About Lauren
Lauren Covino-Smith is a wife/mother originally from the sandy shores of New Jersey, from where she moved to Barcelona along with her family. She shared with us some of the adventures of an American expat family in Barcelona.
Currently she is an expat living her very best life abroad in Barcelona. She and her family, husband Tony and three children – Anthony (9), Autumn (7) and London (4) have lived in Barcelona for four years and feel as at home here as they did back in the United States.
Lauren is the creator and lead writer for The Expat Chronicle, a lifestyle expat blog featuring articles about her family’s journey abroad as well as family travel tips and Barcelona insider info. Through the blog, she has successfully grown an Instagram community and now partners with many local brands to bring awareness to their products and services.
The adventures of an American expat family in Barcelona
Why and when did you move to Barcelona?
We made the journey across the Atlantic Ocean in August 2017. Living abroad was something my husband and I have always dreamed about doing but never thought it would become a reality. Until a job opportunity at his former employer popped up – and we simply couldn’t say no.
How was the transition?
The transition into European city life, compared to the suburban American life we were used to, was easy in some ways and more challenging in others. It’s a much slower paced way of life and people here are never in a rush unlike the Northeast of the U.S. This was a very [positive change for us and we immediately felt less stressed and more “tranquilla”, as they say here. The children adjusted beautifully and were young enough at the time to not entirely realize the magnitude of our relocation. What ended up being more challenging were things like language barriers, relying solely on public transportation to get around, and cultural differences such as dinnertime being 8:30pm and all shops closing daily for siesta! Some of things we STILL aren’t entirely used to.
How is living in Barcelona as an expat family?
The reason my husband and I jumped on this opportunity to move here was because of all the positive things we had heard about Barcelona. The fabulous weather, inexpensive cost of living, the exciting nightlife, gorgeous architecture – it was all too alluring to pass up on. And we truly do love living here! As an expat, you always feel a bit “on the outside” of the local Catalan vibe but being such an international city makes meeting other expats extremely easy. We have a wonderful group of other parents and Americans we’ve met here as well as families from all over the world. Barcelona may be a big city in comparison to the small suburb we came from, but in many ways it feels like a tight-knit community!
What do you like the most about Barcelona?
I personally love art and design, so this is the perfect city to live in! Everyday I am still in awe, even after four years, of the architecture styles! I’m constantly taking photos of different churches and buildings – it never gets old to me. I also love how safe the city feels. Sure, pickpocketing is a real concern here. But compared to some of the dangers lurking around corners in American cities, I have very few worries here. If one of my children gets separated in the park, I never worry that I won’t see them again. I love how inexpensive everything is here – food, babysitters, after school activities, wine, clothing! We are saving loads of money by living abroad since we no longer own a home in the U.S. but still benefit from a very comfortable lifestyle as expats.
Do you have a favorite spot in the city?
My children know all too well that my very favorite part of the city is the Gothic Quarter. Maybe it’s because I am American and our country is only 200 years old compared to the centuries old European cities here. But being in the Old City just transforms me to another time! It’s majestic, romantic, and gothic all rolled into one. Specifically, I love being in Plaça Reial or in front of the Barcelona Cathedral sipping a cappuccino and people watching. These are special places in the city that embody the true heart and spirit of the Barcelona culture.
And a favorite place or town in Spain?
Traveling outside the city, one of my favorite spots is the Costa Brava town of Tossa de Mar. The town is about 45 minutes from Barcelona but you feel a million miles away while wandering the medieval castle and old walled village which is situated right on the beach. It is a lovely little town for a day trip or a short weekend away. We had an opportunity over Christmastime to spend the New Years holiday at an Air B&B inside the castle and highly recommend it! What a neat experience to be in the center of the true history of this town.
What would you like to have known before moving to Barcelona with your family?
It would have been helpful to brush up more on my Spanish. I always did well in school, but once we arrived here and I was forced to use the language on an everyday basis, I realized how much I didn’t retain over the years! Four years later, I am much more confident speaking conversationally with friends and locals.
What would you say to someone who is thinking about moving to Barcelona as an expat family?
To anyone who is thinking about moving to Barcelona as an expat family, I say to GO FOR IT! Sure, there will be some things you may not like and plenty of things to get used to. But the experience and adventure of being in this incredible Mediterranean city is well worth it!!
About your ongoing and future projects
Recently you wrote a children’s book, A passport for Bun-Bun, to “encourage children to live their dreams, embrace diversity, and step outside their comfort zone”.
How did you come up with the idea?
My background is in writing and journalism so it’s always something I’ve enjoyed. After a year of living abroad, a friend encouraged me to start writing a blog about our experiences. It first began as a hobby, a way to keep me busy and also document our time here. But I soon fell in love with the writing part and realized how blogging could become a little business for me! Two and a half years later stemmed the idea to write a children’s book! I sure wished I had a story like A Passport for Bun-Bun when preparing my own family for our move overseas. So the hope is that this book will give children that are anxious about their move some comfort and hope!
How has your experience as an American expat family in Barcelona helped you to write the story?
Oh gosh, the entire children’s book project would not have been possible without the experience of being an expat! The theme of the story, idea behind producing a children’s book and the motivation to see the project through was entirely because of how life-changing this journey has been for our entire family. For me personally, I’m not sure I would have had the determination to start and complete the book if it wasn’t for the strength I’ve gained as a writer while living abroad.
Do you have any other projects ongoing, or any future projects?
The Expat Chronicle, which is my expat lifestyle blog, will still continue to take up much of my time as a writer. In the meantime, I have also given thought to writing another children’s book but this time for my son’s age group – 9-12. A much trickier audience for sure, but I welcome the challenge!
How do you see the future as an American expat family in Barcelona? Do you consider moving to another country eventually? Or going back to the United States?
Being an expat suggests something temporary – so we’ve always known this was not going to be our permanent home. And although I am not sure when and where we will end up next, I have faith that our family will approach it the same way we have Barcelona. As a new experience, and a new journey full of excitement and new friends!
Lauren’s children’s book A passport for Bun-Bun is available on Amazon.