I've taken quite a few Blablacar
(car-sharing website) trips since moving here in 2013. My Spanish is
at a level where I can converse with the other passengers fairly
easily. One of the most common reasons Spanish people use Blablacar
on weekends is to see their partner. Many, many people here are
forced to seek work outside of their hometown, thus putting distance
between couples. Some take Blablacar for hours, one direction, just
to be able to spend a couple of days together. I recall meeting one
man from a tiny town near Jaén, visiting his pregnant wife every
week, while she worked in Madrid. His story is one of many.
My spanish friend Vic is an English
teacher, who receives a new placement every year. Her life is similar
to anyone's in the NALCA program, except she stays in her chosen
region (Andalucía) and changes cities, whereas for us auxiliaries region placement can be a craps game. Her difficulty in maintaining a
long-term romantic relationship stresses her out. She'd like to stay
in her hometown and establish something, but it would require taking
difficult career tests that she has no appetite for. So she continues with
the instability of her career and personal life.
Do long-distance relationships work?
Looking at how many Spaniards do it, you would think it's possible.
Based on personal experience, and survey results, I vote
probably not. Although I only tried it once, and it was with a dude I
met at a rave, and it was only 3 weeks after we met that it was over
so..... that's been my one and only experience.
I asked a friend, who travels a lot
both for work and pleasure, if it's possible for someone with his
lifestyle to have a long-term relationship. He believes so, if the
person is understanding and has a similar lifestyle as him. It's a
difficult thing for a single person to keep aligned: a love for
travel and a desire for a stable relationship.
