Finding a place in Barcelona

[Jordan]

I will be moving to Barcelona in October and I don\\\'t know a soul. My goal is to get to know the city, learn Spanish and study Capoiera (Brazilian Martial Arts) for about a year. W/out a job, I\\\'ll have about 300 usd / month to spend on an apartment. Is that realistic? Is it fairly easy to find a room in an appartment w/ native students? Is there some kind of student dorm? I\\\'d appreciate any advice.

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[Tracy]

Triston??? Where are you when we need you!!!

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[silo]

300$ a month? Good luck living on the street. Think of it this way....the Euro is equal to or more expensive than the dollar right now...could you get a place for 300$ here? From what I\\\'ve looked at I would say minimum 500/month unless you want to live with a gypsy.

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[Tracy]

Yes, but Jordan is talking about renting a place with other people. I lived in a 3 bedroom apt in Madrid for $550 a month. That was only a few years ago. $300 sounds about right to me/especially for students. Once you get to BCN, there are many rental places that rent to students for less, right near universities etc. But you will have to pay a HUGE deposit if you go at it alone. YOur best bet is sharing an apt. with other, already established people. Check this board out...there are a lot of people who post room rentals!

Good luck!

tracy

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[Jordan]

Thanks for the responses. Tracy, it\\\'s encouraging to hear that you got a 3-bdrm place that was fairly cheap. I\\\'ve been living in NYC for the last 3 years so compared to prices here, that\\\'s nothing. I\\\'ll keep checking this message board.

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[silo]

Tipo Local
Población BARCELONA
Descripción
SANTS - LES CORTS.
3 locales en alquiler. (2 de ellos opción compra). Económicos. Llame e infórmese. Tel.: 93 330 98 98.


Here is a start if you are interested. It\\\'s probably an agency. Maybe they will have more or better ones to suit you.

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[Tracy]

Thanks Shiloh! But can i ask where you found that ad??? Are there more like it? Any resources you could share is always greatly appreciated!!!!

tracy

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[silo]

That was from todays Elperiodico.

www.elperiodico.es

Also, try

www.lavanguardia.es

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[Tracy]

Muchisima gracias, Shiloh. You rock!

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[Triston]

Hola. I have lived in Barcelona since April and you can definitely get a flat-share for under 300 euros. In fact, you should never pay over 300 euros for a flat-share in this City. If you do, you are being ripped off. And the best way to acclimate yourself to the city and the people, is to live with natives. Ideally, like in my present situation, you should have one person int he flat that speaks Castillian as well as English, so you can have a live-in intercambio to learn the language better. I pay 240 euros now and it is a huge 4-bedroom flat in the center of town adjacent to everything. There are hundreds of vacant places here. The best place to look for a flat-share is at Ferran 32, in the Ramblas. There, you eliminate the middle man(and added costs) associated with going through agencies, which are a waste of time anyway. Trust me. It is the best way to go, and you get what you pay for.

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[Tracy]

Cool info, Triston. You should start your own business!

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[Jordan]

Tracy, Shilouh, Tristen -
Thank you so much for all the advice! It\\\'s really helpful and I\\\'ll start researching it more. It definitely helps because I was planning on potentially paying a lot more money to live in a student residence associated w/ the Don Quiote school, but I\\\'d much rather live in an appartment w/ other Spaniards or just Spanish-speaking people.

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[frotleon]

Triston--

Thanks for the great news.  I just got to this site and was hoping to see this kind of information/reassurance.  I move to Barcelona in two weeks--I know no one, I don\\\'t know Spanish, and I have no job leads.  Needless to say I expect an adventure.  I did live in Paris for 2 years, so I have some experience in being lost and confused for a while--everything worked out great there, I\\\'m hoping for more of the same.  Do most younger Barcelonians (20-30 yrs old) know English as well?

also, anyone knowing of or interested in a shared housing situation, please let me know.
 
Thanks again.

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[Triston]

Oh, you are *definitely* in for an adventure. You say you don´t know Spanish. Then before you get here I would advise you go buy ´´501 Spanish Verbs´´ and make it your Bible that you read every day. As for job leads, I would scour the academies as soon as you get here. Surely, you will find something. If you have any talents that could make you some money here legally (even though you would more than likely you will be teaching English illegally under the table), then I would also look into those as well. Be patient and things will fall into place...eventually. This is Spain. Be VERY patient. Just pretend you are in Russia and there is *always* a line for something.

As for English spoken in Barcelona. The overwhelming majority of the people here do not speak English, not even well enough to carry on a extremely short conversation. You will be lucky if you can get adequate directions from a Spaniard in English. Just be sure to ask about 3 people before you confirm anything if you have to rely on English with them. But if you speak French, try to use that. More here speak that than English. Younger Barcelonans don´t speak English either, although they are more likely to than older ones. And you can´t forget you will be hearing/reading Catalan here as well. And Tracy, maybe I will open a business here. Any suggestions as to what area I should concentrate?

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[Tracy]

How about an Expatriate\\\'s Consulting firm for all those lost souls wandering around Barcelona! You\\\'d be an expert. Thing is, would anyone pay for that kind of service???

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[jer]

Hey all.

Jordan, Tracy and Triston are right, 300€/mont sharing with others is plenty. Madrid has higher rent than BCN and 300€ is usually enough as well.

Shiloh has mistaken a "local" for what it is not. A "local" in Spanish is a storefront and not an apartment, not apt to live in. So, when looking through rental ads, you can skip the ones that say "local".

Triston, it was good meeting you in Barcelona in July (I am assuming you are the same Triston) I will e-mail you an update on the cell phone thing, been real busy with it all.

Ok, as for the Barcelonians speaking English, I have been there 7 times at least and, YES most of them who are between the ages of 25 and 45(ish) DO SPEAK ENGLISH! Triston is living what is know as the "refusing to speak English" syndrom, also known as "Catalán Overpride", "Supreme Catalán Nationalism" or "Catalán Superiority Complex" (all bad things by the way). Mosat will refuse to speak English if you say something to them in that language. Odds are they understood you but you are in Catalunya and they will demand you speak Catalán, often times Spanish will not do either (in the more extreme cases). English is very important for them but they are so very nationalist that they will only use it in business and when it is absoultely necessary. So, if you ask, in English, for directions, odds are you will get them in Catalán or Spanish.

Learn some Spanish before you go and if you get a Catalán who answers you in Catalán when you ask him/her in Spanish, tell them to learn Spanish, they are in Spain for Christ's sake!!!

I also recommend the 501 Spanish Verbs book, I used it in the U.S.A. as a Spanish teacher and when I moved here as well, it is my bible

Saludos,

jer..

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[joel]

Thanks for the great news.  I just got to this site and was hoping to see this kind of information/reassurance.  I move to Barcelona in two weeks--I know no one, I don\'t know Spanish, and I have no job leads.  Needless to say I expect an adventure.  I did live in Paris for 2 years, so I have some experience in being lost and confused for a while--everything worked out great there, I\'m hoping for more of the same.  Do most younger Barcelonians (20-30 yrs old) know English as well?

Hey,

I am in your position almost exactly.  I leave for Barcelona in a few days and don't know anyone, but am hopeful of work, housing, and adventure.  This site is such an uplifting reference.  Let me know if you've found any housing or have info on it.

good luck, Joel

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