jobhunter

Yes... can I just give my opinion on Alfas del Pi - where I lived for the worst year of my life. I realise that this is purely my opinion - but I have never ever met as many unpleasant (British) people in my life. The place is full of the nasty type of expat who works as minimally as possible then spends the rest of the day in the pub. There is the worst kind of village mentality amonsgt the expat community (gossip) the schools are full of bullying, and the place closes from Saturady lunchtime until monday morning. The only work available for non Spanish speakers will be telesales, selling timeshare under the guise of ´holidays´on the phone for your cocaine addicted boss....uuuighh. Please try somewhere else - Javea Denia etc, nicer people and more work available!

montgomail

I have to say that I have met some very dodgy expats in Denia - and not just Brits either. Maybe expats are the same the world over?

lynnxa

plenty of dodgy people here, too

they don't usually last long though

sarahchirles

Hola,


I love Albir, would love to live there, just a tadge above my price range (not so keen on Alfaz, however same municipality and has schools etc). Altea/Albir coast front lovely and flat. Altea old town very 'boho chic', great restaurants.

La Nucia, Polop de la Marina, all in spitting distance from coast and the big 'B' (Benidorm). Hour from airport, lots of expats around area.

Good luck looking. If you need any help or advice about the areas just let me know, I have lived here (Polop) locally for 2 1/2 years so know a bit about the area.

Hasta Luego

sarahchirles

I think it is a rite of passage to go through that certain telesales office! Put it down to experience! And I agree with you about your other comments - It is a pretty soul less place. Just drive through it to get to better places!

spain

well its funny you should say that, we went to Florida a few years ago and I was talking to a Brit who run a property management company - she said exactly the same about the Brits over there, lots of back stabbing and generally an odd bunch of people

have us expats left all the sane normal ones back in UK ?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿¿¿?¿

Splatt

I'm hoping that ex-pats are a bunch of people who want a better life for themselves and their families and have substantial enough cahonies to actually do it!

Hopefully, when we move out there my partner will be meeting other mums through our daughter and I'll be meeting people from getting out and trying to establish a business. My mum will (again hopefully) be meeting other expats in general shopping, bar or sauntering activities.

I'm now concerned about the general mental health of expats. Are you all mad? What do you mean by `dodgy`? As soon as we arrive are we going to be sold a `moody motor`?
I can handle odd, I just can't handle facially tatooed eedjits effing and jeffing at their small children. As long as we're far away from that I'm sure we'll be fine.

Altea sounds more like our kind of place (as we're moderately bohemian), but the favourite so far is Javea due to it's box ticking ability.

Air fares for next weekend are looking at £160. My timing is probably a little off.

Thanks again,
Ste.

montgomail

[QUOTE=spain;5042692]well its funny you should say that, we went to Florida a few years ago and I was talking to a Brit who run a property management company - she said exactly the same about the Brits over there, lots of back stabbing and generally an odd bunch of people

have us expats left all the sane normal ones back in UK ?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿¿¿?¿[/QUOTE]

Well ... you said it! I have to question the sanity of anyone who can chat at length to strangers on the internet.

montgomail

By dodgy - I mean "fly by nights". TBH although there is an element of stereotypes here with too much time to drink and gossip - the majority seem sound. Denia does tick all the boxes too. There is an active U3A group for social and leisure - walking, photography, languages, cycling - something for everybody. There are more Brits in Javea though. Good luck searching.

lynnxa

[QUOTE=montgomail;5043361] a stranger is only a friend you don't know/haven't met yet

spain

[QUOTE=montgomail;5043361]

montgomail

[QUOTE=lynnxa;5043567] Time will tell.

saz2312

HI

I have lived in Albir for 4 years and bought a house here last year and it is fantastic.
The people here are excellent and if you go to places where there are english all the time then you are bound to feel like you did.

We have many spanish and english friends and the reason some people don't like it here is because, especially in Albir it is very expensive so there are quite a few people with money. If they have moved here for a slower pace of life, doesn't everyone?
Once you buy a house and have a mortgage there is no way you can lounge around and not work. It is totally different to england i.e if you don't pay your mortgage they don't take long to take back your house, LOL.

There are lots of things to do in Albir and lots of fiestas where everyone gets involved and it doesn't matter where you come from then.
There is a real sense of community here and you get gossips in england. At least here people don't worry about if you are keeping up the most recent fashion etc.

The spanish people are very friendly here too. And don't forget to learn some of the language as don't forget we are living in their country.

I would recommend Albir to anyone, the only trouble is when your friends and family come here they all want to live here, LOL. So you can't get rid of them!

Hope this helps and if anyone needs any advice of Albir in particular, send me a message and I will help.
I have been through most of the processes here i.e, NIE, Padron, buying a car & a house, running a business (bit of advice, I wouldn't buy a bar, LOL), medical, house, car, life insurance, voting & probably more. It's all paperwork!

jobhunter

I love the expat competiveness!! (rules - Spanish friends trump English friends, 3 years here trumps 2 years etc

There is defintely a difference between Albir and Alfas - and I was really referring to Alfas - another poster referred to it as soulless which I think hits the nail on the head! I wrote about the type of expats I had encountered because when you first arrive you will almost certainly want some company - the invitations from the Spanish won´t flow thick and fast at first and you will feel lonely at times - everyone does. However Í´ve found the Spanish that I´ve got to know through work etc incredibly welcoming once they´ve got to know me - with a sense of humour surprisingly similar to ours.

I wouldn´t say Albir has a rich feel to it at all but i think its the sort of place you take to or not. I think Albir front is very pretty - the bay is beautiful but to me it doesn´t feel like Spain - it feels like a Scandinavian urbanisation.

As for not worrying about the latest fashions - thats true!! As everywhere on the Costa Blanca its Chinese shop chic all the way!!

lostinspain

Personally, I love it here where I am and after 4 weeks here know everyone..Please read my last post if you haven't decided where to go yet. It really is brilliant. But, for night life (which I don't need) you need to go to Valencia or Pucol for Casinos.

Also only 2 of us who speak English here, but I am sure not for long.