Frustrating things about living in Spain
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- čas přidán 15. 01. 2018
- In this vlog I share some of the things that sometimes annoy me about living in Spain. In spite of a few gripes, Spain is still a great place to live.
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I am from Hong Kong, when I heard you said Spain is crowded and lack spaces, I laughed so hard
fea hhh 😂😂😂😂
He said it in comparison to australia
fea hhh I’m from northern Spain and I currently live in Hong Kong, I laughed so hard too
comparing Hong Kong to Spain is quite like Australia to spain, both are extremes from opposite poles
Felipe Cort are u for real lol
Lol.
Having a bad day Stuart?
I was born and raised in Australia. I gotta say thats a fair bit too much crock to swallow in one youtube video.
Ive been to Spain many times and resided in Madrid for a while .
If youre not happy with the barbecue. Coock it some more it aint rocket science.
Politics in Australia is just as rotten to the core.
Its virtually impossible to find good food in Australian restaurants. And I live in the supposedly food capital of the nation. Melbourne.
To say that people in Spain particularly in big cities like Madrid are probably commuting longer to get to work is absolutely piss your pants laughable.
I mean Perth is a village mate.
Take Sydney or Melbourne. Poulation 5 million and 4.6 million .
Its typical to drive an hour an a half or longer to get to work on a road system thats virtually third world.
And you can forget about public transport as its absolutely pathetic in this country.
Concerning food and vegetables. Youre lucky if they last you more than a couple of days. As theyve more than likely been frozen for 9 months or longer. And they usually have no taste whatso ever. And the amount of carceragenic pesticides used in this country which is banned in the EU is absolutely criminal.
And please dont compare the variety of food choice you get in a typical Spanish supermarket such as Mercadona to say Coles or Woolworths which are the only 2 real supermarkets that exist in this country. Cheap product after cheap product from China is what reins in Australia.
Its also not unusual to find a snake in your backyard or get banned from swimming on the beach due to shark sightings in Australia.
An income to debt ratio of 12 to 1 in Sydney and 10 to 1 in Melbourne.
You have to be a millionaire to put a roof over your head.
Although with auction rates at their lowest for years and property prices already falling in Sydney and Melbourne it seems like the collapse has finally begun.
And with Australia not producing anything and having the second highest private debt in the world its more than certain that a terrible recession is about to hit us like a freight train.
About the only couple of things I agree with is customer service in Spain is pathetic in general.
And alot of the Madrileños are very arrogant and incredibly closed minded. I find it strange how they hang around their little group of friends and will speak to no one else.
They also tend to think they are the centre of the world.
I think Madrid is a fantastic city . But some of the strange attitudes I had to put up with the locals really used to frustrate me.
But then you get alot of the same attitude in Australia.
Australia aint perfect. Not by a long shot.
And given the choice I would rather live in Spain any day.
Cheers.
Marty Marty- Thank you for your response to Stuart's video. I almost gave up on the Idea of moving to Spain for a few years. I am retired, so a lot of the things he mentioned would not affect me, but there was some major points that would. Now I still have the hope to live in Europe for a few years. Just two questions. I am a big guy, around 400 lbs. I know sucks for me but it's hard to fight familial genes. Is there blatant bigotry against obese people? And are things there made more for smaller people?
nbrace 8132
I can tell you that the typical Spanish lifestyle is absolutely fantastic.
Beautiful country . Great weather . Although Madtid gets very cold in winter and incredibly hot in August. Around the coast of the country is alot more mild all year round . Alot more so around the east coast and southern coasts..
Fantastic food on a consistent basis.
Great parks.
Awesome shopping.
World class infrastructure.
Unmatchabke nightlife. Certainly in Madrids case.
I would go back in a heart beat if I could.
I certainly dont enjoy the Australian lifestyle very much at all.
Bad food. Weather that changes four times in a day. At least in Melbournes case.
Shops that close at 5 pm except on thursdays and Fridays.
Give me Spain anyday.
Unfortunately I dont have a European passport.
Concerning discrimination?
Spaniards especially the younger generation tend to have a live and let live attitude.
Youre always bound to find an idiot sooner or later. But thats anywhere.
On the whole you should be fine.
All the best.
Come to Spain, start our mediterranean diet with an endocrinologyst, enjoy the food and the country. You will lose weight easy in a healthy way and no one will bother you. In 1 year you will see how big the change was.
You will find stupid people, that's for sure, but hey, they are all around the world. If u want good vegetables and fruit, go to a grocery store, not to a supermarket and ask locals if they know a grocery store connected or related to farmers. Buy naranjas (oranges) from La Alquería, you wont regret it. If you know where to buy, you gonna get food with the best quality (and pretty often just recolected from the same day). Im spanish, I know what Im talking about :)
And, oh yeah, I forgot it: we are loud, we like laughing, smiling, sharing our emotions with others, be ourselves, we are passionate, we love in public, we cry in public, we shout in public... we basically live in public.
And what is also true: politics here are just crazy... if only spanish peopke worked in the same direction as we did before... we would rule the world just like we did before. Our worst enemy is ourselves, if you take a look at our history, you will enjoy it and have fun with it because it's one of the craziest histories in the world.
Marty Marty Is there any chance of you moving to Spain? You sound like you love it as much as I do! I need to live there....😎
I am from Spain and i agree about how the people are in Madrid.
People in the biggest cities are more rude and prepotent.
Madrid is an absolutely fantastic city.
You'd be hard pressed to find another city with such terrific restaurants, architecture, museums, parks, culture and nightlife.
With world class infrastructure.
Australia has really changed in the last ten years.
People in the larger cities are really stressed out with the big debt there carrying and driving to and from work has become unbearably stressful.
I mean you go to the archaeological museum in Madrid and think there's nothing comparable in Australia.
Or you go to an ancient town outside the city on a high speed train.
Or the enormous flee market on a Sunday or shop at a huge department store or shopping centre on a Monday till then pm.
Or come back from a night club at 8 am on a Wednesday and spend a couple of Euros on a metro ticket to get back home.
Or watch the biggest football club in the world.
Or have dinner at a restaurant at 11 pm.
Walk late at night with impossibly packed streets and happy natured people without witnessing any fights. Etc...
What's not to like?
The only problem with Spain is its lack of opportunities concerning work.
But Australia is not what it once was and its rapidly changing.
Australia has become a real rip off of a country.
There so desperate for money they don't even have sympathy for Jay walkers anymore.
They fine you on the spot.
Australia's future is looking more and more shaky by the day.
What a pity.
what a true, meaningful comment!
Wow dude that’s a full-on rant...sounds like you’re having a miserable time...you should move back to Perth. The most isolated and boring monoculture in the world! I think you’re totally seeing Australia through rose coloured glasses. And Perth is not representative of Australia. Dude when were you last on the east coast? Australia has changed so much in the last decade. Also our politicians are some of the most deluded in the world. Take for example our current scary Christian right wing bogan PM. He’s a shocker. I think a lot of your comments are filtered through your car-based life. If you don’t drive a car and catch PT or ride a bike you don’t have parking hassles... life is so much easier. Good luck. Wow why would a Spanish person invite you to their bbq? You’d be an awesome guest dude...like really great to talk to and uplifting!
I actually feel ripped off left and right in Spain. There’s charges on top of charges here, and generally the quality of the service or product is not worth it. That is also a complaint I would add. Last month Agencia Tributaria charged me for making a payment via bank transfer... enraging.
He wasn't talking about the city or it's attractions, just about the way things are done. and the bad attitude of the people and working environment which is prevalent in Spain.
@@carolinewjordan 😕
I'm a Spanish coffee lover, I couldn't believe what you were saying about coffee here. Coffee in England tastes like gargling water , i understand it takes time to get used to a stronger flavour. Orwell used to say that when you are born in a place , good and bad things come into your soul and you will never be happy away from them . Listening to you proves his theory.
Depends what coffee you have in England. There are some nice brands with great flavour. The awful coffee is American brands like Starbucks.
I'm from Spain but live in England now. The main complaint with my country is lack of opportunities which ties in to the bad state of the economy, work/life balance and politics. Most other things are anecdotal really.
1 - Crowded. I partially agree. Most of the Spanish population is concentrated onto the main cities, but there are huge areas of Spain largely uninhabited. Take the car and drive from Madrid out on any of the 6 main "autovías". There will be long stretches in which there is "nothing" around you. The roads are mostly empty too. Compared to England I would say Spain is empty rather than crowded! I mean just having a look at the roads you were driving on, seems to be a pleasant drive right? You don't get that as much in England...
2 - Noise levels. Agreed, Spain is a noisy country. I have to say I miss it sometimes when I'm on a quiet country for too long.
3 - Politics. Yes, agreed...
4 - Coffee. Don't know if I agree. I love coffee, and I prefer coffee in Spain to that of the UK or US where it's either instant coffee or filtered coffee which are terrible. Also coffee is usually reasonably priced in Spain. Café con leche in Spain will be 1.30€ or so, a "latte" in the UK costs £3, unbelievably expensive! It's true that café torrefacto is bad compared to good natural coffee, but it's still better than instant or filtered watered-down coffee!
5 - Fruits & vegs. Yes, agreed...
6 - Opportunity - Completely agreed. The most frustrating thing about my country
7 - Timetable. Yes, a pain in Spain. The "social timetable" of having dinner late and so on is nuisance, the real problem is the "work timetable" which forces workers to spend the whole day out with very little time for themselves at home.
8 - Work/life balance. Yes, it's bad in Spain.
9 - Customer service. Probably true...
10 - BBQ, yes, it's not part of our culture I'd say...
I was going to reply but you seem to have summed up my observations. My wife is Spanish (we live in England) and I've travelled across most of the country. My in laws live in Bilbao and Valladolid and my mother has a home in near Velez-Malaga. Sometimes Stuart is a bit Madrid focused. There are loads of good fruit and veg shops and markets in Andalucia. Supermarkets are not the best place to shop for those things in Spain. By the way, last year I drove from Valladolid to Cordoba, via Avila and the Gredos through Guadeloupe and Extramadura during Semana Santa and hardly passed another car. Driving in Spain is wonderful apart from the cities which are correspondingly awful. Stuart's right about car parks in Spain though - they are crap. I always appreciate your comments. Which part of Spain are you from and what part of England do you live in now?
Hi, thanks for your reply. If you know Bilbao, Valladolid and Málaga well you have covered three very different regions of Spain! I consider Madrid my home but I was born in Tenerife, which I also love, and I lived in Jerez de la Frontera for 3 years. Also I´ve traveled mostly everywhere in Spain and I´ve driven all around it. For me, driving long distance in Spain is a huge pleasure. Now I live in Cranfield, close to Milton Keynes.
I see Spain as a great country to live in, not so much to work in. If you can secure some sort of steady income, work remotely or otherwise avoid having to work in Spain, life can be great here! As any country it has its problems and the rotten politics and huge lack of opportunities sadden me deeply.
Thanks for replying. I think the appalling level of politics and politicians in Spain is a very serious problem. It's the root of so many problems. If you have money Spain is a wonderful place to live. I live in Birmingham and have met many young Spanish ex-pats, particularly from Andalucia, that have moved here because it's better than anything they can expect to find in Spain. Spain is fascinating. I see extreme wealth and terrible poverty. People in Bilbao have no idea about how poor Almeria is. I've seen shocking examples of poverty in the North too but it's different from the culture of poverty in the South.
BBQ's in Spain? Not Spanish issue/culture. Imported from abroad. Obviously you have to speak Spanish, most spoken language in the world, after Chinese Mandarin. I left England can't cope with its Muslim policies and it's horrible, like living in Afghanistan! Luton or Bolton just shit.💩
Why don’t you go back to Australia it sounds a much better place to live
roads look empty
I think the title should replace Spain with Madrid. When I stayed anywhere else besides Madrid and Barcelona, I had none of the issues the vid mentions.
So I ask myself, "WHY" are you there? Sounds as though, you'd be happier, in OZ!
Geoff Fisher, he can't get out.
i dont know how many miles you done ,but i only see a few cars coming from the other way. Here in England i see more cars than that before i get my car stated to move ...
Well, I almost agree with you on everything. We speak too loud, and in Madrid is difficult to be alone. But please, think in many other regions don't happen the same. About the coffee, I don't know what to say. Haven't you ever found a "cafeteria" with a good coffee? And don't you find a good coffee to prepare at home? If not, maybe is due to different tastes of coffee. Here you can find Colombian coffee, the best for me. Different tastes... Maybe our companies adapt the coffee to our taste. I comprehend how you feel sometimes. I lived in Sweden for some months and the coffee tasted different there and people had the coffee without any sugar... I remember once a Swedish girl told me she had been to the Canary Islands and the coffee was very bad. In Sweden life was beautiful out of the center of cities. Nice neighborhoods with wooden houses and a lot of space. Silent, that above all, it was very calm and quiet. I miss it.
About vegetables maybe it happens where you are living in or it's maybe a problem of Madrid but where I live, in Galicia you can find a lot of different vegetables. My heart is sick and I must eat many vegetables, fruits etc... Also, you should know that Spain exports a lot of fruits and vegetables to Europe. So, We do have many vegetables and fruits.
My guess you had a fight with the wife!
Dont take it on Spain. I had the best fruits and vegetables in Spain, mainly Andalucia and Canary Islands!
Thanks for the channel Stuart, I have lived in Spain and Portugal for over 20years, coming from UK and Australia..
Spain has changed a lot . There are plenty of negative things but the good stuff far outweighs the bad. I have felt happier here than just about any other country anywhere I have lived, long term. ! Keep up the good work , would be interesting to see updates on the visa regulations this year for the ex pats and families who want to stay more than 6 months..
Interesting vídeo. Coffee in Spain is okay, excellent in Portugal. Supermarkets in Spain are pretty good, in Australia they are horrendous. Beer in Spain is not great, wine excellent. Most metropolitan areas are awful. I don’t know Madrid, but London is hell. Alicante, Dublin, Copenhagen are better. Fruit in Spain is excellent, tough for vegetarians; England, Ireland, Germany have more options. Love the Spanish people, language, culture, architecture. Viva España 🇪🇸
I massively agree with you on the coffee.
I have previously worked in a cafe in the UK and know what it takes to make a good coffee. And a colleague now manages his own shop in Oxford. To make a great coffee (in whichever style) you have to love it; to know the processes, the roasts, the types of bean, how to make the different kinds of coffee, how to set up your espresso machine (every day), how to clean it, and finally, if you like milk in your coffee, how not to overdo it.
I had one experience where we heard the scream of the milk being burned, and sure enough got cooled coffee covered in burnt milk. This overheated milk was blamed on the American/British constant requests for "extra hot" coffee, so the blame here is on both sides. Nothing makes a barista roll their eyes more than the phrase "extra hot".
Thankfully, I have found one cafe in Malaga where the guy knows his stuff, and that will be my coffee nirvana when I'm away from home.
@@insertnamehere6612 that’s not true. Even a barista will tell you that a single coffee prepared as an espresso, americano, v60, flat white, cappuccino etc can have a multitude of flavours.
Do you regret living in a major city like Madrid instead of a smaller area? I lived in a town in Andalusia and loved it! I am thinking about going back...😎
If you want good fruits or vegetables you must buy in a market or in a "frutería" (a "fruit shop" literally) , buy in a supermarket is for idiot. Expensive and bad.
For foreigner: Always in Spain the first thing if you want eat good food an cheap is know where are the markets and little shops.
This is the problem with public opinion. For every pro , there is a con. Now, I don't know what to think about Spain. I get the impression that they man in this video just doesn't like the fact that he has to adapt to a different way of life. All he does is bitch.
Hi! I like your videos. It's interesting to see other points of view. I also really like your accent, it's easy to understand despite my English :D :D :D I don't agree on the veggies. :D (We have apples, pears, cherries, strawberries, oranges, tangerines, bananas, kiwis, lemons, plums, melons, watermelons, avocados, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, onions, zucchini, squash, eggplant, artichokes, lettuce, leeks, beans, cauliflower, brecol, carrots, chard, spinach ... all in one standard supermarket) Maybe in Australia there is even more variety and vegetables from everywhere, all right, I don't know, :D but I think here there is a more than acceptable variety of fresh products. And at a reasonable price.
You are right about politics, opportunity and timetable or Work/life balance in Spain. For me they are the main causes that spoil the quality of life in this country. :(
(By the way, I live in Valencia but I'm from Bilbao, if you ever travel to Bilbao, check the Café Scala. Very good coffee and awesome toasts) :D :D :D
(Forget the BBQs, make a paella) :D :D :D :D
Yessssssssss. Paella any day
Thank you for sharing. I've watched many of your posts. I just returned from a vacation to Spain and Portugal. I am about to retire, at 65, and am considering ways I can enjoy the next 10 years. This may be it... research places to visit & go - maybe for the allowable visitor time limit, but "probably" not as an (US) expat. The things you comment on are interesting & I can relate - "there are problems here in the USA as well". Walking and exploring Barcelona, Madrid, Toledo, & Valencia... & Lisbon, Porto & Sintra was such a pleasure. (a much needed change in the routine).. I'm very grateful for everyone's assistance - thanks again for your efforts.
When did you recently come to Australia? You would know that the cost of living is through the roof. The so-called “Great Australian Dream” is exactly that. A myth,unattainable. Sydney has the second most unaffordable housing in the world. Don’t ask me who’s number 1 cause I don’t know but believe me,this is a major problem for many Australians as I speak. Chinese investors have been given free reign to buy into the Sydney property market with no scrutiny whatsoever(certainly not from the Federal and State Governments as they have their grubby hands in the till with their taxes and stamp duties etc). Australian politicians are just as corrupt,they conceal it better through their media bias mates but with all things that get too overloaded,they break down eventually. All the chickens will be soon coming home to roost in Australia. The property bubble will burst in Australia like it’s never seen. Where as Spain built an excess of flats,homes that brought a housing collapse,Australia(Sydney in particular) has restricted the amount of property being built so the big builders(in collusion with the arsehole major banks) have been pushing the prices up. And they’ve been doing it forever. Makes you wonder how the money’s coming in from China for these new properties that are built exclusively for them. A scandal in the making of monumental proportions.
Perth is suffering more with unemployment than other parts of Aus.The mining boom is over and besides that,there is a whole lot more over there.(you can correct me if I’m wrong but I know locals that tell me how bad the work front is now.) And that only the tip of the iceberg. So,now that you’ve come back from Australia,are you going to move back there?
I meant to say ‘isn’t ‘. My bad.
@@coffermartin77 Sydney is doomed
Wow.
I find the supermarkets in Spain amazing. In both the quantity and quality in products compared to Australian supermarkets.
I find so many things in Spanish supermarkets i can't find in Australia.
And what about the local markets in Spain. They really are fantastic.
I mean just take a look at your typical market or supermarket in both countries and you can see a depth and breadth of products in Spain that makes the Australian counterparts seem quite bland in every way.
maybe because you never went to Brasil supermarkets and municipal markets before. the fruits and vegetables have delicious smell and taste, unlike here in Europe.
Stuart make a vídeo about frustrating things living in UK please
This is a very instructive video ! All Latin American countries have the same problem of terrible noise pollution. SPAIN and ITALY are Latin countries inside of Europe, with the same disrespectful problem in their culture. Dogs barking all the time everywhere, drivers blowing their horns, motorcycles with noisy exhaust, music going loud until 1 pm or so, and people and vendors anywhere at anytime, destroying the quality of life of their residents.
I am so grateful to live in Australia at this time. I feel so blessed.....but in saying that I LOVED SPAIN for a holiday. 3 weeks in Andalusia was not enough. Can't wait to return and further explore Spain.
An interesting list. I certainly agree with many of your frustrations. The amount of noise that the Spanish (and Italians, which we have plenty of here now) make when just holding a conversation is incredible. When our next door neighbour has their family around for a meal it sounds like an entire coachload are there when, in actual fact, there are only 6 or 7 of them. I am pleased to say though that the coffee here is really good and cheap too. Usually between 1.20€ and 1.50€ for a cafe con leche. Thanks for the email - I appreciate it.
Sorry I have only just seen your video. With my experience of 40 years living in Spain, I would like to make the following comments:
When you speak of lack of space, Yes, that is probably the case in Madrid. However, if you live in parts of Andalucía or Extremadura, I can assure you that you would have all the space you desire.
You obviously don't go to the right shops for fresh fruit and vegetables. I live in a small village in Andalucía where I find there is a wide variety of fresh fruit. Certain fresh vegetables are harder to find, but this is basically because Spaniards were never used to eating them. You really cannot compare a local Spanish shop with one in Australia !
As for the coffee, it is fantastic here in Spain. You don't have to drink "torre facto" coffee. You can also buy coffee with a "tueste natural" (naturally toasted) and it is delicious!!
I understand those frustrations. As a Spaniard myself I can't understand what makes us scream to discuss the most mundane topics. There was a famous writer (Julio Camba) who was a foreign correspondent in the 1930's. Whenever he entered a cafe in London or Paris, he would easily recognize the Spaniard: the one screaming while hitting the table. I think we didn't change much since then.
Regarding the poor customer service, I think this is a very serious problem. And not just from a personal perspective as a customer, it goes well beyond that. I think it's linked to many other issues: lack of personal accountability, anti-capitalistic attitude, resentment and overall lack of professionalism. Some people would argue customer service is not that bad cause the butcher would chit-chat and even show interest in your life. I think it comes from the same place: lack of professional standards. People behave at work the same as they do among friends, it becomes too informal at some points even in office work and performance is not that good.
At some point you said there are not many small companies in Spain... I think it's the other way around: we have too many microempresas, which have a really poor performance. The truth is big companies in Spain perform better, have better standards and pay much more. And then we have many small pymes which some think it show we are good enterpreneurs... I don't think so: it shows we have no ambition, companies don't aim to grow just to survive to pay the bills... We need a more open and competitive market.
Why are there people insulting him and saying that he should go back to Australia? It’s just a simple video about the frustrating things in Spain. Not every country is perfect and free of issues.
you forgot the bureaucracy !!! I have lost hours and days and weeks of my life trying to get what they want (and most of the time one ofice to the other don't even agree on that, how am I supposed to get it right?)
I live in UK but visit Spain two or three times a year to coastal resorts re: coffee in British bars ask for a coffee and you get boiling hot instant coffee but in Spanish bars and cafes you get proper coffee from coffee machines which is really good.
Hi,
Regarding crowds and noise levels; would they be less of an issue farther north in Galicia, Asturias, or Cantabria?
Lack off traffic jams must be frustrating. lol
😂
Yo creo que el señor seria mas feliz en Australia
Wow Stuart, you outlined some major points here. You almost burst my bubble about going to live in Spain and by extension see Europe while there. I appreciate your candor though and I try to watch all your videos. This one was almost a defining moment about whether to go or not. Thanks to the replies I have read I still have the hope of living in Spain and Portugal and seeing other parts of Europe. One suggestion for a future video. A small look at how Spaniards treat others of different races, Countries and physical makeups ala obese, retired , gays etc.
And how disgusting is the drug and crime population in Australia?
With half the population of Spain its a far more dangerous country.
You make it sound like a hell hole. But then, if not being able to find a good bbq is a major gripe, that kind of says it all.
Although I am about two years late - I am a new subscriber - just wanted to tell you I enjoyed this video very much. I like how you moved the view back and forth between us seeing you talking and the road and surrounding countryside. I have to confess at getting a bit of a chuckle at how your son and his mates shout back and forth in true Spanish form (sorry about that...). Cheers from New York!
Mate, what are you talking about? drive 40 minutes out of Madrid and you can be walking in low mountains completely alone. Even just past places like Tres Cantos ten k from Madrid you can find trails where you can walk and hardly see anyone. Outside the cities and towns Spain is full of wild empty spaces with very few restrictions to stop you walking about. I used to work in Guadalajara and remember going for lots of walks just outside the city in which I wouldn't meet anyone. You need to get and about more!
is the weather typically cloudy & grey in spain during the winter, like in this video?
If you don't visit either countries I guess you can check out CZcams to compare .
Any incite on real estate such as in heritance or transfer taxes etc. ? How about starting a business...?
Strange , I always found the fruit and veg amazing ,in the supermarkets and the street markets ,
That was Malaga area, but you never get veg in a restaurant ,or there cooked to a pulp,
Coffee , you need the little loan bars ,
Pretty strong, are you sure you're not a Pom??
Sorry. Meant to say how bad is the drug and crime problem in Australia.. Its terrible.
I;m looking to retire either Portugal or Spain coming from U.S.A. How is the Expat community doing there currently?
Is what you said about the work life balance also true in Valencia?
Some interesting observations! My take:
1) Crowded - YES. Even if you live close to national parks etc they are generally divided into specific 'routes' that you can walk and there are always hundreds of people. Towns and cities always seem more crowded to me because it is the culture here to go to the street but we also have to remember that flats are more common than houses and so people are always closer together.
2) Noise - When I go home to England the first thing I do is take a walk in the forest next to my town and absorb the silence. I would hate to have a baby or an elderly relative with dementia because caring for them here would be a nightmare because people are screaming and shouting all the time. Personally I get used to it but for people of a nervous disposition it would drive you crazy.
3) Politics - I live in Catalonia and have a neutral stance on the political issues here but the constant arguing in this country does get tiring. We have to appreciate both sides of the argument however.
4) Coffee - I like it! :)
5) Fruit and Veg - Not really had too many problems here unless I shop in really cheap supermarkets. There is a lack of variety in respects to Asian food etc but that's just a question of cultural differences and doesn't really bother me.
6) Opportunity - Agreed. The government make it very hard for small autonomous businesses to set up so most people have to go and work for horrible companies. There are only very limited opportunities. On the other hand I constantly explain to my students that just because they graduate from university it doesn't mean they will walk into a multinational corporation. A lot of young people here get an engineering degree for example and then call themselves engineers. The thought of working in a fast food restaurant or supermarket for a couple of years to get some experience in a working environment seems totally alien to them. They then complain that nobody will employ them…
7) Timetable - Horrendous and out of sync with the rest of Europe. Need to phone a Spanish company at midday and they'll be closed and then when the rest of Europe is at home they'll have 100 people in the office waiting for calls at 20:00 while the children are at the grandparents house.
8) Work/life balance - Very nice national holidays but the day to day routine if you work in a company is ridiculous.
9) Customer service - Slow but friendly in my experience.
10) BBQ - Not an expert but I've enjoyed the ones I've attended!
Also the multitude of fiestas, means they are constantly in a state of celebration, if you plan to go to sleep on New Years eve, because you need to go to work the following day, good luck, they will honk horns and shout until the next morning, the same if they win a major football game, and again, this is all done in groups by them....
"If you plan to go to sleep on New Years eve"... poor boy...
New Year and Xmas, in Malaga they throw firecrackers from hotel windows!
It is true... too much fiestas...💃😀
Surprised to hear veggies not available in Madrid. Here in Catalonia we have a great variety of fresh veg in supermarkets and green grocers.
And I'm missing the spanish coffe here in England, at least in Asturias I think that is so nice
The north of Spain has the best coffee in Spain. I live in Cantabria now and it's so much better than Andalusia!
Go back to Spain then you pirate
I am from Manila, Philippines. I have briefly lived in Spain ( loved it )and I definitely don't agree with you. Maybe you should go back to Perth to lessen your frustrations.
OMG I HATE TORREFACTO. But in the north where I live almost all the coffee is natural and delicious. I don't know where you're from in Aus but in Melbourne there is a massive traditional coffee culture that was started by the Italian immigrants, so our good coffee makes sense (but the price! OUCH!).
Si después de tantos años en España tienes tan enorme cantidad de quejas (algunas más justificadas que otras) acerca del País francamente no sé qué razones te hacen seguir viviendo entre nosotros. It's amazing.
After 12 years living in Tenerife I agree with everything that you have mentioned. The only reason I am still here is that I have established friendships and of course,. the weather.
My biggest gripe is the driving. What is it that gives Spaniards so much pleasure in tailgating the car in front while trying to break the land speed record ! They are the worst drivers I have ever seen !
French drivers are exactly the same :-(
well stuart you really went off on one there, you have been in spain long enough to know all this. the working day is very strange, my pal lost a big contract as when they came back to work at 5pm from siesta his client in poland had gone home. the noise factor is quite a phenomenon but its their noise and they like it. i met up with my mate, we hadn't seen each other for a while, he wouldn't go into a nice quiet bar so we went into a packed one and spent the next hour shouting at each other. not sure about coffee as i dont drink it but i do find that the shopping is quite amazing, fruit and veg i have no problems with and particularly im amazed as i can buy small items every day at little cost, same with all the shops, you can buy 0ne screw at a time. customer service i find is better than here in blighty. bbq well im veggie so not mitherd about that, stuart you seem to have been away in your homeland and its affected you. come back soon the spanish helpful stuart.
John Newton Not all of us like the noisy places of course...
you don't drink coffee? damn. you must be a really weird individual.
Sounds like you should maybe go back to Australia really.
The comment about their 2 hour lunch break is so true. Town centres are deserted sometimes between 12 and 3 PM. Bad idea.
Buenas tarde, la verdad que me ha dejado impresionada tu descripción de España, no sé que tipo de vida llevas en tú país o los que visitas, pero nuestra forma de vivir es la envidia de personas de otros países y les encanta venir aquí. En Rivas donde dices que vives, vivo yo, es una pequeña ciudad metropolitana relativamente joven , con jardines públicos, colegios públicos , teatros , cines, centros comerciales, mercado al aire libre donde la fruta y la verdura es espectacular, para llevar una dieta mediterránea rica en todo tipo de alimentos.... Madrid acoge a todo tipo de culturas , si somos muchos, pero sobre todo tenemos algo que tu no tienes una vida muy completa en todos los sentidos con caracter fuerte y sobre todo somos alegres, muy familiares y supertrabajadores, vivimos estresados pero sabemos trasformar la vida en segundos para acoger a quien nos quiere, supongo que tu no has encontrado amigos así en España porque eres una persona con una falta de empatía total. Por cierto, la barbacoa nos sale de vicio.
Un saludo de una Española que le encanta visitar muchos países y en ellos siempre encuentra lo bueno, lo malo te lo dejo a ti que vives de los de eso, gracias recordarme lo bonito que es mi país
¿ Lack of fresh and Veg ? ¿ Where do you buy ?
Absolutely agree, I am Spanish, but I lived a year in England, so I can understand you 100%, some people abroad think that Spain is happiness because sunshine and theare ere people in terraces, but for normal living and working, this is tough for time table and very stressful too. You said people finish at 7:00 pm, these are the lucky one, normally people arrive at home from 21:00 h. to 22:00h. and leaving home at 07:00 am.
Spanish people are polite, but low margin of income and Survive not easy for Cost....
How much are we investing any buyers?
Interesting, thank you
ha. i am from madrid but been gone 20 yrs, half my life. went to england very young, spent there a few yrs. i agree with everything you say except the food part. fresh fruits and vegetables in season are abundant, nothing i've ever lacked or missed. food in general abounds in all its forms
In Madrid, the pork chops were always quick fried and almost raw-like, but super flavored! Always served with a couple of fried eggs!
It’s hard everywhere I currently live in Orlando Florida the United States and there’s also lack of opportunities low-paying jobs it’s a struggle everywhere customer service have you ever been to New York City
Q, do you regret moving to Spain or you sticking by your decision and look over the negatives?
An interesting video because it is provocative, which is not a bad thing. Having travelled extensively in Spain but living for many years now in neighboring Portugal let me make a few comments.
1) Lack of space. This is true only of big cities. I have driven through the interior of Extremadura quite a few times and you don't see anybody, just cows and birds. The province of Cáceres is an example. You can drive for hours and see only open country. The region of Las Hurdes or the Sierra de Gata has a very low population density. The eastern part of Extremadura, called La Siberia, is reservoirs, fields, pasture and woodland. You mentioned Guadalajara, but actually parts of Guadalajara and Cuenca are so underpopulated that they are called the Spanish Lapland, la Laponia Española. www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/gallery/2015/mar/26/the-spanish-region-as-deserted-as-siberia-in-pictures
2) The Job market. This is highly subjective. It all depends on your skills. True, unemployment is very high, one of the hig hest in the world but there are jobs in a lot of areas. Qualified English teachers with EU passports will always find jobs, in big cities of course.
3) The timetable. I have never worked in Spain so I can't comment on that, having only worked in Portugal, which is quite different. The two hour break can be a real problem causing you to get home late. What frustrates me is only being able to eat in so many restaurants after 20.00. Unless you go to bed at midnight or at 1.00 having all that food in your gut is not healthy.
4) Word/life balance. This is so personal and subjective that I have no opinion one way or another. This depends so much on the person and the job.
5) Customer service. Coming from an Anglo-Saxon culture, where service is supposed to be so good, I never noticed a lack of it in Spain. In general I find that Spanish workers do smile. Not all of course and not all of the Australian workers smile all the time. To say that 90% of the shops have bad service is just a bit of an exaggeration.
6) Noise levels. I do agree with this one. I have entered restaurants in Spain to turn around and leave again, due to the noise levels. I am surprised the Spanish don't suffer from hearing loss as they grow older. Perhaps they do. The Portuguese are a lot quieter.
7) Parking spaces. The same thing happens in Portugal. The width seems to have been calculated for a Smartcar. Sometijme you can't even open the doors.
8) Politics. If you think politics are bad now you should have been around in the 1930's with the Republic and the Franco dictatorship. What is really bad is the corruption of politicians. immense fortunes were made in the Costa del Sol, for example, on illegal building and zoning laws changed in exchange for kickbacks.
9) The Coffee. Here I disagree. Maybe I am not a connoiseur of coffee but I have never noticed that Spanish coffee was particularly bad. The Portuguese always say it is but they also say the food is bad too, this being more of a nationalistic reaction to anything their bigger and richer neighbor might have. I have had some bad coffee in Spain and some here in Portugal but to say that all of it is garbage is a bit of a stretch.
Having said all of the above, congratulations on the video because it made me think and write up a storm.
Love your videos, and Australia is somewhere I have always wanted to visit ,especially space, the UK is so crowded and busy.Love Spain too.
Thank you!
It's the same about no-smiles here on Skye. There always used to be smiles in shops, now it's only if the assistant - or owner - knows the customer. Otherwise, nothing.. Pity. In the past of course, most people would know each other, so it was the norm!
I agree with the coffee issue. torrefacto is specially low quality coffee but also you can find it way much better than that
i've been here 1 yr now, from Iceland... living now close to Benidorm, very pretty landscape.. as i dont mingle much it's great to hear your thoughts. the level of noice "complaint" made me smile;) for me everyone spekaks so loudly? in their homes people talk with borderling shouting voices, found that really strange immediately.. but in a way i also envy their sort of lack of inhibition which is cut in stone where i come from... uninhibited and i kind of like that =) will not stay here long but it is a pleasant chapter of my life.. alone and sick but still it's been good.. people here are kind, sometimes a bit rough (offish;) but kind.. i'm grateful to have the chance to experience living here.. would like to live in Australia though;)
Full of complain. For me im excited to see and visit the country.
Hi! Have you lived in other European countries or only Spain? :)
In the tourist areas like Marbella, the old city of Malaga, Gordoba etc, in my opinion exists ok service though not in all shops / restaurants.
I disagree with the coffee issue. I had good coffee experiences in Spain and mediocre to bad coffee in Australia many times.
Fruits and vegetables for sure you get a much wider selection in Australia but let's keep in mind prices too.
Totally agree with you about customer service, in general it is terrible in Spain.
Great vid very useful information👍
The coffee aint´t bad. It is just that you don´t understand this drink.
How do you understand a drink? Is that even possible?
Regarding customer service in Spain; In Spain the customer is usually last in the USA the customer is usually first. You want a refund or a return for a purchase you can forget about it.
Are you still there?
If you think it is overcrowded where you are ,just give London and it's suburbs a try , that will bring your head to a point!! Love your vids though .
When we travel we romanticised about the place..... And then comparison appears....every place is different and come with bad and good things.
The main bad thing of Spain is the lack of opportunities for work, literally is so frustating specially when you see how your corrupt bosses promote people just because they are the son, daughter, friend, lover, cousin etc ... of some idiotic political person. we call this people “enchufados”
you can not fight against it because they will go for you. I think this is enough to leave a country forever.
The corruption in Spain is everywhere from the bottom to the top, and it is assume and accepted. I decided I didn’t want that in my life so I left my country 7 years ago.....
Agree with noise. Everyone is just so loud...but I had good barbecues. But yeah I had a good laugh while listening to this video since I agree with many of your points. Coffee was hit and miss in Burgos so I made sure to go to the places I knew. However coffee here in Malaysia is really bad. I miss my Spanish spots.
I married into a Spanish family 50 years ago and spent a huge part of my life there while raising 5 children. I have never had a cup of bad coffee in Spain ,and I enjoy the torrefacto mixed with café natural. The coffee in the United States where we live now tastes like dishwater. I only drink what I make at home. I do agree with most of what you said,; however, you can´t expect everything in Spain to be like where you are coming from. If you do, you are better off moving somewhere else.
helpful video - i'm a motorcyclist in the uk, the worse thing about the roads in the uk is that they are so busy, every car is a threat to a motorcyclist - seeing that video and how empty the roads on your trip are i think you are very well off. i guess your comments are a good advert for australia.
The only thing I agree with is the customer service is not what someone from an Anglo Saxon country would be used to but I think it's just a cultural difference so you just learn to accept it is the way people are in Spain. With regards to coffee, I absolutely love the coffee in Spain, although it does have a unique taste because Spain tends to use UHT/non fresh milk. As other people have said, when I drove from Santander to Murcia I was stuck by how little people I saw - most of the time I was the only person on the motorway which would be unimaginable here in the UK. Me and my (Spanish) wife will be moving permanently to Murcia at the end of this year so it's nice to hear lots of different perspectives about life in Spain as although I have been many times to visit my in laws and holidays I've never actually lived there for an extended period. Un saludo
I saw your video, and for a short moment I thought you were describing the live here in Miami< Fl. Well we have all that here plus, incredible amounts of jams and traffic at mostly any given time. Lets not add, crime. I have a couple of police officers friends of mine and they tell me, what you show on TV is only a faction of the crime that really occurs on this city. Over all I've been in Madrid a couple of times. I actually want to move there since my parents life there. Really the only thing that worries me is lack of opportunities to work.
I like your videos, they make me think and provide me with an external opinion of things that seem normal to me as a Spanish. I agree with some things but can I point out most of these things you say apply only to Madrid or particular areas in Spain:
- It is very easy to be on your own in the pyrinees or you can drive through fields and fields and fields in castilla la mancha without passing by any town
- Coffee may be terrible in Madrid (can't comment on that) but where I come from (Tarragona) it is quite decent - btw sometimes I have returned bad coffees in some restaurants and most times they apologise and bring you another coffee that tends to be better than the 1st one; some other times I don't drink it at all. You are not forced to drink something you don't like.
- You don't think fruits and veggies are fresh? Well, maybe they are fresher in australia but in comparison with where I live now (UK)...there are things it's just not worth eating here
- It takes too much time to commute from home to work. I mean. Same story in all big cities, in Spain and everywhere else
- The customer service is bad, mostly everywhere in Spain, but 1) people from Madrid are famous for being cocky and arrogant so they may not be the best example of Spanish customer service and 2) Spanish people in general are not really kind to people working in customer service either, they basically demand things instead of asking, so it is normal this has a negative impact on the person behind the bar (this does not justify they are rude to all customers but it's kind of understandable)
But yeah, the job situation is really sad. The fact that no one is promoting any change is a shame. Politicians are like children. Still I hope some day I can go back home with a decent job. I miss the Mediterranean so much.
I thought Spain was a major supplier of veggies? If you are having trouble getting variety you could try growing what you are looking for, even in pots if you don't have a yard. Salad greens, tomatoes, beets, carrots, Swisschard, zucchini, beans, peas etc. Look into container gardening.
All you’ve said is absolutely spot on,
I used to live in spain , there for 10 years and the noise and the lack of space go hand in hand. People do smirk at the concept of a lack of space in Spain as you say but I think it's more the fact that there is a lack of "personal" space and that's what I find to be the issue. I got used to it eventually but it does take its toll. Even small things like sitting at the far end of a coffee shop to read the paper and have a coffee and someone will walk in and sit at the table right next to you and proceed to have a loud phone conversation or talk loudly with their friends and there'll be 10 other tables but they come and sit at the one that's right next to yours. Its that lack of personal space for me but that's just my opinion.
why it says STOP instead of PARE?
funny video. agreed with most of your rant...but madrid is not all spain. plenty of veg down on the costas . also not much of a space issue also. great vid tho...keep smiling.
For coffee, I'd take a trip to France, load up on beans.
I do agree with all you say (except for BBQ, as I am vegetarian and do not BBQ).
The roads looks empty. kathy de Los Estados Unidos, Texas. please don't move here it will drive you mad. lol.
Kathy Payne haha literally no one on the road
Coffee in Spain is great.
I agree about the noise. One of the main reasons I chose Portugal over Spain. Spanish teens are the loudest on earth. I use to go to cafes with ear plugs.
Disagree about coffee. I was in Perth recently. At least $5 for a milky flat white! Spain has great coffee and it's 3x cheaper. You need to get out of Madrid mate!
1,5€ for a coffee you got scammed, it costs 0,90-1,15€
With all Spain is till the best
Lived in Mazarrón, Murcia for a few years and been holidaying in many areas of Spain since I was 5, long long ago. Loved every second of my time there. Now back in beautiful Wales, UK. My 2 cents..
1. Crowds.. Yes in the cities, just like the cities here. Otherwise spoilt for choice with stunning empty countryside. Roads are generally excellent and quiet, fantastic for my bike and motorcycle. Minimal roadworks, unlike here. However, usual story in the cities.. nauseating congestion and attendant pollution.
2. Jobs etc.. don´t know as luckily I didn´t need to work but unemployment level very high.
3. Noise.. can be very noisy and a lot of that racket emanates from obnoxious holidaymakers and expats from all countries.
4. Fruit and veg.. Excellent quality and choice from the local greengrocer or market, Consum-Mercadona are fine too
5. Coffee.. never had a bad cup of coffee in Spain
6. Customer service.. excellent overall
7. BBQs.. Don´t know, don´t do them but I do know that I couldn´t stand the smoke and rancid stink from other peoples'
A few other gripes.. property purchase taxes, exorbitant estate agency fees, bureaucracy, government avarice, bank charges, the summer, flies, mosquitoes.
But, If you´re in reasonable health and have a reasonable income, Spain is a great place to live.
Is pixelating plates and faces something you have to do?
On those days you feel that way about Spain, please plan a trip out of Madrid to our castle in Costa Rica here in Zona de los Santos. We invite you! It will take care of all that (and the best coffee in the world is here.) Pura Vida!
Madrid sounds a lot inferior to the Basque Country. The scenery up here is fantastic, mountains and valleys, forests and beaches, plenty of places to have a peaceful picnic. Basques are famous hard workers, they get on with it. They´re very
friendly, but don´t smile so much, but then that´s Southern Europe all over - France, Italy etc etc. Bad coffee? You never heard of Baque Basque coffee? Coffee here is great in virtually any bar. Fresh fruit and vegetables? Here, grown and sold with pride,
the best. Salads are huge in a restaurant, fresh fresh fresh. Politics? The big one. You have to read the history, then
you´ll understand. Myself, I can´t stand barbeques!