Libsyn Directory

What Is Life In Spain Really Like For Expats?

Release Date: 10/29/2025

A Vineyard, A Castle And Three Decades In Asia — Chris Ruffle’s Expat Story

Expat Focus

British author Chris Ruffle joins the Expat Focus Podcast to talk about three decades of life in Asia — and the vineyard and Scottish castle he built in rural China. Chris left Yorkshire in the 1980s with a degree in Chinese and has since worked across China and Taiwan as an investor, winemaker and writer, most recently publishing the audiobook In a Strange Land. He explains how a frustrating search for a decent bottle of wine led him to plant a vineyard in Shandong, why the winery ended up looking like a granite castle in Aberdeen, and what it really takes to operate a business in rural...

Moving To Málaga In 2026: What You Need To Know

Expat Focus

Toni Torres joins the Expat Focus Podcast to talk about the realities of moving to Málaga in 2026. Born and raised in the city, Toni has watched it transform into one of Spain's most popular expat destinations — and he sees both sides of that story every day, working with foreigners settling in while his local friends deal with rising rents and a tourism-first building boom. He explains what has changed over the past five to ten years, why the city draws so many people, how locals really feel about the influx of foreigners, and where he thinks the local government has fallen short. Toni...

The Truth About Flying Your Pet Abroad: Busting Common Pet Relocation Myths

Expat Focus

Thinking about moving abroad with your pet — or worried about what it actually involves? In this episode of the Expat Focus Podcast, Carlie is joined by Giulia Gebhardt from WorldCare Pet Transport to break down what's changed in international pet relocation, and to bust some of the biggest myths along the way. Giulia explains why rules shift so often from country to country, how rabies categorisation shapes nearly every requirement, and why some breeds — including a few surprising ones — are far trickier to move than others. She also tackles the fears many owners have about the cargo...

Looking After Your Mental Health While Living Abroad

Expat Focus

Co-Founder of My Expat Mind Anna Zhadan joins the Expat Focus Podcast to talk about expat mental health. After leaving Belarus at just nine years old and making many international moves since, Anna knows first-hand the psychological toll that living abroad can take. She channelled that experience into My Expat Mind, a directory built to help expats find therapists who understand what it's really like to start over in a foreign country. In this conversation, she and Carlie unpack the emotional side of expat life — homesickness, loneliness, identity shifts, the FOMO of watching family and...

An American In The UK – The HONEST Truth About Moving Abroad In Your 40s

Expat Focus

Victoria Pearce, the writer behind A Life Away, joins the Expat Focus Podcast to talk about moving abroad after 40. Victoria has lived in the UK twice — once as a young grad student, and again in her 40s with a husband and an 11-year-old in tow. Her story unpacks what it really looks like to uproot a settled life, swap a legal career for a writing one, and rebuild from scratch on the other side of the Atlantic. Victoria is candid about the cons of relocating in your 40s — selling the house, losing the easy school-gate friendships, rebuilding a settled life from very little — and equally...

The Secret To Expat Happiness – Building Friendships Abroad

Expat Focus

Yolanda Reshemah, host of The Places We Call Home Podcast, joins the Expat Focus Podcast to talk about building authentic community when you move abroad. Yolanda's expat journey began at just 10 years old when she moved from the Caribbean to the UK, and she's since lived in France and the USA. She shares how each move shaped her identity — from discovering Parisian culture to navigating reverse culture shock — and why feeling at home starts with knowing yourself. Carlie and Yolanda dig into why shared expat status isn't enough to build lasting friendships, and how Yolanda sought deeper...

How To Really Feel At Home In A New Country – Tips From A Lifestyle Consultant

Expat Focus

Relocation and lifestyle consultant Laura Poggioli joins the Expat Focus Podcast to talk about what it really takes to settle into life abroad. Laura is the founder of La Relocation Group, which operates across Switzerland, Spain, South Africa, and soon Dubai. After relocating more than 108 people around the world in her previous corporate role, she recognised that traditional relocation support was missing something crucial — ongoing lifestyle assistance that goes far beyond the typical checklist of finding a house and a school. From navigating building rules and recycling systems to...

Moving To Portugal? Visas, Costs And A Citizenship Deadline You Need To Know

Expat Focus

Susana Yang, founder and CEO of The Golden Portugal, joins the Expat Focus Podcast to talk about moving to and retiring in Portugal. Originally from Hong Kong, Susana moved to Portugal in 2018 and founded her immigration agency after a frustrating experience with local legal services. She breaks down the three main visa routes — the D7 passive income visa for retirees, the D8 digital nomad visa and the D2 entrepreneurial visa — and explains the income and savings requirements, realistic cost of living, rental market challenges, healthcare access, and why buying property might be a simpler...

US Expats - How To Get Your Money Out Of The USA (And Why You May Not Want To)

Expat Focus

Tom Zachystal, Founder of International Asset Management, joins the Expat Focus Podcast to talk about how US citizens can manage their money when moving abroad. With 25 years of experience advising American expats, Tom breaks down the difference between physically moving money into non-US accounts and simply diversifying out of the US dollar. He covers the challenges of opening overseas investment accounts due to FATCA reporting, why US-based accounts often offer better protections and lower fees, and how currency fluctuations can act like hidden inflation on your retirement spending. The...

Could You Retire In Thailand For Less Than €400 A Month?

Expat Focus

American military nurse Lisa Denmark joins the Expat Focus Podcast to talk about retiring in Chiang Mai, Thailand — and why she has never looked back. After eight years working for the US military in Germany, Lisa faced a visa deadline that forced a decision: return to the States, or start over somewhere new. She chose Thailand, moved sight unseen, and hasn't left since. Lisa shares how she landed on Chiang Mai, what it was really like to arrive during COVID lockdown, and why the city's calm, small-town feel won her over completely. Lisa breaks down the real cost of living — from a...

More Episodes

What does moving to Spain really look like for non-EU nationals? And how can you tell if it’s the right move for you? In this episode of the Expat Focus Podcast, James Blick, founder of Spain Revealed, joins host Carlie Bonavia to share what life in Spain is actually like — beyond the beaches and tapas.

James explains why your vision for life in Spain matters more than the visa paperwork at the start, and how getting clear on your desired rhythm — your day-to-day pace and priorities — can make or break your relocation. He discusses lifestyle differences across regions, common misconceptions about Spanish life, popular visa options (including updates to the Digital Nomad Visa), and practical tips on choosing where to live, budgeting, and building community.

Whether you’re planning to retire early, work remotely, or simply embrace a slower lifestyle, this episode offers the clarity you need to move to Spain with confidence.

#MoveToSpain #LivingInSpain #SpainRevealed #DigitalNomadVisa #ExpatLife #ExpatFocus

👉 Visit Expat Focus at https://www.expatfocus.com

00:00 Guest Introduction: James Blick

01:09 James' Journey to Spain

02:24 Founding Spain Revealed and Devour Tours

03:21 The Impact of the Pandemic and Pivot to Relocation

04:31 Top Nationalities Moving to Spain

06:12 Misunderstandings About Life in Spain

10:08 Choosing the Right Location in Spain

16:00 Key Considerations for Moving to Spain

19:57 Digital Nomad Visa Updates

27:21 Navigating Spanish Bureaucracy