I was born and raised in a small town in northern Wisconsin called Ladysmith. I grew up living with farmers and country people, so it was unusual for me to meet many people from different cultures. Things started to change when I was 19, after I finally moved to a bigger city to study, in Eau Claire County, Wisconsin. The population of the city was over 100,000 and I started meeting international students from the Middle East, Asia and South America, which broadened my perspective on life. I became aware of the richness that comes with speaking another language, as well as the fact that European culture is very different from US culture.
At the time I was studying geography and Spanish, as I was interested in traveling and the Spanish language intrigued me. During my studies, I spent time traveling in Latin America and started learning Spanish.
I graduated when I was 25 and after college, I moved to Milwaukee. While living there, I was hired as a substitute teacher in several public schools in Milwaukee and also became head of athletics at the Milwaukee Athletic Club. I thought that if I had continued working in the business world, I could start a business career in the US and earn enough money to achieve my dreams, which at the time were to travel the world and live in Costa Rica.
Elliot Smith
While living in Milwaukee, a friend recommended a learning program in Madrid called English Conversation Help. This program aimed to give students a visa, allowing them to move to Spain for more than six months and teach Spanish students English. It also provided students with a monthly fee of €1,000 ($1,015), as well as covering the cost of private health. After applying for the program, I was accepted and moved to Madrid in September 2019.
Staying in Madrid was basically a one-year plan, as my goal was to travel Europe and improve my Spanish a lot, before returning to America. I had discovered that in the US, being bilingual means more job opportunities. But in March 2020, the pandemic rocked the country and my plans to be an assistant English teacher were pushed back eight months into the teaching program. So, I signed up for a second year to keep my job and stayed in Madrid for an extra year.
The pandemic put things into perspective for me – upon reflection, I realized I didn’t want to return to the US for several reasons.
I preferred the lifestyle in Madrid – I call it “street culture”. In countries like Spain, the common culture is to spend time on the streets among the community and not at home, as I did in the US.
In America, I think we value home living because there is more emphasis on having a luxury home and living apart, isolated, whereas in Spain there is more value on community and interacting with neighbors.
For example, the outdoor restaurant industry is booming in Spain, as it allows locals and tourists to sit outside and eat. Tables are placed close to each other, which allows almost everyone to interact with each other. Not only that, but in Spain, talking to strangers on the street is common. In fact, refusing to greet someone on the street can be perceived as disrespectful, while, in America, it is not common for strangers to cross the street and talk to each other.
Spanish infrastructure also plays a role in this. It is the norm to live in apartment blocks in Spain, and convenience stores are close by. Being able to walk to the grocery store every day and not having to drive a car is strange in the US, especially if one lives in the suburbs since it’s a 45 minute drive into the city. But this is intentional in Spain, as it allows the population to always interact with each other. I can almost walk everywhere, or take the subway or bus, which also allows me to talk to others around me and make friends. That’s why when I leave my house at 10 in the morning in Spain, I feel a vibrant, vibrant energy that I didn’t feel in the US. This naturally makes me feel happier and sets my day – I value spending time with people.
Of course, the climate also has a lot to do with the communal culture in Spain. The weather in Wisconsin is similar to that of Norway or Sweden. In winter there is very little sunlight and because of the snow almost everything is frozen. Commuting to work was seen as a daunting task as the roads were frozen, which increased the risk of car accidents. By the time one would arrive from work at 5pm, it was dark and the day was almost over. Wisconsin winters can be cold with temperatures ranging from -30 degrees to -22 degrees.
Having traveled to places like Costa Rica before, I knew tropical places existed.
Elliot Smith
Although I considered living in Florida to combat these winter blues, I knew America was an expensive place. If I didn’t earn above a certain amount, I felt I wouldn’t be able to enjoy it. Whereas in Spain, the average winter weather would range from 50 degrees to 59 degrees and is more cost effective, and although it can get cold, I can still be out enjoying the sunshine and socializing.
Not only that, but the teaching program I had joined was sponsored by the government, which included a free private health insurance card giving me access to private doctors and clinics in Spain.
Of course, this is vastly different from life in the US, where even if I had good health coverage, if I needed to get an ambulance due to an emergency, I could be out hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars. for an ambulance ride. , let alone treatment.
I knew friends who had paid up to $1500 just for a check in the US This was one of the main reasons why I decided to stay in Spain as well. Thankfully, because of my mom’s career, we were offered good health insurance until age 26. But after that, I was worried, as I had heard horror stories from friends who had to get an emergency ambulance due to alcohol poisoning. , and had to pay thousands of dollars for that ambulance ride as a result.
In Spain, this is completely different, as one would pay a small amount of taxes, called social security, which covers health insurance. From emergency surgery, to the birth of a child, or even the need for emergency medicine, social security covers it all. Although there may be delays in appointments, I am relieved to know that I won’t go bankrupt if I have an emergency. In the US, our health care system is in crisis, regardless of political position, perhaps we can all agree that it needs to change. When my friends from Europe hear about the health care crisis in the US, they are completely shocked.
I am currently in my third year of teaching. Last year, in September 2021, I decided to move to Malaga to continue as an English assistant as I wanted to explore another city. My intention is to stay there for the last year, until 2023, and continue traveling throughout Europe.
My passion project is my two YouTube channels. I have an English and a Spanish. My goal is to make a living through traveling and documenting my adventures, but most of all, I want to emphasize the importance of learning another language, especially if one lives in the US, as these languages will open many doors as well. to broaden our perspective as humans. This is what I try to share in my videos.
Elliot Smith is an assistant English teacher in Malaga, Spain. He is also a Vlogger on YouTube, recording his videos in Spanish and English.
All views expressed in this article are the author’s own.
As Carine told Harb.
