I found this list to be the essential things that people immigrating should know - our experience matches pretty much all of this. from a FB post by Everything is Boffo. (edited for emphasis -mine)
"Most foreigners don’t struggle in Spain because Spain is hard…
They struggle because they thought it would be a two-week vacation with a Wi-Fi password. 
We’ve been seeing it more and more.
People move here expecting Eat, Pray, Love.
Then bureaucracy hits. Siesta hits. The 9:30pm dinner hits.
And suddenly they’re questioning everything.
Let’s talk about what foreigners often misunderstand about Spain — and your way through it.
⸻
“Spain Is Cheap Everywhere”Ah yes. The myth.
Spain can be affordable.
But:
• Madrid center? Not village prices.
• Barcelona beachside? Not small-town rent.
• Imported peanut butter? Why is it €6?
The magic happens when you:
• Look beyond the obvious hotspots.
• Live more local.
• Stop converting every price into dollars in your head.
Spain rewards integration.
It charges tourist energy.
⸻
“Everyone Speaks English”In tourist zones? Sure.
In government offices?
Let’s just say your Duolingo streak is about to get serious.
Spain runs in Spanish. (Shocking, we know.)
And in regions like Catalonia or the Basque Country? Add another language layer.
Cheat code:
• Learn key phrases.
• Bring translated documents.
• Smile like you mean it.
A confident “Buenos días” opens more doors than Google Translate ever will.
⸻
“The Bureaucracy Is Broken”It’s not broken.
It’s… interpretive. 
Spain loves:
• Appointments for appointments.
• Stamps.
• Copies of copies.
• That one document nobody mentioned before.
But here’s the mindset shift:
In Spain, rules are firm.
Timelines are flexible.
You don’t fight it.
You flow with it.
That’s how you Boffo the visa process instead of rage-quitting it.
⸻
“Siesta Means Nothing Gets Done”Siesta doesn’t mean lazy.
It means rhythm.
Spain’s day runs differently:
• Morning: Productive.
• Midday: Pause.
• Evening: Alive.
• 10pm: Dinner.
• Midnight: “Should we grab one more?”
It’s not inefficient.
It’s optimized for lifestyle.
You don’t “squeeze life in after work.”
Life is woven into the day.
That’s a feature, not a bug.
⸻
“Spain Is All Sunshine and Sangría”Yes, there’s sangría. 
Yes, the beaches are stunning.
But Spain is also:
• Regional identities that run deep.
• Political debates.
• Economic realities.
• Lower average salaries than the U.S.
This isn’t a theme park.
It’s a real country with real complexity.
And that’s what makes it interesting.
⸻
“It’ll Feel Like Home Immediately”It won’t.
At first:
• You’ll miss convenience.
• You’ll miss familiarity.
• You’ll miss knowing how things work.
Then one day:
• You’ll argue about olive oil quality.
• You’ll complain about tourists.
• You’ll say “mañana” without irony.
And just like that…
Spain starts to feel like yours.
⸻
The Big Misunderstanding?
Spain isn’t trying to impress you.
It’s not hustling.
It’s not optimizing for your expectations.
It’s not speeding up to match you.
It’s inviting you to slow down and adjust.
And if you do?
You get:
• Walkable cities.
• Long dinners.
• Public healthcare.
• Community energy.
• A life that feels… lived.
⸻
Spain isn’t perfect.
But it’s intentional.
And if you meet it halfway?
It gives back in ways you can’t measure on a spreadsheet.
So before you pack your bags thinking it’s a permanent vacation —
Pack patience. Pack curiosity. Pack humility."
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