Moving from the city to the countryside can change everything, and even more so with the unsustainable housing situation in Spain. Fernando and his family confirmed this when leaving Barcelona and they settled among the Greeks, a small Teruel town of barely 80 inhabitants. “We found an ad on the Internet and decided to visit the city one weekend We spoke with the counselor and he told us ‘you can stay here, you don’t need to look any further’,” Fernando said in Stray animals.
The change of life meant not only peace of mind, but also economic relief. “Now we are pay 150 eurosIn theory, it was 250, but having two children in school, they reduced us by 50 euros for each. It’s a kind of politics to attract people“, he explains. The house belongs to the Town Hall, and the family was responsible for fitting out the kitchen, the cost of which is deducted from the rent.
Previously, Fernando’s routine at Barcelona was intense and expensive. “My life before was stressful. I left, arrived late, two hours of traffic jam… typical of a big city. He had a small construction company and I paid a mortgage of 1,500 euros“, remember.
The children found in Griegos a much more relaxed environment close to nature. “They are very happy and delighted with life,” their parents say. Additionally, they attend a very small school, which depends on maintaining a minimum number of students. “There are 13 of us in total, including the smallest. If there are not at least three, the school must close and they will go to the nearest one. It’s difficult to reopen it if that happens,” one of the guardians said.
Despite the challenges and distance from town for basic things just like when making a purchase, the family considers their decision to be positive. THE peace of mind, savings and opportunities to raise their children in a safe environment outweighed the disadvantages. For Fernando, Griegos is not just a change of address: it is a new beginning that maintains the hope of small towns in the face of rural abandonment.
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