My name is Julie Sheridan, and I’m a native Scot who upped sticks in April 2011 and headed to the Catalan capital. I’ve been in love with all things Spanish since I was a little girl, despite the fact I’d never been to Spain, and started teaching myself the language by listening to Gloria Estefan tapes when I was nine. (My school didn’t teach it – needs must.) After studying Spanish and Portuguese at Glasgow University and starting work in Scotland I long harboured feisty festering thoughts of relocating south.
The most Spanish I'm ever going to look
After almost ten years in Edinburgh I realised with a slow grin that it was finally time to make the move. I quit my well-paid job, said goodbye to my somewhat bemused friends and family, and most painfully of all, my cat of nine years, and packed my bright red suitcase bought especially for the fleeing.
Going from the east coast of Scotland to the east coast of Spain really shouldn’t be that challenging, when you think about it. The thing is, I’m five foot nine (don’t ask me what that is in metres), with dyed red hair and blue eyes. And even bluer skin. And I inexplicably sweat on the metro when everyone else is the paradigm of parched pulchritude. I kind of stand out, you might say.
To help me make sense of my new world, I’ve created this blog as a place to share musings, observations, stories, experiences, and no doubt the occasional rant. Most of all, I hope it’s a celebration of my time here in Cataluña – am honestly very grateful to be here:)
Julie
P.S. Here’s an interview I did with Will over at myspanishadventure.com, if you’d like to know a bit more about me.
awesome… I look forward to reading more about you.
http://www.lattesandlipstick.com
Hi Julie,
Thanks for your email. You can contact me on 651850657 or salgal45@hotmail.com.
Perhaps we can meet for a coffee?
Regards,
Sal
Thanks Sal, will be in touch!
Julie
FYI, Barça it’s just the football team. Barcelona is abbreviated as Barna, or BCN if you’re writing.
Thanks! Trouble is no-one in the UK has heard of Barna – we say Barca to refer to the city too. Ignorati, I know…
I’m afraid that’s not only in the UK… I’ve even read people from south america (spanish native speakers), call BCN like that. It sounds really bad! Just out of curiosity, do you pronounce it like the football team, or like boat?
Exactly like the football team, yeah. I didn’t realise Spanish native speakers called it that too…makes me feel slightly better:)
Hey: I read on your ABOUT ME page from your other website that you did a : MPhil thesis on Chilean literature after the coup! Wow! that is very interesting. I lived in Chile for a while, and also my husband is from Chile. He lived there in the 70′s during Chile’s crazy times, but eventually left the country for Saudi Arabia to be with his Dad. Would love to have chatted with you about this while we were in Spain… You coming to TBEX 13 Toronto?
pointsandtravel recently posted..Furore, Italy: the most beautiful place on earth and the drive back to Rome via Ravello
Yeah, seems like a lifetime ago now, but Diamela Eltit remains one of my favourite authors ever. One day I will get to Chile! Not sure about Toronto yet but ‘Go with Oh’ is definitely signed up for the next European TBEX, wherever that may be. Am hoping Edinburgh so I get to see the auld yins back home:)
Get better guapa !!
Nath (del curro)
You didn´t do the thesis with Mike Gonzalez, did you?
I did indeed! His legend lives on:)
I´ve a few things I could add to his legend the next time you´re in Alcalá.
Mo recently posted..Clever, Accomplished, Sexy Woman Who Makes Her Own Money Seeks Downright Ugly, Dumpy, Grumpy, Big-mouthed Guy Half Her Height and Double Her Age For Nights of Passion
I believe you, Mo. Let me know if you’re ever in Barcelona and we can swap stories:)
I´m going to Barcelona in March Julie … to see Justin Bieber. No, I´m not reliving my teens or tweens but taking my daughter to see him. So maybe we could meet up and you could restore my sanity after the horrors of Bieber Fever!
Mo recently posted..Clever, Accomplished, Sexy Woman Who Makes Her Own Money Seeks Downright Ugly, Dumpy, Grumpy, Big-mouthed Guy Half Her Height and Double Her Age For Nights of Passion
Sounds great, Mo, just let me know nearer the time:)
Julie
Nice to see another Scot in Barcelona! Been here nearly 6 years now! Keep up the good work with your blog!
Cheers Helen – your site looks great! Do you have any gluten-free baking recipes that work well? Have yet to discover an edible GF cake in Barcelona…
I have never made gluten free cakes but I have got gluten free baking powder here!!!! I could find a recipe and let you know!
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That would be much appreciated, Helen:) Was never that much into cakes but suddenly when you can’t have something you seem to crave it more…
Hi Julie, love your blog! I see you recently got yourself a beautiful Cocker Spanial. I was wondering if you travel a lot or plan to do so and if you will be taking the dog along with you.
I’m thinking of moving from Montreal to Valencia next year and want to travel but I have a darling 2 year old Great Dane to think about!! I would break my heart to have to give her away…
Thanks Anne-Marie:) Yeah, it’s tricky, travelling with pets. I just got back from a few days in Florence and left Inca with a good friend in Barcelona. I’m lucky to have friends to help out, and I have a colleague in the same situation so we dog sit for each other throughout the year. Two Cocker Spaniels at 6am – it’s a novel way to start the day.
I sympathise about giving your dog away. I couldn’t, honestly. I had to leave my cat back in Scotland, with my parents, when I moved to Spain, and that was hard enough. At least I still see her when I go back. Could your dog come to Spain with you? Valencia’s got such great beaches, I’m sure she’d have a ball!
Hello Julie,
How are you?
I’m a marketing manager of a barcelona holiday rental company and I would like to talk with you about a cool collaboration for our new brand cooked blog. Can you please send me an email to we talk about it? my address is: gustavo(@)barcelona-home(.)com
Thanks a lot!!!
Kind regards and have a good Semana Santa!
Gustavo
I discovered your blog today via a blog by Will Peach, “My Spanish Adventure.”
I am a black female, planning to move to Spain in the summer of 2014. I have traveled there before and I loved it. I plan to stay in Barcelona because I am a little more familiar with that the area. I have never lived overseas before, but I have lived on my own in the states well over 10 years. As a woman and moving to a foreign place, what would you suggest?? Where would you suggest looking for a flat or apt.? I plan to stay in a hotel the first week just in case I encounter a problem with securing a place to live. Living near a metro and markets is what I am hoping to do? I do travel about alone and at night quite often here in the States; and in reading your blogs, it does not seem like a great idea to do so in Spain. However, when I was last there on vacation, I did not run into any problems, then again I was vacationing.
I guess in a nutshell I am asking if you have any tips for a blind move?
Hi Nicole, and thanks very much for commenting:) I’ve had so many dodgy experiences recently that I’m probably not the most objective person to ask, although on the other hand, after being here for two years now, I have no rose-tinted glasses either.
So firstly, it’s great you’ve lived alone already, as that will definitely equip you better. I did exactly what you’re planning to do re the hotel – stayed in a hotel down at Diagonal Mar (miles away from everything, which I wouldn’t recommend!) for the first week then moved into a shared flat for a month. Immediately started looking for a flat to rent by myself, and found one very quickly. You don’t mention if you speak Spanish (or Catalan)…if you do, that is a huge help. There are metro stations all over Barcelona, so finding a flat near one is never a problem. If you’re new to the city, I’d recommend looking for a flat in the Sagrada Familia neighbourhood, or Gràcia (which has a lot of foreigners). Poble Nou is another option, close to the sea. Personally, I would steer well clear of the Raval, the Born and the Gótico, the old parts of the city – I do not feel remotely safe there, even in broad daylight.
There’s probably too much to go into here but drop me an email (you’ll find the address on the ‘my main site’ page) and we can talk some more.
Cheers,
Julie