-Young, Dumb & Applying for a Visa-

Instagram loves to constantly make me jealous. Each time I get on Instagram some American blogger is moving to a new country. Most of us follow things on social media that we are interested in. So it’s no surprise that  these wild travel bloggers living their “best life” abroad are always popping up on my feed. But I know I am not the only person seeing these unrealistic expectations of expat life.

So for the past few years I have talked of moving to Europe. I did live in Spain for 7 months on a student visa while I studied abroad. Prior to that adventure I have never been on any more than a vacation to another country.The one thing that I learned from my visa experience is, you will cry, you will never have all you paperwork, and you will never have enough money. What I’m trying to say is that these instagram bloggers are setting an unreal expectation for moving abroad.

The reason I chose to write this article was because ever since I started telling people that my goal was to live in Europe, I constantly get an array of responses. The most common one is “That will be so amazing !I’ve heard of a lot of people doing that!” When I ask who they know they often list some blogger/vlogger, and that is because in all actuality being an American attempting to move to Europe is almost as easy as building a bridge across the atlantic. I sometimes don’t think people realize how stressful it can be to move to Europe. When I try to explain how tough it will be for me, I usually get told “Marry a European man!”, but in most european countries marriage won’t help your visa/citizenship process much.Not to mention the idea of marriage for a visa/citizenship is just plain sickening.

I have spent nights up crying and stressing over this process. Yes, of course there are loopholes to all of this paperwork. But the reality is, it is that you have to work really hard. You will most likely need some type of college degree in order to get a job that would even offer a work visa. Then comes the fact that most young people in these countries already speak English. So the odds of a company wasting their time on work visa paperwork for an American, is pretty slim.In order to get one of these work visas you will probably need to learn another language.But most Europeans are light years ahead of the United States when it comes to additional language courses for students. So, while knowing two languages is good, knowing three will be what will make you stand out in the job applying process.  

Moyua Plaza (Bilbao,Spain)

Not only will a knowledge of other language and a possible college degree help, but most countries will check into the amount of money in your savings/checking account before getting a visa. In addition, to this banking information the much needed background checks and criminal records will be looked over as well. Simple things like overstaying a passport can greatly affect the visa process.These visas can takes months and require a lot of patience and organization. All of this being said, I am not expert. I have spent a lot of time googling information and watching YouTubers speak of their visa experience. My only real knowledge of the visa process was for my 2017 Spain student visa.

My goal of this article is not to discourage anyone from applying for a European visa.Even with all of the obstacles that comes with applying for a visa to live in another country, that should never stop you from trying. Although, believing you can simply pack up and move like all the latest travel Instagrammers is far from the truth. While I may not actually be in the process of a work visa right now, I hope to be soon. I realize that this is a wild process, and want to do my best to be prepared for it. Being prepared with paperwork and the correct job, and prepared mentally for the chance that I could always get denied. I hope that one day my European dream will come true. Until that day, I will attempt to learn more about the process and the language. Because I may not all my Instagram travel influencers on yachts in Greece, but maybe one day I will be a twenty-something year old woman living in a tiny apartment in Northern Spain working to pay my American student loans, with just enough on the side for tapas and wine.

 

My “tiny apartment” bedroom in (Deusto) Bilbao,Spain

Packing Essentials for Europe!

I have been asked a lot by friends that are traveling to Europe what they should, or should not pack. I feel like my lists are always identical to the ones available on every other travel website. It wasn’t until recently that I started thinking of all the weird things I would rethink packing (or in some cases, not packing.)  I thought it might be helpful to share a few things I would buy before going to Europe, and other things I would buy once I arrived. These items may not to relevant to everyone, but they were ones that I found very important during my travels.

Things to buy once you’ve arrived:

Hair Styling Tools:

 I would suggest buying hair styling tools while you’re in Europe. When I was in Spain I brought “the works”, blow dryer, curling iron, and flat iron. All of these products were made for use in the United States, so I brought converter attachments. I had used these same styling tools in Europe previously, and never had a problem. Unfortunately, my second night in Bilbao I was getting ready to go to a party, and noticed my flat iron started to smell like wires burning. I touched the flatiron and noticed that it was hotter than normal. Because I am the fool that I am, I decided it was worth the damage I may cause, to straighten my hair. Thankfully, I was smart enough to press the iron lightly,  to avoid burning. I then decided my hair needed some loose curls. My curling iron never smelled funky. So I assumed my flatiron must have been acting up. I probably left my hair wrapped around the curling iron for around five seconds. Then I  noticed my hair was stuck to the curling iron barrel. The whole apartment started to fill with a burning smell. I pulled the curling iron away, and my hair came off with it. Of course, this strand of hair had to be in the front of my face.

The dead ends it left me with, lead me to learning a lot of Spanish words about hair. After many hair masks, I finally broke down and went to a salon to get my hair trimmed. All this being said, I would just be cautious when using hair styling tools from different countries. I eventually bought new European ones that worked just fine. I believe the reason for the overheating was caused the fact that in Europe the outlets run at a higher voltage. This causes American products to get over heated. In all honesty, you may be able to find some high-end converters that can maybe reduce this problem. But my Target bought converts seemed to work just fine, except for those styling products.

Reusable Bags:

 In Europe they are a lot more environmentally conscious than we are here. One example is the fact that if you want to have a typically thin plastic grocery bag for your things, you must pay a small fee for each bag. I love this concept because it makes you rethink how many plastic bags you’re wanting to use. What is far more common in Europe, is to buy a reusable bag (usually a euro), and bring it with you to each shopping trip. I bought about four bags when I first moved to Bilbao. I made sure I always kept one in my backpack or purse for any spontaneous purchases. These reusable bags will save you money in the long run, avoiding the constant small charges for the thin plastic bags.

Over the counter Medicines and Eyedrops:

These are not necessarily things that you have to wait to buy in the country you’re planning on visiting. Although, medicine in Europe is far cheaper than in the United States. The only problem is trying to get your typical over the counter medicines. Because I don’t often take medicine whatsoever, the thought of bringing much medicine for my six month stay in Spain did not cross my mind. I packed vitamins and a small travel size amount of ibuprofen. This was all fine and dandy, until I became incredibly ill, and soon used up all of  the ibuprofen.

 So like the basic America that I am, I went to the market to pick up some more. Little to my knowledge, these types of medicine are not sold at markets. After humbling myself and finally asking some locals, I found out you have to ask at the Pharmacia for this medicine. I lived literally steps from a Pharmacia, and even spent days practicing how to ask for it. But every time I walked pasted the Pharmacia, I saw lots of people in line. Any one who knows me well, knows I get nervous speaking a lot of Spanish in front of locals. So after about a week of procrastination and a high rising fever, I finally got the nerve to ask for the medicine. I felt so stupid for getting so worked up about asking for ibuprofen. It took me about two seconds and they pharmacists were so nice. I returned multiple times later on to buy medicine there. One thing to remember if you are in a country where you do not know the language is that, most all pharmacists know at least a little English. The fact that they knew English helped me a lot when I was trying to describe eye drops. Because once again that was an item I did not realize I would need to pack.

 

Things to bring with you:

Iphone Charger:

 Like most Americans, I use an Iphone. While Americans have a cult-like obsession with Iphones, Europeans don’t see the fascination. So, when my phone charger broke, I went on a wild chase to find a new one. The one place I had ever seen phone chargers for sale was inside what are commonly called “China Shops”. These are shops with low priced household items all made in China. I was so excited that I found a charger for two euros. The excitement soon died when I tried it out at the apartment, to just find out it didn’t work. After a day of searching I finally found an electronic store with an iPhone charger. This may have only been such a struggle for me to find one because I wasn’t a local. But I will say that for every one Iphone charger, you’ll find around twenty android chargers. This just seemed odd to me coming from a country that worships the Iphone, and sells chargers at every gas station and grocery store.

Spotify Premium:

Whether you’re a fan of Spotify or some other music streaming service, playing the fees for offline use is well worth it. I don’t think any investment was more important for me  than my Spotify premium membership. Most travel blogs I read talk about how important a plane ride playlist is, and without a doubt it’s a must! But in Europe you will be walking and taking public transportation a lot. At first, I listened to my playlists on the metro and bus to simply avoid unwanted conversations for weird guys on the metro. But after the months went on I listened to music while on transportation or walking because I missed the sound of English. I know this may sound crazy because Spanish is a beautiful language. But when you spend any large amount of time out of the country, you start to miss familiar sounds.

This also helps when you are in a country where the people speak a language you do not understand. During my summer in Germany in 2016, I didn’t run any errands without headphones. Because if I didn’t have them in someone could possibly try to ask me something I would not understand. This may seem rude for me to avoid people like this. But the level of stupidity you feel when you shrug your shoulders because you don’t understand a word someone is saying is far worse.  In addition, to my many reasons why you should have offline playlists ready for your travels, is because the songs you listen to during those adventures will forever remind of a certain place. I have dozens of songs that remind me of bus rides, or the beach, because with offline playlists you end up listening to the same songs a lot!

 

Perfume:

While this purchase is not necessary, it’s one of my favorite things to purchase for a trip. Pick a perfume or cologne to wear everyday during your stay in a certain location. I only did this for three different countries. But every time I come across the left-over perfume I’m instantly flooded with memories from my time there. It is a way to hold onto a memory without it just being a photo or video.

 When I lived in Bilbao I wore Miss Dior every day. This is my favorite perfume and I had worn it before in the United States, but saved it for rare occasions.  When I returned back from Spain,  about three months into being home I had an event that I felt I needed the Miss Dior for. This sounds incredibly dramatic but I’m telling the truth when I say I cried because to me it smelled like Bilbao.

 

I hope that some of these suggestions would help you pack for your next European adventure! 

 

 

 

 

-The Road to Bilbao-

I believe some people just are born with the desire to roam. I knew before I started university that I wanted to study abroad. I never knew where, and at the time I had never traveled internationally. I came from a family that went above and beyond to give me everything I ever wanted. But traveling was not in the budget when I was growing up. So I knew I had to prove how serious I was about studying abroad if I wanted this to happen.

At my freshman orientation at Tennessee Tech University our group leader asked, “What do you guys want to do while in college?” Most of the students answered “study engineering”, “Join a fraternity”, “graduate with a 4.0 GPA.”  I answered “Study Abroad.” To this day my family says I was more focused on that than my actual studies (they aren’t wrong). I told myself I needed to give Tennessee Tech a year or two, to see how I adjust to university life before I try to jump into studying internationally. I assumed during this time I would also figure out what country I would wanted to study in.

My second semester of my freshman year after the homecoming parade my friend and I sat in the campus Starbucks, trying to figure out what language these two exchange students were speaking. I was guessing Portuguese, and assumed the guys were from Brazil. My friend finally went up to them and asked where they were from. The guys told us they were from Spain. Little did I know at the time they were speaking Galician, so Portuguese wasn’t too bad of a guess. I remained friends with the guys until they returned back to Spain that summer. Through our friendship I learned so much about Spain, and was always asking ridiculous questions about their country.

After meeting them I became fascinated with Spain. I guess I had just never thought about that country much at all, nor did I know anything about it. I remember going into the study abroad office and asking if studying in Spain was an option. Unfortunately, at that time Spain wasn’t an option for my major. My infatuation with Spain continued, but I knew I’d have to study somewhere else.

The summer before going into my 3^rd year of university I save up money and decide to visit my aunt living in Munich, Germany. I just wanted to prove to myself I could travel alone (somewhat). During that trip I kept telling myself if you don’t message the guys mentioning that you want to see them in Spain you’ll regret it.  I messaged the guys and during the last week of my Europe trip stayed with them for a few days in a small town in Galicia. My friends went above and beyond to show me the Galicia region and introduced me to all of their incredibly kind friends.

I returned to America right before my junior year started absolutely in love with Spain. The walls of my room were covered in the photos from those few days visited. I even had to write a letter to myself for the job I had at the time. Each of us employees were to write about our goals we wanted to accomplish, and were to re-open the letter at the end of the semester. I wrote in my letter “Right now you’re pretty obsessed with Spain. I don’t think this will change any time in the future, so here are some euros because you’re going to be back there soon.” I was a slight bit dramatic in the fact that I actually added about 15 euros in my envelope including the letter.

During this first semester of my Junior year of college I had set my mind on studying a semester in Tasmania. The application process for this university was quite extensive, and I wasn’t in any rush to finish it. The week before the Tasmania application was due I went to the study abroad coordinator to ask what my chances of being accepted to the university were. As this program required a large application fee. She told me that my chances were slim as the the Tasmanian University was quite picky, and there were a large number of applicants. At that moment I assumed I should not waste the money, and maybe studying abroad was not going to happen this far into my years at university. Before I left the study abroad coordinator told me about this new university that just got touch with them about exchange students. As soon as she told me this university was in Spain, I was sold! We checked and they offered the classes necessary for my major. The only problem was that they had never received students from Tennessee Tech before, and the application had to be completed very quickly, in order to go the upcoming semester.

I still remember calling my mom leaving the study abroad office so thrilled about the new opportunity. Although, I had not planned on studying internationally until my senior year of university, I knew I would regret passing up on Spain. Within a week I met with so many professors and deans of the university for signatures and recommendations for my application. To this day I still give so much credit to a few professors that went above and beyond to make sure my application requirements were met.

I remember one night after my application was completed, my mom and I talked on the phone for hours about what would happen if I got accepted. My parents were worried that financially going to Spain may be too much. Although, my parents have always given me everything they could, they have been very open about the fact that we were never very well off financially. Seeing my parents work so hard and still struggle made me feel guilty that I would put a strain on them financially. Yet they had not gotten to travel internationally themselves. While I would have money of my own to spend in Spain, what I did not realize was the amount of money you must show proof of to receive a student visa. While money was a big portion of our phone call that night, some of it was filled with crying at that I’d be away from home for half year. I think the fear of safety for my parents and brother while I was gone was something that had crossed my mind. While it never occurred to me that I’d be the one alone living on a different continent, and how much that worried them. We ended that phone call with me saying, “I feel like this is something I will forever regret giving up.” I knew this was not the answer my parents wanted at the time, and it hurt me so much to tell them that their words did not change how I felt about going to Spain.

I felt almost sick to my stomach the week waiting for my acceptance. Sometimes I wished for it to decline so that I wouldn’t feel the guilt of wanting to go anymore. While I knew deep down I wanted to go, and worked very hard to do so. It was late one night at work and I checked my emails to find a strange email written entirely in Spanish (I didn’t know any Spanish prior to going). I used what would soon because my best friend, Google Translate, and found out I was accepted. I was in such shock! I remember pacing in circles in the office crying tears of joy. I called my parents (waking them up) and told them that I was accepted. My mom replied with “Well, now you’ve got to get that visa.”

 

As I finished up my final exams, I planned as if I was moving to Spain in January. Although, I only told a few people, in fear that I would not get accepted for the student visa. It gave me anxiety to think that I was already accepted, had picked my classes, and was apartment hunting, yet if I didn’t get that visa it was all for nothing. In order for me to get the visa I had to hand in my application at the Spanish Consulate in Houston, Texas. Just before Christmas me and two other students accepted to The University of the Basque Country drove twelve hours to Houston to turn in our visa applications. I soon learned that you will never have all your visa documents, and you will constantly be faxing more paperwork after you leave. On December 27^th I finally received my student visa, and now it was time to hurry and book a flight. On January 23^rd I left Tennessee for Bilbao, Spain. It’s still all a blur to me as to how all this got accomplished so quickly. Just a few months prior I was looking at the photos of my trip to Spain that summer, not knowing when I’d be able to return. This was absolutely one of those cases where, if you keep pursuing something, it happens when you least expect it.

I have now spent nearly half a year in Bilbao, Spain. To put it simply, living in Spain is more incredible than I ever imagined. The fact that I’m lying awake in my room at 3am due to the noise of the Casco Viejo streets on a Friday may seem like a bother to most, but I’m going to miss it. Everyone studies abroad for different reasons, and they each return with a different experience. I had such high expectations for mine experience, that I was sure I was going to be let down.

Although, life in Spain has been crazy and full of hardships, this place is my home now. I love knowing that I am just a plane ride away from the narrow streets I once got lost in, with my friends looking for a pintxo bar. While I can say nothing but amazing things about Spain, Bilbao, the food, the culture, and it’s people, there are things about this experience that I hate. I hate the fact that in just a few days I have to say goodbye. I hate that I won’t be able to walk along the river at night because I can’t sleep. I hate that I was never told that Spain will slow down your typical American pace, and you learn to take your time with enjoying the everyday things. I hate that I’ve grown accustomed to taking the metro to the beach after classes. I hate that I have met people here that I can’t imagine what life was like before we met. But what I hate most of all, is that I can’t take any of these things with me. Even though this visa will expire, and my exams are over, the friendships and memories don’t end just because distance. Spain, you have won my heart a second time and I hope to return to my second home soon!

 

-Exploring the Food of The Basque Country-

One major part of living in a new country is being adventurous when it comes to trying new foods.  At times that means humbling yourself and just pointing to the things you can pronounce (a tactic I use far too often). Sometimes going to the grocery store can be just as much of an adventure as going to a foreign restaurant. Although, Bilbao is a quite diverse city, it does not have the international grocery options you may find in places such as Barcelona or Madrid. At times the lack of familiarity can be tough to what you’re craving. But I often find that going to a dozen little stores in search of an item, can lead you to some of your new favorite shops.

After two months of living in Spain I’m by no means a pro at authentic Spanish or Basque food. I’m not even remotely close to finding all the things at the store that I miss from home. But I have recently gotten in a habit of shopping at the same places and having a few favorite cafes. I’m sure what I find here in Bilbao is far different than some other traditional Spanish cuisines. The Basque country has many traditional dishes unique to this region of Northern Spain. I thought it might be helpful for anyone new to the Basque Country or planning on visiting one day to know what to expect from local dining and grocery options.

One of the most unique dining aspects to Spain is the tapas. Although, if you ask for tapas in Basque Country you will be pretty much letting everyone know you’re not a local. In Basque Country tapas still exist but are instead called Pinxtos. Pintxo (pronounced peen-cho) is Basque word translating to “pierce”. This may be because typically these appetizer sized foods are served on a toothpick. Pintxos can be found at almost every bar or café. They are pretty hard to miss as well, as they are usually displayed on plates or clear cases on counter tops of the bar. Pintxos are perfect for a mid-day snack or with a few you could even count it as a meal. Pintxos are perfect for those that are not perfect at Spanish or Basque because they are premade on the counter, and easy to point to. Pintxos are occasionally free with drinks, or on a certain week night depending on the bar/café. Pintxos are typically some type of sliced baguette with cheese, some with different types of meat, or even made into tiny burgers.

Next may just be my favorite Spanish food of all time ,Tortilla de Patatas! In Spain they often cook with eggs and potato and Tortilla de Patatas may be the best combination of both. I like to call these Tortillas the Spanish omelet. Although similar to omelets, Tortilla de Patatas rarely ever contain meat. This dish is definitely the ultimate comfort food of Spain. They typically contain eggs, potato, and onion. Tip to those that hate onion as much as I do simply look for the ones labeled “ sin cebolla”. Tortilla de Patatas may be one of the most common foods served in Spain, and can be found at nearly every traditional restaurant. There are even pre-made versions on the dish at most grocery stores.

Other great finds at local Basque cafes are any type of seafood, cheeses, and chocolate. Although there are barely any fast food style restaurants in Spain. The website JustEat is a life saver for those used to convenient food. JustEat offers delivery (rarely without delivery fees) from local dining options near your location. The only downside to this, is that is you don’t have a somewhat decent understanding of Spanish is may be tough to make the transaction.

Grocery shopping here in Bilbao is sometimes a struggle compared to the way I used to shop back in the States. As most all European cities, Bilbao has far more pedestrian traffic on the sidewalks than cars on the roads. I often get caught in Bilbao’s rainy weather unexpectedly while trying to lug all my groceries to my apartment. In Bilbao the go to grocery store has to be Eroski. There may possibly be more Eroskis in the Basque Country than there are Dollar Generals in the southern U.S. Bilbao is also full of panaderías (bakeries), frutería (produce shops), and candy shops.

The first thing you may notice when you walk into a Basque grocery store is all the CARBS! Baguettes usually are the first thing you will see when you go into any grocery store. Although, Spain has a decent amount of gluten free friendly products it’s hard to stay on a strict diet with all the amazing fresh breads. Just about as common as breads here would have to be doughnuts. Doughnuts and any sort of cake style sweet is sure to take up a few aisle of a Basque Grocery store. Lots of local fruits and vegetables is definitely a plus to living in Bilabo. Some of the best citruses and avocados I have ever had were from Spain. One of my favorite attributes of Spanish grocery stores is the fact that literally everything packages or not is from Spain. For the items that were made/grown in another country there is a small photo of that nations flag typically beside the price label.

Although it’s pretty much impossible to find prepared foods such as pre-cooked grilled chicken, biscuit/cookie dough, pie crust, or many to-go style lunches. These stores often do carry a few Mexican, Asian, and Indian food products. Basque grocery stores are not only famous for their low prices baked goods, but their seafood as well. I’ve ate more crab since I have moved here than I thought was humanly possible. You can find very fresh cuts of any type meats here (although mostly chicken). The cheese sections of the store here still seem to amaze me with the variety from sheep, goat, to even a lot of lactose free options. While all of these Basque grocery items are amazing, few compare to the overwhelming selection of chocolate. I would be a liar if I said I don’t have at least a bit of chocolate everyday here. Believe me when I say it completely worth every calorie too!

Although I wouldn’t trade living in the Basque Country for anything, there are still some foods I miss or cannot find living here. One of my biggest struggles is finding smoothies. Many Americanized cafes here offer “smoothies”, there are either juice or a milkshake. Not once have I had an actual smoothie since moving here. Don’t even get me started on the struggle to find a blender to make my own at home either. Some of the grocery store items that are rare to find but are occasionally possible are peanut butter, brown sugar, apple sauce, chocolate baking chips, Italian dressing, flaxseed, chia seeds, marshmallows, and oats. While somethings here are the exact same as in America, but just packaged differently. For example, Dorito chips are very popular here although the US. Version of the red bagged nacho cheese chips are sold in a light orange bag and labeled Tex-Mex flavored. Most American candies or frozen foods are almost impossible to find. Reece’s cups, tater tots, canned soups, or American style ham or sausage are just a few examples of foods that simply don’t exist here.

For everything I miss from home I often find something new I love here just as much. That is definitely one of my favorite parts of living abroad, just appreciating the differences. My biggest tip for anyone new to Spain or the Basque Country, is just to try it all because that’s the best way to learn. There is nothing better than going to a new place and finding something you can’t live without!