It’s been 20 months since I moved to another country, and life has been quite interesting since then.

To give some context, I left Germany at the beginning of January 2023 and moved to Barcelona, Spain. In other words, I swapped Bratwurst, Bretzel, and cold weather for jamón, crema catalana, and warm weather. This is, of course, an oversimplification, but it’s still accurate.

As you may know, moving to a new country is not easy, even with help. Because of this, the first few weeks and even months were a bit hectic and different from what I expected.

One of the things that really surprised me was that people here don’t speak English very well, if at all.

As I write this, I’ve had several interactions with people from different areas, and that first impression still holds true. You can communicate with them in English, and they will try to help, but it’s not always easy. I’m okay with this since I’m the foreigner and should learn their language, but just be aware that English isn’t enough here — nor is German!

The biggest surprise comes when you expect them to speak English well, especially in institutions where they claim to speak English. But when you approach them, it turns out it’s more of a “más o menos” situation with an emphasis on “menos.”

That being said, where there’s a will, there’s a way, and using gestures and “Spanglish” works just as well. So, until you improve your Spanish, just do your best and accept that you’re going to make a fool of yourself every now and then.

The language situation here deserves a separate post, so keep an eye out for that.

To keep things brief, I’ll share more about my experiences in and around Barcelona in the future, so stay tuned!

Another update is that I’ve been working on a new project called The I-Fit Project—or to put it simply, I’ve started going to the gym and eating healthier ;). I began this journey in March 2023 and have been going to the gym regularly, with a few breaks here and there. Along the way, I faced some health issues, mostly due to not being active before, but they are now mostly under control.

By going to the gym, I do not mean just that, I took a genuine interest in it, and I’ve been learning a lot about fitness, nutrition, and health. I’ve also been working with a personal trainer, who has been a great help in this journey. While it is not always easy, I’m happy with the progress I’ve made so far and I am looking forward to what things could look like in the future.

One last thing before closing this post, people here are very different than in Germany. They are more open, friendly, and… loud. They are also more relaxed and less punctual, which can be a bit frustrating at times. But, as with the language, you get used to it and learn to adapt.

While not everything is perfect, good nutritious food, warm weather, the sea, and the mountains make up for it.