There are many reasons why locals can help you settle in Gran Canaria. Many newcomers arrive with the idea of just lying on the beach, enjoying the weather they never had at home, while earning some money in an area they are comfortable with. They, however miss most of the cultural festivities, where most of the locals get together. This denies them the opportunity to mix and mingle among them and get to know the island in its full glory.
One thing you must have noticed while living on the island, while trying to settle in Gran Canaria, is that most of the locals cherish their origins, customs, culture and their climate to the point of even having their holidays either in the south of Gran Canaria, just visiting a neighbouring island like Tenerife, Lanzarote or going ‘as far as’ La Palma. Although this gives newcomers the impression that they are not open minded enough, they can actually tell you about all the different streets and villages within the island and their experiences in each one of these little places, where they have been, giving those that know less about the island a chance to find out.
One enjoyable way of getting out and about, while you settle in Gran Canaria, is researching the different areas of Gran Canaria, and finding out what they are renowned for. For example, Guía is well known for its cheese, Teror for its chorizo, Agaete for its oranges as well as its fresh fish, just like Arguineguín and El Puerto de Mogán. All of these places retain their unique history, architecture and their festivities including Canarian folkloric music and dancing for everyone to enjoy and have an opportunity to mingle. If you go to El Barranco Los Cernícalos, past Telde, for example, you will find it is an amazing place to go hiking, and if you want to go to the Barranco de Guayadeque, past Carrizal, you will have the opportunity to eat amazing Canarian food in the cave house restaurants there.
As a final piece of advice, everyone who explores more of the island, learns of its unique landscape, but more importantly it offers an opportunity to learn about the way the real locals lead their lives. It really is a pity when visitors just stick to Playa del Inglés or Puerto Rico simply because there are more English speakers in those areas. This can lead you to having a sense of living in a really tiny enclosed space, lacking in new opportunities which allow you to expand your mind and mingle with a different type of crowd.
