which today makes her really happy. You can hear her full story told by herself: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZZ8DdA9bkw
A love story
A classic. The story of “American boy meets Spanish girl” (or American girl meets Spanish boy, or American girl meets Spanish girl or all the possibilities of love) also makes it on the list. But what happens when the Atlantic is a handicap? Well, either the story ends up or… one of them makes the move of settling down in Spain eventually to discover where this story leads them. Why do Americans move to Spain? Sometimes love is the answer.
Business opportunities
A company offering the possibility to move to Spain as an opportunity of growth in your career might be another reason why some Americans decide to move to Spain (in this case, mainly temporarily). This business opportunity is often presented along with the possibility of living a new experience abroad with your family.
It also means an experience to get to know a beautiful city which hosts people from all over the world, which also has nice weather and yummy food. And most important, international schools for children. If you are about to move to Barcelona and are looking for schools, check the article we wrote about the American schools in Barcelona.
Retiring in Spain
A great lifestyle along with the nice weather make the country special for those who decide to retire here, living out of their pensions. Some cities or villages are a cheaper option (specially in the south of Spain) compared to the cost of living in some cities in the United States. For people making this decision moving to Spain sometimes means making a move to a better quality of life.