143 - Sober in Spain (Practicalities and Deep Thoughts)

Should you move to Spain in 2026? Well, it depends. A blog called Expat Money recently published a list of the "top 7 reasons you should never move to Spain" and I don't think the author was wrong about them... I just think that Spain has some intangibles that make it a great place to live, and that for most of us, moving abroad is more than a mathematical calculation. Support this podcast at https://expatmadrid.com/donate/You can read my article here, obviously I've lived in Spain for 22 years and I'm somewhat biased: https://expatmadrid.com/reasons-never-move-spain/If you're looking for a more athletic type of holiday, check out my friend Raul over at https://biketourinspain.comI'll be going on his tour of La Rioja and Camino del Cid in a couple of months, and I've got two episodes on here about other bike tours, look for "#76 - Route of Don Quixote" and "#94 - Extremadura Bike Tour" for more about those.

On this episode of the Spain to Go podcast I go into the new corruption cases involving Pedro Sánchez, ex-president Zapatero, and the socialist government. Also, some of the old corruption scandals, which are ongoing. Plus, Isak Andic (the fashion mogul who fell down a mountain) and thoughts about the 2026 World Cup.Donate to the podcast here: https://expatmadrid.com/donate/Get your Spanish visa or background check (sworn translation, homologación, apostille of the Hague, etc) with Continentalis.eu, they helped me to get Spanish nationality – and you'll get a discount for mentioning my name DANIEL when you sign up. Go to https://continentalis.eu/Finally, you could learn some Spanish over on my YouTube channel, it's called Learn Spanish with Daniel and it's pretty good (if I may say so myself)... https://youtube.com/learnspanishwithdaniel/

It's been more than three years since I quit drinking, and people have asked me for an update. So here goes: some practical thoughts about being sober in Spain, and some deep thoughts about sobriety generally. In today's episode, we've got my top tips for sobriety, creating a new "sober identity", finding a higher power, and much more. Support the podcast here: https://expatmadrid.com/donate/More about being sober in Spain and elsewhere here: https://expatmadrid.com/sober-spain/I'm also on YouTube, teaching Spanish (and publishing the episodes of this podcast, if you'd prefer to listen there)... check out: https://youtube.com/learnspanishwithdaniel/Have a great day out there... And get in touch if this topic is relevant for you. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

In today's episode, I talk about GDP and GDP per capita in Spain and the USA, and I try to answer the question: Is Spain a poor country? Turns out, it's a bit complicated. We've also got some thoughts on Ireland, on India, on wealth and well-being, and much more. Donate to the podcast here: https://expatmadrid.com/donate/Shoutout and a big thanks this week to our two donors, Keely in Scottsdale, Arizona, and multi-donor Jim AKA Seamus, who I think is in Boston. More info on Spanish GDP vs the US, and links to some of my sources, over on the blog: https://expatmadrid.com/spain-poor-country/

An interview with expat therapist (and therapist for expats) Melissa Parks. Melissa is the author of "A Compassionate Mess: a Therapist, Her Monsters, and a Journey to Self-Acceptance" which comes out in June 2026. She lived in Madrid, Spain, for several years – that's where we met. In this episode we talk about navigating life abroad: moving for love, rebuilding after breakups, finding a sense of home, identity changes when you move abroad, and much more. Get a copy of Melissa's book on Amazon starting June 23, or sign up for her notifications for more information at https://melissaparks.com/memoir/Hungry? In Spain? Get yourself a food tour in Madrid, Barcelona, Sevilla or San Sebastian with my friends at Devour Tours, check out the options at https://expatmadrid.com/devour/Follow Melissa on Instagram here: https://instagram.com/melissaparksphd/Or just check out her website for much more. Also, listen to my episode "Finding Happiness Abroad" for further thoughts on feeling at home and life abroad generally. Thanks for listening!

I recently went to a Worker's Day protest here in Barcelona... here are some thoughts about May 1, the working class struggle, class consciousness, Marx, and rebellion for sale. Support the podcast right here: https://expatmadrid.com/donate/More about Workers' Day and links to further articles on the blog: https://expatmadrid.com/workers-day-barcelona/Sign up for a walking tour with Walks Tours and you'll see impressive sights around Europe in a unique way: https://expatmadrid.com/walks/Or for something more caloric, get some food along with your history on a tour from Devour: https://expatmadrid.com/devour/Enjoy!

Spain is planning to regularize 500,000 illegal immigrants, maybe more. Here's my report on who's eligible, where to go for help, and the controversy surrounding Pedro Sánchez's Royal Decree. (As it turns out, most Spaniards are against it, and the rollout is causing massive chaos.)If you're in need of Spanish immigration services – for the mass regularization or any other type of visa or residence permit – talk to my friend Roberto at https://continentalis.eu(Roberto is an American immigration lawyer in Madrid. Continentalis will also do your fingerprints, FBI background check, birth certificate, "homologación", sworn translations and more... better to just get in touch, their website doesn't have a full list at this point.)Another way to support is to donate to the podcast here: https://expatmadrid.com/donate/Thanks for listening!

A lot of people move to Spain thinking they'll find happiness abroad. In reality, though, expat life is complicated, and happiness is far from guaranteed. Here are my thoughts on a "feeling of home", on getting away from it all, on Americans' love for moving, and much more. Support the podcast at https://expatmadrid.com/donate/I appreciate it! And I'll give you a shoutout on a future episode if you send some support.Also, you can sign up for walking tours of amazing locations in Spain and Europe with Walks Tours: https://expatmadrid.com/walks/Food tours in Spain and elsewhere with Devour Tours: https://expatmadrid.com/devour/And cycling tours such as the Route of Don Quixote with Bike Tour in Spain: https://biketourinspain.com/If you're interested in Spanish real estate, check out the list of Spanish real estate vocabulary over on my blog: https://expatmadrid.com/real-estate-vocab-spanish/

Sant Jordi is a typical Catalan celebration. Also known as the day of books and roses, it celebrates the very international Saint George. In this episode we talk about Saint George's legend in Spain and abroad, as well as the Catalan celebration and some of the important myths associated with Catalan culture. Donate to the podcast here: https://expatmadrid.com/donate/Today we deal with a number of things besides: Was Catalan prohibited by Franco's dictatorship? Was Barça football club banned? Why are they erasing Saint George from his own celebration? And much more...Check out Bike Tour in Spain for amazing cycle tours around various Spanish regions: https://biketourinspain.com/(Tell Raúl over at Bike Tour in Spain that I say hi, he's been supporting the podcast for a long time.)Further support comes from Walks Tours at https://expatmadrid.com/walks/ – they offer walking tours of attractions around Spain.Or you could check out Devour Tours for food tours in Madrid, Barcelona, Sevilla and San Sebastian. https://expatmadrid.com/devour/(I get a commission if you sign up for a tour using my links, but I've been on tours with both companies and they're great.)

I'm avoiding politics this week, so here are some contemplations on worshipping the Golden Calf, on staying human, on God-shaped holes, and on Holy Thursday. Also, deadlifting, immigrant-owned businesses, loving your wife, and how everything is right-wing these days... even hake.Support the podcast at: https://expatmadrid.com/donate/Book a walking tour in Spain or elsewhere in Europe with Walks Tours: https://expatmadrid.com/walks/Food tours in Madrid, Barcelona, San Sebastian and more (Italy, France, etc) with Devour: https://expatmadrid.com/devour/Get yourself a fully-planned bike tour (bike included) around some beautiful Spanish regions from my friend Raúl at Bike Tour in Spain: https://biketourinspain.com/(Tell him Daniel from Spain to Go sent you!)