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Find Julia here: https://www.instagram.com/doula.and.dharma/

In this episode of Spainly Living, Michelle speaks with Julia, originally from the United States, about leaving behind a successful life in Boston and moving to Spain with her husband and young children in search of safety, time, community, family connection and a more meaningful definition of success.

Julia shares how motherhood changed everything for her. After growing up in the Midwestern United States and spending much of her adult life between New York and Boston, she had built a life that looked successful on paper. She had a good job at Boston University, her husband worked at Harvard University, they owned a home, and they had started their family. But after becoming a mother during the pandemic, Julia realised that the life she was living no longer matched the life she wanted.

They discuss how the Camino de Santiago first planted the seed for moving to Spain. Julia and her then boyfriend, now husband, walked the Camino together and became engaged at the end of the journey. Years later, after the birth of their son, they decided to stop talking about the dream and start making it real.

Julia gives an honest account of applying for the Spanish non lucrative visa from the United States before the digital nomad visa was available and taking a leap of faith before the visa was fully secured, and using the proceeds of the sale to fund their move to Spain. This episode is especially useful for Americans moving to Spain and families relocating to Spain.

Julia shares how her family first lived in Mallorca, then Sevilla, then the coast of Granada, before finally settling near Alicante in Elche. She explains how each move was shaped by practical needs, cost of living, public transport, schools, language, community, work opportunities and her son’s needs as a neurodivergent child. She also reflects on the importance of choosing a place based not only on beauty, but on whether it truly works for your family.

Michelle and Julia also talk about giving birth in Spain. Julia shares her experience of pregnancy, maternity care, Spanish hospitals, language barriers, regional dialects, midwives, birth trauma, advocacy and the importance of having support during one of the most vulnerable moments in a woman’s life. Her own experience eventually led her to create Birth in Spain, a business supporting women through pregnancy, birth, postpartum, lactation and community building in Spain.

They also discuss the practical and emotional reality of becoming self employed in Spain. Julia explains how she moved from the non lucrative visa to the autónomo route, the challenges of building a business plan, dealing with Spanish bureaucracy, paying taxes, working with a gestor and creating a business that supports other women while allowing her family to remain in Spain.

This episode also explores the deeper reasons families choose Spain, including safety, healthcare, public spaces, playgrounds, slower living, bilingual children, cultural expansion, community, Mediterranean lifestyle and the feeling of raising children in a place where family life is valued.

Whether you are dreaming of moving to Spain from the United States, planning a family relocation, considering the non lucrative visa, exploring self employment in Spain, preparing to give birth in Spain or simply wondering whether there is another way to live, this episode is a thoughtful, honest and inspiring conversation about courage, reinvention and building a life that truly fits.

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Find Hector here: https://es.vidalmarinabogados.com/nosotros

In this episode of Spainly Living, Michelle speaks with Hector Vidal, an Alicante based Spanish lawyer who helps international clients with immigration, relocation, real estate and residency matters in Spain.

Hector shares practical guidance for anyone thinking about moving to Spain, applying for Spanish residency, getting an NIE, understanding the TIE, registering on the padrón or navigating visa and residence permit options. As a Spanish lawyer from Alicante who also lived in the UK for many years, Hector brings both local legal knowledge and personal experience of immigration systems, including life in the UK during Brexit.

This episode is especially useful for EU citizens, UK citizens, US citizens, digital nomads, retirees, remote workers, self employed people, business owners, families and international movers who want to understand how the Spanish immigration and relocation process works before arriving in Spain.

Michelle and Hector discuss the key differences between moving to Spain as an EU citizen and moving as a non EU citizen. Hector explains why the process is usually simpler for EU nationals, EEA nationals and Swiss citizens because of freedom of movement, while UK and US citizens are generally treated as non EU nationals for Spanish immigration purposes.

They also discuss common Spanish residency routes, including the non lucrative visa, work permits, self employment routes, remote worker permits and the Spanish digital nomad visa. Hector explains who these routes are generally designed for, including retirees, people with independent financial means, people who want to work in Spain, remote workers, online professionals and people employed by companies outside Spain.

Michelle and Hector also cover the difference between a visa and a residence permit, and why many people arrive in Spain with one type of permission and later need to modify or renew their status. Hector explains how his firm often helps people who are already in Spain and need to move from one status to another, such as from a non lucrative visa to a work permit or self employment route.

The episode also explains key Spanish relocation terms, including the white NIE, green NIE, TIE and padrón. Hector explains why the NIE is essential for many practical steps in Spain, why EU citizens receive a green residency document, why non EU citizens usually receive a TIE card, and why the padrón is important for proving where you live and accessing local services such as schooling and healthcare.

Michelle and Hector discuss why paperwork can be more complicated than people expect, including appointment delays, missing documents, changing requirements, expired or incorrectly prepared documents, apostilles, translations, health insurance, proof of financial means and criminal record checks.

They also talk about the value of preparing documents before leaving your home country, applying for an NIE through a Spanish consulate where possible, bringing more supporting paperwork than you think you need, and avoiding missed deadlines. Hector shares examples of how applications can be delayed or put at risk when people miss appointments, fail to submit documents in time or misunderstand what the authorities require.

This episode also explores the practical reality of Spanish bureaucracy, including how much can depend on the specific office, appointment and person reviewing your paperwork.

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Find Shaun here: https://www.solvstream.io/about

In this episode of Spainly Living, Michelle speaks with Shaun Richardson, originally from Cape Town, South Africa, about moving to Spain with his wife and children after living in the UK and Romania.

Shaun shares his family’s journey from Cape Town to the UK, then Romania, and finally to Elche, near Alicante, where they have now been living for a year.

This is a warm, honest and practical conversation for anyone thinking about moving to Spain with children, relocating to Alicante, living in Elche, applying for Spanish residency, renting in Spain, choosing schools in Spain or building a more relaxed lifestyle as a remote worker (autonimo) or self employed person.

Shaun explains why his family chose Spain, why Elche became the right place for them, and how their children have adapted. He shares how his teenage son moved from Romania with no Spanish background, started public school in Spain, learned Spanish quickly, made Spanish friends and became passionate about football. He also talks about how the outdoor lifestyle, parks, beach access, clean air and relaxed daily rhythm have benefited his younger child.

Michelle and Shaun discuss the practical reality of moving to Spain as a family, including residency paperwork, the NIE, the difference between the white NIE and residency documentation, the value of using a trusted local adviser or gestor, and why the Spanish admin process can be difficult to manage alone if you do not speak Spanish.

Shaun shares his experience as a British and South African passport holder married to an EU citizen, and explains how his wife’s Romanian EU citizenship helped with the relocation process. He talks about applying for residency, waiting for his card, dealing with appointments, travelling to Denia for police appointments and learning to accept that Spanish bureaucracy does not always work in a straight line.

The episode also covers renting in Spain, including why landlords can be cautious with foreigners, why it can be harder to rent without a Spanish employment contract, why having someone on the ground can help, and why families may need temporary accommodation while waiting for a long term rental to become available.

Michelle and Shaun also discuss schools in Spain, including the public school system, private school options, concertado schools, language immersion, school catchment areas, points systems, oversubscribed schools, kindergarten places, matriculation paperwork and what parents should know before moving with children.

Shaun also shares his experience of becoming autónomo in Spain, accessing public healthcare, applying for the SIP card, running an online AI business, teaching English remotely and building a working life that allows him to enjoy the Spanish lifestyle.

This episode is full of practical tips, real life lessons and honest reflections on the emotional side of moving to Spain. Shaun talks about the frustration of paperwork, unexpected obstacles, shops closing on Sundays, restaurants closing in the afternoon, different routines for children, Spanish nap culture, and the need to go with the flow rather than fight the system.

Michelle and Shaun also reflect on the positives of life in Spain: better weather, more time outdoors, healthier routines, friendlier daily interactions, a calmer lifestyle, beach access, family time, safety, fresh air and the sense that the hard first year is worth pushing through.