Spanish Practices – Living in Spain: Real Life, Real Spain

John Metson
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This is our real life, in real Spain. Ten years of adventures since swapping our glorious Victorian House in leafy Essex for a tiny flat in a wild Andalusian village. I was once a Radio Producer in London, not a great one. I sacked Richard Hammond for not knowing enough about cars. Was rude to J.K. and binned her rubbish first edition new kiddies book. Told the man behind Amazon when it launched in the UK that nobody wanted to shop online for books. So I ran away to Spain with my other half and our big ginger cat. This Podcast is about that brash, colourful passionate country - Spain. Oh and the odd celebrity encounter from my radio days. Some real events have been fictionalised to protect the innocent.

  1. 10h ago

    Bloody Foreigners: The Migration & Economic Growth in Spain in 2026 Real Life - Real Spain

    Spain's economy is booming in 2026 — and foreign workers are playing a surprisingly big role. Why are migrants filling jobs, paying taxes and helping drive economic growth — and what does it mean for Spain's future? From immigration and employment to Spanish schools, education and the future of our children, I will ask and try to answer a  really tough question...whether Spain can turn today's growth into tomorrow's prosperity?

  2. 3d ago

    Are You Living in Spain… or Just Living in a Little Britain? Real Life, Real Spain, Andalusia

    Am I really living in Spain — or have I simply created a little Britain in the sunshine? In this episode, I'll explore what integration really means, from language and Spanish culture to friendship, acceptance and belonging. I'll ask why so many expats stay inside familiar British bubbles — and whether that can quietly limit our happiness and wellbeing. I'll also look at the reality of being an outsider, accepting that Spain will sometimes frustrate us, and finding peace with the things we may never fully understand. Because moving to Spain isn't just a change of country — it can be an opportunity to change the way we live, think and feel.

  3. Sep 12

    Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition… in America! 🇪🇸🇺🇸 Real Life in Spain Andalusia

    Think the Spanish Inquisition was something that happened in a dark corner of old Europe? Think again. Spain's infamous religious police crossed the Atlantic — and its reach extended into territories that are now part of the United States. In Episode 204, I uncover the surprisingly American story of the Inquisition: the denunciations, secret accusations, torture, confiscated fortunes and spectacular public punishments — and discover what it was actually doing in places like Florida, California and New Mexico. And yes, there's even a Monty Python connection. The Spanish Inquisition came to America. Nobody expected that.

  4. Sep 9

    Moving to Spain? Let AI Do Your Homework - Real Life, Andalusia

    Moving to Spain? Don't buy that dream home just yet! 🇪🇸 Could AI save you from making an expensive mistake when buying property in Spain? John Metson discovers how AI can investigate Spanish estate agents, solicitors, directors, reviews, town halls, local news, planning issues and even the Spanish bureaucracy. But there's a catch: AI can be spectacularly wrong. So how do you use AI for Spanish property research and due diligence without getting fooled by the machine — or the estate agent? Before you send that deposit, let AI do your homework. A quick EU compliance note before we begin. The introduction to this episode deliberately uses an AI-generated version of my voice, created using ElevenLabs. The words, opinions and content are mine — the voice you hear just in this introduction has simply been generated using AI.

  5. Sep 5

    The Rescue Donkeys Fighting Spain's Wildfires - Real Life in Spain, Andalusia

    🔥 Could a donkey help save your Spanish home from a wildfire? Spain is facing a new generation of wildfires — hotter, faster and increasingly impossible to fight in the traditional way. So what happens when climate change, abandoned countryside and 40°C+ summers collide? And if you're dreaming of buying a home in Spain, should any of this change your plans? In this episode of Spanish Practices, I'll take a look at Spain's terrifying new era of mega-fires, why some fires are now creating their own weather, and the surprising return of an old Spanish hero: the donkey. 🐴 Could millions of grazing animals actually help prevent wildfires? 🏡 Should Americans still be buying property in Spain? 🔥 And why might prevention, rather than firefighting, be the only realistic answer? It's a serious problem — but, as usual, there's a wonderful Spanish twist. And it involves a donkey having breakfast.

  6. Sep 2

    Ceuta is Burning — but should it change your decision to buy a home in Spain? #201

    In this special report, we look at the escalating crisis in Ceuta, the conflicting reports over how many migrants remain, violence on the beaches, people-smuggling boats, Spain's €25 million response, the planned Ceuta Day protests, and the complicated relationship between Spain and Morocco. But what does any of this mean if you're thinking about buying property in Spain?

  7. Aug 29

    Why Americans Get Spain Completely Wrong

    Thinking of leaving America for the perfect life in Spain? Cheap healthcare, endless sunshine, affordable living and a slower pace of life? Think again. After nearly ten years living in Spain, I will reveal the reality behind the romantic Spanish dream — from 230-volt disasters and language barriers to nudist beaches, Spanish bureaucracy, healthcare, shopping, customer service and a very different attitude to life. Spain can be wonderful. But it isn't America with tapas and better weather. Before you move to Spain, listen to this. AI disclosure: none used

  8. Aug 26

    What's That Smell? The Peculiar World of Spanish Plumbing

    Why Does My Spanish Bathroom Smell? The Plumbing Mystery Explained There comes a moment when you realise you've properly moved to Spain. It's not your first fiesta. It's not ordering a café con leche in Spanish. It's standing in your beautifully clean bathroom, sniffing suspiciously and asking: "Why does that smell of drains?" Welcome to the peculiar world of Spanish plumbing. In this episode of Spanish Practices, I go beneath the tiles to investigate one of those little differences about living in Spain that nobody thinks to mention before you move here. Where's the U-bend under the sink? What's that mysterious round plate in the bathroom floor? Why can an unused shower suddenly start sharing the aroma of the sewer system with the rest of the house? And why does everything start gurgling ominously when the heavens open? We'll discover the Spanish central floor trap, what happens when its water evaporates in the summer heat, why flushing one thing can occasionally upset another — and why the Spanish solution to a smelly drain can sometimes be little more complicated than: "Sí, claro. Hay que echar agua." Then there's the rain. When a proper Spanish downpour arrives, drains gurgle, streets become rivers, communal bins begin migrating downhill and your bathroom suddenly seems emotionally involved in the weather. But perhaps Spanish plumbing isn't necessarily bad plumbing. Perhaps it's plumbing designed for a different climate, a different style of building and a time when nobody imagined quite so much rain. It's another lesson in adapting to real life in Spain. So lift the mysterious round plate, pour some water down the drain and join me for The Great Spanish Plumbing Mystery. Because sometimes living in Spain smells faintly of the underworld. Spanish Practices – Real Life, Real Spain. Revised repeat - EU AI disclosure - none used

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About

This is our real life, in real Spain. Ten years of adventures since swapping our glorious Victorian House in leafy Essex for a tiny flat in a wild Andalusian village. I was once a Radio Producer in London, not a great one. I sacked Richard Hammond for not knowing enough about cars. Was rude to J.K. and binned her rubbish first edition new kiddies book. Told the man behind Amazon when it launched in the UK that nobody wanted to shop online for books. So I ran away to Spain with my other half and our big ginger cat. This Podcast is about that brash, colourful passionate country - Spain. Oh and the odd celebrity encounter from my radio days. Some real events have been fictionalised to protect the innocent.

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