By Christine Giraud in Granada, Spain Today is our last day in one of the strictest lock-downs in the world, according to the media reports. It is the 1st of May 2020 and it seems we are ending seven weeks of almost total confinement in our home in Granada, Spain. From mid March until now, … More A letter from Spain during Coronavirus
cul·ture shock noun the feeling of disorientation experienced by someone who is suddenly subjected to an unfamiliar culture, way of life, or set of attitudes. It’s 1am on a regular Wednesday in June in Granada. The neighbourhood dogs are barking in the usual incessant cacophony, the bars are bursting with people and the rooftop parties … More Culture Shocks and Wonderful Surprises
We wrote this guide to share our knowledge and love of this amazing city with others. It took us a year to find our local rhythm of life in Granada and we wanted to share all that we had learned. We have researched extensively and hope it will provide access to a different experience of Granada. … More Your Local Guide to Granada
As the full moon rises in the east, hovering above the Pacific Ocean, I contemplate the year that has passed since we returned to Australia from Our Year in Spain. Each full moon signifies a moment of reflection since it was on a glorious, moonlit evening two years ago, that we arrived to our new home in Granada. Whilst we imbibed the new … More One year on…the legacy of our year in Spain
This was the mantra retold to me by my Granadino friends while we were living in Granada. “You’ll see” they followed in response to my quizzical look. As I contemplated the Herculean effort to transport our family of four across the oceans and continents from Australia to Spain, I wasn’t so convinced that we would be … More “Everyone returns to Granada…”
It is strange that I harbor such a passion for foreign languages when I hail from the monolingual country and continent of Australia. What I love about learning languages is not the theory and grammar but the revealing of a culture, its history and a new way of being. The truth is I have no … More The best way to learn Spanish (in Andalucía)
When we were researching where we would live in Spain for a year, climate played a large part in our decision which is why we chose to live in Southern Spain. And although coastal Spain would have been the most suitable climate befitting a ‘soft’ Australian, we couldn’t see ourselves amongst the sun-seekers and retirees who flock to … More Southern Spain Does Have a Winter
This story begins in the mid 1990’s when, as a fresh faced 21-year-old university graduate, I embarked on a gap year in Europe. The initial summer months were spent swanning about Italy and France with exchange student friends at their family holiday houses, followed by backpacking across Greece and Turkey. When the cold weather finally … More Moving to Spain…again, 17 years later
I recently had a conversation with some friends visiting from the United States. One of their overwhelming experiences from travelling in Australia was the genuine and trusting nature of Australians who, they observed: “were interested to help in any way and also to know us as individuals. There is an openness and trust that is … More The overwhelming kindness of others
Granada here we come… soon! It has been decided… we are going to live in Granada, Andalucía for one year. Despite never having set foot in this city, Granada has consistently come out on top of the “preferred places to live in Spain” list when tested against our criteria: A small/ medium city with a significant local … More Granada – Nos vemos pronto!
Our Year In Spain 