In 2015 Javi and I bought land in his hometown, Sanlúcar de Barrameda, with a plan to build our dream home there one day. This year we’re ready to take the plunge! We’ve designed the house, chosen a builder, and secured a self build mortgage (hipoteca autopromotor). It’s an exciting (and slightly terrifying) time in…
Expat Life
Finding flamenco dress inspiration at Pasarela Flamenca Jerez
As feria season approaches women all over Andalusia begin to prepare their flamenco dress or traje de flamenca. Feria season typically lasts from April to September. During this time cities throughout southern Spain are filled with flamenco fashion, music, and festivities as they celebrate their annual fair. Women tend to own numerous flamenco dresses (I…
Part 2: Getting your Spanish residency card (TIE)
I’m an American expat living in the province of Cádiz, Spain. Javi and I did “pareja de hecho” (civil union) in 2012 to extend my temporary work + residency permit. In 2015 we got married. After five years of legal residency you can apply for permanent residency in Spain—which brings us to the content of this…
Part 1: Applying for permanent residency in Spain
I’m finally getting permanent residency in Spain! I’ve been living and working in Europe for the last five years thanks to me and Javi’s civil union (pareja de hecho). However my residency expires next month so we went to the Oficina de Extranjería (immigration/foreigner office) in Cádiz to submit my paperwork. Keep in mind you…
What I wish I’d known before filing taxes as an expat
I was on my second bottle of Fino at the feria of Jerez when the sobering topic of expat taxes came up. While chatting to a fellow American expat, who just happened to be banker, I learned the consequences of tax evasion could not just affect me, but my family as well. At this point we…
Finding a flamenco dress for a Spanish feria (Feria de la Manzanilla)
In an attempt to fully immerse myself in Spanish culture during my year abroad, I decided to participate in all of Sanlúcar’s events and fiestas to the best of my abilities. This included learning how to dance sevillanas and purchasing my very own traje de gitana (flamenco dress) for the annual fair (aka. feria). As you…
What to expect at a first communion in Spain
First communions are a BIG DEAL in Spanish culture and they’re considered “part of the package” when dating a Spaniard (along with weddings and baptisms too). Communions are not only an opportunity for families to uphold religious and cultural traditions, but they’re also the perfect reason to throw a fabulous party! Before attending your first…
6 Useful tips you need to know before starting a blog
Are you interested in creating a blog but you’re not sure where to start? They say the best way to learn how to do something is by doing it…but it definitely doesn’t hurt to have a bit of insider knowledge upfront. Apart from my personal blog, my “real job” also involves content creation…so you could…
What to wear to a wedding in Spain: Spring/Summer
Oh surprise! Another post on one of my favorite topics…weddings in Spain. 😉 If you’re a guiri (foreigner) like me, attending your first Spanish wedding can be a little stressful; there are some rules you might not be aware of and you probably aren’t sure what guests are supposed to wear. But not to fear! I’ve compiled the latest wedding…
Spanish style in the spotlight at Sur Fashion Experience
When it comes to fashion, no one does it quite like the south of Spain. If you’ve had the opportunity to attend a wedding in Andalusia then you know exactly what I’m talking about. 😉 For this reason, I was ecstatic to receive a blogger invitation to attend Sur Fashion Experience—an event celebrating fashion, gastronomy, and tourism here in the…