Cinthia Prida: An Argentinian living all over Spain

Hello!

My name is Cinthia and I’m part of the Typical Non Spanish team. I was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Since I am the only child of a Spanish father, I am also a Spanish national, so Spain has always been part of my life, even though I was raised far away from here. I have been living in Spain since 2008 and I am a teacher of Spanish as a foreign language for more than eight years now.

Living in Spain

Throughout all these years, I have lived in Asturias, Málaga and Madrid, where I am currently living. As you can see, I know what the word change means, and I have some experience in the process of adapting to a new place. I can imagine what you are thinking: "in Spain they speak Spanish, so you haven't had any problems with the language". It is true that in the Spanish-speaking world we share the language, but each place has its own particularities, its own identity, its own timetables, its own codes. And you need some time and help to assimilate all that information.

España de norte a sur: Asturias, Málaga y Madrid

My Spanish family is from Asturias, a beautiful region of northern Spain, a paradise for nature lovers, but it is still off the radar for many foreigners and tourists. Over the years I have become an ambassador for this green, peaceful, and wonderful corner of the world, where I have lived for several years.

Later I moved to Malaga, and I could enjoy a few years living on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. A spot in Andalusia where I got to know another way of being Spanish. The food, the lifestyle, the climate; everything was completely different and still wonderful!

And finally, for the last three years I have been living in Madrid, the capital of Spain and the entry point for the rest of Europe. Over the last decades, Madrid has become a point of reference for any traveller. I love to discover its secrets in every walk and enjoy its vibrant cultural life to the fullest.

My Spanish on the go: supporting the expats in Spain

In 2013 I took my Master's Degree in Spanish as a Foreign Language at the University of Oviedo, and since then I have been teaching Spanish to non-Spanish speakers in all the cities in Spain where I have lived, and to online students still living abroad.

Learning Spanish can be a challenge, but as an expat you need to know that speaking the language of your new home will open every door. When you move to a new country, you are not in need of grammar and vocabulary only, you also need to know the context of what is said in order to understand your new neighbours. That’s why I enjoy teaching Spanish from a cultural perspective.

What I enjoy the most of living in Spain

I love visiting museums, archaeological sites, discovering the gastronomy of the regions I visit and learning about the history of the place to better understand the people around me. When I'm not travelling, I like to read and watch films or historical series, and like most people, I also spend some time on social media. Instagram is my favourite one.