A Big Thank You To The Expats!!!
Nov 22nd 2006, 8:55 pm
#1
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2006
Location: Blighty...For now!
Posts: 28
A Big Thank You To The Expats!!!
I have just joined this site with the intentions of a move to Spain for me and my Wife.
We were full of naivety in terms of the move and suspected that although it wouldn't be plain sailing, that it would be relatively ok to make our journey out to Spain in a shortish space of time.
Thanks to this site and the really helpful people who participate with sharing their time, we have realised we were being pretty rash and too spontaneous in our decision. For those of you who shared your views, I thank you, as you have brought us down to earth with a bump and helped us to realise that a big move like this takes greater planning, time and resource, before jumping ship.
We aren't going to give up our dream and the need to make this a reality is now greater than ever, but we are now a little more decisive in how we are going to make this happen. We are inclined to look at the prospect of coming out to Spain and take on a residential course for a couple of months first. This will give us the opportunity to learn the language from Spanish people, whilst living with a family and getting a first hand experience of Spanish life with a Spanish family.
I am also going to look at a crash course in learning a trade of some description prior to moving out, so that as well as having a good knowledge of the language, I will also have a trade to offer on our arrival.
We have a long way to go, but I am still confident we will make our dream come true at some stage in the near future??
Thanks again to all of you who gave your advice and good luck to you all.
Best wishes,
Dave and Elaine..... CHEERS!!!
We were full of naivety in terms of the move and suspected that although it wouldn't be plain sailing, that it would be relatively ok to make our journey out to Spain in a shortish space of time.
Thanks to this site and the really helpful people who participate with sharing their time, we have realised we were being pretty rash and too spontaneous in our decision.
For those of you who shared your views, I thank you, as you have brought us down to earth with a bump and helped us to realise that a big move like this takes greater planning, time and resource, before jumping ship.We aren't going to give up our dream and the need to make this a reality is now greater than ever, but we are now a little more decisive in how we are going to make this happen. We are inclined to look at the prospect of coming out to Spain and take on a residential course for a couple of months first. This will give us the opportunity to learn the language from Spanish people, whilst living with a family and getting a first hand experience of Spanish life with a Spanish family.
I am also going to look at a crash course in learning a trade of some description prior to moving out, so that as well as having a good knowledge of the language, I will also have a trade to offer on our arrival.
We have a long way to go, but I am still confident we will make our dream come true at some stage in the near future??
Thanks again to all of you who gave your advice and good luck to you all.
Best wishes,
Dave and Elaine..... CHEERS!!!
Nov 22nd 2006, 8:59 pm
#2
Account Closed
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 280
Re: A Big Thank You To The Expats!!!
Originally Posted by BigDave
I have just joined this site with the intentions of a move to Spain for me and my Wife.
We were full of naivety in terms of the move and suspected that although it wouldn't be plain sailing, that it would be relatively ok to make our journey out to Spain in a shortish space of time.
Thanks to this site and the really helpful people who participate with sharing their time, we have realised we were being pretty rash and too spontaneous in our decision. For those of you who shared your views, I thank you, as you have brought us down to earth with a bump and helped us to realise that a big move like this takes greater planning, time and resource, before jumping ship.
We aren't going to give up our dream and the need to make this a reality is now greater than ever, but we are now a little more decisive in how we are going to make this happen. We are inclined to look at the prospect of coming out to Spain and take on a residential course for a couple of months first. This will give us the opportunity to learn the language from Spanish people, whilst living with a family and getting a first hand experience of Spanish life with a Spanish family.
I am also going to look at a crash course in learning a trade of some description prior to moving out, so that as well as having a good knowledge of the language, I will also have a trade to offer on our arrival.
We have a long way to go, but I am still confident we will make our dream come true at some stage in the near future??
Thanks again to all of you who gave your advice and good luck to you all.
Best wishes,
Dave and Elaine..... CHEERS!!!
We were full of naivety in terms of the move and suspected that although it wouldn't be plain sailing, that it would be relatively ok to make our journey out to Spain in a shortish space of time.
Thanks to this site and the really helpful people who participate with sharing their time, we have realised we were being pretty rash and too spontaneous in our decision.
For those of you who shared your views, I thank you, as you have brought us down to earth with a bump and helped us to realise that a big move like this takes greater planning, time and resource, before jumping ship.We aren't going to give up our dream and the need to make this a reality is now greater than ever, but we are now a little more decisive in how we are going to make this happen. We are inclined to look at the prospect of coming out to Spain and take on a residential course for a couple of months first. This will give us the opportunity to learn the language from Spanish people, whilst living with a family and getting a first hand experience of Spanish life with a Spanish family.
I am also going to look at a crash course in learning a trade of some description prior to moving out, so that as well as having a good knowledge of the language, I will also have a trade to offer on our arrival.
We have a long way to go, but I am still confident we will make our dream come true at some stage in the near future??
Thanks again to all of you who gave your advice and good luck to you all.
Best wishes,
Dave and Elaine..... CHEERS!!!
I wish I had not rushed into it
your a lesson to us all
Nov 22nd 2006, 9:09 pm
#3
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2006
Location: Blighty...For now!
Posts: 28
Re: A Big Thank You To The Expats!!!
Originally Posted by Andy Pipken
Hi Dave and Elaine
I wish I had not rushed into it
your a lesson to us all
I wish I had not rushed into it
your a lesson to us all
Have you had a bad experience? Do you have regrets and if so, what would you have done differently?
Cheers mate.
Nov 23rd 2006, 7:33 am
#4
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: Albuñol. Granada
Posts: 1,532
Re: A Big Thank You To The Expats!!!
We are in our fourth year now, thankfully we did do a load of homework before even looking, the area we live in has few expats so it was necessary that we speak Spanish, well try to. More expats are arriving here now but we have no regrets, yes I miss the "children" but they are grown up and have their own lives etc.
Keep planning and the dream will come true for you eventually Big Dave, good luck.
pwwm
Keep planning and the dream will come true for you eventually Big Dave, good luck.
pwwm
Nov 23rd 2006, 8:20 am
#5
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Aug 2006
Location: Velez-Malaga
Posts: 4,920
Re: A Big Thank You To The Expats!!!
Dave and Elaine, I wish you both all the best with your plans, I am so impressed by the way you have sat back and thought about this and taken people's views in the spirit they were meant, that is constructive and not just trying to put you off. I am sure the investment you make in time and money will be well worthwhile.
Nov 23rd 2006, 9:09 am
#6
Not Junior but not Senior
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,052
Re: A Big Thank You To The Expats!!!
Hi Dave and Elaine.
In spite of all the doom and gloom which we sometimes post on here, I am glad we now a have a toehold in Spain. It isn't Utopia, nowhere is, but it does get harder to leave every time. I love living in London, well most of the time, but having a place in Spain is a real luxury and a bruiser on the pocket. It is like a country home in England with sunshine, really cold beers, lower prices etc etc etc
Plan carefully, take your time.. we spent ten years talking about it before we made our first move, and took a year to buy a place. At times it has been hard work and we had to say right, stop, lets just have a whole day on the beach and not think about anything to do with houses. Then in July we had our first visitors, elderly parents, and to see the looks on their faces and have them say they didn't want to go home made it worth it. Roll on Christmas, and hopefully not by candlelight unless it's from choice.
In spite of all the doom and gloom which we sometimes post on here, I am glad we now a have a toehold in Spain. It isn't Utopia, nowhere is, but it does get harder to leave every time. I love living in London, well most of the time, but having a place in Spain is a real luxury and a bruiser on the pocket. It is like a country home in England with sunshine, really cold beers, lower prices etc etc etc
Plan carefully, take your time.. we spent ten years talking about it before we made our first move, and took a year to buy a place. At times it has been hard work and we had to say right, stop, lets just have a whole day on the beach and not think about anything to do with houses. Then in July we had our first visitors, elderly parents, and to see the looks on their faces and have them say they didn't want to go home made it worth it. Roll on Christmas, and hopefully not by candlelight unless it's from choice.
Nov 23rd 2006, 8:39 pm
#7
Forum Regular
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 100
Re: A Big Thank You To The Expats!!!
My tuppence worth.
We had owned a holiday home in Spain for 3 years and loved it here. We thought that it might be a nice place to retire to, in years to come.
Then after the death of my elderly Mother we realised that we no longer had to wait until retirement.
We were however restricted by the exam courses that our teenagers were taking. One had just finished GCSE's and was about to start A levels and one was about to start GCSEs. The third child was aged thirteen.
On May 15th we were discussing the future and it struck me that we no longer had to wait until retirement, but could do it immediately,as long as it was before the start of the next school year.
We did some quick research. Decided that we could not live in our holiday home as we had to be near an international school. We had one weekend only, when we had the time to come out and look for an area to live in. It was essential that we found a school we were happy with before they closed for the summer at the end of June.
We came out, minus kids, found a school, made a decision, put our house on the market and booked flights for Sept 2nd.
We have now been here for 3 years and it hasn't been easy. We didn't expect it to be easy. My Father in Law died, unexpectedly, the morning we moved into our new house. We sold the house we bought as it was too small. We changed schools as the first didn't live up to expectations.We are much poorer financially. However we have no regrets. We wanted to do this, we did it, and we love it.
We are in a different position to people who have to earn a living here, as my husband commutes to London to work.That however, brings it's own problems which I won't go in to.
What I am making a very poor job of saying, is that if you really want to do it, do it! Don't expect it to be easy and don't make a half hearted commitment.
I've seen many people come, some stay, some go back. It seems to me that the ones who really want to be here, stay and the ones who think they want to be here, go back.
We had owned a holiday home in Spain for 3 years and loved it here. We thought that it might be a nice place to retire to, in years to come.
Then after the death of my elderly Mother we realised that we no longer had to wait until retirement.
We were however restricted by the exam courses that our teenagers were taking. One had just finished GCSE's and was about to start A levels and one was about to start GCSEs. The third child was aged thirteen.
On May 15th we were discussing the future and it struck me that we no longer had to wait until retirement, but could do it immediately,as long as it was before the start of the next school year.
We did some quick research. Decided that we could not live in our holiday home as we had to be near an international school. We had one weekend only, when we had the time to come out and look for an area to live in. It was essential that we found a school we were happy with before they closed for the summer at the end of June.
We came out, minus kids, found a school, made a decision, put our house on the market and booked flights for Sept 2nd.
We have now been here for 3 years and it hasn't been easy. We didn't expect it to be easy. My Father in Law died, unexpectedly, the morning we moved into our new house. We sold the house we bought as it was too small. We changed schools as the first didn't live up to expectations.We are much poorer financially. However we have no regrets. We wanted to do this, we did it, and we love it.
We are in a different position to people who have to earn a living here, as my husband commutes to London to work.That however, brings it's own problems which I won't go in to.
What I am making a very poor job of saying, is that if you really want to do it, do it! Don't expect it to be easy and don't make a half hearted commitment.
I've seen many people come, some stay, some go back. It seems to me that the ones who really want to be here, stay and the ones who think they want to be here, go back.
Nov 23rd 2006, 8:43 pm
#8
Account Closed
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 280
Re: A Big Thank You To The Expats!!!
Originally Posted by BigDave
Hi Andy, thanks for your reply.
Have you had a bad experience? Do you have regrets and if so, what would you have done differently?
Cheers mate.
Have you had a bad experience? Do you have regrets and if so, what would you have done differently?
Cheers mate.
When I do get electric I think I will wire up a metal chair and strap myself to it
Nov 23rd 2006, 9:30 pm
#9
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2006
Location: Blighty...For now!
Posts: 28
Re: A Big Thank You To The Expats!!!
Originally Posted by kayley
My tuppence worth.
We had owned a holiday home in Spain for 3 years and loved it here. We thought that it might be a nice place to retire to, in years to come.
Then after the death of my elderly Mother we realised that we no longer had to wait until retirement.
We were however restricted by the exam courses that our teenagers were taking. One had just finished GCSE's and was about to start A levels and one was about to start GCSEs. The third child was aged thirteen.
On May 15th we were discussing the future and it struck me that we no longer had to wait until retirement, but could do it immediately,as long as it was before the start of the next school year.
We did some quick research. Decided that we could not live in our holiday home as we had to be near an international school. We had one weekend only, when we had the time to come out and look for an area to live in. It was essential that we found a school we were happy with before they closed for the summer at the end of June.
We came out, minus kids, found a school, made a decision, put our house on the market and booked flights for Sept 2nd.
We have now been here for 3 years and it hasn't been easy. We didn't expect it to be easy. My Father in Law died, unexpectedly, the morning we moved into our new house. We sold the house we bought as it was too small. We changed schools as the first didn't live up to expectations.We are much poorer financially. However we have no regrets. We wanted to do this, we did it, and we love it.
We are in a different position to people who have to earn a living here, as my husband commutes to London to work.That however, brings it's own problems which I won't go in to.
What I am making a very poor job of saying, is that if you really want to do it, do it! Don't expect it to be easy and don't make a half hearted commitment.
I've seen many people come, some stay, some go back. It seems to me that the ones who really want to be here, stay and the ones who think they want to be here, go back.
We had owned a holiday home in Spain for 3 years and loved it here. We thought that it might be a nice place to retire to, in years to come.
Then after the death of my elderly Mother we realised that we no longer had to wait until retirement.
We were however restricted by the exam courses that our teenagers were taking. One had just finished GCSE's and was about to start A levels and one was about to start GCSEs. The third child was aged thirteen.
On May 15th we were discussing the future and it struck me that we no longer had to wait until retirement, but could do it immediately,as long as it was before the start of the next school year.
We did some quick research. Decided that we could not live in our holiday home as we had to be near an international school. We had one weekend only, when we had the time to come out and look for an area to live in. It was essential that we found a school we were happy with before they closed for the summer at the end of June.
We came out, minus kids, found a school, made a decision, put our house on the market and booked flights for Sept 2nd.
We have now been here for 3 years and it hasn't been easy. We didn't expect it to be easy. My Father in Law died, unexpectedly, the morning we moved into our new house. We sold the house we bought as it was too small. We changed schools as the first didn't live up to expectations.We are much poorer financially. However we have no regrets. We wanted to do this, we did it, and we love it.
We are in a different position to people who have to earn a living here, as my husband commutes to London to work.That however, brings it's own problems which I won't go in to.
What I am making a very poor job of saying, is that if you really want to do it, do it! Don't expect it to be easy and don't make a half hearted commitment.
I've seen many people come, some stay, some go back. It seems to me that the ones who really want to be here, stay and the ones who think they want to be here, go back.
We are not going to give up, but we do think we'll do a bit more homework in the UK before we finally jump ship!
Take care.
Nov 23rd 2006, 9:37 pm
#10
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2006
Location: Blighty...For now!
Posts: 28
Re: A Big Thank You To The Expats!!!
Originally Posted by Andy Pipken
Its just not how I thought it would be, I am one of the many with the electric problem
When I do get electric I think I will wire up a metal chair and strap myself to it
When I do get electric I think I will wire up a metal chair and strap myself to it
Don't give up hope mate and keep fighting for your dream if you still want too of course.
It sounds like there are some really nice people on this site,
Why not ask for some advice on the electric front (if you haven't already of course) in the hope that someone else has shared the same experience??Good luck mate and take care of yourself and for the sake of my sanity... wear some rubber trousers for a while eh??
Dave.
