It’s that time of week again!  Time for ‘So You’re Dating a Spaniard’!  This week’s interview is with Kristina, a girl from Upstate NY who is going to tell us about her relationship with Brandon.  Kristina and I met through a bagel sale (I sound like a drug dealer) and we have followed each other on Instagram and chatted back and forth through messages.  She’s down to earth, funny, and she and Brandon look so cute together!  I think you’ll see all of that through her responses.  Here we go!

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• Please introduce yourself. What’s your name?  Where are you from?  How old are you?  How long have you been living in Spain (if you live in Spain)?  What do you do?  Where do you live?  What are your hobbies?

Hi! I’m Kristina, a 26 year-old from a quaint town in Upstate, NY. I’ve been living in Madrid for just over 3 years now, teaching English like a lot of other Americans. I’ve always lived in Madrid centro but this past year I lived in Alcobendas with my boyfriend, where he grew up.

• Introduce your pareja (boyfriend/ girlfriend). What’s his/ her name?  How old is he/she?  What does he/she do?  Where does he/she live?

My pareja’s name is Brandon (so Spanish, I know). He’s turning 23 this July and studies International Commerce at a vocational school in Alcobendas. He graduates next week!

• When and how did you two meet? Give us the details  ; )

…He was one of my students. Yup. I never like answering that question because at first it sounds like I should be in jail but it’s actually a cute story. I taught at a vocational school where most of the students were my age or even older so I promise our relationship is totally legal! Ha. Anyway, we secretly liked each other since the start of the school year but he is a very shy person and also never had the chance to talk to me alone. One day we ran into each other on the metro on the way to class and started talking. A few weeks later he found me on Instagram, we started messaging back and forth, and the rest is history.

• When did you first start dating?

We started dating in May 2017. I lived near Madrid Rio and I invited him to the farmers market in El Matadero (food trucks, beer, music…highly recommend!) and he asked me to be his girlfriend that same day. We had to keep it secret until school got out.

• What do you and your pareja like to do together for fun?

We love to go to the gym together, go for walks, and most importantly, EAT. We love food and we’re always trying new places or revisiting our favorites. We also like to cook at home. We probably spend half our time goofing around doing weird dances and singing songs.

• What’s are some of the differences you’ve noticed between dating someone from a different culture vs. someone from your own culture?

We generally share the same values, opinions, customs etc. so honestly it doesn’t feel like I’m dating someone from another culture aside from the obvious language difference.

• What’s the best thing about being with your pareja?

Just being together and feeling completely comfortable being ourselves. When you and your pareja aren’t from the same country, just being together feels like a blessing!

• What’s the biggest miscommunication you’ve ever had? Any really awkward moments?

Luckily we haven’t had any major miscommunications, although one time I said something about Cher and he said he didn’t know who she was. I was in disbelief so I told him to look her up on Google. He saw the picture and said “Ahhh, CHAIR!” Sure. Chair.

• What language do you speak in?

We speak in Spanish, although occasionally he tells me he wants to practice English so we do. That’s a good thing because he needs to be able to communicate with my family!

• What is something (or a few things) you have struggled with in your relationship that is due to the fact that you’re from different places?

Hm…I think the only problem for me has been homesickness. This year I couldn’t go home at all and it was really rough for me, especially during the holidays. This is something that is often a problem in international relationships because one person usually makes the sacrifice to be away from their family. However, I know he would do the same for me.

• Has your pareja ever been to your hometown? What was that like?

Yes! Last summer he visited the US for the first time when he spent 2 and a half weeks at my parents’ house. My parents love him! I was so glad I could show him my hometown, have him try my favorite foods, meet my friends, family, etc. And best of all, he fell in love with my quaint little town and is coming back again this summer for 2 whole months!

• Have you ever met your pareja’s family? What was it like?  Were you nervous?

I remember when I first met his Mom. We all had lunch together at his house and I brought a fruit salad. I was nervous until I saw how nice she was. Later that same day I met his Dad when he got home from work and he was just as nice.

• What is your biggest pet peeve about dating someone from another culture? (Don’t worry, we all have them!)

I love dating Brandon because even though he’s from Spain he doesn’t have all the quirks that bug me about many Spaniards, like swearing all the time, partying, smoking and lack of punctuality (I’m generalizing, don’t mean to offend anyone!)

So, I guess I didn’t really answer this question haha.

• In an ideal world, where would you both live?

In an ideal world I think we would live in the US even though it’s not the perfect country. He really likes it here and I would like to live close to my family. Also the lack of customer service in Spain just gets to me haha. But we will always come back to visit!

• Any funny stories, cute moments, etc. that you want to tell from your relationship? Just to give us a peek into your day-to-day life!

When he came to the US to visit, he was about to meet my Mom and he pulled me aside and asked me “How many kisses is it here?” expecting to do the dos besos that they do in Spain. I said “zero kisses!” but it was such a cute question. Another time, we went to the mall here and he went off on his own for a bit because he wanted to put his English to the test. When we met up again he told me he had told an employee he was looking for “trousers” and that the employee didn’t know what he meant. That’s what happens when they teach you British English! Now he knows to say “pants.”

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Thank you for participating, Kristina and Brandon!  I loved reading your responses and since I follow you on Instagram, I loved being able to get a deeper glimpse into your lives (that sounded creepy, sorry).  The last story about how many besos absolutely cracked me up- I always practice the dos besos with people before they are going to meet Luis!  Thanks again and have a wonderful summer!