Why Europeans move to Spain

As part of the ongoing series, we spoke to 24-year-old Niamh Eades who left the UK as a youngster to move to Alicante.

As a wide-eyed five-year-old in 2004, Niamh bid farewell to her Derbyshire roots and embarked on a thrilling adventure with her parents to a tiny Spanish village north of Alicante.

“I can remember being really excited about the move because a promise had been made, the promise of a horse. My passion for these majestic creatures had ignited long before, and this move was a dream come true,” she confirmed.

Niamh underwent a transformation, from British school desks to Spanish classrooms, armed with a three-month intensive Spanish course.

These were the foundational steps of a life that would lead Niamh to Alicante University, where she pursued a degree in computer engineering.

Today, she finds herself navigating the data streams of a media company as a data analyst.

It seems Niamh’s childhood dream never waned as she confirms: “I share my world with two horses and two ponies among other rescue animals.”

When asked about any challenges of living in Spain, Niamh confesses, “Being a horse owner in Spain (legally) is a nightmare, but worth every hurdle.”

“And, what makes it all worthwhile is the weather, which is a bonus for animal lovers who spend most of their time outdoors.”

When asked if there was anything about Blighty that Niamh misses, she confirmed: “I miss the London musical theatre scene, but Madrid’s theatre scene has witnessed a remarkable evolution in the past five years.”

“Still, the quirkiest discovery I’ve made about Spanish life is the need to eat popcorn while watching musicals.”