Black in Spain: From California to living in Asturias, Spain

From the hustle and bustle of California to moving to Asturias, Jasmine took a big leap of faith and started a new life abroad with her partner. But here’s the twist, she did it back in 2019 in the middle of a global pandemic.

Whilst moving to a new country is already a challenge, adapting to her new home during lockdown was an experience in and of itself. But despite it all, Asturias’ scenic landscape, food, and cider didn’t fail to win over Jasmine’s heart.

In the Black in Spain series, I interview Black women, from all walks of life, living all over the 17 regions of Spain. I try to help paint an honest picture of the ups and downs of being black in Spain. My goal is to bring together stories of Black expats in Spain and help the next generation of Black people to find their safe haven in Spain.

Name: Jasmine

Age: 32

Home town: Los Angeles

Describe yourself/your background in 5 words max?

I am originally from California, born and raised in the Los Angeles area.

What’s your backstory, and most importantly what made you move to Spain from America?

The first time I ever traveled outside of the United States was after I graduated from college. I just love the feeling that you get when you’re about to get on a plane. When I first left the US, I was 22 years old. It was on a volunteer trip to Kenya.

As a Black woman going back to the motherland, in a country where the majority of people are Black was eye-opening. During my trip, I was also faced with the fact that there were “different” kinds of Black. In Kenya for instance, they saw me as a “mzungu.” Note: The Swahili word, 'mzungu' or 'muzungu' is generally taken to mean 'white man', although it does apply to women as well.

Seeing there was actually a difference between my black experience and someone who looks just like me opened my eyes to the wealth of stories out there. From that time on I got the travel bug. I just knew traveling was my thing and that I wanted to do it for as long as possible.

Why Asturias? How long have you been living in Asturias?

Moving to Asturias wasn't actually part of my plans. After my trip to Africa, I came back home, secured a 9-to-5, but I quickly realised it wasn’t for me. So I quit my job and for 5 years I travelled to a few different countries. I even ended up settling in Australia for a couple of years.

After that, I came back home to fully dedicate myself to photography, and that’s when I met my partner who already lived in Spain. So on a bit of a whim, I decided to pay him a visit, and after a few weeks there I fell in love with the country and my partner of course! That’s when I knew I needed to move to Spain for good. That was in October 2019.

What’s the best thing about living in Asturias?

Unfortunately, I’ve not had much pre-pandemic experience living in Asturias, but in general I was pleasantly surprised with how much people love to be outdoors. In Spain, there’s this culture of always getting together. This is something that I very much enjoy.

Other than that, the food is by far one of the best things about living in Northern Spain. I’ve been able to discover Asturian cuisine thanks to my partner’s family. It’s just amazing. The price, quality, and value are unmatchable. You can go out and get “pinchos” and a beer for less than 12 euros pretty much anywhere. Asturias is also well-known for its meat and cider.

Tell me about the cost of living in Asturias.

The cost of living is extremely low in Asturias. Currently, we live in a 3-bedroom flat in the city center at a ridiculously cheap price. I am sure a similar flat in Barcelona or Madrid would cost twice as much.

Like most parts of Spain, in Asturias you can also get easy access to so much nature. The beaches are 30 minutes away. In the summer, the coasts are incredible. This place is definitely underrated!

Also read: If you’re interest in hearing more stories from Black women striving in Spain, check out the Black in Spain section for more inspiring stories

Now, what are some of the challenges you have faced as an expat in Asturias?

For the most part, my biggest challenge has been to create a network of like-minded people to spend time and share social activities with. This is something I didn’t get to experience because of the pandemic. It has made it a lot harder for me to make friends.

What has been your experience as a black woman living in ASTURIAS?

Being part of a small minority of Afro-American expats means it’s not as easy to come across other Black immigrants with similar experiences. There are just not that many of us here. The only other Black people I tend to come across are the street vendors. I don’t think I have seen more than a couple of Black women since I got here either.

As an African-American who doesn’t speak much Spanish and doesn’t know her African roots, I sometimes feel intimidated to interact with other Afro-descendants or Afro-Spaniards. Somehow, I feel like my experience is not as valid.

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Do you have any advice for other Black women looking to move to Northern Spain?

As Black women, we tend to go into new places a lot more guarded. If I had one piece of advice for any Black women looking to move to Spain, it would be, don’t be 100% guarded, or think that everybody is out to get us. Try not to see yourself as less than. Go with a strong back, open heart, and open mind.

For more stories about Black women living and working in Spain, check out the below articles: