Eduardo from Brazil

Name: Eduardo Neto
Age: 28
City and country of origin: Porto Alegre, Brasil


1.When, where and for how long did you live or have you been living in Barcelona?

I´ve been living in Barcelona since october 2007. The first 4 months in Barceloneta, after that I lived near Sagrada Familia for almost an entire year, an then I came to live where I´m living now, near Sant Antoni market, in the Raval.


2.What made you move here?

I was looking for some changes in my life. I had a good life in Brazil, but I needed more than I already had. After many years studying and working in the things that I like (sound producer, music and others similar things) I found out that I didn't have enough possibilities to grow profesionally in those areas.
At the same time, I wasn't happy with other normal things about living in Brazil, such as personal security problems.


3.What made you stay?

I still have many things that I want to do here. I'm trying to reach the same regular life that I had there, working just with the music and living well with that and, after that, I want to go further, and really make a carreer as a musician. Barcelona is not the best place to do that, because here we have some stupid laws about live music, but it’s Europe, and Europe is better than Brazil in this aspect.
And of course, I have my girl here, and I don't wanna go anywhere without her. She has her things to do here, too and many of those things we are trying to do togheter. Almost everything related with audiovisual creations.


4.What you like the most about Barcelona?

The mix of cultures.
Almost everything happens here. Concerts, theatre, museums, sports...
The weather is very similar to my city in Brazil. But it almost never rains, which is a plus here.
It’s a small city, it’s easy to move from one side to another.


5.What you dislike the most about Barcelona?

The tourists. Not the normal ones, taking pictures and going to expensive restaurants.
I hate the kind of tourist that come here to do every kind of things that they cannot or they are affraid to do in their countries, such as screaming all night long on the streets, piss on the streets, put trash cans on fire, throw things on people from their hotel windows...


6. Name one special place in Barcelona.

Montjuic


7.Name one word you would relate to Barcelona

Mix.

Vania from Portugal

Name: Vânia Smeets

Age: 26

City and country of origin: Cascais, Portugal


1.When, where and for how long did you live or have you been living in Barcelona?

Approximately 3 years


2.What made you move here?

I came to study, I participated on a Master which consisted of 4 months in Barcelona and 4 months in The Netherlands. In the end I had to do a traineeship and had an opportunity to come back to Barcelona. Everything went well and I stayed in the company where I started with my internship.


3.What made you leave / stay?

In the beginning, the main reason for staying was work but in the end I met great people and my actual boyfriend so work, boyfriend and friends made me want to stay a while longer.


4.What you like the most about Barcelona.

People in general, the culture and also the feeling that it is not a suffocating city. There are options for everyone, various different places to visit at any time, several activities and choices.


5. What you dislike the most about Barcelona.

The constant hustle and bustle in the public transport and in the city center. Also the thiefs at the beach and the Gothic Area. Also, I hate the fact that everything is closed on Sundays.


6. Name a special place in Barcelona.

I was impressed with the quiet in the Plaza Sant Felip Neri, it is incredible how quiet it is in that square located in the middle of the city center. Also, I love the Parque del Laberinto, in Horta. It is very original and not so full of people.


7. Name one word you would relate to Barcelona.

Movement

Ali from the USA

Name: Ali Visconti

Age: 18

City and country of origin: San Diego, CA, USA



1.When, where and for how long did you live or have you been living in Barcelona?

Lived in Sabadell for 7 months, then moved to Barcelona (Sagrada Familia) and have been here for 4 months.





2.What made you move here?

People, food, art, culture. This city is one of a kind and moving here was one of the best decisions I have ever made.





3.What made you leave / stay?

Everything that made me want to move here was everything that wanted to make me stay.

I can't imagine being anywhere else...





4.What you like the most about Barcelona.

People-watching. Have you ever ridden the metro here?





5.What you dislike the most about Barcelona.

Stupid laws about having a "work visa" or a "residency".





6.Name one special place in Barcelona.

The beach at sunset. Nothing beats sitting in the sand, iPod on, and a beer in hand.


7.Name one word you would relate to Barcelona.

Home.

Roberto from Guatemala

Name: Roberto Ramírez Türckheim
Age: 28 years old
City and country of origin: Guatemala, Guatemala


1.When, where and for how long did you live or have you been living in Barcelona?

I’ve been living here for 2 years and 6 months, have moved about 7 times. Started in el Born and now I’m in Gracia.


2.What made you move here?

Better work and study oportunities.


3.What made you leave / stay?

I enjoy it here. It is such a cosmopolitan city, so many things to discover and enjoy.... and my life is here for now.


4.What you like the most about Barcelona.

It’s diversity of cultures and people, public transport, public cleaning services, castellers, the will of always being in the vanguard of technology, its barrios.


5.What you dislike the most about Barcelona.

Taxes! :D


6.Name a special place in Barcelona.

The beach in the winter.


7.Name one word you would relate to Barcelona.

Diversity

Slavik from Ukraine

Name:Slavik
Age:28
City and country of origin:
Zaporozhya, Ukraine

1.When, where and for how long did you live or have you been living in Barcelona?

6 months in 2005,Horta Guinardó and Eixample


2.What made you move here?

I was doing a project for a company over there.


3.What made you leave / stay?

I wanted to stay but could not figure out all the bureaucracy. Also I needed to finish my studies (which I could have done and wanted to do in Barcelona, but again, forests of bureaucracy).


4.What you like the most about Barcelona.

Almost everything, especially the people.


5.What you dislike the most about Barcelona.

Unaccounted homeless people.


6.Name one special place in Barcelona.

Montjuic


7.Name one word you would relate to Barcelona.

A dream

Kajsa from Sweden

Name: Kajsa Nilsson
Age: 28
City and country of origin: Malmö, Sweden, currently residing in London



1.When, where and for how long did you live or have you been living in Barcelona?

I lived in Born for 6 months in 2007.




2.What made you move here?

I had friends staying there.




3.What made you leave / stay?

I needed to get on with my career in London.




4.What you like the most about Barcelona.

The relaxed culture and the sea.




5.What you dislike the most about Barcelona.

The relaxed culture again : )
All administrative things are very slow and complicated.




6.Name a special place in Barcelona.

The restaurant El Xalet on Montjuic. Lovely food, great service and perhaps the best view of Barcelona when the sun sets.

Rebecca from Denmark/Spain

Name: Rebecca Watson

Age: 24

City and country of origin: Svendborg (Denmark) / Mallorca (Spain)





1.When, where and for how long did you live or have you been living in Barcelona?

I've lived in Barcelona for over 6 years, I've lived in several parts of the city, in student dorms and in student flats, all of them mainly around the Eixample.





2.What made you move here?

I was 18, and I had to choose where I wanted to continue with my education, I guess of all places I mainly chose Barcelona because I managed to get into the University I wanted, that it is not that far from home (Mallorca), and also because it has the sea.




3.What made you leave / stay?

I still haven't finished my studies, but even if I had, I think I would still be here, it is starting to be home to me, and I still haven't grown tired of this city, and it is full of opportunities.





4.What you like the most about Barcelona.

It's got everything, there is always somewhere you can go or something to do no matter what day or time it is.





5.What you dislike the most about Barcelona.

The "tourist-traps", that the beaches are dirty and that there is a lot of noise contamination.





6.Name a special place in Barcelona.

"L' Eina", it's nice to be out in the park there when there is good weather, just sit in the sun on the grass and relax, and the views are great, you can see most of Barcelona.





7.Name one word you would relate to Barcelona.

Ambiguous