I didn’t go to Gran Canaria for a vacation. I went there to live.
After spending my first year in Spain as an English language assistant in Almería, I applied to renew my contract for another school year. I’d already visited Spain several times since 2017, so choosing Spain again was an easy decision.
There was just one problem: a change in Andalucía meant language assistants could only stay in the region for one year. When it was time to submit my preferences for my second year, I put the Canary Islands at the top of my list. I didn’t specifically choose Gran Canaria. The program placed me there. Yet somehow, it ended up being exactly where I needed to be.
I had been ready to get out of the U.S. for a while and experience something different. By the time I arrived in Gran Canaria, I wasn’t nervous about moving abroad or starting over. This was my second year living in Spain, so I already knew the basics—finding an apartment, figuring out transportation, grocery shopping, meeting people, showing up for the first day of school, and generally figuring out how to make a new place feel normal.
I just didn’t know yet what living in Gran Canaria for eight months would actually feel like.
What It Was Like Working With Spanish Children
One of my favorite parts of living in Gran Canaria was working with children. I worked at two bilingual primary schools in the southern part of the island, mainly with children between the ages of 6 and 12. Occasionally, I also worked with younger children between 3 and 5.
Because the schools were bilingual, English was a big priority. My job was largely about getting the kids comfortable actually speaking English, not just memorizing vocabulary or completing worksheets. That meant games, activities, conversations, and plenty of opportunities for them to use English in a way that felt natural.
I also got to bring a little bit of American culture into the classroom. We talked about holidays, traditions, food, sports, music, and everyday life in the U.S. Honestly, I loved it!
There’s something special about watching a child suddenly understand something you’ve been trying to explain. And of course, working with kids also means there were plenty of funny moments that probably wouldn’t happen in an office job.
Teaching English was a big part of my experience living in Gran Canaria, and it gave me a completely different perspective on what everyday life on the island could look like.
Why I Didn’t Live in Las Palmas
When people hear “Gran Canaria,” they may immediately think of Las Palmas.
I actually lived in the southern part of the island and stayed much closer to my schools. That was a decision I was very happy with because, after spending the day working, the last thing I wanted to do was spend hours commuting just to get home. I could walk around my town for most of my everyday errands, which made life pretty easy.
Las Palmas was about an hour and fifteen minutes away by bus, while Maspalomas was roughly thirty minutes from where I lived. So while I didn’t make it to Las Palmas constantly, I still had plenty of opportunities to explore and spend time there.
And sometimes staying close to home was exactly what I needed. Not every weekend abroad has to involve an itinerary. Sometimes you work all week, go home, eat something good, watch TV, and enjoy the fact that you’re living in Spain.
Making Friends While Living in Gran Canaria
Moving somewhere new is exciting, but let’s be honest: making friends as an adult can be awkward. Thankfully, I wasn’t completely on my own.
There were group chats and other language assistants around the island, and every once in a while we’d meet up in Las Palmas for a girls’ day. We’d grab food and drinks, play games, hang out at the park, and just enjoy each other’s company.
One of the girls I met during that time ended up becoming a real friend. She eventually moved to Atlanta for graduate school, which meant we were able to see each other again after leaving Spain. That thought still makes me laugh a little. You can move halfway across the world and somehow end up making a friend who eventually moves to the same city you’re from.
Maybe the world isn’t quite as big as we think it is!
Carnaval in Las Palmas Was Something Else
If there is one thing I will never forget about living in Gran Canaria, it’s Carnaval.
It was honestly otherworldly.
I’ve experienced Mardi Gras in the U.S., so I had something to compare it to, but Carnaval in Las Palmas had its own completely different energy. The streets were packed, businesses closed, roads were shut down, and we even had days off from school because of the celebrations.
And it wasn’t just one big event happening in one place. Different cities around the island had their own celebrations at different times, so Carnaval seemed to keep going.
One of the highlights was seeing Ozuna perform at an outdoor stage that was free to the public.
And when I say packed, I mean PACKED. There were so many people that moving around was practically a group activity. But it was fun!
The only downside to the night was my friend and I discovering that taxis apparently were not going to be running for some reason. So instead of hopping into a cab, we walked almost an hour back to her apartment. Uphill. In the rain.
That was NOT fun. LOL
The Food I Kept Going Back For
Living in Gran Canaria definitely taught me something about myself: When I find a restaurant I love, I don’t necessarily need to keep looking for somewhere new. I’ll just go back.
TKO Tacos was one of those places.
Good Mexican food can be really difficult to find in Spain, so when I discovered a place serving €1 tacos, I was sold. I ate there often and pretty much had my order memorized.
My usual combo was the Alambre de Pollo taco, a Cochinada taco, and a Calabacín taco. To drink, I’d go with a guava Jarritos or a margarita. And yes, I realize that’s a very specific order. But when you find something that hits the spot, why mess with it?
I also loved Hatuey Buffet Cubano, where I would usually get carne mechada, yuca, congris rice, and fried plantains. That meal hit the spot every single time. I don’t believe in pretending I tried the entire menu when I clearly found my favorites and stuck with them. LOL
The Night My Apartment Flooded
Not every Gran Canaria memory involves beaches and Carnaval. There was also the night my apartment flooded.
It happened after a huge tropical storm. Nothing serious happened to me, but water managed to get under my front door and through my kitchen window. I had thought the window was completely closed, but apparently it wasn’t as secure as I thought. I woke up the next morning to water covering a good portion of the floor. It had even made its way underneath my couch.
Thankfully, there was no carpet, so at least I wasn’t dealing with that particular nightmare. I grabbed my mop and the couple of towels I had, and my neighbor brought over more towels to help. After that, whenever there was heavy rain, I started putting towels along the bottom of the front door.
Was it slightly dramatic? Maybe. Did I care? Absolutely not. Once you’ve woken up to water creeping across your apartment floor, you become a towel-under-the-door kind of person. LOL
The People Who Made Gran Canaria Feel Like Home
If I had to choose the biggest surprise from my time in Gran Canaria, it wouldn’t be the beaches or the weather. It would be how genuinely kind people were to me. From the moment I landed, I felt welcomed and supported.
The director from one of my schools picked me up from the airport. My Airbnb host gave me suggestions for places to see. A potential landlord showed me around the town and continued checking in with me even after I decided to rent somewhere else.
When I moved into my apartment, my new neighbors helped me move in and even made me lunch. My landlord also lowered the rent to make it more affordable. At school, the teachers were kind and helpful, and I never felt like I had been dropped into a completely unfamiliar environment without anyone to turn to. Even walking around by myself felt comfortable.
That feeling of being welcomed is something I don’t take for granted.
Speaking Spanish While Living in Spain
Moving to Spain wasn’t my first experience with Spanish.
I graduated from college with a degree in Spanish, so I already had a pretty good foundation before I moved to Gran Canaria.
But there’s a difference between the Spanish many Americans learn in school and the Spanish spoken in Spain.
Some words, expressions, accents, and pronunciations were different from what I was used to hearing in Latin American Spanish. Every once in a while, I’d hear something and think, Okay…I know Spanish, but what exactly did you just say? LOL
Still, communication was never a major issue. One thing I found especially endearing was how often locals wanted to practice their English with me. I’d be ready to use my Spanish, and sometimes the other person would be just as eager to practice English. So we’d basically meet somewhere in the middle!
My Favorite Places Around Gran Canaria
I didn’t spend all eight months constantly sightseeing, but there were a few places around Gran Canaria that really stood out to me.
Maspalomas & Playa del Inglés
Maspalomas was only about thirty minutes away from where I lived by bus, so it was one of the easier places for me to visit. My favorite beach there was Playa del Inglés. In general, I prefer sand beaches compared to pebble beaches (which is what I had closer to me), so I didn’t mind the commute .
The biggest attraction, of course, is the famous nature reserve sand dunes that span over 1000 acres.
The area is very touristy, so I generally preferred staying closer to the beach rather than spending a lot of time shopping or wandering around the restaurant areas. Sometimes I just wanted to sit by the water and enjoy the fact that this was my life for a while.
Puerto de Mogán
Puerto de Mogán was another favorite.
It’s a beautiful little seaside town nicknamed “Little Venice” because of its canals and picturesque waterfront.
I went for the scenery and stayed for the sunset. The weather was perfect, the town was beautiful, and it was one of those days where you don’t need to do much for it to feel memorable.
What Living in Gran Canaria Was Really Like
After eight months of living in Gran Canaria, I can honestly say that everyday life felt much more normal than I expected. Of course, I was still living on an island in Spain, so there were beaches, beautiful weather, Carnaval, and plenty of places to explore. But most days weren’t some nonstop vacation.
I had to go to work. I grocery shopped. I cooked. I did laundry. I caught the bus. I dealt with apartment issues. I had lazy weekends when I didn’t feel like going anywhere. But that’s actually one of the things I loved most about living in Gran Canaria. Eventually, the island stopped feeling like somewhere I was visiting and started feeling like somewhere I lived.
I had my favorite restaurants, places I knew how to get to without checking Google Maps, people I could call, routines I recognized, and a neighborhood that felt familiar. That’s the difference between traveling somewhere and actually living there. You stop asking, “What should I see?” and start asking, “What do I feel like doing today?”
For me, that was when Gran Canaria really started to feel like home.
Would I Recommend Living in Gran Canaria?
Absolutely! And that’s probably the simplest way I can put it.
I went to Gran Canaria because a program placed me there. I stayed because I was having an amazing experience. I loved working with the children. I loved the weather, the food, Carnaval, the friendships I made, and the feeling of being able to walk around and feel comfortable on my own.
Of course, living abroad isn’t perfect. There were rainy days, long bus rides, apartment problems, homesickness, and the occasional What exactly am I doing here? moment. But that’s part of the experience.
The hardest part was eventually having to say goodbye to the people I’d met and built relationships with. At the same time, I left knowing that goodbye didn’t necessarily mean forever. I can always go back. And honestly, I hope I do.
Gran Canaria Chose Me
I didn’t choose Gran Canaria. I chose Spain. I put the Canary Islands on my preference list. And then a program basically said, Surprise! You’re going to Gran Canaria.
Looking back, I’m incredibly grateful they did.
My eight months there gave me experiences I couldn’t have planned, friendships I didn’t expect, memories I’ll always have, and another reminder that sometimes the best adventures aren’t the ones you carefully plan.
They’re the ones that happen because life makes the decision for you.