Alastair Johnson decided to relocate to Sitges, Spain some 10 years ago with his wife and son, hoping to take a one-year sabbatical.
However, he completely fell in love with the European expat paradise and has not looked back since.
Spain experiences more than 320 days of annual sun, making outdoor socialising easy and appealing
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Most recently, Alastair spoke to GB News about another major difference between the UK and Spain, touching on why Spaniards just don’t invite friends to their houses.
In the UK, you might be used to popping into other people’s homes for tea and coffee regularly or inviting friends over for a catch-up. However, this is not the done thing in Spain.
Alastair said: “There are a couple of reasons for it – and this is going to be some vast generalisations.
“Traditionally, Spanish people entertain their family and very close friends at home.
“In the UK, we’ll casually pop into someone’s house for a drink. They wouldn’t have cleaned up and you’ll bring a bottle of wine.
“But there’s a higher level of hospitality in Spain. If you’re going around to somebody’s house, the house is spotless, they’ve cooked a nice meal, and they’ve opened a good bottle of wine. It’s a more formal kind of arrangement.”
Another reason Spaniards typically don’t invite friends to their homes is that going out to eat is “so common and so cheap”.
Alastair said: “It’s easier to meet people out – just pop out and go to a restaurant.
“You can go out and have a really nice three-course meal for €15 (around £12.60) in our town, which is an expensive, touristy town. So why would you cook at home?”
In a country that experiences more than 320 days of sun per year, socialising outside on the beach or at outdoor cafes and restaurants is easy and appealing.
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In Sitges, where Alastair lives, a ‘really nice three-course meal’ can cost just €15
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According to Alastair, being invited to someone’s home in Spain is the ultimate measure of closeness.
“We’ve lived in the space place for around five years and it was three and a bit years before our neighbours invited us over,” the expat revealed.
“And we’re friendly, we chat to them – they’re a delightful couple. He’s a farmer so he drops around the tomatoes or watermelons that he grows.
“We were all very friendly but to get invited over was a bit of a different level. It was like, ‘Now we know you, you’ve been here three and a half years and you’re not going anywhere’.”
Alastair and his wife Alison set up a business to help people looking to move to Spain from the UK. Moving to Spain offers expert advice, resources, insider knowledge and a handpicked network of service providers.
