1. Starting a New Life Chapter in Barcelona
Moving to BCN, my favourite city in Europe, in August 2016 was one of my best decisions I ever took. I just finished my degree in Business Administration a few weeks before and wanted a bigger change in my life. Having done previously an internship in Online Marketing at a start-up as part of my studies. Between September 2015 and February 2016, I already had the opportunity to experience life in BCN.
The start-up called Nautal, an online platform for renting boats and yachts, was a great start into an international work environment. In this small team of max. 15 colleagues (back those days) I could learn different tasks within Online Marketing. Writing various blog posts and positioning pages about boats to create more content. Getting insights into Facebook Marketing and most importantly, be part of an international team with various cultures and languages. With people from France, Italy, Spain, Colombia, England and Germany.
Being my first office work place abroad, time at Nautal was very memorable to me. It made my desire grow, to live in Barcelona for a longer period of time. I still had to go back to Germany after my internship at Nautal to write my thesis. To finish my studies at the Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences in Wolfsburg. But I already knew that I would come back to BCN, my favourite city in Europe, soon. Having a strong desire and positive feeling to return.
I made good friends during my time at Nautal, who told me that finding a job in Barcelona is not too difficult. Having the advantage of speaking several languages, especially fluent German. Learning Spanish for many years at my high school in Germany also really helped me to adapt fast in Barcelona. As I could understand lot of what locals were talking about. Speaking Spanish was not that easy in the beginning. Often I needed time to think about the correct words and grammar. Especially Spanish people are very energetic and have the tendency to think, speak and act fast.
I feel like this differs a lot from most people in Germany where I grew up. But thanks to my former Spanish teacher Mr. Burgos during high school time. He is from Argentina and always encouraged us pupils to speak Spanish as much as possible rather than only writing. I could remember a lot of what I have learned in the past. Also I lived in a shared apartment with Spanish and Russian flatmates, accelerating my progress in these languages. As I didn´t practice them a lot during my studies at university.
Living very close to the famous and spectacular church Sagrada Familia, I felt sometimes stressed out by the immense tourism and its huge amount of visitors and noise. But still, I feel like BCN is my favourite city in Europe. The quality of many apartments regarding sound-proof walls and temperature isolation is not great to be honest. So buying ear plugs and thick blanket for the winter are essential. On the other hand I lived close to my work in Glories, just a 15 minutes walk from home. The sea and long beaches were a bit further away, but still easy to reach. Especially by bicycle, usually having sunny and dry weather.
In Barcelona there are many cycle ways to get around comfortably by bike. Especially with the public bike system called “Bicing“. For only 50€ per year you can take a public bike from one of many stations throughout the city and park it in another place. The smartphone app “Bicing” shows every station on the map and if there are available bikes/parking lots. It´s a very convenient and quick way to get around in Barcelona. As far as I know it is only available on a yearly rate, not for daily rent. But in general there are many other bike rental stores with daily rates to explore and enjoy the city.
With our team of Nautal we also did activities outside our office. Like eating typical Catalan Calcots, visiting boat exhibitions and even going on sailing and motorboat trips together. These were my outstanding highlights during my internship at Nautal and I was really looking forward to return to BCN, my favourite city in europe. To experience more, while being back in Germany writing my thesis for several months.
2. Moving to BCN: With no Plan but the Right Feeling
On August 23th, 2016 I was sitting in the plane from Hannover to Barcelona. Excited to start a new chapter in my life, having only one suitcase and one backpack with me. My first week in BCN I could stay at a friend´s place who had a free room in his apartment. My friend Xavi is a local from BCN and we got to know each other at a language exchange meetup, during my internship at Nautal. Compared to my hometown Wolfsburg, Barcelona is such a great place to meet international people from all over the world. To learn new languages, about different cultures and find new friends with different backgrounds quickly.
We were a group of five, people in their 20´s, from India, Spain, Morocco, Brazil and Russia/Germany (myself). Meeting at the language meetup, connecting to each other and spending more time together. Going for dinner at various restaurants and exploring some night life in BCN while having fun. This was a good start of my new chapter getting to know new friends also outside of work. Soon I found a room to rent in a shared apartment. With flatmates from Iran, Austria and Poland, an interesting mix of more new nationalities and cultures. It was a modern but small place. So I decided to move after six months to a bigger apartment to have more private space for my own.
3. Where to Live in BCN
Of course I prefered to rent a small flat/studio for my own, as I like it clean and calm at home. But the rental prizes in Barcelona are very high compared to the (average) income. A normal sized room of 10-15sqm cost around 400-500€ per month, depending on location and quality of the apartment, etc. This was back in 2016 and nowadays it grew up to 500-600€ per month, spacious rooms even up to 700€. Small studios/flats start around 800€, usually inside an old building. Many young people working in BCN, my favourite city in europe, get a salary between 1000-1500€. Obviously many of them can´t afford to live in a place they wish to. Of course you can earn more by having more work experience (which takes time), special skills like Web Development. Or building your own successful business.
So in March 2017 I moved to another apartment in the heart of BCN. On the 10th floor, right next to Parc Ciutadella. It was a duplex apartment, two floors, three private rooms and an impressive view of BCN. Many highlights of the city were visible from our huge living room window. Montjuic, Tibidabo to the right, Ciutadella in front of us. Sea view towards the left and Sagrada Familia from the backside of our apartment.
I had a bigger room than the previous one. Lived closer to the sea and probably had one of the best views for sunsets in all BCN. Paying around 500€ monthly. It was still a shared flat with flatmates from Spain and Chile. So speaking and improving my Spanish at home now became easier than in my former places I lived in. Also work was close, only 10 minutes by bike to Glories. Really satisfied with my new home, I felt that I would live there for a longer period of time, at least a year. Adapting in BCN,my favourite city in Europe.
4. Progress at Work
At work I also had a change for the better, regarding my employer company. My first job in BCN was for AirBnB, a customer service position for the German speaking market. I started in the middle of September 2016 and stayed for three months. Obviously, for this position it´s not necessary to have an university degree. But the ability to talk all day on the phone, dealing with various issues of AirBnB users. Helping to solve their problems and provide solutions.
In the beginning of my time when moved to BCN, I knew that I should soon find work to afford my new life. The months before, I was writing my Bachelor Thesis about E-Commerce. Consequently did not have much free time to earn money and increase my savings. Colleagues at work were great, people from numerous countries and everyone spoke English and at least one more language fluently. When starting our training, we were people from Switzerland, Netherlands, France, Sweden, Brazil and more places, but mostly Europeans.
The atmosphere at work was very cooperative, doing the training and going out for lunch together. After completing the training and starting to become an agent dealing with the customers, I soon realized that it was not my dream job. Speaking for hours on the phone with lots of background noise, all agents worked in one big open space. Having different shifts with weekly changing schedules, only two weekends per month were free. And salary was not great, as we worked for AirBnB, but via an outsourcing company. But still enjoying life in BCN, my favourite city in Europe.
In the meantime I was already checking other opportunities. As this work was a shert-term solution of a few months for me. While having dinner one day with some friends, I met Carl from England, who is also much into football like me. So we had a lot to talk about, especially our favourite clubs, VfL Wolfsburg and Newcastle United. He was working in Sales for HP at that time and mentioned that there was an open position for a German speaker in the project of HP Supplies. I´ve sent him my CV and consequently had interviews via phone and in person. Finally got my new job as a Sales Representative at HP Supplies, starting in January 2017.
Lesson learned when searching for a new job: Go for dinner with friends, talk about football and a solution is coming soon 😉 We became good friends with Carl and watched several football games in various sports bars. English Premier League, German Bundesliga, but also Champions League and the World Cup 2018 in Russia. Where England won after penalties against Colombia in an incredible K.O.-game and reached the quarter final.
I was working almost three years for HP Supplies surrounded by great colleagues from (mostly European) countries. Like Spain, France, Germany, Netherlands, Russia, Sweden. Hungary, Austria, Belgium and also outside of Europe, like Mexico and Venezuela. Being split into teams of different regions, we still had the opportunity to talk during breaks and lunch time. To learn about our different backgrounds. Again, the office was a big open space with around 100 employees in total. Even with other teams from HP and Yahoo as well. But the noise level was way better than in the AirBnB office.
This international environment was what I liked most at work. Hearing languages like Hungarian or Swedish and connecting to interesting people. Our German team of usually six people in Barcelona was working directly with HP colleagues and managers located in the South of Germany. Who were always supportive in reaching a good work flow. Regularly we were visited by our managers from Germany to stay updated regarding work processes. But also were invited by them for lunch and dinner. Our team in BCN could choose the place to go. So we always went to high class restaurants we normally couldn´t afford 😉
5. HP Supplies Never Dies: Going to Monaco!
These culinary highlights were topped by an event we had in December 2017. Going with the whole Supplies team (~30 people) for a sales training and celebration of a successful year to Monaco! A very special business trip. Experiencing how it is to be in such a luxurious place, the Monte Carlo Bay Hotel, for two nights. The rooms, food and views were outstanding. Especially for young residents of BCN, living mostly in shared apartments and even shared bathrooms, this was just another world 😉 TV greeting each of us personally when entering the room, telephone on the bathrooms wall and a suite owned by Rafael Nadal in the same hotel. These were just some highlights which made us feel like coming to another planet.
Our main reason going to Monte Carlo was the Sales Training. So we did not have that much free time to enjoy and relax to the fullest. But still, we had amazing gala dinners and some free time on the last day. To walk through Monte Carlo and Monaco and explore a bit. Monaco is famous for its luxury. And this is what you see there when looking at the hotels, cars and yachts. We did not spot many young people on the streets, like in BCN. There is a huge contrast between these cities. As Monaco is known for its millionaire residents and luxurious lifestyle, while life in BCN is more about experiencing intercultural richness. By connecting (many young) people from all over the world. Visiting Monaco was great, but I still prefer to live in BCN 😉
6. Feeling Free in BCN
Sunshine, sea, outdoor sports, positive energy and international people. These are the main reasons why I feel great when being in BCN, having lived there for almost four years in total. Every day there are tons of opportunities to get to know new people, new food and ways of life. Either on the beach, in Parc Ciutadella. Or at Arc de Triumf with lots of talented street artists or in one of the various bars/restaurants.
Walking or riding a bike, just within a few minutes you can see and hear people from so many different countries. Like Colombia, Russia, Italy, Nicaragua, Philippines, Argentina, France, USA, Germany and locals from Catalonia of course. Trying new food from Mexico, Syria, Vietnam, Iran, Spain, Ethiopia. From Japan, Morocco or Thailand gives you a taste of the enriching diversity in this city. Each day can be a new adventure if you are curious and just do what you like. At my page of recommendations I´m showing you several places in BCN, which are totally worth to discover, enjoy 😉
7. New Passion: Calisthenics
Calisthenics is a sport with your own body weight, starting with basic pull-ups, dips, push-ups and squats. For total beginners it might seem challenging, but regular training with easier variations will make you develop and improve quickly. Additional weights are not necessary as there are many ways to make it more challenging. At the same time you can reduce the risk of injuries (when training with heavy weights).
Once mastered the basic exercises, you can learn spectacular movements. Like muscle-up, human flag, front lever, planche and many more advanced elements. You only need your own body, the desire to achieve and take action. Sunshine and the supportive environment of the other people working out, are going to accelerate your process. Towards a healthy life and feeling good.
I started quite late with calisthenics, in summer 2019, after coming back from traveling in Bali to BCN. And continued practicing it on my later travels. In Bangkok (Lumpini Park), Chiang Mai (University Stadium) and Danang (My Khe Beach). With one single bar to pull up you already have many options to train your whole upper body. To stay fit and enjoy even more good food 😉 Almost daily I´m doing calisthenics now, to boost my immune system, stay fresh in my mind and feel great. Especially these days during the corona pandemic. Stay fit and healthy everyone!
More info: zikon.space
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