If you’re planning to move to Spain from outside the EU, you’re probably researching logistics like Spanish consulates, or non-lucrative visa Spain health insurance. But just as important as paperwork is emotional preparation — especially when moving abroad with a family.
One enriching way to prepare is through literature. Reading books set in Spain before your relocation can help your family understand the culture, history, and spirit of the place. Think of it as building emotional roots in the soil of your future home.
Read Before You Go: Books to Deepen the Experience
Before living abroad for a year, dive into classics like
- Driving Over Lemons by Chris Stewart
- South from Granada by Gerald Brenan
- Tales of the Alhambra by Washington Irving
- Leo the African by Amin Maalouf
- and the works of Federico García Lorca, Granada’s most famous poet.
These books bring Andalusia to life with vivid imagery, humor, and soul. Reading them as a family sparks conversations about what it means to live in another country for a year, the psychological effects of moving to another country as a child, and how to embrace cultural differences with curiosity rather than fear.
From Page to Place: Travel Based on Your Reading
Once you’ve made the family move and are living abroad in Spain, let your reading shape your weekend explorations.
Take a trip to Órgiva or Lanjarón, retracing Stewart’s steps. Wander through Yegen, where Brenan lived, and imagine the Alpujarras of the early 20th century. Tour the Alhambra, imagining Washington Irving living between the walls of the beautiful palace.
In Granada, visit Huerta de San Vicente, Lorca’s family home and museum. Stroll through the park, see his manuscripts, and introduce your children to his poetry.
These visits turn literature into living memory and help your children see the depth of the culture you now call home — something many expat families struggle with in the early months.
Blending Logistics with Meaning
Yes, you still need to:
- Find a sworn Spanish translator
- Contact the Spanish consulate near you
- Decide how to keep your US phone number when moving abroad
- Get Spanish health insurance for residency
You might even be renting out your house while living abroad, and researching how to go to college in Europe as an American.
But don’t let logistics eclipse the beauty of the journey. One of the 10 biggest mistakes when moving to Spain is forgetting to immerse yourself in its culture beyond the paperwork.
✨ A Living Story for the Whole Family
When you live abroad for a year, especially with children, every day becomes a chapter in your shared story. Books help set the tone. They give context, provoke empathy, and inspire exploration.
So before you even step into the San Francisco Spanish Consulate or begin your visa application journey, pack your reading list. Let literature prepare your hearts, not just your documents. Once in Spain, follow in the footsteps of the authors who wrote about your new home.
Your year abroad can be more than a relocation — it can become a deeply rooted, literary adventure you’ll remember for the rest of your lives.
