2 Years Of Tapas, Sangría And Fiestas
Slovakia was under lockdown due to the pandemic. I spent most of my time in an apartment in Bratislava. At least I could work in a shared office, but only every other day to avoid meeting my co-workers. And I would make a bike trip whenever the temperature was above freezing. These were the most fun thing for me. Until I realized that I could do better.
January 2021: Escape Plan
I had traveled abroad almost every year and lived in many countries, but only for a few months in each. What would it be like to spend years outside of Slovakia? Is the pandemic a good time to find out, or should I wait until it ends?
I started planning a 2-month trip to Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Malaga. Spain was close enough, so I could avoid a long and risky flight during the pandemic. I bought flights, reserved apartments on Airbnb and packed up like an experienced minimalist. Everyone thought traveling during the pandemic was impossible, but it wasn’t true. I only needed a PCR test and to fill out some stupid form (more on Spanish bureaucracy later). We had to wear FFP3 masks during the flight, and I wasn’t going to share my apartments, so everything seemed relatively safe.
March 2021: Tenerife
I quickly fell in love with the atmosphere in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. There were restrictions, but the weather was warm, people were in the streets, and most businesses were open. I had a nice view from my apartment, could work on a terrace and enjoy paellas for lunch. The north of Tenerife was beautiful, so I would make hiking trips every weekend and sometimes go to the beach even though the water was still quite cold.
Are you asking why I was wearing a mask on the beach? This was to show solidarity with my friends who got stuck in Slovakia during the worst lockdown period 😆
Before leaving the islands, I took a short trip to see the south. It is less green than the north but has better beaches and, unfortunately, too many more tourists. I liked the Canary Islands, but the climate was too windy.
April 2021: Málaga #1
Málaga seemed like a really cool city. Nice weather, beautiful beaches, comfortable size and good connections with the rest of Andalusia and the world because of the airport. The water was still cold (or I was too sensitive), but I explored the city, made trips to nearby Nerja and discovered my hidden love for art in the Museum of Picasso. But don’t get confused, I didn’t like Picasso as much as a temporary exhibition of Barceló.
May 2021: Summer Break
I returned to Slovakia to enjoy 14 days of quarantine after being abroad, get vaccine shots, visit family, run some errands and pack up a few more things. The lockdown ended, and I could even do my favorite nighttime activity — social dancing. Ultimately, I spent a few months in Slovakia, which seemed fun, but I was determined to go ahead with my plan and move to Spain.
August 2021: Málaga #2
I was back in Málaga. As usual, I spent my days working and weekends exploring. I enjoyed beaches and traveled to Marbella and Estepona. Clubs started opening up in Spain too, so I would go social dancing in the evenings.
Not everything was great, though. I really liked the dancing scene, especially my favorite club Muévete, but I felt like there were too many tourists in the city, and I had a hard time connecting with the locals. I was craving for a more authentic experience.
October 2021: Granada #1
I moved to Granada, immediately connected with the city, made a lot of friends, and loved the vibe. I joined dance classes to improve at Bachata Sensual — the style I didn’t learn in Slovakia but was very popular in Spain.
November 2021: Christmas Lockdown
I returned to Slovakia to see my family. I chose the worst possible time because Slovakia was locked down again. The pandemic was already ending in Spain, but not in Slovakia. Spain had a much higher vaccination rate, and people cared more about the measures.
December 2021: Granada #2
I returned to Granada to welcome the new year with my new friends and avoid lockdowns.
In the past year, I lived in 10 different Airbnbs. It was a fantastic experience, but expensive and tiring because of constant moving, so I decided to look for long-term rent. After a week of searching and phone calls, I rented an incredible apartment close to the city center, with a beautiful terrace and views over the city. It was really affordable compared to Airbnbs. I only had to install an internet connection because that’s the tenant’s job in Spain. It couldn’t be a problem, could it? It wouldn’t have been with a residency certificate (NIE) which I didn’t have because I didn’t work in Spain. I found a provider who didn’t require an NIE, but they did need a Spanish bank account (Mobistar). Fortunately, I also found a bank that didn’t require an NIE (Santander). In the end, getting internet in my apartment took only one day of errands. Getting mobile internet was a similar drill (Masmovil). And finally, canceling Mobistar after I moved out was another story.
I traveled to Seville, Cordoba, Ronda, Gibraltar and Marrocco. Sometimes I went on my own, and other times I joined a trip with an agency organizing student trips (Emycet).
July 2022: Summer Break
After almost a year in Granada, I realized it was time to move on. I still loved the city’s vibe, but it felt too small. Many of my friends also moved out because they had come there only for a year. I visited Malaga and Madrid for two weeks to find out which one I liked more. Then I visited Slovakia for a month to see my family and friends. And I started going to co-working spaces. The pandemic was over almost everywhere, and I was tired of working from home.
September 2022: Málaga #3
Madrid seemed too big, so I decided to give Málaga another chance. The apartment search went less smoothly than in Granada. I spent weeks trying to rent something, but all landlords required a 12 months commitment. And you’ve probably figured out I’m not a commitment type. In the end, I booked an Airbnb, and the host offered me another apartment they had available for long-term stays. The apartment was lovely, but I was not too fond of the location, which seemed disconnected from everything due to how the public transport was organized. It would take me 30 minutes to walk to the co-working space or 25 minutes to get there by bus. The office was nice, though; all desks had large screens, and there were many community activities (TLR). I joined dance classes in Muevete, spent weekends on the beach or in the nearby mountains and traveled to Portugal.
March 2023: Madrid
I loved Málaga for the first 2 months, but then I started to feel the weight of the touristy atmosphere again. I stayed there for 6 months because I had committed to an apartment, but it felt like Málaga wasn’t my kind of city. I wanted to try a larger city, so I moved to Madrid. I had lived in Madrid as an Erasmus student many years ago and loved it.
And I love it again. It’s full of things to do (Bachata parties), people to meet (beautiful Latin American girls) and well-connected with every other major Spanish city (2–3 hours to Málaga, Seville, Barcelona, Valencia or Bilbao). It’s bigger than Granada and more authentic than Málaga. It’s more expensive, though. I had to find an apartment on Airbnb and then talk to the host about extending it because everyone wants a 12-month commitment, as in Málaga. I work in a nice co-working space near the river (Monday). Summers are hot here, so I travel to the beach almost every weekend. And I also made a trip to Tenerife again with a group of friends from Slovakia.
I have always liked the experience of expat life. Every year I would make an extended trip somewhere else, but the pandemic pushed me to move to a foreign country for much longer. And my 2 years in Spain have been a great experience so far. I improved in Spanish and Bachata. I learned to be more relaxed when things move slowly (or there’s too much bureaucracy) and smile every day. And I made friends from all over the world.
I plan to stay in Madrid for a while, but where should I go next? Different city? Different country? Different continent?
