“Barcelona kept getting smaller, I needed a change”

I’m 18 years old. My father was born and raised in the U.K. and my mother in Spain. I enjoy photography as well as writing. I moved to London four months ago. Politics? Left-wing. Beliefs? I don’t believe in religions but I do think there’s something more powerful than all of us.

Why London?

Many people believe I moved to London because my dad is British. They’re wrong. I studied in a couple of British schools in Barcelona since I was little, but that wasn’t what I think really made me chose London. It was the freedom.

What do you mean by freedom?

Barcelona appears to be bigger than it really is. It’s actually really small and the area which I used to live in was even smaller. Everybody knows everybody and nobody minds their own business… That really conditions your life.

Conditions in what way?

It’s kind of hard to explain… The way you dress, what you do or say. If you are yourself, you instantly become at risk of being judged or talked about.

Did that ever happen to you?

No. Not to me thank god, but it did happen to a couple friends of mine. They where talked about and critiqued by people they didn’t even know personally.

So do you get that sense of freedom now?

Yes! Here everybody has the freedom to express themselves and be whoever they want to be, and they’re admired because of it.

Have you noticed more differences in comparison to your hometown?

The weather for sure! I thought I was ready for it when I moved here, but I don’t think you’re ever really ready for such a change. In Barcelona it’s weird if it rains, it’s always so sunny… In London the weird thing is when the sun comes up. That sometimes really changes my mood.

But you feel happy living here, right?

Overall yes, of course. There’s plenty of things to do here, you can’t get bored. I sometimes get homesick though, I miss my family.

I suppose you have a good relationship with your parents?

Yes… More with my mother than with my father though, they got divorced when I was young and I always had a stronger connection with her.

How old where you?

I was five, so I was really young to remember them being really together. I’m actually grateful that they split, I feel like it would’ve been worse to have my parents arguing all day throughout my whole childhood.

So you grew up going back and forth between both of them?

Yeah, I would go back and forth between my mums house and my dads house, I got used to it quickly, my older sister not so much.

You have an older sister?

Olivia is 20 and she’s my only sister. I feel like for her it was harder, because she was older and has had always more kinship with my dad than I did.

Do you guys have a good relationship?

Right now we do! Of course we get into our little arguments and fights, but nothing unusual. We really love each other and I mostly see her as a friend.

Thank you for your honesty… What’s your favourite thing about living in London?

I have many… The diversity, I guess. Spain lacks a lot from it. London is a mix of cultures, styles and people. It’s beautiful to see.