Living abroad has a funny way of changing your perspective. You move somewhere new expecting to learn about that country, but somehow you end up learning just as much about where you came from. For me, living in Spain has made me appreciate things about the United States that I honestly didn’t think much about before.
There’s no denying that American culture has a huge influence around the world. You see it everywhere. The music, the movies, the fashion, the slang. But what I didn’t fully understand until living abroad was just how different the economic mindset can be.
As someone who naturally has an entrepreneurial spirit, I’ve realized that the “American Dream” isn’t just a phrase people throw around. There’s actually a structure that supports it. In the U.S., people starting businesses, freelancing, working from home, launching ideas, and taking risks is incredibly normal. In fact, it’s encouraged. There’s this unspoken energy that says, ” Go for it. Build something, try something, even if it fails, you try again.“
Here in Spain, the mindset around work can feel very different. It’s not that entrepreneurship doesn’t exist; it absolutely does, but it can be harder to get started. In many ways, the system seems to favor people who are already established. Salaries are generally lower, and if you’re a foreigner, there are often extra fees, paperwork, and logistical hurdles that make things even more complicated.
Sometimes it can feel like the system almost punishes you for trying to be your own boss. Starting something from scratch requires a lot of patience, paperwork, and financial stability upfront. And when you compare that to the culture in the United States, you start to understand why the hustle mentality exists. Now, let me be clear. I’m not saying one system is better than the other. What living abroad has really taught me is that it’s about balance.
One thing I absolutely love about Spain is the work-life balance. People genuinely prioritize living their lives. Long lunches, late dinners with friends, slower mornings, and time spent enjoying the moment. There’s a rhythm to life here that encourages you to breathe a little more.
In the United States, the pace can feel faster, sometimes even exhausting. But that same energy also creates opportunity. The hustle culture means people are constantly building things, creating new paths, and finding ways to support themselves on their own terms. That flexibility is something I’ve come to appreciate a lot more.
I also think a lot of people are quick to judge the US based on a headline, a viral TikTok, or something they see in the media. And look, we’re definitely not perfect. We have our flaws, every country does. But there’s also something really powerful about a place where someone can start a business from their living room, turn an idea into income, or create an entirely new career path that didn’t exist ten years ago. Living abroad helped me see that side of it more clearly.
Meanwhile, Spain still leans a bit more traditional in many ways. A lot of jobs expect you to be physically present, and the structure of work can feel more old-school. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it does create fewer flexible paths for certain careers. So in a strange way, living here has made me appreciate both cultures.
I love the slower lifestyle and balance that Spain offers. But I also appreciate the ambition, flexibility, and entrepreneurial opportunities that exist in the United States. Whether I end up back in the U.S. someday, I honestly don’t know; only time will tell. But career-wise, it does make sense. I could easily see a life where I bounce between both places. Building something professionally in the United States, while still keeping Spain as a place that reminds me how to slow down and actually enjoy life.
And if living abroad has taught me anything, it’s this: sometimes you have to leave home to fully appreciate it.
Love always,
American Girl Meets World
