Relocating from America to Spain is a huge shift in culture, lifestyle, climate and language.
But for Christina Davis, 32, who moved to Barcelona in 2022, her new life overseas comes with plenty of positives.
Originally from New Jersey, the American had studied abroad in the popular Spanish capital 10 years ago and lived in Asia during the pandemic.
The American left behind her job in medical device sales when she first moved out of the country back in 2019.
For Christina, a big reason behind the move from the States was the ‘work culture’ which she describes as ‘very heavy work hard, hustle hard culture’ that ‘becomes your identity’.
She adds: ‘I wanted to be a little bit more in the Western world, and Europe was kind of the happy medium, close enough to home to where I can go visit, but not back in the US.’
At her job in the States, Christina was given just 10 days of annual leave a year, plus an extra week if she’d have stayed at the company for five years.
‘It was wild,’ she adds.
For Christina Davis (pictured), 32, who moved to Barcelona in 2022, her new life overseas comes with plenty of positives
The American left behind her job in medical device sales when she first moved out of the country back in 2019. She says: ‘I wanted to be a little bit more in the Western world, and Europe was kind of the happy medium, close enough to home to where I can go visit, but not back in the US’
‘There were too many places I wanted to go and life I wanted to live. That 10 days doesn’t really give you a lot.’
Now working as a podcast producer in Barcelona, Christina says she has a ‘much better’ quality of life.
Christina has found that people are much more sociable and go out a lot more in Barcelona, compared to the US, plus everything is much cheaper – which makes socialising much easier.
‘There’s always festivities, street markets and that’s even during the week. You can do stuff after work, where I feel like when I’m back in the US and I go and visit my friends, I have to schedule a week or so in advance just to see someone.
‘I go back a few times a year, but the lifestyle and the cost of living is actually astronomical now, and you’re not getting a better quality for it.’
But despite all the positives Christina has found in Barcelona, her relocation hasn’t always been completely smooth sailing.
And she recalls how hard the first 12 months were for her – from figuring out the healthcare system to settling into a new apartment, as well as fitting into ‘the Spanish culture and trying to be part of it’.
She explains: ‘I think the biggest challenge is probably the first year, getting integrated is really hard.
For Christina, a big reason behind the move from the States was the ‘work culture’ which she describes as ‘very heavy work hard, hustle hard culture’ that ‘becomes your identity’
Christina has found that people are much more sociable and go out a lot more in Barcelona, compared to the US, plus everything is much cheaper – which makes socialising much easier
‘The first little bit could be a bit lonely, because you’ll talk to your friends from home, they can’t fathom what you’re going through.
‘Now, I think the difficult parts that I face is that Barcelona is a very transient city in terms of expats and international people.
‘I would say most people stay for anywhere between two to four years on average, and then they either go back home, move on for a job, want to leave.’
Christina says she has ‘gone through two or three groups of friends’ because of the cycle of people leaving and the ‘constant goodbye and hello of friends can be difficult’.
She adds: ‘I also miss my family and friends so much, I’m very close with my family.’
For this reason, Christina regularly goes back to the States to visit – but she yearns for Barcelona when she’s home, due to the food and politics in USA.
‘I’ll go back for a month at a time because it’s obviously a far trip,’ Christina, who shares her life abroad on social media, @christinaadavis, says. ‘When I’m home, I really miss all the things that the city has to offer.
‘The food makes me sick every single time I go home.
Christina regularly goes back to the States to visit – but she yearns for Barcelona when she’s home, due to the food and politics in USA
‘It takes me a week, I’m bloated, I got such stomach aches from the food, and that’s even eating pretty clean.
‘I also just think the political climate [in the USA] is so polarised, and so crazy, that I struggle to ever be like, “Oh, I’d be happy 100% moving back.”‘
However, there is one part of Spanish culture that causes Christina to consider whether she would stay in Barcelona forever.
‘Being self-employed in Spain is notoriously difficult,’ she explains. ‘That is probably the one thing that makes me question whether I’ll continue staying here or not.
‘It feels like you can almost never get ahead, because the government’s always increasing the tax rates yearly’.