If you should need an Accredited Guide while in Spain I would be happy to show you around.
11/02/2025
You’ve probably seen it.
The story of an American woman who moved to Spain… only to turn around and leave a few months later.
It’s been everywhere—shared, debated, even ridiculed.
The internet has had a field day with it.
Some people see it as a cautionary tale. Others, a comedy.
But honestly? I think it’s just sad.
Moving to another country is a massive life
decision. It takes time, money, energy—not to mention the emotional rollercoaster of uprooting your life.
To see it all go wrong? That’s tough.
So instead of piling on, I want to take a different approach.
There are real lessons to be learned from her experience. Mistakes that can be avoided.
Because if moving to Spain is your dream, I want to make sure you do it right.
5 Lessons from One Couple's Failed Spain Move
The internet had a good laugh at this story. And sure, this move went spectacularly wrong.
But here’s the thing—this wasn’t just one big mistake.
It was a series of small, avoidable missteps that added up.
And the truth is, plenty of people make at least one or two of these errors when moving abroad.
So instead of laughing, let’s learn.
Here are five key mistakes they made—and how you can avoid them.
Mistake 1. Choosing the Wrong Location
This is the most obvious takeaway—she moved to the wrong part of Spain.
She didn’t like the winter. But she moved to northern Spain, where winters are cold, wet, and dark. That’s just how it is.
And this highlights something crucial: choosing the right location is the single most important decision you’ll make.
Spain isn’t one-size-fits-all. Climates, cultures, and lifestyles vary wildly. What works for one person might be completely wrong for another.
So how do you avoid this mistake? By planning properly.
Start with online research, but don’t stop there.
The key step? Scouting trips.
And these aren’t holidays. They’re research missions.
If you can only do one trip, make it
count: visit at the worst time of the year.
Hate the cold? Go in winter. Worried about heat? Go in August. Test the reality of a place physically.
Because what looks good on paper doesn’t always feel right in person.
Mistake 2. Not Doing the RIGHT Research
She says she did her research.
But she also says she didn’t have good information.
And that’s a key distinction.
Take her fear of squatters. She made it sound like if you buy a property in Spain, you’re at serious risk of it being occupied. That’s just not true.
Yes, squatting happens. But the media (and certain corners of the internet) make it seem like a far bigger issue than it actually is.
And if you ask in Facebook expat groups? You’ll get dramatic stories that make it sound like it’s guaranteed to happen.
But if you look at the actual data, you’ll see:
Squatting is an infinitesimally small risk for homes that are actively lived in.
Simple precautions—choosing the right location, using security measures—reduce that risk even further.
And the claim that “if squatters aren’t evicted in 48 hours, homeowners must go through the courts” isn’t even correct. If you own the home and use it, you just need to show proof of ownership, and the police can remove them—no judicial process required.
So what’s the lesson?
Do your research—but make sure it’s coming from reliable sources.
Anecdotes on social media can be helpful, but for legal, financial, or logistical issues? You need expert-backed, fact-checked information.
Mistake 3. Not Building a Realistic Budget
One big issue? She wasn’t financially prepared.
She was surprised by the cost of things, which tells me she didn’t build a proper budget before moving.
A lot of people think they’ve budgeted for life in Spain… but they’ve only estimated the big stuff—rent, groceries, maybe healthcare.
The problem? They forget the details.
If you do yoga back home, you’ll probably want to keep doing yoga in Spain—so that cost needs to be in your budget.
Same with haircuts. Pet expenses. Annual tax returns.
That’s why I always recommend: don’t start with a blank page. Take your current budget and “translate” it to Spain.
Some expenses won’t survive the move. Others will be new. But starting with what you already spend ensures nothing critical gets left out.
Mistake 4. Not Taking Time to Understand the Culture.
One of her biggest frustrations? She found Spain to be a “closed culture.”
She expected people to invite her into their homes like they might in the U.S. or New Zealand. And when that didn’t happen, she saw it as a sign that people were distant.
But here’s the thing: that’s not how socializing works in Spain.
Friendships happen out and about. You meet for drinks at a bar, for coffee at a café, for tapas in a plaza. Inviting someone into your home happens later, once the relationship deepens.
And there’s a reason for this. Homes in Spain tend to be smaller, and tapas bars are fun. Meeting out just makes sense in this culture.
This is a classic “unknown unknown”—the aspects of a new culture that you don’t even realize are different until you arrive.
So the lesson? Instead of measuring a new place through the lens of your home country, take time to understand how things are done—and why.
Because when you do, not only will things make more sense… you’ll probably have more fun, too.
Mistake 5. Not Having a Strong “Why”
Some things about Spain take adjusting to.
Banks closing at 2 PM? That just sucks. There’s no charming cultural explanation. It’s just inconvenient.
And when you move to a new country, you will run into things that frustrate you.
So how do you keep those annoyances from overshadowing the entire experience?
You need a strong why.
Reading her story, it didn’t seem like she had one. She visited Spain in 1995, fell in love with it, and thought, one day, it’d be nice to live here.
But when things got tough, there wasn’t a deeper anchor keeping her grounded.
For people in my Move to Spain Masterclass*, this move isn’t just about logistics. It represents a fresh start. A challenge. A chance to build a life that aligns with their values—whether that’s a different work-life balance, deeper community, or a more fulfilling lifestyle. That’s why, at the very start of the Masterclass, we do a seven-page vision checklist.
Because getting clear on why you’re making the move? That’s what keeps you going when things get frustrating.
