Spain has made it to the semi-finals of the World Cup, with a match against France... but the top story is actually about some unfortunate comments by former Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy. Rajoy claims that the French team "doesn't have any French players" – a comment on the team's ethnic makeup. So in this special bonus episode, we're talking about World Cup racism, and what the future of Spanishness looks like, with the current trend towards a Spanish Melting Pot. Donate to the cause here: https://expatmadrid.com/donate/More on my blog: https://spaintogo.substack.com/Thanks for listening!

These days, with a bit of summer heat here in Europe, a lot of Americans are talking about air conditioning. Is it true that Europeans don't use aircon? Is it because we're all tree-hugging environmentalists, or could it possibly be for some other reason? I take these questions seriously, and try to answer them. Donate to the podcast here, I'll give you a shoutout in my next episode: https://expatmadrid.com/donateYou could also follow Spain to Go on Substack, I'm creating a sort of companion blog over there: https://spaintogo.substack.com/

Today I'm revisiting the old "expat" vs "immigrant" debate. What do these labels mean, and does it really matter? Also, a big life update from Daniel and Morena. Sign up to my Substack here for more about life in Spain: https://spaintogo.substack.com/Donate to the podcast over here: https://expatmadrid.com/donate/And if you'd like to read my classic "Expats vs Immigrants" article, check it out on the blog here: https://expatmadrid.com/expat-immigrant-guiri/

I recently went to Paris, and wrote some reflections about the relationship between Spain and France... plus other important topics. Today nobody's talking about this, but France actually invaded and conquered Spain in the early 1800s. Also in today's episode: Napoleon, Joan of Arc, the great (wo)men of history, Parisian cuisine, and much more. Donate to the podcast right here: https://expatmadrid.com/donateFollow me on Substack for more about life in Barcelona and Spain: https://spaintogo.substack.comThanks for listening!

A few travel tips from a Barcelona local here: if you want to get "off the beaten path" and have a more "authentic" experience, I've got some advice. Check out these hidden gem neighborhoods, learn about the real story behind Mount Tibidabo, and much more. Check out my new Substack here: https://spaintogo.substack.comDonate to the cause at https://expatmadrid.com/donate(Or you could just become a paying subscriber on Substack... just sayin'.)Thanks for listening!

Should you move to Spain in 2026? Well, it depends. A blog called Expat Money recently published a list of the "top 7 reasons you should never move to Spain" and I don't think the author was wrong about them... I just think that Spain has some intangibles that make it a great place to live, and that for most of us, moving abroad is more than a mathematical calculation. Support this podcast at https://expatmadrid.com/donate/You can read my article here, obviously I've lived in Spain for 22 years and I'm somewhat biased: https://expatmadrid.com/reasons-never-move-spain/If you're looking for a more athletic type of holiday, check out my friend Raul over at https://biketourinspain.comI'll be going on his tour of La Rioja and Camino del Cid in a couple of months, and I've got two episodes on here about other bike tours, look for "#76 - Route of Don Quixote" and "#94 - Extremadura Bike Tour" for more about those.

On this episode of the Spain to Go podcast I go into the new corruption cases involving Pedro Sánchez, ex-president Zapatero, and the socialist government. Also, some of the old corruption scandals, which are ongoing. Plus, Isak Andic (the fashion mogul who fell down a mountain) and thoughts about the 2026 World Cup.Donate to the podcast here: https://expatmadrid.com/donate/Get your Spanish visa or background check (sworn translation, homologación, apostille of the Hague, etc) with Continentalis.eu, they helped me to get Spanish nationality – and you'll get a discount for mentioning my name DANIEL when you sign up. Go to https://continentalis.eu/Finally, you could learn some Spanish over on my YouTube channel, it's called Learn Spanish with Daniel and it's pretty good (if I may say so myself)... https://youtube.com/learnspanishwithdaniel/

It's been more than three years since I quit drinking, and people have asked me for an update. So here goes: some practical thoughts about being sober in Spain, and some deep thoughts about sobriety generally. In today's episode, we've got my top tips for sobriety, creating a new "sober identity", finding a higher power, and much more. Support the podcast here: https://expatmadrid.com/donate/More about being sober in Spain and elsewhere here: https://expatmadrid.com/sober-spain/I'm also on YouTube, teaching Spanish (and publishing the episodes of this podcast, if you'd prefer to listen there)... check out: https://youtube.com/learnspanishwithdaniel/Have a great day out there... And get in touch if this topic is relevant for you. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

In today's episode, I talk about GDP and GDP per capita in Spain and the USA, and I try to answer the question: Is Spain a poor country? Turns out, it's a bit complicated. We've also got some thoughts on Ireland, on India, on wealth and well-being, and much more. Donate to the podcast here: https://expatmadrid.com/donate/Shoutout and a big thanks this week to our two donors, Keely in Scottsdale, Arizona, and multi-donor Jim AKA Seamus, who I think is in Boston. More info on Spanish GDP vs the US, and links to some of my sources, over on the blog: https://expatmadrid.com/spain-poor-country/

An interview with expat therapist (and therapist for expats) Melissa Parks. Melissa is the author of "A Compassionate Mess: a Therapist, Her Monsters, and a Journey to Self-Acceptance" which comes out in June 2026. She lived in Madrid, Spain, for several years – that's where we met. In this episode we talk about navigating life abroad: moving for love, rebuilding after breakups, finding a sense of home, identity changes when you move abroad, and much more. Get a copy of Melissa's book on Amazon starting June 23, or sign up for her notifications for more information at https://melissaparks.com/memoir/Hungry? In Spain? Get yourself a food tour in Madrid, Barcelona, Sevilla or San Sebastian with my friends at Devour Tours, check out the options at https://expatmadrid.com/devour/Follow Melissa on Instagram here: https://instagram.com/melissaparksphd/Or just check out her website for much more. Also, listen to my episode "Finding Happiness Abroad" for further thoughts on feeling at home and life abroad generally. Thanks for listening!