Spain is a country located in Western Europe, most known for its beautiful countryside, afternoon siestas, incredible food, and festivals. If you were to travel to Spain, you would find its people very easy-going and you would certainly not be bored. Although it does snow in parts of Spain, other parts of Spain experience plenty of winter sun and temperatures in the mid to high teens (Celsius).

If you want to spend a year living abroad and enjoy immersing yourself in a different culture, I cannot recommend Spain enough as a destination for you.

How Many People Speak English In Spain?

As with any country that you travel to, I would recommend that you learn at least some basic phrases and words in the language of that place. Simple phrases such as asking where the train station is, asking to pay, and even just the phrase to say that you can only speak English, can go a long way to helping you get a better experience while you are abroad.

Roughly one-quarter of Spanish people in Spain can speak English. As in many countries, the percentage of people who speak English is skewed toward the younger generations. You will find fewer old Spanish citizens who can speak English as compared to young adults. That being said, this doesn’t necessarily mean that English is a normal part of life. Unfortunately, there is some level of reluctance to speak English, which stems from the desire not to be made fun of for making mistakes.

This means that university students will find it relatively easy to make friends even if they initially cannot speak too much Spanish. As with most places, when natives hear you try to speak the language, they often become more friendly towards you. This makes Spain a great place to study abroad as you’ll be out to make friends even while you’re Spanish skills are developing.

Is Spain A Good Place To Live?

Whether or not Spain is a good place to live will really come down to your preferences. Spain is a large country so it will be difficult to get a blanket ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer, as they might be some places that you would not want to live, but other places in Spain that you would be more than happy to live.

The way for you to really know if it is the place that you want to live is to travel there. This is the best way for you to experience the Spanish culture, which will be one of the major factors to help you decide if you want to stay there for a long time.

As an example, I have traveled to some cities in the world that I absolutely loved, but I found that the people and the culture inside the cities just didn’t click with me. It was a great experience to visit, and I would happily go back to that city to explore more of the historical sites, attractions, and museums, but I know that I would not want to live there. You may find the same experience if you travel to Spain, but you won’t know unless you try.

Do Spanish People Really Take A Siesta In The Day?

The siesta is the nap taken in the middle of the day that the stereotypical Spanish person takes each and every day. For the average 9-5 worker, it is the height of easy living, something that can be only imagined. But do Spanish people really take siestas?

Well, some still do. But it’s not quite how you think; not all Spaniards do take regular siestas. There are some towns that essentially shut down during the mid-afternoon to cater for this, but certainly, not all places do this.

Interestingly, according to the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development), in 2020 the average Spaniard worked 1,577 hours in a year, while the average French worker worked 1,402, Germany 1,332, and Americans 1,767! Despite some Spaniards taking siestas, it would be untrue to say that they aren’t working as long as other Europeans.

Part of the reason that siestas occur is that Spain is close to the equator and therefore has long sunny days during summer. This means that even if you were to have a nap in the middle of the day, there would still be plenty of sunshine left afterward for you.

If you were to travel to Span, take siestas into consideration, as, depending on the area you are traveling you may find many shops and businesses closed for the siesta. This will particularly be the case if you’re traveling during summer, all you will be staying at smaller traditional towns. For larger towns that see a lot of tourists, this shouldn’t be an issue.

Is Drinking The Tap Water In Spain Safe?

As for any place that you travel to, always check to see if tap water is safe to drink. Interestingly in Spain, many Spaniards prefer to drink bottled water, however that does not mean that tap water is unsafe to drink.

While safe to drink, the tap water will probably taste different from what you have at home. If you’re staying in Spain for a long time your body will get used to drinking this, however, if you are only there for a few days, it may be wise to consider drinking tap water during your travels.