crunch time Spain vs UK
 

Hi everyone
I've been in Barcelona 10 years now and pretty much from year 3 or 4 have been planning a move back to London, everyone knows how the world (especially Europe) has changed for the worse in this time, a relatively short few years. Not having the proverbial crystal ball has meant I made bad choices and stayed too long, not seeing what was ahead and now feel that it's too late, I know I'm not alone there.

Over these years I've posted about the various problems here in Spain, especially Barcelona mostly to do with illegal practices and mafia style way of living, along with job issues (this was well before Spain hit headlines with the so-called "la crisis"). My intended move back was made all the more emotional due to my immediate family living here (my dad is Spanish) and despite many moments of desperation to get back home, my heart strings were pulled back here.

Recently I found myself in yet another awful situation with my employer (yet another illegal one here who refuses to put staff into the system) and I am now on the verge of starting another job with a proper Spanish company, although I've had so-called indefinite contracts before and still got abused by the employer. Theoretically I could stay here with this job and be part of the tax system again, even though it's not what I want to do at all. At present I am trying to keep doors open until crunch time.

However as with all other posters living in this bankrupt country with the sun (no, that doesn't make life any easier!), I have been trying to sell our centrally located flat for over 2 years on and off and have dropped the price accordingly. It terrifies me that we can never sell and have all our money and savings tied up in a sinking ship. We also have it up for rent so we can leave by end of October but that too is a major worry as there are many horror stories of tenants not paying rent and we will need the money to live in London, without this we are stuck here forever.

For the first time in years I am beginning to feel truly helpless and it's affected my health and mind very badly. If we manage to rent then we are losing any chance to buy again in London and will no doubt have this flat for at least another 5 years or more, by which time we will be too old to do anything.

I am willing to start the new job and stick with it for another 6 months to try to sell it but worry things could get even worse in this time and just don't know what is best.

I also read so much negativity about the UK but in all honesty, life here is not great here and I lived a very unstable lifestyle here for many years before things got bad, I think I'd rather be miserable back in London which is at least my home, something that Barcelona has never really been despite having been coming here all my life, I still see the beauty here but it's not enough any more.

I realise there are no answers and time will make decisions for me but it's always good to get thoughts out there to try to make sense of things!

Re: crunch time Spain vs UK
 

It can indeed be difficult when one's family is living in more than one country. Outsiders think it's so interesting and/or glamorous to have close relatives scattered over the globe, but it can cause real heartache, especially as we (and they) grow older.

I hope you can figure out & implement a viable plan, PISpain.

Re: crunch time Spain vs UK
 

100%

Re: crunch time Spain vs UK
 

What's worrying is the state of your physical and mental health as you describe it in your post.

I do think its this aspect of the dilemma that you find yourself in that needs to be addressed as an absolute priority.

When we've been through trying times in the past I've always tried to count my blessings and it does help!

As does accepting that sometimes, we can't change things. They are what they are and all we can do is change the way we respond to them.

Many, many people are in a similar situation to you these days. Properties aren't selling, jobs are hard to come by and when life throws you that curve ball, its hard.

Very hard indeed.

All you can do is hope for the best, prepare for the worst and look after your loved ones - and yourself.