Do YOU still live with your parents?

by Kristin Kradolfer

Miguel Pazos, 27 and program analyst from Sanicharro, comes home around 6pm. He goes directly to Karate class or to see his girlfriend Paola. He returns around 9 pm and has dinner. Miguel seems like a typical American 27 year old, he has a professional job and a great social life. The only difference is that he lives with his parents. When he comes home to eat, his dinner is already made for him, it is cooked and waiting for him on a plate, all he has to do is heat it up. After it is ready he usually sits in the living room talking with his parents or in his bedroom. When he is finished he puts his plate into the dishwasher and starts the dishwasher. It seems like Miguel has the perfect life, but does he see it that way?


"I'm not going to begin to develop as a person until I begin to take care of myself," he begins strongly, "I don't want anyone to take care of me except for me!"

 The fact is that Spaniards do seem to feel a bit pulled between the convenience of living at home and leaving home to become independent. The average age in Spain to leave home is between 25 and 30, with a considerable amount of people living at home well into their thirties. It isn't only the economic difficulty of renting a flat or the convenience of living with their parents that keeps them at home, but there also seems to be a strong cultural process at work, a set of expectations that one should study first, find a job, become financially established and finally move out. This process can take many years and most Spaniards seem to be only half-way through the process.

The typical Spaniard may have a professional job, a boyfriend/girlfriend, a new car, an I-phone and live at home with their parents and siblings.

Ainhoa is a blond 25 year old Spanish woman who earns 1000 euros a month working for a multinational company. She lives with her parents but desperately wants to move in with her boyfriend. She highlights the challenges many Spaniards have with the economic logistics in finding their own apartment.

In addition to this she points out the fact that most Spaniards earn a low salary despite working a professional job.

 "I tried to rent a flat, but it's too difficult," she complains, "The owner requires a guarantee from the bank, a contract for a long period of time, and a large deposit. That's a lot of things just to rent a flat". "If I moved in with my boyfriend, my entire salary would go to the flat. I will have to pay for the things I do for fun and for my flat. I would, of course, save money by living with my boyfriend but I think it would end up being a difficult situation".

For others it is an issue of feeling almost too comfortable at home. Cristina Fernandez Espinosa 17, likes living at home and doesn't plan to move out any time soon. She doesn't have a curfew, and although she doesn't drink much alcohol when she goes out she doesn't usually arrive home until 3.00 or 5.00 in the morning. She has freedom and not much responsibility at home.

"My mother cooks and cleans the clothes and my parents give me money," she says, "I'm not allowed to have parties at home, and boyfriends aren't allowed at home, but I think when I'm older if I have a serious relationship my boyfriend might be able to spend the night".

The cultural process of leaving home is famous for being a slow one. Not many Spaniards are fully independent until they are well into their thirties, often taking tiny steps the whole way. Andres Rodriguez, 27 a student from Tres Cantos studying to be an English teacher, is someone who felt the need to move out of his parents house, so he did, right into his 63 year old aunt's house.

"I think by living with my aunt I will feel less invaded," he supposes, "I need my space. I don't like having to give explanations anymore. I don't like those little things that they ask, where are you going, when will you be home?".

However, Pablo Espinar Plitt, 28, a digital manager from an advertising company who earns 1100 euros a month doesn't believe that living away from home makes you independent.

"Having independence is not that same as being independent," he states strongly. "Being independent is having your own car, buying your own clothes and paying your own mobile phone bill", he goes on to add, "it means knowing the value of these different aspects of life, of cleaning, of ironing, of knowing how much the electricity and water costs."

How much does Pablo's electricity cost? "273 euros," he says, quoting his last three-month electricity bill without hesitation.