Ex Expats
 

Having become an ex-expat myself in December 2011, I know some others on this forum are also in this position.

It would be interesting to know, who is an expat, who is an ex-expat, and who is a pre-pat (someone who hasn't got to Spain yet)?

Bit of fun, I thought.:)

Re: Ex Expats
 

What about a name for a fourth category, (polite suggestions only please), for those of us who having previously spent time in the above mentioned categories,... now prefer to split our time 50/50 between Spain and the UK ? :confused:

Re: Ex Expats
 

Yes, we did this for a couple of years.... how about half-pats?

Re: Ex Expats
 

Well I've been back in Blighty some time, but still hope to move back out to Spain (not just for holidays either). Looking out over the Navarra countryside last week made me realise how grotty London life is (even allowing for the parks, shops, theatres etc).

Re: Ex Expats
 

Hmm,better than cow pats I suppose. :rofl:

Re: Ex Expats
 

What about all the wannabee ex ex-pats...the thousands who are trying to sell up and go home:lol:

Re: Ex Expats
 

There you go again Steve, starting off another p!ssing contest.

Why not instead compare the run down areas of Spanish big cities with the English lake district for example ?

Re: Ex Expats
 

Is the house that you advertise on your profile yours? You could live there.

Re: Ex Expats
 

Nope, not mine! But thanks for drawing people's attention - I should buy you a bottle for that! :thumbup:

Re: Ex Expats
 

well yes, fair dues, could have put it better. Just jealous of the couple's lifestyle we stayed with - they actually live on the edge of the city of Pamplona. Mountains in the distance, river walks nearby, and spacious well-built apartments - far bigger than an equivalent couple could afford in London or in much of southern England. But yes, you're right, larger properties are more affordable in other areas of the UK (although not, I suspect the Lake District).

Re: Ex Expats
 

Or of his beloved Madrid,
http://www.france24.com/en/20080515-...e-caring-spain

Re: Ex Expats
 

Do I detect that we have gone off topic again.

I am an ex Pat

The operation was expensive but worth it

Fred

Re: Ex Expats
 

They could be people who spend half the year farming.:rofl:

Re: Ex Expats
 

'God loves a trier' (tryer?) is one of my favourite sayings, although I can't even spell it.

Well, I've tried. We've got visitors at the moment, two ladies from Surrey. They went out last night and made their way to a KFC outlet for a meal, passing a dozen Spanish and international restaurants on the way.

Hard as I tried, I couldn't make any sense of it, yet they came back happy and we spent the midnight hours sitting on the terrace, with suitable ammunition, to discuss the finer points of life. It was mainly about Poles in Crawley, and I was educated.

Never mind the stunning scenery in beautiful places around the world, when it comes down to it it's only about fried chicken and those diabolical Poles nicking work from the industrious English.

I've travelled a bit, but I've never been to Poland. I'm going to make amends if I can.

Re: Ex Expats
 

...and the other half up to their necks in bullsh!t on B.E. :rofl:

Re: Ex Expats
 

Perhaps if the claim had been made that too much of the Med coast had been covered in concrete blocks, it would have been more believable. But Spain is a huge country, and away from the bigger cities it's still incredibly beautiful. I can understand why people avoid the north and central Spain, if they don't speak the language, or they want the Med climate. And yes, you can search out a nasty quarry or mine, just like most countries. But much of the place is a joy to see.

http://www.lariguera.com/images/portada_web.jpg

Re: Ex Expats
 

I've seen some marvellous pictures of Poland. I'm sure it's worth visiting.

Re: Ex Expats
 

... and I have a Polish friend.

Re: Ex Expats
 

I've been to Poland three times - to Szczecin up near the Baltic (not recommended in December), once to Warsaw and once to Jelenia Gora in the South near the Czech Republic.

Warsaw is a fairly typical eastern European capital - some really nice bits but much of it not so good. Jelenia Gora is a country town and very nice apart from one enormous hotel catering mostly for Germans who seem to think they own that part of Poland.

The Russian prostitutes were spectacularly beautiful.

That was in the mid '90's over a period of two years and it was changing rapidly - I often wonder what it's like there 15 years on.

It is one of my favourite countries in the world because of the people.

Re: Ex Expats
 

...and I have a Polish housekeeper. :D

Quite a tasty young thing,
...... unlike the country and most of it's people who I find a little drab.

The place does have a few redeeming features however and the Poles are generally good grafters. :thumbup:


Maybe I should also mention the drivers who provided me with my most memorable, if not endearing recollections.
Forget the Spanish,French Germans and Italians, they are all ultra-cautious by comparison with the Poles who at times seem positively suicidal.

Having had the dubious experience of sampling life and near death on Polish roads, it surprises me not to hear that they were considered by far the most courageous and fearless pilots of WW2.

Re: Ex Expats
 

Despite the thread being turned into another Spain good UK dire contest again, I like the thought behind it.

Expat -living abroad

ex expat - living home again

pre expat- not abroad yet

pre ex expat - hoping to move back home again

armchair expat - dreaming with no real hope of moving

whinging expat - living abroad and moaning non stop

whinging ex expat - living back home and moaning non stop.

prepared pre expat - making good plans for the move

nonprepared pre expat - hoping to move and wing it


I am an ex expat myself.:)

Re: Ex Expats
 

I am also an ex-expat but still look in on here to stay in touch with friends I have made on this site :)

Re: Ex Expats
 

Well I'm an ex-expat, been back 4 years now.

Re: Ex Expats
 

when back in the UK for a week I spent all my cash in KFC - far superior to McD's

quite honestly nowhere else for a meal other than a couple of good fish and chip takeaways, everywhere else is Indian, Pakistani, Romanian, Lithuanian and I just wanted a quiet meal with no outrageous spices flying around.

Re: Ex Expats
 

you will find they arent there anymore - all seemed to have moved to my ex home town, with their own shops, their own vodka (couple of guys blew themselves up making the stuff last year), and when visiting one of the rare laundromats was accosted by a prostitute in the middle of the day as I was getting in my car. She was almost as old as me but looked older.

.

Re: Ex Expats
 

1. An expat used to be a pat (specially if he's Irish).
2. It always sounds like an expat won't be participating or joining in with the local people. Understandable perhaps if you are living in a converted pigsty outside some moribund pueblo, but most of Spain is educated, modern, European. Join in - don't be a British expat, be a Spanish expert.

Re: Ex Expats
 

Is her name Magda :rofl:

Re: Ex Expats
 

Err no, ???
Must admit you have me flummoxed with that one.:confused:

Re: Ex Expats
 

Funnily enough, we've had quite a few discussions on this forum between expats living in converted cattle sheds on the outskirts of some moribund pueblo and others in saturated expat areas. The former always claim to be living in 'real' Spain, while the latter eat fish and chips in the sun and play bingo.

But the bingo players vote in local elections and we now have fish and chips eaters as councillors in Spanish town halls.

I find it a strange divide and absolutely normal for those brave foreigners who come to live in the sun. Good luck to both groups.

Re: Ex Expats
 

....and all points in between the cattle sheds and fish and chip shops.

Likewise the Spanish,... some in very peaceful rural areas, ..others in concrete blocks in big cities with their own bingo halls and takeaways close by.
Little doubt they all consider it to be the "real" Spain, so why not the expats ?
Each to his/her own,... live and let live.:thumbup:

Anyway who wants those rowdy townies running around the campo disturbing the peace ?

Fortunately we only see them here at weekends during good weather in this area of mainly Valencian weekend homes, then by late Sunday evening its back to peace and tranquility again.

To be honest, I don't really object to them venturing onto my patch, they're a lovely friendly bunch really and it's nice to see just a little bit of life once in a while out here in the sticks,... as long as they don't overstay their welcome of course. ;)

Re: Ex Expats
 

Magda (Anna Crilly) is the Spleens' morose Eastern European housekeeper, in Lead Balloon

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtJzHuVxKNI

Re: Ex Expats
 

Expat :thumbup:

Re: Ex Expats
 

Ha,ha I quite like it.
Must admit I've neither seen it or even heard of it before, ..shows how much TV I watch.

Yes, that lady couldn't be a much greater contrast to the chirpy little thing that helps me out back in the UK, but as I said previously I do find most of them to be somewhat morose and lacking in humour, though they are generally decent enough people.