We are Tania and Gaetano, two expats who moved our families to Spain for new adventures. We both moved here from the US, Tania (originally from the UK) in 2020, with her husband and daughter from Northern Virginia, and Gaetano in 2023 with his two daughters from Los Angeles. We all met in Valencia and got along incredibly well, but while we cracked each other up discussing our fun times adjusting to Spain, there were quite a few eye-rolls from our girls (tweens and teenagers anyone!). In an effort to give our daughters a little break we thought what the heck, let’s share our experiences with unsuspecting strangers instead. This podcast came to life and we hope you enjoy the pitfalls and joys of our experiences - we all have!
Episodes
Tuesday Aug 26, 2025
Tuesday Aug 26, 2025
In this episode of Ah... Spain!, we chat about the joys and quirks of Spanish healthcare — from the mysterious SIP card to why so many expats end up juggling both the public and private systems. We compare our experiences with US insurance to Spain’s surprisingly affordable coverage, explain why “just go to urgencias” is often the go-to advice, and share tips on navigating GPs, specialists, and that DIY approach to preventive care. Along the way, we cover pharmacies (where meds are so cheap it feels like a scam), the oddities of dental and vision care, vaccines, mental health access, and the cultural differences that mean you’ll probably need Google Translate and a little patience. If you’re an expat wondering how healthcare here actually works, consider this your reassuring — and humorous — guide to why Spain’s system really isn’t so scary after all.
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