Abroad in Spain: Travel Blog » Preparing a Spain Trip

A pretty cool travel guide — and it’s WORLDWIDE

Chris — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 03:45:13 +0000

I was just surfing the internet today and came across a really good resource for people traveling throughout Spain and the world. The site is called Wikitravel and is set up somewhat like Wikipedia in that it can be edited by anyone; however, instead of providing encyclopedia entries, Wikitravel provides travel guides. I typed a few Spanish cities into the search engine on the site and was able to get some pretty good information on tourist attractions in the cities that I had searched for. You may want to check it out — perhaps the site can help you plan your next trip to Spain (or anywhere else in the world for that matter).

For those who are interested, the address of the site is: http://www.wikitravel.org.

Hasta luego,
–Chris
http://abroadinspain.com

Me duele la espalda: Packing to go to Spain can be painful!

Chris — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 23:44:01 +0000

Well, there they are: my two large suitcases, my carry-on, and my two boxes of crap to send to Spain. Just looking at this stuff makes my back start to hurt. I can only imagine what it will be like when I actually get to Spain and have to tote my pile of stuff from the Madrid Airport the whole way to Burgos all by myself.

I think I’m pretty much packed to go to Spain. As you can see from the picture above, I have two rather large (forty-five pound) suitcases, a carry-on bag, and have also packed a few boxes of things that I don’t need right away which I will mail via the US Postal Service to my house in Burgos. The only thing I have left to pack is my laptop, but it won’t take me very long to get that together.

In case you’re wondering about what you should bring to study abroad in Spain, you may want to read a post that I wrote in January entitled “Packing to study abroad in Spain.” In that post, you’ll find a list of things you should – and shouldn’t – bring to Spain. The post will also help explain some of the TSA regulations that you should keep in mind when preparing your suitcases and it reminds you to check with your airline’s baggage restrictions… it’s worth a read.

One other note: when you’re packing, always try to make your carry-on as heavy as possible. Why? The answer is simple: the airlines weigh your checked baggage and charge you for going over a weight limit… but there is no weight limit on carry-on baggage and airlines generally do not weigh the luggage you’ll be bringing on the plane. If you stuff heavy items in your carry-on rather than putting them in your checked luggage, you’ll be less-likely to go over the weight limit on your checked bags. Pretty logical, right?

Just a few more days and I’ll be leaving for Spain… can’t wait! I hope to post once more before I leave… we’ll see if I get time to or not. In the meantime, if you have any tips to share about packing to go to Spain or want to let me know about anything else in general, leave a comment here.

Hasta luego,
–Chris
http://abroadinspain.com

The countdown to Spain begins – and with it comes a hint of uncertainty…

Chris — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 23:37:33 +0000

The countdown has finally begun. After a year of planning, filling out applications, and going through numerous levels of bureaucratic red tape, I’m finally about to set out once again for Spain. In fact, in slightly under two weeks’ time I’ll be teaching English under the scholarship and “living it up” in Burgos with my new Spanish flat mates.

As I start to dust off my suitcases and make the lists of things that I need to bring with me, the thought that I’m actually going to be living in Spain for a pretty substantial amount of time is starting to become real to me. It goes without saying that I’m very excited to get abroad and start my “nueva vida” and I’m very proud of myself for coming this far; however, along with that excitement comes a certain aura of uncertainty.

I think it’s normal for anyone about to go abroad for a lengthy period of time to be a bit uncertain about some things. In my case, the uncertainty comes from leaving some pretty substantial job offers behind in the States and not really knowing exactly how well things are going to go for me under the scholarship in Spain. Still, when I think of the tremendous experience that I’m about to embark upon, I realize that this opportunity is just too big for me to have passed up. So… in the end I’m glad that I’m leaving the States behind and taking the chance, I’m glad that I’m living with a bit of uncertainty, and I’m glad that I’m heading off to Spain. After all, I can always come back to the USA if things don’t work out; however, I only get one chance to go to Spain – and this is that chance.

This week is my “packing week” and I’ll probably be writing more about that soon. Also, when I arrive in Spain I’ll be sure to post my “initial reaction.” Stay tuned.

Hasta luego,
–Chris
http://abroadinspain.com

Electricity in Spain: Making sure your US gadgets will work abroad…

Chris — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 21:09:35 +0000

Soon I’ll be packing to go to Spain; but, before I can pack, I have to make sure that all my electrical devices – computer, digital camera, MP3 player, etc. – will work with the voltage abroad. In order to be sure that my “gadgets” will work abroad, I did a little research online about the differences between electricity in the USA and electricity in Spain. Here’s what I found out. Maybe this info will be helpful to someone.

Do you need an electric converter or just an adapter?
You may need an electric converter to run your electronic devices in Spain… or you may just need a plug adapter… or you could need both. To find out what option is right for you, you should first ask yourself what different amounts of voltage the device in question accepts. If the device accepts a wide range of voltages, you probably only need an adapter to change the US plug to a Spanish plug. If it doesn’t accept a wide range of voltages, you’re going to need a voltage converter in addition to the plug adapter. Remember the following key points:

In the USA, our electricity runs on 110 or 120 volts and 60 hertz.
In Spain, the electricity is usually 220 or 230 volts and 50 hertz (the voltage can vary under certain circumstances).

Anyway, you need to decide what types of voltage your device accepts. Look at the plug/cord for your computer, digital camera, etc. You should see a label like the one below explaining what types of electricity are compatible with the device:

You’re looking for the part of the label that explains what types of electrical input the device accepts (the part underlined in red in the above image). As you can see from the label I’ve posted above, this particular device accepts any voltage between 100 and 240 volts (it says 100-240V). This device also operates on 50 or 60 hertz (the label says 50/60Hz). This device is considered to be dual-voltage.

If your device accepts 100-240V and 50/60Hz: Your device is dual-voltage which means that it will work with the electricity in the USA and the electricity in Spain without a voltage converter. The only thing you need is an adapter plug to change the USA prongs to Spanish prongs.
If your device does not accept such a wide voltage/hertz range: Your device is not dual-voltage. You’re going to need to buy yourself a converter that will plug into the wall and change Spanish voltage to American voltage. Most converters also come with a prong adapter, but if yours doesn’t you may need a prong adapter as well so that your American plugs will fit into the Spanish sockets.

A few things to keep in mind:
Most modern laptops and digital cameras are dual-voltage and work in the USA and Spain without much more than an adapter to change from the flat-pronged plugs of the USA to the round-pronged plugs of Spain. But be careful: if you plug a device into the wall in Spain that is not made to accept Spain’s voltage, you’ll blow it up!!! If you are unsure of what you need to power your “gadgets” in Spain, ask an expert. The information here is only meant to give you a rough guide.

Remember, you can buy a voltage converter and/or a plug adapter at any travel store and the clerk can probably help you decide what to buy. Radio Shack may also be a good place to look for this kind of item.

For your information: If you’re wondering what the difference between a Spanish plug and an American plug is, take a look at the picture below. The Spanish plug is on the left and the American plug is on the right. As you can see, in Spain circular prongs are used while in the USA we use flat prongs. This is why an adapter is needed to change American prongs to Spanish prongs.

I hope this post has been helpful to someone! If you can think of something I’ve forgotten or have any questions or comments, please leave them below!

Hasta luego,
–Chris
http://abroadinspain.com

PS: If you’re interested in finding out a little more about what to bring to Spain (other than voltage converters) you may wish to read my post on packing for a semester abroad in Spain.

Searching for a place to live in Spain…

Chris — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 20:48:11 +0000

Now that I have my visa and my plane ticket to go to Spain, my next logical step in preparing to leave for Burgos in September is to start looking for housing. The best way that I know for finding a place to live in Spain is the old-fashioned way: scouring the papers and classified ads for available apartments. And that’s exactly what I plan to do over the next few weeks.

Since I’m young and my scholarship isn’t really paying me a fortune, I’ve decided to look for rooms to rent in shared apartments (pisos compartidos) with other students my age. This will help keep my cost of living down and, hopefully, will allow me to get to know other people in Burgos (through my flatmates). I should also mention that because I’m not going to be in Burgos until September, I am only beginning the apartment search right now… I want to know what’s “out there” but probably won’t commit to renting a place until I actually arrive in September (although I do have some friends who live near Burgos and would be willing to go look at a place on my behalf if I happen to find a great deal). In any event, here’s some of my advice on searching for a place to live in Spain.

Things to Consider when Searching:

When you start looking for a place to live in Spain, you’ll find that almost all places have a security deposit (fianza); however, unlike in the USA, not all apartments will require a lease (contrato). When talking with the landlord, you should ask how much the security deposit is and if there is a lease. You should also find out if utilities (gastos) are included in the rent. In Spain, in addition to the normal utilities like gas, water, and electric, people also pay what they call comunidad. Thus, you should check to see not only if utilities are included but also if comunidad is included.
You may also be interested in finding out if the apartment is furnished (¿está amueblado?).
We are living in the twentieth century, so you may be interested in knowing if the apartment you’re planning on moving into is wired for the internet (or if it can be wired easily). Remember, some of the buildings being rented are old and wiring them for the internet could be costly. If your building isn’t already wired and you want internet, make sure you know the cost of installing it before you sign a lease. Ask things such as ¿Hay internet? ¿Podría contratar internet?
You may be able to negotiate price with the landlord depending on how long you’re going to stay in an apartment. For instance, some landlords will rent to you for less if you agree to stay for at least a year. Other times this tactic doesn’t work, but it may be worth a try.
If you’re planning on sharing an apartment with others you may want to ask the landlord if each bedroom has its own lock (¿tiene cerradura propia?). You may also want to ask things like whether or not the flatmates take turns keeping up with the cleaning of the apartment and whether or not you have the right to use all the common areas of the apartment. You could use phrases such as the following: ¿Cómo hacéis la limpieza… es por turnos? ¿Tendría derecho a la cocina/al baño?

Places to Search:
If you are in Spain, you can go to any newspaper stand (quiosco) and ask the person working there what papers have local classified ads (anuncios clasificados) in them. If you’re not in Spain, the internet is a great resource for finding apartment listings (and sometimes you can find more stuff listed online than you can in print). Below are a few classified ads sites that I know of… they’re in no particular order. If you know of a site I’ve forgotten, please post a comment at the bottom of this page.

One Final Note:
If you’re looking for a place to live in Spain, you should have at least a basic understanding of Spanish (or have a friend who can help you). This will ensure that you get the best possible price and will help you to fully understand exactly what you’re agreeing to before signing a lease.

I hope that you’ve found this post helpful… please post your reactions, additional suggestions, or any other comments below.

Hasta luego,
–Chris
http://abroadinspain.com

A really nice Spain site…

Chris — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 18:05:25 +0000

I was just surfing the web and came across a really great site for tourists planning on traveling to Spain. The site is http://www.spain.info and it contains a wealth of information about where to go and what to see in Spain. It also includes some great historic and cultural information about the various areas/regions of Spain.

I just wanted to share this site with my readers… I hope you like it! And please, if you know of any other useful Spain sites, post a comment here!

Hasta luego,
–Chris
http://abroadinspain.com

How to find cheap flights to Spain…

Chris — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 17:40:37 +0000

In a world where gas prices are rising more and more each day, finding an affordable airline ticket to Spain has become quite difficult. The key word here, however, is difficult – finding affordable airfare to Spain doesn’t have to be impossible. In this post, I hope to share some of the most basic “secrets” that I keep in mind when I’m looking for a cheap flight to Spain.

Tip #1: Remember to Be Flexible:
The biggest thing that you should keep in mind when searching for cheap plane tickets is to try many combinations of dates. Playing with the departure date and return date of a ticket can change its price dramatically. Also, traveling during off-seasons can really help out. For instance, a flight to Spain in the summer can easily cost $1,000.00 or more; however, that same flight in the winter can cost as little as $500.00 (I once found a flight to Spain in December for less than $500.00).

In general, days in the middle of the week are usually cheaper for flying than weekends. When you’re looking for a ticket, making your departure and return dates on a Tuesday or Wednesday as opposed to a Saturday or Sunday could lower the price of an international flight a couple hundred bucks (this is a general rule – it doesn’t always hold true).

Tip #2: Round Trip is Often Cheaper:
Many students who are going to Spain for a year or longer have the misconception that they should buy a one-way ticket to Spain and then buy a return ticket later when their year is up and it is finally time for them to go back to the USA. This usually turns out to be an expensive way to do things. For some reason, I have found that round-trip tickets are almost always a lot cheaper than one-way tickets to Spain. Even if you aren’t going to use the return ticket, buy a round-trip ticket anyway and toss the return part of the ticket… it will probably cost you less in the long run.

Tip #3: Buy Early:
This one is simple: the sooner you buy your ticket before departing, the cheaper the price will be. I recommend buying at least a month early; however, that’s even pushing it if you want to find a really good deal.

Tip #4: Shop Around:
I like to use the internet to shop for cheap airfare. Generally, I start with Priceline.com and play with the dates on that site until I find a really cheap ticket. I then write down the dates that I found and go to other competing sites to see if they can offer me travel on those same dates for a lesser price. Below, I’ll list a few of the sites that I usually check out. So far, I’ve never found a site that has beaten Priceline’s price; still, it’s nice to shop around to be sure. Remember, this is just a small list of sites – there are lots out there. If you want to find more sites, do a quick Google search.

Priceline.com – This is my favorite site to shop for cheap tickets to Spain. I should mention here, however, that I’ve never used the “name your own price” feature of the site because I don’t like the idea of not knowing my travel itinerary before buying my ticket. Still, their “fixed prices” are always good and I’ve never had any problems with them as far as booking and ticket availability are concerned.
Cheaptickets.com - After Priceline, this site probably has the second-best prices on tickets.
Hotwire.com – Another option… I haven’t used this site much.
Live Farecast – This is an interesting site owned by Microsoft that allows you to search for tickets all over the internet and then displays the cheapest ones in a list. It’s a new site and I haven’t had much time to use it for myself, but the concept looks interesting.
Aer Lingus – This is an interesting one that has flights from select airports in the USA for a pretty good price… the only drawback is that most of the flights to Spain connect in Ireland. I’ve never used the site, but the prices do look inexpensive.

All of the above-mentioned “discount travel” sites are great, but don’t forget to check with the actual airlines as well. Sometimes you can find a ticket directly from an airline for the same price or a few dollars less than what it is being sold for at the “discount” sites. Calling companies like American Air and US Air before looking at “bargain” sites can’t hurt.

Other Miscellaneous Thoughts:
You may be wondering how much a flight to Spain should cost in today’s market. I can tell you that I recently booked my flight for when I go to Burgos in September and the ticket from the east coast of the USA to Madrid cost me around $900.00. Of course, ticket prices are relative – had I booked the ticket earlier before gas prices started to rise like mad the same trip probably would have cost me around $700.00.

When you’re buying your plane tickets try to look at the airline’s baggage policies and cancellation fees. Many airlines have strict rules for canceling tickets and a lot are starting to charge fees for checked bags to help offset the rising costs of fuel. Before you buy your ticket, make sure you’re well informed. A more expensive ticket from a competing airline may be less expensive in the long run when you factor in baggage restrictions and hidden fees on the “bargain” ticket.

I make so many trips to Spain that I have a frequent flyer credit card that I use for most of my purchases in order to earn points toward a free flight. There are lots of frequent flyer cards on the market and if you fly internationally often, I recommend that you look into the different options for one that suits you. I love my frequent flyer card… I recently used it to save $100.00 on the ticket that I bought to go to Spain in September (thus, instead of costing me $900.00 the ticket really only cost me $800.00).

I hope that this post has been helpful to someone. Please, if you have any other tips for cheap tickets that I forgot to mention, don’t hesitate to add a comment here to share your experience and expertise with others. Or, if you have any strange airline stories or anything else to say, feel free to comment here as well.

Hasta luego,
–Chris
http://abroadinspain.com

Packing to study abroad in Spain…

Chris — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 22:14:38 +0000

January is fast approaching and it’s time for many college students to leave the USA and begin a semester abroad in Spain. I should know: I was one of those students who was leaving the country to do a semester abroad last year at this time. I know firsthand how hard it is to put your entire life in a suitcase for six months and, since many of my readers are college students who are going abroad this year to study in Spain, I thought I would share a few “words from the wise.” I’ve actually gotten quite a few requests via email for a post on this subject, so here it is.

When I went to Spain to study abroad for six months, I was allowed to bring two fifty-pound suitcases, a carry on, and a personal item. The baggage allowance, of course, depends on your airline and flight details. I suggest checking with your airline before you leave the USA to see how much luggage you’re allowed to carry. You should also make yourself familiar with the rules on the Transportation Security Administration’s Website (TSA). Of specific interest to you is the “Travelers” section of the TSA’s site and the list of prohibited items. As you probably know, the TSA is the agency that screens your baggage at the airport and says what you can (and can’t) bring aboard an aircraft. Be sure to pay special attention to items that can’t be placed in carry-on luggage but can be placed in checked bags. Also remember the regulations regarding liquids.

Now that you’ve contacted your airline to see how many bags you can bring and have read the TSA’s website to make sure that the contents of your bag is ok, you probably want to know what you should bring with you for your six months in Spain. Below, I’m going to compile a short list of things that I think you should keep in mind when you pack for your study abroad experience, or any trip to Spain for that matter.

Clothing: Clothing in Spain is expensive, especially jeans. Thus, you should try to bring as much clothing as you can with you so that you don’t have to buy a lot there. If you’re wondering what type of clothing to pack, I can tell you that when I was abroad last year I generally wore jeans and a t-shirt to class with sneakers. For going out at night, I usually wore a nicer pair of jeans, real shoes (not sneakers), and a shirt with a collar. Girls typically wore the same types of clothing to class (jeans, sneakers, and a t-shirt) and when going out they generally wore either a nice pair of jeans or a skirt with a nice top. Remember, Spaniards love to go to bars and discos and dance a lot… keep that in mind when you’re packing. Bring clothing you can go to bars and dance in… and bring REAL shoes (not sneakers) for going out at night. In fact, some bars and discos don’t let “sneaker-wearers” in.

Remember, clothing in Spain is kinda expensive so try to pack as much clothing as possible, especially jeans (jeans in Spain can cost $80.00 a pair). Of course, you’re not going to be able to pack everything and there probably will be some items that you purchase in Spain. “Springfield,” “Zara,” “Pull and Bear,” and stores of that like are good clothing stores in Spain in which you can buy stuff comparable to the “Old Navy,” “Gap,” and “Aeropostle” brands that we have in the USA (“Springfield” is probably the cheapest of the three stores).

Toiletries: In general, you can find the same soaps, shampoos, contact solutions, etc. in Spain as you can in the USA; however, that fact does not hold true for deodorant. If you’re particular about the type of deodorant you use, take a lot with you to Spain. In fact, Spaniards don’t seem to use the “roll-on” type of deodorant at all (they prefer the “spray-on” variety) and I had to have my mom mail me over some “Old Spice for Men” while I was studying in Valladolid because I didn’t like the Spanish spray stuff. Don’t let the deodorant thing worry you though, you can find almost any other beauty product you need right in Spain and it will be the same or similar to what you would find in the USA. I recommend going to a place like “Todo Cien” (the Spanish version of “Dollar General”) when buying toiletries in Spain because they’re much cheaper there. You could also go to one of the many “Chinese Bazaar” shops scattered throughout all major cities in Spain. When packing, bring enough toiletries to get you started and then buy more when you get to Spain and get settled in.

Expensive Items: Film for cameras, batteries, and other electronic devices like radios and MP3 players are a little more expensive in Spain than in the USA. If you use a lot of batteries or film, it may be worth it for you to bring as much as you can from the USA to save money. The exception to this rule is cell phones. See below for what I have to say about them.

Cell Phones: When I was studying abroad in Spain for six months, I bought myself a prepaid cell phone at an Orange store. Prepaid phones are very popular and cheap in Spain and are carried by Orange, MoviStar, Vodafone, and many other companies. I purchased my phone from an Orange store for around 39 Euros. I then added money as I used minutes in much the same way that a TracFone works in the USA. To get a prepaid phone, you can go into any cell phone store and ask for a “móvil de prepago.” Balance, in Spanish, is called “saldo” and you can add “saldo” to your phone at any time by visiting the store in which you purchased the phone.

Remember, A cell phone is good for calling your friends within Spain; however, you’re going to want to use phone cards and a land line to call home to the USA. It’s much cheaper that way (phone cards in Spain get GREAT rates to the USA… buy them in a tobacco shop or a locutorio… they’re called “tarjetas telefónicas”). Another alternative for calling to the USA from Spain (or to Spain from the USA) is Skype. It works quite well and is very affordable, as long as you have a computer and internet access.

Photocopies of Documents: You should also pack some photocopies of your passport, visa, credit cards, etc. The photocopies will come in handy if you lose the originals and need to have them replaced. The Embassy of the USA in Spain can help you if you lose a document.

Inglés, por favor: When I went to Spain, I had near-native proficiency in Spanish. Nonetheless, there were times when I wished I could hear/read/see/speak my native language: English. I recommend bringing along some books, CDs, DVDs, etc. in English for the days that you just want to hear your own language.

Paper and Pens (if you’re taking classes/studying abroad): This sounds strange, but paper stores in Spain follow the traditional, closed all afternoon and all day on Sunday, schedule of all other stores in Spain. If you’re arriving in Spain on a Sunday and starting classes on a Monday, you won’t have time to get to the paper store and buy a notebook and pen for class. Bring at least one notebook to get you started, you can buy more once you get settled in.

Money: When I go to Spain, I always bring my ATM Card and just take money out at the ATM (I always stop at the ATM inside the airport right after getting off my plane). ATMs are easier to find in Spain than places to cash Traveler’s Checks. Just be sure to call your bank ahead of time so that they know you are going to be using your card in Spain. Also be sure to ask them if your card will work in Spain/Europe (4-digit pins are best on ATM cards that are going to be used in Spain). As far as credit cards go, MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted in Spain. American Express is less common.

Voltage Converter: Remember that Spain uses a different voltage than we do in the USA. You’ll need a voltage converter for any electric device that is not dual-voltage. Most laptops, however, are dual-voltage and only need an adapter for the plug, not a whole converter. If you go to Radio Shack, the sales associate should be able to tell you what you need to use your electric devices in Spain. A good travel store should also be able to help you find the right converter/adapter.

That’s basically all I can think of right now. I will add to the list as more items come to me. If you have any questions about this list or think of something I forgot, feel free to leave a comment below.

Hasta la próxima,
–Chris
http://www.abroadinspain.com