sachasacha

Hi!

My family (including dog) are thinking of moving to Spain, and love the country, but are worried about three things. Namely:

1) We will have to work and are worried about the Spanish culture of going to bed at 3 in the morning and getting up at 7! Is this a myth, and if you want more sleep do you get woken up at 3?

2) What is the aftercare like in hospitals - we have heard that they give excellent treatment but then afterwards don't give any help at all, leaving the family to look after the patient. Is this true, and/or does private exist?

Also, where would be the best climate is Spain that is warm (but not boiling), not too windy, and dry all of the year round?

Many many thanks!!!!

Mitzyboy

Hiya

Yes work is something I think I'd have trouble getting used to. You'll be working for the morning, going home or for lunch from maybe two until fiveish, and then working into the evening. Therefore you won't eat until late ... maybe not go to bed until 1 or 2

Some places here don't open until 1o in the morning, some at 8. Our builder for instance only works from 7.30am until 1.30pm

I heard various reports about aftercare. Certainly hospital care is centered on the medical side and I have heard of families taking in meals for patients. But further South a poster the other day was talking about after care homes.

Private health care here for a couple in their early fifties is around £65 per month which covers normal GP appointments also (I have to pay a small amount of euros every time I go there)

As regards area I can only tell you of CB North. Its very hot towards the end of July & through August. We've had a high of 107 so far. But my experiance of the rest of the year was good. It does rain (and when it rains it rains!) but thats good as it means we've got good greenery and lots of orange groves.

Maybe an idea to rent when you get over here so then you can take some time to choose the area you like to live in

jdr

You say you love the country, so you must of been here ?

Work you will find difficult to find unless you are fairly fluent in Spanish or live on the costas.

I am intreged by where you stayed judging by your 3 and 7 timezones, you can sleep anytime you want.

You will have a job to find those weather conditions anywhere in Spain.

Spain is a very family orientated, so yes they do expect family to support aftercare of patients.

sachasacha

Thankyou for that advice. Actually, the CB North (Denia/Oliva/Moraira) is the area we know and like the best in Spain. We adore Denia, but apparently it's more humid because of its proximity to the Montgo. Do you think that if you wanted to go to bed early, noises in other peoples gardens and on the streets would keep you awake? And do the Brits living in Spain live on Spanish timings or British timings?

Many thanks once again, Sacha

rugbymatt

Hi and welcome to the forum.

Dont worry too much about the time issues, believe me you will get used to it, everyone who stays out here eventually does.

As already said, if you want to sleep then just sleep, and I have to second the sentiments of Mitzy, it all depends on the type of work you do, them that work outside start early to get away from the heat.

as to the weather then good luck finding somewhere like that. An island location is the obvious choice because of the cooling factor of the sea, but almost all of the islands in Spain (the Balearic's) are subject to the Tramuntana, and when that wind blows, it is bloody fierce!

Ask around the forum about the children, quite a few people are parents.

Good luck with everything.

SoJohn

I suppose that would depend if they are retired or not ;-)

sachasacha

You say you love the country, so you must of been here ?

Work you will find difficult to find unless you are fairly fluent in Spanish or live on the costas.

I am intreged by where you stayed judging by your 3 and 7 timezones, you can sleep anytime you want.

You will have a job to find those weather conditions anywhere in Spain.

Spain is a very family orientated, so yes they do expect family to support aftercare of patients.
----
Jdr - yes, we have been several times to Spain. We speak a little Spanish, but the actual business side will be for the English-speakers on the Costas - we were worried though about tax forms and employment contracts existing only in Spanish.

Thanks about the sleep - actually, that came from a couple living in Denia, but they may have been in a noisy and busy area, judging by what you say.
As per aftercare, what happens if there is no family to help with aftercare (there is only me and my mum, and we are concerned about what may happen if one of us needs help while the other is away, even in another country, or has to work)

Thanks!

Mitzyboy

Denia is very busy in the holiday season and some of the areas towards Montgo can be a bit shaded in the winter

If you live on Brit timings in Spain you will be in all kinds of sh!te

You'll have to get used to all kinds of noises in Spain, dogs, bikes etc etc, but when you get here you'll realise theres a reason for everything. Its cooler late at night which is a reason why we eat so late, even at weekends. Its very hot in the afternoon, when you don't want to be working.

rugbymatt

I would say that it depends on if you are light sleepers, as Sojohn says, if you are in a retired are (mind you, when there oldies end up in Spain they do go wild a bit!!) and what sort of life you decide to lead out there.


Where do you live now? Country or town?

sachasacha

At the moment, just moved from outside London (in the country, but 30mins by train to the centre). We would probably prefer though somewhere quietish, but near enough to shopping and town facilities to be easily accessable.

SoJohn

I don't know so much about southern Spain and the costas. In Galicia they have lunch at around 3pm and then dinner between 10pm and midnight. From what I have gathered, it's quite normal even for children to be awake then as well.

Galicia is not as hot though, I guess they have evolved slightly differently

Mitzyboy

I live in a small modern "town" about 3 kms outside Oliva. Its relatively quiet here, but there are still a lot of fireworks on fiestas any time up till midnight or so. We live far enough away to be in a peaceful area, but close enough to the town to enjoy the fiestas and town life.

However if you live in the town you will find it noisey. Spanish people go out late and especially at weekends they party all night! Motor scooters for instance have their sound supressers surgically removed at point of purchase

Having said that, you get used to it! And you will probably fall into the same habits when you have been here for a while.

rugbymatt

Then I would suggest that it may be slow to come to terms with the likely noise, but as said it all depends where you end up.


There are a few around the forum from that area.

sachasacha

Ok, so then -

If we lived outside town, would we still have neighbours talking until 2 or 3 on their balconies?

And, regarding aftercare in hospitals - if there is no family around to look after someone, does the hospital staff look after them?

Thankyou so much for everyone's help - its very useful for us.

rugbymatt

that's a bit of an unknown quantity I think.


You may well do, look for a thread by Lynnxa on neighbours, she has had a nightmare of a time with some, but others are so happy with theirs we often wonder if there are key parties going on.......