Just like that! It has been 6 months since we moved abroad. If you just stumbled on this blog post maybe from Pinterest I’ll tell you a bit about our story. My husband and I are Canadians who moved to Malaga because of a job opportunity and because…let’s be honest, who doesn’t want to live in Southern Spain?
March 1st marked 6 months since living in this beautiful city. Lots of things to update on and share. Last update we gave was our 3 months one on Youtube, check it out here. I want to talk about all the pros, cons and everything in between.
ALSO READ: How did we end up moving abroad? – OUR FULL STORY
Life abroad has already taught us so much about our new country, ourselves and our relationship. It can be a rollercoaster of emotions, but one we wouldn’t trade for anything. Here are some of our updates:
Weather
The weather is amazing in Malaga, this winter most of our days have been filled with sunshine and overall beautiful weather. Malaga is one of the cities with the best weather in Spain and even in Europe. We get very little cloudy days or rain.
Winter has been way better than what we are really used to as canadians. We love that we got to skip all the snow, shoveling and heavy coats and jackets. If you want to travel in the winter definitely check out Malaga for that beautiful weather.
Missing family and friends
We recently experienced our first christmas abroad and woww was that different. Yes, it was a bit sad, we missed our family and friends. Once the 25th and 31th of December arrived we instantly missed everyone. We had each other but still missed everyone else. Don’t get me wrong we still enjoyed it and made the best of it. We initially had plans for both days, we had planned to have dinner at home and then go out for drinks or a walk around but it didn’t exactly work out.
When we went out for a walk there was literally nobody out, everyone was spending family time and most places were closed. To be honest it’s part of living abroad. You don’t always know what to expect so you have to go with the flow. It didn’t all go as planned but we got through it and now we know what to expect next year.
We actually have family coming next year which we are excited for.
Getting used to slow paced living
Going to a restaurant and waiting for the bill doesn’t feel stressful anymore. When we had just moved to Spain we noticed asking for the bill or waiting to get served took so long. We were used to eating and moving on to the next thing…like in Canada.
Now we embrace it, we now know they are really letting you take your time and enjoy your meal. That’s what life in Spain is all about, taking it easy and not rushing.
Like we mentioned before, opening bank accounts and getting documents done can take a full day but guess what? When we said yes to that job offer we also somewhat said yes to all of those things that come with life in Spain. There are no reasons to get frustrated and stressed about this situation, is the way it is so might as well enjoy the ride.
Food
Food in Spain is rich and delicious. I am sure you have heard about Paella and tapas but there’s so much more than just that. We always go for the fresh salmon, Pulpo a la Gallega (octopus), croquetas, cheese boards and many more. I can’t get tired of eating seafood and ordering new dishes everytime we go out, is a must. Ooh and the wine let me just say…is delicious and cheap.
Travel
We arrived in Spain 6 months ago and we have already visited so many new towns and cities. Malaga has an amazing location, located near small towns like Ronda and bigger cities like Seville. A day trip is all we need to visit a charming and lively new city.
Are you wondering where we have been in the past 6 months? We went to Nerja, Frigiliana, Cordoba, Granada, Benalmadena, Marbella and Ronda. I even went to Casablanca with Collin for work.
We are not only close to andalucian cities but also many European countries. Countries in Europe are so close to each other compared to Canada.
We have many exciting trips coming up, this year we are heading to new countries some of them are: Portugal, France, Croatia, Montenegro and Italy. So stay tuned for all of those. Follow along on instagram to get all the insight first.
Housing
When we arrived it took us about 1 month and ½ to find a place. It was stressful and pretty much a full time job, but at the end we did find an apartment, our place is very close to Collin’s job, a perfect overall location and we have a great landlord. It’s safe to say we will keep renting this place, we are pleased with the apartment we ended up picking.
ALSO READ: Moving to Spain? 6 first things to do when you arrive
ALSO READ: Do’s and don’t when renting an apartment in Spain
Job opportunities
We moved here for a job opportunity Collin had. For me it was more of “We will see”. We knew we would be fine without me having a job. At the moment I wanted to focus on me, heal my back and hands (from my job as a Dental Hygienist), take in life abroad and focus on something I truly loved. I’ve heard finding a job in Malaga can be difficult so if you plan on moving to this area check before moving.
Right now I spend my time working on my blog, social media and creating content I love. I recently started working on creating content for local businesses and I am learning so much from that.
Favourite spots
After 6 months in Malaga we can say we know our favourite places. We know where to get our favourite pizza, coffee, bread and many of the things we eat on a regular basis. I even have my favourite stalls where I get my fruits and veggies at the market. Finding your favourite spots definitely makes you feel more at home and more like a local.
Language
When we moved to Spain having to speak spanish was one of the things I was looking forward to the most. I grew up speaking spanish so I didn’t have any issues when it came to the language. Collin had lived in Spain before and knew some spanish but he wasn’t fluent. Now after 6 months in Spain I can say he can hold up a conversation and communicate with locals and I couldn’t be more proud.
We are 6 months into this crazy journey and we can say we wouldn’t have done it any other way. We still love life in Malaga and can’t wait to continue to explore this beautiful country and create memories together. 6 months in and we still can’t believe we decided to take the leap and live the life we wanted to live. We have family and friends coming in the next few months. We know they will fall in love with Malaga just like we did.
Let me know below, have you ever considered moving abroad?
Well done!!!