2013: LAST DAY

It is such a cliché, but so true: time flew by SO fast this year! It is hard to believe 2014 is only a day away. 2013 went incredibly fast, but when I think about it, a lot has happened this year. Such a year deserves a good ending. This will be our first New Year’s Eve celebration in Barcelona!

CATALAN CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS

Let me introduce you to a few curious Catalan Christmas traditions. If you’ve never heard of them, you might think I made them up. They aren’t South Park inspired either (anyone remembers Mr Hankey?). No, this is Christmas, the Catalan way.

SHADOWS AND SUNLIGHT

I just love how sunny it is, here in the south. Fall has arrived in Barcelona; temperatures have dropped (for Spanish people, below 20 degrees means winter has arrived), but most days, it is beautifully sunny and it’s hard to imagine we’re already in December. Barcelona is a very photogenic city by itself, but there’s just something about the afternoon fall sun, drawing long shadows on the walls and streets, and little alleys bathing in sunlight.

MOVING TO SPAIN: HOW TO GET YOUR “NIE”

If you want to live in Spain for a longer period of time (longer than 3 months), you have to apply for a NIE number, which is an identification number for foreigners. It used to be easy for EU Citizens to get this Número de Identidad de Extranjero, but recently they changed the procedure. One and a half months after my arrival and several visits to the Policía later, I finally got my green little paper which allows me to work, sign contracts, open a bank account and more.