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American family’s big move to Spain exposes a surprising cultural difference

The family from South Carolina decided to leave their farm in Greenville, to seek a better life in Madrid.

Beto V. Álvarez
The family from South Carolina decided to leave their farm in Greenville, to seek a better life in Madrid.
UCGUCG/Universal Images Group via G

Nowadays, too many people measure their happiness by the amount of things they own. A luxury car, a big house, the latest fashion accessories or a top of the range phone are some of the material items people feel enhance their lives on a daily basis.

However, an American family who became tired of life in South Carolina, decided to move to an apartment in Madrid in search of a simpler, but more rewarding life.

The family from Greenville had achieved what is commonly regarded as the “the American dream.” A two parent family, two children, all living in a large 300 square meter house, with a property of more than an acre and plenty of space for the children to play.

However, they were not happy as mother Meg James recalls. “In the United States, we had to compete to see who was on top. Every time a classmate or neighbor bought something they didn’t have, it became a minor obsession, without stopping to think about whether we really needed it or not”.

“In the United States, there is a mentality that forces you to constantly be on par with your neighbors and peers”, James claims.

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A new attitude

Now, the family live in a 100-square-meter apartment in Madrid with simple decor, few clothes, a handful of toys and a shared car. Meg claims that the move has taught all four family members to appreciate the value of things.

When they are tempted to buy something, such as clothing or technology, they reflect on its importance and whether it is truly a necessity or a whim. Thanks to this change of mentality, the family, who arrived in Madrid with little more than a backpack on their backs, have learned to lead a more austere, but happy, life.

Far from consumerism, and forced to learn to control space and money, the four remain closer than ever by understanding that “the things we need are not material, because the only irreplaceable thing is the family“, and this stay in Spain, which was originally going to last a year, seems to be permanent.

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