Spain: Olé! (San Francisco)

When I decided to take some of my projects to Spain some of you asked me about the life there. Well, after my first weeks living in the sunny Mediterranean coast I can tell you this:

* In the streets of Valencia there are two kinds of new species I never saw in SF. They call them “old people” and “children”.

* There is universal health care! I called, got an appointment for the same day, saw the doctor, scheduled the lab for the routine exams, etc… Cost: $0. Not just for citizens, also for legal or illegal immigrants. You gotta love Europe!

* I have unlimited calls and 4G internet in my cell phone for less than $20 per month without contract!

* There are tens of international meetings, mostly populated with European people. Unlike in SF, there are no crowds around the few girls of the meeting. There are plenty of girls! The cosmopolitan group I organize reached Protected content in the first weeks.

* For less than $600 you can have a whole new clothing here in El Corte Ingles. Forget about t-shirts, jeans and weird shoes. Since there are no dryer machines that destroy the clothes, people here wears shirts, mocasines, suits and ties.

* Unlike years ago when I left, Spain has now a significant number of business incubators, business accelerators and investor forums. There is a growing number of tech companies and the demand for tech professionals is definitively hot.

* And suddenly you have a past. Apart from the software engineering experience you got in the U.S., you find that your Business degree and your MBA are recognized again. ESADE Business School has been ranked among the top 10 of the world consistently during the last decades and has an Alumni Association with 40,000 members.

I know some people are very happy there now with the new president. But just in case you are considering other options, think in the Mediterranean!

Best regards! ;)

Julio.