The next Free Spirit Friday interview features Beth from Hardly A Globetrotter. I got to know Beth during my four-month stay in Spain through our Irish friends we had in common. I only realised that Beth was a fellow travel blogger about three months in, but now I love everything she writes. Every time she uploads a new blog post, I find myself being incredibly excited to read it.
Let’s kick this one off!
Was it hard to make friends as an English woman in Spain?
In a word, YES. When I first moved to Spain I didn’t speak any Spanish and I didn’t know anyone in my chosen city. I’d moved for a change of scene and to learn a new language but in a lot of ways I hadn’t really prepared myself – the culture shock was huge and it didn’t help that I was living in an area where a large percentage of the population didn’t speak English! Screwed myself a bit there, didn’t I? Ultimately it came down to putting myself out there, saying yes to everything and meeting as many people as possible while also taking the initiative to learn the basics of Spanish. One year on and I have a lot of friends here and I can (just about) speak Spanish! It was hard, but in the end it was worth it, I’ve met so many amazing people
How did it feel to be friends with a bunch of Erasmus students when you were working already?
I’ve always had friends from a variety of different age groups so for me, having a lot of friends on their Erasmus, some of whom were seven or eight years younger than me, wasn’t an issue. To be honest, without those guys I probably never would have integrated into life here! Now I have friends who are studying, friends in their mid-late 20s like me and even friends in their 40s! It’s nice to have that mix.
Why did you choose to emigrate to Spain?
I wanted to leave the UK because I was getting very disillusioned with London life – I love London and I had a great (very well paid!) job, lots of friends and a nice apartment. The problem was I felt like that was sort of it and I was going to be working in my chosen industry until I got too old to do it any more. I didn’t want to ‘settle down’ per se. And although I’d travelled a lot, I had always wanted to live abroad. Staying in Europe was the best option for me because as a UK citizen I had freedom of movement. (no Brexit questions please, thinking about it still upsets me too much). I wanted to learn another language and I’ve always loved Spanish culture and the lifestyle here, plus it’s such a beautiful (and extremely useful) language.
Do you plan on living in other countries than Spain as well? Which ones/Why not?
If I could, I’d live everywhere! I spent some time in the States when I was younger and I always wanted to move there, although nowadays I don’t know how easy it would be for me. I would love to travel around South America and I think it would be nice to spend a couple of years over there, though I’m unsure as to which country.
Are you afraid of missing out on a sense of fulfilment from starting a traditional family back home?
Good question! Someone probably asks this question just about every time I go back to the UK haha. The answer for me is no. When I was in the UK I was headed towards what we would see as traditional milestones – buying a house, getting married, starting a family. In all honesty I wasn’t ready for it, I wanted to travel, to learn, to experience new things, and I knew that if I settled down, it would be much harder to do. To be honest, I don’t see myself doing it anytime soon. When I was 21, I thought by now I would have found a husband and maybe even have kids (I’m 28). Now I realise how young I still am and how much I have left to do – there’s plenty of time to do the family thing in the future, if I decide it’s right for me. But right now, I feel more fulfilled and happy than I ever felt in London, staring down the barrel of a mortgage!
If you could bring one type of food to Spain that is exclusive to England, what would it be and why?
JAFFA CAKES JAFFA CAKES JAFFA CAKES! I miss them so much. You can get them here but they’re not the same! Can I choose another type of food? I can? Excellent! I would also choose my mum’s homemade chocolate cake. She’s an amazing baker and I really miss her cakes.
The other way around: what’s the one Spanish thing you’d want Brits to incorporate into their daily lives?
I think Brits can learn a lot from the Spanish. I think the main takeaway we could benefit from in the UK is the more relaxed pace of life. Of course, every individual is different. But here in Spain, I just feel like nobody stresses that much about the small stuff. There’s more focus on the things that are really important – family, friends, food, having a good time, and taking life at your own pace. People work hard here but they know how to balance their lives a little better. I’ve definitely learned a lot!
Did your parents immediately support your decision to move overseas?
I’m very lucky that I was raised by two absolute legends who always told us we could be and do anything we wanted if we worked for it. My parents were incredibly supportive of my decision. They’re both quite well-travelled people and they’re all about educating yourself, broadening your mind, etc. My mum actually did something similar when she was my age – she packed up and moved to the States. She was 27/28, single and it was the 80s so everyone thought she’d gone mental, but she didn’t care and ended up having an incredible time there, so she was especially excited for me. I know my parents miss me a lot and it must be hard for them but they’ve been nothing but supportive to me in everything I’ve done.
How much of a factor should FOMO be for anyone looking into moving abroad?
FOMO is definitely something you have to consider if you’re planning to move abroad. The first few months will be especially tough – I remember seeing photos on social media of my friendship group back home all together and thinking “What the eff have I done?” It’s normal. It takes time to adjust to a new culture, new lifestyle and being away from your family. Even now I get really homesick sometimes, especially when I miss big things at home. My cousin got engaged a couple of months ago and we’re really close, but I couldn’t celebrate with her. My sister bought a house with her boyfriend and I couldn’t go to visit them. One of my best friends got engaged to her girlfriend of a decade, two awesome people I’ve known since uni, and I couldn’t celebrate with them. It’s really tough sometimes and you have to anticipate that you’re going to feel isolated. Keep busy, embrace your new life and find ways to keep in touch with home which work for you. I would also say be careful not to be too dependent on those back home – it will make you feel more alienated from your new surroundings if you don’t embrace it fully.
Would you consider moving to yet another country if the opportunity presented itself?
Yes, definitely, if an opportunity presents itself! Right now I think I’d like to stay in Spain for a couple more years. But I’m looking into opportunities in other Spanish-speaking countries. We’ll see what happens! I think I’m always going to be someone who travels. I’ll be one of those crazy hippie grandmas who splits her time between two or three countries. I’ve never felt a burning need to settle in one place. I feel at home anywhere if I’m with the right people!
Are there countries where you absolutely don’t want to live? Why?
I don’t think there is anywhere I would rule out. Obviously some parts of the world are more dangerous or unwelcoming than others. Many of those places change with time, though. So although I’m not planning a move to North Korea anytime soon, there’s nowhere I would completely rule out in the future. You never know where you’re going to end up!
Huge thank you to Beth for letting me grill her about what it’s like to live in Spain, even though I lived there myself for four months. You can follow Hardly (a) Globetrotter on her blog, Instagram, Twitter and Mixcloud (yes, Beth is also a DJ).
