Loc writes:
am trying to put together a trip to Spain that I will likely be taking toward the end of October. ... I plan on staying in Spain for about 6 nights. There are two purposes of my visit. One purpose is ... the normal vacation stuff. The second purpose of my visit is more of a reconnaisance mission. I am strongly considering moving to Spain soon (possibly March or April) and want to figure out where I would most want to live. The three main places I have in mind are Madrid, Barcelona, and Valencia. I prefer coastal, however I am considering Madrid also as it may be beneficial for employment reasons. ... How should I split that up and is there another city or two I should really consider seeing as well for either purposes of my visit?
This is a tough one! Major Cities like Barcelona and Madrid are crowded with ex-pat Brits and Americans looking for employment. The Brits have an advantage because they are EU Citizens and don't need work permits or visas. If you are a U.S. Citizen you will need a work permit and getting one can be a lengthy process.
What is your work specialty or Title? Do you have a TEFL credential?
Rather than looking at large cities like Madrid or Barcelona (or Sevilla), I think I would look for a University town: smaller, but with more probability of employment for an english speaking foreign national. Some that come to mind are Vigo, on the Atlantic Coast in Pontevedra (Galicia), Huelva, in the southwest corner of Spain and Santander, about 50 mi west of Bilbao on the north coast. All three have sizeable Universities.
Several years ago I met an Irish gentleman who owns and operates Mr. Kevin's English language school on C./Salmerón in Santander. Apparently there is a lot of business from students from
UIMP (Universidad Internaciónal de Menendez Pelayo) there in Santander. His best teacher, a lady from Louisiana, had just left to go back home and he was looking for a replacement.
Obviously I wouldn't recommend to a Spaniard to spend 4 of his/her 6 nights while in the US in Nebraska.
So, what's your problem with Nebraska? I happen to have an undergraduate degree from the University of Nebraska.