Living in Spain-yay or nay?

The only thing I'm really interested in doing out there is going to Ibiza during the summer! :smt045

 

Fine! If you are into the party scene, check this:

Experience Spain's Awesome Party Scene
If you listen to a copy of Disco Estrella, Spain's annual compilation of the hottest music each summer, you'll quickly find out that Spaniards love dance music. Spaniards listen to all types of music, but the vast majority like a solid beat and a quality dance tune to party the night away with their friends.

In Europe, only Spain could be home to the epic clubs of Ibiza and the endless nights of Madrid. There are high-energy bars and clubs all over the country, but especially in the capital and on the coast. Spain has perfected the beach club, mastered the warehouse club, and satisfied the hungriest of techno enthusiasts with its world-class DJs. If you want to party, Spain is the place.


Partying Spanish Style

Most Americans find that Spain's nightlife is fairly easy to navigate. Unlike Paris, Los Angeles or New York, where the best clubs are hidden from newcomers, Spain has an open and accepting club culture. Especially in vacation towns such as Málaga, dance clubs and bars are all easy to find by casually chatting with the locals.

The scene itself varies from area to area, but tends to be inviting and fun. The party environment in Spain is less goal-oriented and more energetic than America, with a lot of folks coming to hang out with their friends rather than hook up with a stranger. Because Spain is all about fun, the music tends to be great and alcohol flows freely.

Finally, say goodbye to America's drinking age of 21 -- you'll find that Spaniards start owning the night at a very young age. But with this increased freedom comes increased control. You're more likely to find your housemate from your study-abroad program drinking too much and getting sick than a seasoned Spaniard. Spanish partiers know how to pace themselves so that they can stay awake until the Madrid metro system starts running at 6:00 am.

Adjusting to Spain's Extreme Schedule

The nightlife timetable in Spain will throw even the most nocturnal Americans for a loop. Nobody seems to go out or come home at any sort of reasonable hour by American standards. Leaving for a club at 1:30 a.m. and coming home at 5:00 is simply the norm, and visitors are expected to adjust or miss all the fun. Everything is shifted so late because of Spain's meal schedule, with lunch in the late afternoon and dinner delayed until 10 or 11. Naturally, after eating such a late dinner and enjoying some fine Spanish sherry, people don't make it out on the town until well after midnight. The quickest way to adapt to Spain time will be to adopt the Spanish tradition of a midday siesta. A little nap will extend your bedtime well into the morning.

What Doesn't Work in Spain

Young people in Spain tend to travel in groups of four or more. While this trend exists the world over, it seems a bit more pronounced in Spain. A typical bar or club in Spain just won't have many people who come alone. For a foreigner in Spain, this dynamic can make partying a bit awkward, especially just after arriving. Following the custom of arriving in a large group is easy when you have a large clan of fellow students to hit the clubs with. For this reason, traveling to Spain as a student can be much more fun and comfortable than as a tourist.

Making new acquaintances in a Spanish bar or club is also a bit mellower than in the U.S. Meeting new people in Spain has to be casual. Because many Spaniards are a bit more reserved than club-goers in New York, for instance, the whole scene is less culturally receptive to strong advances and pick-up lines. Spanish guys joke endlessly about picking up girls, but when it comes to game time, they are gentlemen.

The Party Cities of Spain

The king of Spanish nightlife is the capital, Madrid. Because Madrid is over twice the size of any other city in Spain, it houses the greatest variety of bars and clubs. Anything you want can be found there, and whatever it is you're looking for will be open very late.

If you don't need the variety of Madrid, and simply want a hot, energetic dance scene with hordes of beautiful people, your best bet is to head to the southern coast. The Costa del Sol, centered around the city of Málaga, attracts hip Spaniards and club-goers from all over Europe.

For another fashionable and eclectic scene, Barcelona maintains a vibrant nightlife that will keep you entertained any day of the week that you want to party.

If you're lucky enough to travel to Spain in April, May, or early June, you can catch a variety of city-wide parties across Spain. In addition to Madrid and Barcelona, Valencia and Seville both have spectacular spring celebrations that keep the music and drinks circulating long into the night.

Finally, if you're looking for clubbing at its largest and purest form, Spain's island of Ibiza is incomparable. We can't recommend trying to learn Spanish there, but it is a great place to visit.

http://www.spainadventure.com/Contents/Parties.htm

 

Thanks for these tips.

Maybe one day I will have the opportunity of doing the things listed below.

I love to have a good time and I really enjoy Electro music!

 

You're welcome!

 

Where have you been so far outside of Los Angeles? I see you talk about traveling but I see no travel posts. Your a young guy, you need to get out there now.

 

Well, our advice to others is based on personal experiences. People on the forum understand this, and the regular posters know a lot about my experiences in Spain as I've posted about them many times before.

I lived in Spain as a foreigner. For you, it' your birth country so of course your opinions and experiences of Spain are going to be completely different to mine. Please don't take offense to this. Spain is a beautiful country and I would reccomend it to anyone for a visit or a short holiday, but living there is a completely different matter, for foreigners.
I don't know where in Spain you're from, but I lived in Catalunya and found it very unwelcoming and the people cold. I speak Spanish and understand Catalan so I was hardly one of the ignorant English people that just come and shout in English and point at things, I was always very polite, spoke to people in their language, but was frequently shunned by the locals. It's understandable that you want to defend your country and many foreigners that I know personally (mostly those living outside of Catalunya) had great experiences. I even know a girl that's moving to Granada permanently because she lived there for a year and loved it so much.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, yes, but lets be realistic, Spain has just as much problems as any other country and for some people the climate just isn't enough to overshadow these problems.


Can I ask where you're from in Spain? I'd like to point out that my experiences are based on living in Catalunya, and of course understand that Catalunya is very different to the rest of Spain. I've been to many parts of Spain on holiday and would return, but certainly not to Catalunya haha


And LA - You MUST go to Ibiza, for sure! Just take lots of money with you, club entry can be as high as £60 for the most famous places! But yeah, stay away from the cokeheads and you'll have an amazing time I only went for a long weekend but had a lot of fun there. Girls come from all over Europe to party there and look like supermodels, you'll love it!

 

Fair enough, fromrussia. Thanks for your insight. Reagarding where I'm from:

http://www.whitewomenblackmen.com/forum/showpost.php?p=356456&postcount=64

 

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http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/business/july-dec10/spain_07-23.html

 

To a country which is stable for a foreseeable future.

 

Oh, come on, that's sooooooo vague mostly nowadays with the current international situation...

 

Norway is not such a bad country. I think one should look into that country further

 

Honestly, I think that "bad country" is an unfortunate definition for countries suffering the current economic situation... started by USA speculators, if I'm not illed informed...

And yes, I agree Norway is probably one of the world's best countries regarding both economic and social aspects.

 

Though we are looking long-term though. So one should really do research on Spain and Norway. See what the country will look like in 10 years

 

:smt042 Point taken!! I promise I wont push Spain any further!

 

Cool. Also my intent wasn't to bash Spain. Your country is wonderful in many aspects with a lovely culture. I just want one to look at the country from different angles. I hope the thread maker makes a good decision for himself

 

Amen!

 

One of the few countries that dont have a national deficit. Instead, they have a such a enconomic surplus that they have a specific position in the government who take care of this economical "surplus".

But its super expensive and you have to deal with lost of rain in certain parts of Norway and darkness/cold during the winter

 

Didn't you get called a niggerlover to your face in Spain???

 

Oh Wow