Why Use a Relocation Company When Moving to Barcelona?
The Ultimate Relocation Service Guide for English Speaking Expats and Families
Sponsored by BCN Life.
Nestled on the Mediterranean coast, Barcelona is surrounded by beautiful beaches and incredible mountain ranges with endless cycling and hiking trails. It boasts world-class museums such as the Picasso Museum; modernist architecture like the Sagrada Família and La Pedrera; scenic neighborhoods such as Gràcia, El Born and El Gòtic; and world renowned parks like Parc Güell. It is home to the famous Barça football club with arguably the greatest player in the world: Leo Messi. And, it has not only more tennis academies than any other metropolitan center, it is home to the very best—such as Bruguera Tennis Academy. Barcelona is simply an amazing city with an inspiring culture, exceptional cuisine, non-stop nightlife and countless daily activities to choose from.
Having the opportunity to move to such a marvelous place is absolutely thrilling, but it should not be taken lightly. Anyone who's done it knows how stressful moving can be. But, moving to another country increases the stress level ten-fold, and, on top of that, there’s the language barrier.
Moving to Barcelona as an English Speaker
English speaking expats moving to Barcelona often feel disillusioned and overwhelmed when they try to handle every aspect of their move themselves. It cannot be emphasized enough that you are moving to another country, and in some cases another continent, with a different language, culture, values, currency and overall way of life. Indeed, Barcelona has a way of doing things that is distinctly different from the rest of Spain. For example, while people do speak Spanish in Barcelona, the local language is Catalan which is the language used in schools, governing bodies and in every aspect of Barcelona society. Barcelona even has its own holidays, festivals, and traditions that differ from those in the rest of Spain.
So, how do you find a place to live if you don’t know the language nor understand the culture? How do you know which neighborhood to choose? And what about signing a lease—how will you know your legal rights? Which bank should you open an account with, and how?
Just getting an appointment to see a prospective apartment or home can seem mindbogglingly complicated. Did you know that it often takes three or four calls or emails to even get a response about visiting a flat to rent or buy? And, it can take weeks to schedule a school visit. The culture here is not one that does things quickly, and sometimes things don’t get done at all.
English speaking expats—especially families with children—need to make sure that when they move to Barcelona they have someone who is advocating on their behalf and taking care of all aspects of their move, from finding and securing their flat to getting their identity card (tarjeta de identidad de extranjero—TIE) and finding the right schools for their children to make the transition to their new life in Barcelona as stress free as possible. This is exactly what a good relocation company does for you.
Choosing a Relocation Company
Once you have decided to make the move to Barcelona, the biggest favor you can do yourself is not to just choose any relocation service company, but one that specifically focuses on relocating English-speaking expats to Barcelona. There are so many things that go into relocating to a new city: finding the right flat and the best neighborhood to live in, choosing a school, obtaining your TIE, etc. Having a native speaker who can properly communicate and understand the nuances of your needs is not only beneficial, but will immediately decrease your stress level and allow you to focus on fun stuff!
A relocation service provider, or global mobility company as some also call it, should offer all of the following services:
- Pre-arrival communication, coordination, and assistance.
- Home finding services including local neighborhood expertise and guidance, lease or purchase negotiation and utilities hook-ups.
- Assistance with banking, administrative, legal and government procedures and requirements.
- School expertise in all aspects of primary and higher level education systems.
- Social happiness and cultural transitioning.
Hiring a relocation company allows you to focus on getting yourself and your family ready for the big move. This way there is more time for final goodbyes and wrapping up any loose ends from your current home.
Getting Off to a Good Start Is Key
From individuals on their own, with a partner, or family to large corporations, relocation companies are indispensable to English speaking expats when making the move abroad. There is nothing better than getting off to the best start possible in your new life adventure, and the last thing you want is to deal with additional, unnecessary stress. You, your partner, your family need to be able to get the most out of living in Barcelona.
Many of the choices you make as you begin your new life will define your experience, but of all the decisions you have to make, the quintessential decision is choosing where you live. The neighborhood you choose needs to match your lifestyle and provide an environment that brings happiness to you and your family. Your new home must also fulfill all of your requirements and be within your desired budget. This process is not easy, but it is the key to your happiness in Barcelona.
If you have school-aged children, the process of selecting, visiting and enrolling in school is incredibly important, too. Your children will be spending most of their time at school, therefore, finding the right place is imperative to the success of their transition. The school you choose should match or exceed your expectations and provide a welcoming and safe place for your children. The right relocation company contemplates the individual needs of each family member and adds significant value when finding the right neighborhood and educational solution for your children.
A Cost Saver for Corporations
Companies investing to hire a solid base of English speaking employees keenly understand it is crucial to retain the services of a relocation company. A change in home and work environments is always stressful. It is an inconvenience for the employee and usually results in a brief period of miscommunication and low productivity while everything settles into place. To minimize these problems it is best to retain a relocation service agency to ensure transferees and their families have proper support so employees can remain focused on their jobs. Corporations need their people settled in and performing as soon as possible. This boosts morale and cuts down on lost productivity.
Corporations save money by outsourcing the work to a relocation service provider, because it is much cheaper and more effective than having an in-house department dedicated to handle every aspect of these transfers. Creating a department just to handle relocation transfers places the company in the position of making many decisions it knows little about, drawing resources away from the company’s focus. By retaining a relocation company for all of its relocation needs, a corporation will have the equivalent of an in-house relocation department, except for the fact that it will come complete with experience, industry resources and laser focused execution, all for less money.
Why Should I Pay for Something I Could Possibly Do Myself?
If you had to make the last shot in a basketball game would you try to do it yourself if you had Michael Jordan on your team? Of course not—you’d have the professional take the shot! For avoidance of doubt, even the most resourceful and Spanish speaking newly-arrived expat would take months to develop the right network of contacts, suppliers, advisers and service providers needed to settle into Barcelona. Small oversights can lead to significant costs and frustrating delays that a relocation expert would anticipate, easily avoid and adroitly resolve. The myriad issues which inevitably arise deserve and require one’s full attention and competency to ensure a smooth transition.
Creating Your New Home in Barcelona
In a new city what you want most is to settle in and feel at home. So the best thing English speaking expats and families can do after making the crucial decision to move to a new country is to focus on the relocation service company that best helps them create their new home away from home.
This is why it is so important to choose a relocation service company that has a focus on social happiness, cultural awareness and integration. In addition to the efficient mechanical execution of a move, a relocation expert functions as a coach, anticipating your needs, understanding your lifestyle preferences, and helping to avoid or minimize frustrations. Relocation advisers should also be able to communicate important cultural differences, provide context to traditions as well as highlight cultural, political, commercial, educational, residential and educational differences from your home country.
You should also choose a relocation company that offers a support service which lasts for at least two months from the time you arrive. Most relocation service companies only provide two to four weeks of assistance, but it is recommended that English speaking expats and families have at least eight weeks of guidance to ensure the best possible integration. Within a couple of weeks, hundreds of decisions and unanticipated questions will require some local expertise but often some will not manifest until a month or two has passed. Knowing your relocation advisers will not abandon you too soon will bring you invaluable peace of mind.
You can learn more about BCN Life Relocation Experts at bcn-life.com, or follow on Facebook @BCNLifeRelocation and Instagram wearebcnlife.
Lia Morse Mashaka, Akida Mashaka.
Expats from Los Angeles, California well versed with the personal and professional challenges of moving to Spain, husband and wife, Akida Mashaka and Lia Morse Mashaka are expert relocation consultants with BCN Life, a global mobility and boutique relocation agency that provides the best experience and cultural transition for English speakers moving to Barcelona.
Sponsored by BCN Life.
