TheArmChairDetective

Really?

Surely the series learn the lingo is worth watching. Its on now

thehollos

Hi,
You sound so much like me 2 years ago. I posted earlier to you but want to add that I have been on a steep learning curve!

As I said we love it here in Spain for lots of reasons but the last year has opened my eyes.

Spanish people, although very friendly and welcoming, do not readily welcome strangers into their folds. They are very close knit and very family orientated and I think they genuinly don't see why they need new friends. They will let you in so far and then no further. I have a couple of spanish girl friends who talk very good English and it is from them that my observations have been confirmed. One lived in North spain and when she told her family that she was leaving to go to uni in Germany they stopped speaking to her. They couldn't understand why she would possibly want to leave their town when it had everything a girl could want. This is what I moved here for though, a return to old values and morals.

I wish I was more literate so as to explain it fully but it seems to be something you realise once you live in a Spanish community rather than something anyone can tell you. Making friends with a Spanish person is hard because if you think about making friends with someone in English, it takes time, polite conversation, getting to know each other, deep questions etc. Not being able to converse at a fluent level makes this difficult and time consuming for both parties.

We still get stared at allot, especially at bus stops, at the doctors etc. I don't find this annoying, I appreciate that we are different! Usually they stare for a week or so and then they start talking to you and never stop! Old ladies love my children and stop to touch their blond hair and say how beautiful they are.

I have found a good balance in a Mother and toddler group I go to. It is a mix of English, German, Spanish mums and we all meet and the kids play and we support each other. You get to know the good schools, clubs, activities etc. Its a little bit of 'girly' English conversation once a week.

A very nice pueblo is El campello. It is just north of Alicante and easy access to the A7. Half an hour from Benidorm. It is a seaside village and has a good mix of English and Spanish yet hasnt the urbanisations. It has a few English shops, my friend runs a hairdressers there and her clientelle are 90% british but you only hear spanish on the street, beach and parks etc.

By the way beach concesions are highly fought after in this area and have to be granted by the local council so its not what you know its who you know and how much you can pay!

sally phil

Hi
Its very interesting to get your take on trying to integrate into the community
and its something that Im starting to change my mind on,originally I wanted to live in a mainly spanish community but having read lots of threads Im starting to say towards a more expat community,thats not to say I dont eventually want the rural cottage with chickens and goats! but Im not even 40 yet and my partner 6 years younger,plus Emilio ill be 3 and a half when we move and he ill need things to be nearby to occupy him
Ive kind of narrowed it don to Ciudad Quesada and around that area near Torrevieja,rents are very reasonable there seems to be a mix of spanish and brits in the area and someone I emailed about property said she could get me a job tommorrow,shame Im not going tommorrow but if I spend some time(after all Ive got 2 years making contacts like that it may make finding work easier
Anyway we are visiting the area later in the year for a week to get a feel for it and take it from there...Im probably going to be the most prepared person that ever moved to Spain...then again Ineed to learn Spanish to qualify for that
I guess how you feel about how locals see you is not disimilar to the way people look at the croatian lady that stands next to me in the school playground
I guess ignorance breeds fear and nothing makes you feel more ignorant than not being able to understand what someone is saying to you
I wnt to resist the temptation to choose somewhere because alot of other expats live there but the simple fact is I dont want to make things any harder for myself than necessary and most people say you are more likely to give up and come back to the UK if you tried to go native!
Finding work is our main concern,so Im posting a new thread just to see what feedback I get about the area
Thanks for the advice
Sally

TheArmChairDetective

Good for you Sally.

sarahchirles

A friend of mine tried this idea in Benidorm. To get a beach front concession from the town hall was like trying to infiltrate the mafia. When it comes to this type of thing be very weary, it is not what you know, it is most definitely who you know in high places as long as you have deep pockets.!

pjj

hi there sally just enjoyed reading your post most of what you have written above is spot on ! that is why me and my girlfriend are making the move to spain , we earn very good salarys here in the uk the only problem is we are always working, i work 6 long days a week and dont really have a lot time to relax and enjoy my life dont get me wrong i dont go with out , and we do eat out a lot and go too the pub for nites out, but i always seem to be knocking my socks off at work and every thing seems always rushed at home ! every day seems the same so thats why me and my girlfriend are moving to spain weve got a place out there which we brought about 3 years ago its taken a lot of planning and lot time to get here but we are nearly there our property is on the market here so once its sold we will be on our way my girlfriend is worried about finding work and leaving her family but i told her to treat like a little adventure and see how we go , i think its good that you have started planning now i dont think its a easy decision to move to another country but you will know when the times right and the good thing is there s a lot of good people on british expats that will be able to give you sound advice and hopefully steer you in the right direction

TheArmChairDetective

Exactly the right attitude.

Whats that saying..oh yes

"One Life, Live it"

pjj

totally agree my friend less work and loads of play

spain

depending on your line of work you may find its the same here but for less pay !!