When I left Bristol three years ago, with my then-eight-year-old son tucked beside me on that easyJet flight to Seville, I had no idea whether I was making the best decision of my life or the biggest mistake. Single parenting is challenging anywhere, but doing it in a foreign country where you don't speak the language fluently and have no established support network? That felt utterly terrifying.

Today, as I write this from our sunny flat in the Triana district, with the sounds of flamenco guitar drifting up from the street below, I can honestly tell you: it was absolutely the right choice. It hasn't been easy, and there have been moments when I've questioned everything, but my son and I have built something beautiful together here. If you're a single parent considering making the leap to Spain, this is the honest story of how we did it.

I spent months researching different Spanish cities before settling on Seville. Barcelona felt too expensive and touristy. Madrid seemed overwhelming for just the two of us. Valencia was lovely, but didn't quite feel right. Seville, though? Seville called to me for several practical reasons that mattered as a single parent.

The cost of living was manageable on my online teaching income. I could afford a two-bedroom flat in a good neighbourhood for roughly what I'd been paying for a one-bedroom in Bristol. The weather meant my son could play outside year-round, which is brilliant when you're the only parent and need to tire out an energetic kid. The city felt safe, walkable, and welcoming. Plus, there's something about Andalusian culture that's naturally child-friendly. People here don't just tolerate children; they genuinely seem to enjoy having them around.

But here's the thing I didn't fully appreciate until we arrived: Seville moves at a slower pace than UK cities. As a single parent constantly juggling work, childcare, household tasks, and trying to maintain some semblance of a social life, that slower pace became my lifeline. The Spanish approach to work-life balance isn't just a cliché. It's real, and it's wonderful.

I won't sugarcoat it. Those first months were rough. I'd arranged everything I could from the UK: found our flat through an expat Facebook group, enrolled my son in an international school, and set up my online teaching schedule. But nothing truly prepares you for the reality of navigating a new country alone with a child.

My son struggled initially. He missed his friends, his grandparents, his familiar routines. There were tears at bedtime and mornings when he begged not to go to school. I also faced my own challenges: navigating the Spanish healthcare system, understanding banking procedures, learning which shops closed during siesta and which remained open, and managing the time difference for my UK-based teaching clients.

The language barrier proved to be more challenging than I'd anticipated. My Spanish was intermediate at best, sufficient for ordering coffee but woefully inadequate for navigating bureaucracy or medical appointments. I remember sitting in the paediatrician's office during our first visit, desperately trying to explain my son's mild asthma with my limited vocabulary, feeling like I was failing him.

But something shifted around the three-month mark. My son made his first real friend at school, a lovely Spanish boy who lived in our building. Suddenly, he had a reason to practice his Spanish and someone to play football with in the courtyard. I connected with another British mum at school pickup who became my first genuine friend here. We started meeting for coffee while our kids played, sharing tips, commiserating about bureaucracy, and gradually building the support network I'd been desperately missing.

As a single parent, your support network isn't a luxury; it's essential survival infrastructure. Back in Bristol, I had my mum for emergency childcare and my sister for emotional support, as well as friends from university who understood my situation. In Seville, I had to build everything from scratch.

Here's what worked for us:

School Community

The international school was worth every euro. Not just for my son's education, but for the instant community of other expat families. The WhatsApp parent groups became invaluable for everything from playdates to recommendations for English-speaking doctors. Several families were also single-parent families, which helped me feel less alone in my situation.

After-School Activities

I enrolled my son in local football and swimming classes. These weren't international programs; they were with Spanish kids from the neighbourhood. It forced both of us to improve our Spanish and helped us integrate into the local community. The football coach, Miguel, became unexpectedly supportive, often staying late to chat about how my son was settling in.

Expat Meetups

Seville has active expat communities on Facebook and Meetup. I joined a "Single Parents in Seville" group and attended my first meetup, terrified but determined. These people got it. They understood the unique challenges of parenting alone in a foreign country. We organized weekend activities where our kids could play together while we shared experiences and advice.

Neighbours

Spanish neighbours are genuinely warm once you make the effort. Our downstairs neighbour, Carmen, a grandmother whose own family lives in Madrid, has become like a surrogate abuela to my son. She taught him to make tortilla española and occasionally watches him for a few hours when I have important work calls. I help her with her English lessons and bring her British tea. It's a lovely exchange.

Choosing the right school was probably my most significant decision after deciding to move. I toured both international and bilingual state schools before settling on an international school that follows the British curriculum.

Here's my honest assessment:

International School Pros:

•        Continuity in curriculum made the transition easier

•        Built-in expat community

•        English-speaking teachers and parents

•        More flexibility around single-parent schedules

•        Understanding of expat challenges

International School Cons:

•        Expensive (around €600-800 monthly for primary)

•        Less Spanish language immersion

•        Can feel like a bubble separate from Spanish culture

The Spanish state system is excellent and free, but as a single parent working UK hours online, the international school's longer days and more flexible schedule worked better for us. Spanish schools often finish at 2 pm, which would have been impossible with my teaching schedule. The international school offers after-school care until 6 pm, which allowed me to actually complete my workday.

That said, I supplemented his education with Spanish lessons and insisted my son join local sports teams to ensure he wasn't living entirely in an English-speaking bubble. Balance has been key.

As an online English teacher, I already had location flexibility, which made this move possible. But teaching from Spain brought unexpected challenges and benefits.

The time difference means I'm teaching UK morning classes from 9-11 am Spanish time, which is perfect for after-school drop-off. UK evening classes are a little more challenging. I've structured my schedule around single-parent life: I avoid classes during Spanish lunch hours so I can be available if school calls, and I keep weekends mostly free for family time.

Income-wise, I earn pounds while spending euros. When I first moved, the exchange rate was brilliant and I felt genuinely well-off for the first time in years. It has fluctuated since then, but overall, my quality of life has improved dramatically. Our rent is half what it was in Bristol, food is cheaper, and many children's activities cost a fraction of UK prices.

The biggest financial consideration was taxes. As a UK citizen working online for UK clients but resident in Spain, I needed to understand both systems. I invested in a good gestor (Spanish accountant) who specializes in expats. Worth every penny to avoid making costly mistakes with either tax authority.

The Spanish healthcare system is excellent, but navigating it initially was daunting. As a UK citizen post-Brexit, I needed private health insurance to get residency. I chose a plan that covers both my son and me for around €150 per month, which is far less than UK private insurance.

The service has been brilliant. Our GP speaks English, appointments are easy to book, and there's no waiting weeks to see specialists, unlike back home. When my son needed his asthma medication adjusted, we saw a paediatrician within days.

Other practical lessons I learned:

•        Get your NIE (Spanish ID number) immediately. You need it for everything.

•        Open a Spanish bank account quickly. International transfers get expensive. Wise and N26 are also great alternatives.

•        Learn about the local pharmacy system. Prescriptions work differently here.

•        Register at your local ayuntamiento (town hall). It helps with school enrollment and other services.

•        Join expat groups like MeetUp.com or Internations.org. They're goldmines for building friendships and practical advice.

I won't lie. There were moments of intense loneliness, especially in the early months. Sunday afternoons were the hardest. In Bristol, we often visited family or met friends at the park. Here, Sundays initially felt endless and empty.

I missed having someone to share parenting decisions with, to debrief with after a tough day, to celebrate the small victories. When my son scored his first goal in football here, I was so proud but acutely aware that his dad wasn't there to see it, and I had no one to share the joy with immediately.

But gradually, that loneliness transformed into something else: confidence. I was doing this. We were doing this. Every bureaucratic hurdle I overcame, every Spanish conversation I successfully navigated, every friendship I built, proved I was capable of far more than I'd believed.

My son became more independent, resilient, and culturally aware. He's now genuinely bilingual, switching effortlessly between English and Spanish. He has learned to adapt, to make friends despite language barriers, and to be curious about different ways of living. These are gifts I could never have given him in Bristol.

Looking back, I'd make a few changes if I could start over:

•        I'd invest in intensive Spanish lessons before moving. My rudimentary Spanish skills initially held us back.

•        I'd have visited Seville several times before committing, and explored different neighbourhoods more thoroughly.

•        I'd have connected with other single-parent expats online before arriving, so I'd have at least one contact from day one.

•        I'd have been more patient with my son's adjustment period instead of panicking every time he struggled.

•        I'd have researched child psychologists who speak English beforehand, just in case we needed support.

It depends entirely on your situation, but here's my honest take on who might thrive here:

Seville Works Well If You:

•        Have reliable remote income or substantial savings

•        Are comfortable with ambiguity and problem-solving

•        Want a slower pace of life

•        Value outdoor living and good weather

•        Are willing to learn Spanish (essential for true integration)

•        Can handle being far from family and friends

It's Challenging If You:

•        Need immediate, on-the-ground family support

•        Struggle with change and uncertainty

•        Have children with complex special needs requiring English-speaking specialists

•        Cannot afford an international school and need a free Spanish school, but work UK or international hours

•        Expect everything to work exactly like your home country

Three years in, our life in Seville feels genuinely settled. My son is thriving. He's confident, bilingual, culturally adaptable, and has a close-knit group of friends from both school and the neighbourhood. He still misses his UK grandparents, but regular video calls and yearly visits maintain those connections.

I've built a strong support network. I have genuine friends here, both expat and Spanish. I've improved my Spanish from intermediate to quite good. I finally feel like I understand how things work, from navigating bureaucracy to knowing where to find authentic jamón ibérico.

Our daily rhythm has found its groove. Morning school run, teaching from my sunny balcony, afternoon school pickup, homework, and football practice. In the evening, we have family dinners where we practice Spanish phrases together, followed by bedtime stories in both languages. Weekends exploring Andalusian pueblos blancos or enjoying Seville's incredible parks and playgrounds.

It's not always easy. I still have moments where I miss UK familiarity, where bureaucracy frustrates me, and where I feel the weight of solo parenting. However, those moments are far outweighed by the joy of our lives here: the sunshine, the vibrant culture, the sense of possibility, and the pride in what we've built together.

Single parenting abroad isn't for everyone, and that's perfectly okay. It requires flexibility, resilience, financial stability, and a genuine willingness to step outside your comfort zone. But if you have those things, if you're drawn to the idea despite the fear, it might just be the best decision you ever make.

My son and I took a leap of faith together, and we caught each other. We built a new life from scratch in a beautiful city that welcomed us.

We proved to ourselves that we were braver and more capable than we knew.

If you're reading this and wondering whether you could do it too, I want you to know: you can. It won't be perfect. There will be hard days and homesick moments. But there will also be magical Sunday afternoons in Plaza de España, watching your child confidently order ice cream in Spanish, realizing that this scary leap has given both of you gifts you never imagined.

Seville isn't just where my son and I live now. It's where we discovered who we could become.

Written by Hannah Porter

Bristol native Hannah is an online English teacher raising her son in Seville. Her writing captures the real challenges and triumphs of single-parent expat life. With warmth and humor, she guides readers through education options, cultural adaptation, and the beauty of bold choices.

📍 From Bristol, now in Seville
Hannah writes from the heart about single parenting abroad, exploring education, culture, and building community in a new country.
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