- Jeronimo Noriega, a scholar from San Antonio, moved to Spain and by no means plans to return to the US.
- Noriega appreciates Spain’s work tradition, public transportation, and inexpensive eating experiences.
- Although he misses pals and US customer support, Noriega does not plan to maneuver again.
This as-told-to essay relies on a dialog with Jeronimo Noriega, a 27-year-old scholar who lives in Spain. It has been edited for size and readability.
I moved to Oviedo, Asturias in Northwest Spain after rising up in San Antonio and I do not suppose I will ever transfer again to america.
If that shocks you, it stunned me too. I by no means thought I would dwell in Europe — I would by no means even been there earlier than my siblings and I agreed to maneuver to Spain with my dad and mom. Though I used to be born in Mexico, I spent most of my life dwelling within the US so transferring to Spain was an enormous distinction.
When my household determined we would have liked a change, we selected Spain as a result of it felt like a pure match — my grandparents spent their lives dwelling between Spain and Mexico. Though I am Mexican-American and fluent in Spanish, settling in Spain was initially tough as a result of my Spanish-speaking abilities had been rusty after dwelling in America.
As soon as I began getting extra snug within the native dialect, I felt extra snug dwelling in Spain. I’ve lived right here for 14 months and I’ve a a lot better high quality of life in Spain than I had within the US.
I really feel anxious after I get in a automobile now as a result of I am so used to strolling and taking public transportation in Spain
Once I lived within the US, I consistently felt like I used to be sitting in visitors or counting on my automobile to get locations, however in Spain I simply stroll in all places. I am by no means caught in a automobile. It isn’t solely higher for the setting, it is more healthy for me too.
The sense of neighborhood is so robust right here. Once I stroll round my neighborhood, individuals say hello to one another and it is so pretty. You do not have that a part of the day if you’re in your automobile in America. I really like being out on the planet whereas I am getting from one place to the subsequent and never simply siloed in my automobile.
Residing in Spain has proven me there is a completely different strategy to exist
I really like the work tradition in Spain. In America, I felt like my solely choices had been to rise and grind and get beat down by the machine, however every part is completely different right here. In Spain, they appear to worth their lives over their work — it isn’t even a work-life steadiness.
Folks take three-hour lunches and drink a bottle of wine earlier than going again to the workplace or they cease in the course of the afternoon for a leisure espresso break. It was type of tough to transition into that way of life as a result of I used to be so used to the American lifestyle the place work is every part. Even by school, I used to be consistently working and grinding my life away.
Once I first moved to Spain, I felt like I used to be actually lazy. I puzzled, what am I doing? I ought to be working myself to the bone. However then I began to see how Spaniards dwell and I needed that degree of freedom and pleasure. Now, I attend a neighborhood school and spend my days learning, going to class, and consuming espresso and wine at cafés.
It is regular to go to an exquisite dinner that prices $11 per particular person, in Spain
I really like the restaurant scene. It isn’t even unusual to linger at a desk for 4 or 5 hours — it is regular. I bear in mind consuming dinner within the US and feeling just like the waitress was judging me if I did not depart proper after I completed consuming. Every little thing is slower in Spain and it is pretty.
I should buy a espresso for the equal of some {dollars} and never really feel dangerous about lingering within the espresso store for a couple of hours to hang around.
I do not see transferring again to the US in my future
My dad and mom requested me the opposite day if I would ever contemplate transferring again to the US and I used to be so struck by the query that I made a TikTok about it. The brief reply is: by no means say by no means, however I do not see it in my future.
I positively miss my pals, however I would not let that preserve me from life in Spain. I additionally miss the American customer support — it is so pleasant and personable, however perhaps that is due to the tipping tradition. In Spain, I’ve observed that customer support does not mirror the extent of that within the States until you are at a high-end restaurant.
Now that I’ve had a style of what life is like exterior the rat race, I am not wanting to get again on the wheel. Life is lengthy, and also you by no means know what’s going to occur, however I am staying right here for the foreseeable future. All I’ve to do is take a stroll to the espresso store, have a scrumptious dinner for $11, or take a break in the course of a weekday to remind myself why I am staying.
Correction: January 9, 2024 — An earlier model of this story misspelled the identify of the one who moved to Spain. His identify is Jeronimo Noriega , not Geronimo.
