I Think I Made A Huge Mistake ! Advice Please
Jul 11th 2010, 9:31 am
#1
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I Think I Made A Huge Mistake ! Advice Please
Hi I really cant stop thinking about this, its on my mind 24/7. I really want to move to Spain more than anything else and Im so determined to get there. Giving I dont speak Spanish and the economy is not looking to good I decided Gibraltar would be my way in. This was in March btw. So I contacted this bar and they were keen to see me and so my partner and I travelled to Marbella rented a car and made the trip to Gib.
Now when I got to Gib I really hated it. I felt claustrophobic and the housing looked those favellas you see in Brazil. So then I started to come with all these excuses why I should not take the job, I would have to live in Gib on my own until I sorted myself out and the thought of that filled me with horror. My intention was to work in Gib and live in Spain and have my partner and daughter join me but that did not seem possible on a bartenders wage.
So basically I did not even attend the interview. I just wanted to get as far away from Gib as possible. The funny thing was they called me a few days later and asked if I wanted the job.
Now I keep thinking I might have been a bit hasty as there does not seem to be any other way to get to Spian. What do you guys think.
How far do you need to travel from Gib to find a nice Spanish town suitable for bringing up a family. Do you think its financially possible to work as a bartender in Gib and live in Spain.
Any thoughts apprecited because Im thinking I may need to reconsider Gib.
Now when I got to Gib I really hated it. I felt claustrophobic and the housing looked those favellas you see in Brazil. So then I started to come with all these excuses why I should not take the job, I would have to live in Gib on my own until I sorted myself out and the thought of that filled me with horror. My intention was to work in Gib and live in Spain and have my partner and daughter join me but that did not seem possible on a bartenders wage.
So basically I did not even attend the interview. I just wanted to get as far away from Gib as possible. The funny thing was they called me a few days later and asked if I wanted the job.
Now I keep thinking I might have been a bit hasty as there does not seem to be any other way to get to Spian. What do you guys think.
How far do you need to travel from Gib to find a nice Spanish town suitable for bringing up a family. Do you think its financially possible to work as a bartender in Gib and live in Spain.
Any thoughts apprecited because Im thinking I may need to reconsider Gib.
Jul 11th 2010, 9:47 am
#2
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Joined: Aug 2008
Location: Madrid
Posts: 6,400
Re: I Think I Made A Huge Mistake ! Advice Please
Sorry to hear you seem to be in a fix. Others here may have more informed views as to whether it's possible to work in a bar in Gibraltar and commute in from Spain, but it does appear a little unviable to me financially - depends how much you get paid I suppose.
Try contacting Spainboy on this forum. He is (I believe) currently working in Benidorm, but intends moving back to the UK. He may be able to give you pointers on getting bar work and accommodation in Benidorm, which may be a better option for you.
I agree that you need to sort out where to live. If you end up living apart from your family you may wonder what's the point, plus you'd end up spending your hard-earned wages eating out or in the bar.
Try contacting Spainboy on this forum. He is (I believe) currently working in Benidorm, but intends moving back to the UK. He may be able to give you pointers on getting bar work and accommodation in Benidorm, which may be a better option for you.
I agree that you need to sort out where to live. If you end up living apart from your family you may wonder what's the point, plus you'd end up spending your hard-earned wages eating out or in the bar.
Jul 11th 2010, 9:52 am
#3
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Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 245
Re: I Think I Made A Huge Mistake ! Advice Please
Hi I really cant stop thinking about this, its on my mind 24/7. I really want to move to Spain more than anything else and Im so determined to get there. Giving I dont speak Spanish and the economy is not looking to good I decided Gibraltar would be my way in. This was in March btw. So I contacted this bar and they were keen to see me and so my partner and I travelled to Marbella rented a car and made the trip to Gib.
Now when I got to Gib I really hated it. I felt claustrophobic and the housing looked those favellas you see in Brazil. So then I started to come with all these excuses why I should not take the job, I would have to live in Gib on my own until I sorted myself out and the thought of that filled me with horror. My intention was to work in Gib and live in Spain and have my partner and daughter join me but that did not seem possible on a bartenders wage.
So basically I did not even attend the interview. I just wanted to get as far away from Gib as possible. The funny thing was they called me a few days later and asked if I wanted the job.
Now I keep thinking I might have been a bit hasty as there does not seem to be any other way to get to Spian. What do you guys think.
How far do you need to travel from Gib to find a nice Spanish town suitable for bringing up a family. Do you think its financially possible to work as a bartender in Gib and live in Spain.
Any thoughts apprecited because Im thinking I may need to reconsider Gib.
Now when I got to Gib I really hated it. I felt claustrophobic and the housing looked those favellas you see in Brazil. So then I started to come with all these excuses why I should not take the job, I would have to live in Gib on my own until I sorted myself out and the thought of that filled me with horror. My intention was to work in Gib and live in Spain and have my partner and daughter join me but that did not seem possible on a bartenders wage.
So basically I did not even attend the interview. I just wanted to get as far away from Gib as possible. The funny thing was they called me a few days later and asked if I wanted the job.
Now I keep thinking I might have been a bit hasty as there does not seem to be any other way to get to Spian. What do you guys think.
How far do you need to travel from Gib to find a nice Spanish town suitable for bringing up a family. Do you think its financially possible to work as a bartender in Gib and live in Spain.
Any thoughts apprecited because Im thinking I may need to reconsider Gib.
If you do not like Gibaltar, I think there are many more sites in Spain where you can live. The biggest problem is work. Unemployment is very high in Spain. So if you have chance to work on a site, you are lucky. In the future you can always change jobs and city.
Good luck.
Jul 11th 2010, 10:07 am
#4
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Re: I Think I Made A Huge Mistake ! Advice Please
Part of my issue was that if I worked in Gib I may be restricted as to how far away from it I can live in terms of commuting especially on a low wage. The towns seemed to get nicer the further away from Gib I got.
Jul 11th 2010, 10:12 am
#5
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Re: I Think I Made A Huge Mistake ! Advice Please
Seriously as Spanish lawyer says many people work in Gib and live in Spain , not necessarily in La Linea.
However the further away from Gib one lives then the cost start to rise for commuting etc.
I would think that unless you have a good nest egg your partner will also have to work to increase the finances.
I know of one woman working as a waitress who is alone bringing up two children with a mortgage on a Gib flat, so it is possible.
You posted as I was spellchecking
Jul 11th 2010, 6:55 pm
#6
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Re: I Think I Made A Huge Mistake ! Advice Please
How desperate are you to get away? That will make a huge difference to how much you are willing to make it work!
1 - it is a job! Not much chance of getting anything similar in the Costa de Sol...
2 - it is a renters market at the moment due to the crisis, 3 bed townhouses are going for 600 euros a month, in a lovely area just 25 mins from the Gib border... but if the crisis ends they could raise again to 800 - 900 euros...
ps. On 1 wage you could never afford to rent in Gib anyway .....
3 - You have to remember about the border queues, it can add a huge delay to your daily commute...
4 - Do you have a bike license? Get a bike, best way to travel to work in Gib! We live 25 mins away my OH travels in by bike without any problems! No getting stuck in queues!
How old is your daughter? Would she need to go to school? Don't forget Gib and Spain are 2 different countries.... just by working in Gib is not enough to be able to send your child to school there, and as for Spain, you wouldn't be here legally so that has a whole load of problems of its own!
There is a hell of a lot to think about and a lot of patience is needed to make the move, but normally it is worth it in the end!
But I think you OH would need to work also... even if it were just a cleaning job for 2/3 hours a day..
Gotta go Top Gear is about to start!
ps Good luck and I hope you can understand my message I have a tendency to blabber on!
1 - it is a job! Not much chance of getting anything similar in the Costa de Sol...
2 - it is a renters market at the moment due to the crisis, 3 bed townhouses are going for 600 euros a month, in a lovely area just 25 mins from the Gib border... but if the crisis ends they could raise again to 800 - 900 euros...
ps. On 1 wage you could never afford to rent in Gib anyway .....
3 - You have to remember about the border queues, it can add a huge delay to your daily commute...
4 - Do you have a bike license? Get a bike, best way to travel to work in Gib! We live 25 mins away my OH travels in by bike without any problems! No getting stuck in queues!
How old is your daughter? Would she need to go to school? Don't forget Gib and Spain are 2 different countries.... just by working in Gib is not enough to be able to send your child to school there, and as for Spain, you wouldn't be here legally so that has a whole load of problems of its own!
There is a hell of a lot to think about and a lot of patience is needed to make the move, but normally it is worth it in the end!
But I think you OH would need to work also... even if it were just a cleaning job for 2/3 hours a day..
Gotta go Top Gear is about to start!
ps Good luck and I hope you can understand my message I have a tendency to blabber on!
Jul 11th 2010, 8:33 pm
#7
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Joined: Jun 2004
Location: my paradise - Jávea
Posts: 13,330
Re: I Think I Made A Huge Mistake ! Advice Please
How desperate are you to get away? That will make a huge difference to how much you are willing to make it work!
1 - it is a job! Not much chance of getting anything similar in the Costa de Sol...
2 - it is a renters market at the moment due to the crisis, 3 bed townhouses are going for 600 euros a month, in a lovely area just 25 mins from the Gib border... but if the crisis ends they could raise again to 800 - 900 euros...
ps. On 1 wage you could never afford to rent in Gib anyway .....
3 - You have to remember about the border queues, it can add a huge delay to your daily commute...
4 - Do you have a bike license? Get a bike, best way to travel to work in Gib! We live 25 mins away my OH travels in by bike without any problems! No getting stuck in queues!
How old is your daughter? Would she need to go to school? Don't forget Gib and Spain are 2 different countries.... just by working in Gib is not enough to be able to send your child to school there, and as for Spain, you wouldn't be here legally so that has a whole load of problems of its own!
There is a hell of a lot to think about and a lot of patience is needed to make the move, but normally it is worth it in the end!
But I think you OH would need to work also... even if it were just a cleaning job for 2/3 hours a day..
Gotta go Top Gear is about to start!
ps Good luck and I hope you can understand my message I have a tendency to blabber on!
1 - it is a job! Not much chance of getting anything similar in the Costa de Sol...
2 - it is a renters market at the moment due to the crisis, 3 bed townhouses are going for 600 euros a month, in a lovely area just 25 mins from the Gib border... but if the crisis ends they could raise again to 800 - 900 euros...
ps. On 1 wage you could never afford to rent in Gib anyway .....
3 - You have to remember about the border queues, it can add a huge delay to your daily commute...
4 - Do you have a bike license? Get a bike, best way to travel to work in Gib! We live 25 mins away my OH travels in by bike without any problems! No getting stuck in queues!
How old is your daughter? Would she need to go to school? Don't forget Gib and Spain are 2 different countries.... just by working in Gib is not enough to be able to send your child to school there, and as for Spain, you wouldn't be here legally so that has a whole load of problems of its own!
There is a hell of a lot to think about and a lot of patience is needed to make the move, but normally it is worth it in the end!
But I think you OH would need to work also... even if it were just a cleaning job for 2/3 hours a day..
Gotta go Top Gear is about to start!
ps Good luck and I hope you can understand my message I have a tendency to blabber on!
as members of the EU Brits are allowed to live here legally - working in Spain or not
Jul 11th 2010, 8:53 pm
#8
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Jul 12th 2010, 7:40 am
#9
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Joined: Jun 2010
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Re: I Think I Made A Huge Mistake ! Advice Please
How desperate are you to get away? That will make a huge difference to how much you are willing to make it work!
1 - it is a job! Not much chance of getting anything similar in the Costa de Sol...
2 - it is a renters market at the moment due to the crisis, 3 bed townhouses are going for 600 euros a month, in a lovely area just 25 mins from the Gib border... but if the crisis ends they could raise again to 800 - 900 euros...
ps. On 1 wage you could never afford to rent in Gib anyway .....
3 - You have to remember about the border queues, it can add a huge delay to your daily commute...
4 - Do you have a bike license? Get a bike, best way to travel to work in Gib! We live 25 mins away my OH travels in by bike without any problems! No getting stuck in queues!
How old is your daughter? Would she need to go to school? Don't forget Gib and Spain are 2 different countries.... just by working in Gib is not enough to be able to send your child to school there, and as for Spain, you wouldn't be here legally so that has a whole load of problems of its own!
There is a hell of a lot to think about and a lot of patience is needed to make the move, but normally it is worth it in the end!
But I think you OH would need to work also... even if it were just a cleaning job for 2/3 hours a day..
Gotta go Top Gear is about to start!
ps Good luck and I hope you can understand my message I have a tendency to blabber on!
1 - it is a job! Not much chance of getting anything similar in the Costa de Sol...
2 - it is a renters market at the moment due to the crisis, 3 bed townhouses are going for 600 euros a month, in a lovely area just 25 mins from the Gib border... but if the crisis ends they could raise again to 800 - 900 euros...
ps. On 1 wage you could never afford to rent in Gib anyway .....
3 - You have to remember about the border queues, it can add a huge delay to your daily commute...
4 - Do you have a bike license? Get a bike, best way to travel to work in Gib! We live 25 mins away my OH travels in by bike without any problems! No getting stuck in queues!
How old is your daughter? Would she need to go to school? Don't forget Gib and Spain are 2 different countries.... just by working in Gib is not enough to be able to send your child to school there, and as for Spain, you wouldn't be here legally so that has a whole load of problems of its own!
There is a hell of a lot to think about and a lot of patience is needed to make the move, but normally it is worth it in the end!
But I think you OH would need to work also... even if it were just a cleaning job for 2/3 hours a day..
Gotta go Top Gear is about to start!
ps Good luck and I hope you can understand my message I have a tendency to blabber on!
Im wondering why you said I would be in Spain illegaly as Im as an EU passport holder, can you explain please what you mean by that.
My idea was was to work only in Gib and have life in Spain school house etc.
Jul 12th 2010, 7:42 am
#10
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Joined: Jun 2004
Location: my paradise - Jávea
Posts: 13,330
Re: I Think I Made A Huge Mistake ! Advice Please
Thanks for your response its giving me quite a bit to think about. Whats the nice area you live in thats 25 min away ? My daughter is 4 and my OH is a part qualified accountant but would do anything cleaning etc to get started.
Im wondering why you said I would be in Spain illegaly as Im as an EU passport holder, can you explain please what you mean by that.
My idea was was to work only in Gib and have life in Spain school house etc.
Im wondering why you said I would be in Spain illegaly as Im as an EU passport holder, can you explain please what you mean by that.
My idea was was to work only in Gib and have life in Spain school house etc.
Jul 12th 2010, 8:05 am
#11
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Jul 12th 2010, 8:29 am
#12
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Re: I Think I Made A Huge Mistake ! Advice Please
[QUOTE=lynnxa;8694296]why wouldn't he be here legally?
I don't think that it is right. There are many Brits working in Gib and living in Spain. They are driving UK plated cars, using their E111 when they need to see a Doctor....then due to EU laws somehow getting their kids into school here! Whilst paying nada into any Spanish system! You have to cut ties fully with one country and fully integrate into another, otherwise there are legal issues and therefore cannot be legal! You are telling me that these people that are doing that, can honestly say that they are fully legal! Nope! Just the cars alone make them not legal! Plus are they filling out the relative UK tax forms, nope! etc etc etc really haven't got time to into the nitty gritty of it!
Plus morally it is not correct!
So don't worry, you won't get 'done' for it, but it is not correct.
We live near Duquesa..
ps. Fred they couldn't live on 1 wage - it was a bartenders wage!
I don't think that it is right. There are many Brits working in Gib and living in Spain. They are driving UK plated cars, using their E111 when they need to see a Doctor....then due to EU laws somehow getting their kids into school here! Whilst paying nada into any Spanish system! You have to cut ties fully with one country and fully integrate into another, otherwise there are legal issues and therefore cannot be legal! You are telling me that these people that are doing that, can honestly say that they are fully legal! Nope! Just the cars alone make them not legal! Plus are they filling out the relative UK tax forms, nope! etc etc etc really haven't got time to into the nitty gritty of it!
Plus morally it is not correct!
So don't worry, you won't get 'done' for it, but it is not correct.
We live near Duquesa..
ps. Fred they couldn't live on 1 wage - it was a bartenders wage!
Jul 12th 2010, 8:46 am
#13
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Re: I Think I Made A Huge Mistake ! Advice Please
Emma-Louise please read previous post as copied above
Why are you being so negative??
Jul 12th 2010, 8:58 am
#14
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Re: I Think I Made A Huge Mistake ! Advice Please
[QUOTE=Emma-Louise;8695306]
Whilst I would not disagree with complying with Spanish laws when living in Spain, to say DaveMK woud not be there legally is to assume that he is not going to. Don't you think it is a bit unfair to prejudge someone elses morals?
why wouldn't he be here legally?
I don't think that it is right. There are many Brits working in Gib and living in Spain. They are driving UK plated cars, using their E111 when they need to see a Doctor....then due to EU laws somehow getting their kids into school here! Whilst paying nada into any Spanish system! You have to cut ties fully with one country and fully integrate into another, otherwise there are legal issues and therefore cannot be legal! You are telling me that these people that are doing that, can honestly say that they are fully legal! Nope! Just the cars alone make them not legal! Plus are they filling out the relative UK tax forms, nope! etc etc etc really haven't got time to into the nitty gritty of it!
Plus morally it is not correct!
So don't worry, you won't get 'done' for it, but it is not correct.
We live near Duquesa..
ps. Fred they couldn't live on 1 wage - it was a bartenders wage!
I don't think that it is right. There are many Brits working in Gib and living in Spain. They are driving UK plated cars, using their E111 when they need to see a Doctor....then due to EU laws somehow getting their kids into school here! Whilst paying nada into any Spanish system! You have to cut ties fully with one country and fully integrate into another, otherwise there are legal issues and therefore cannot be legal! You are telling me that these people that are doing that, can honestly say that they are fully legal! Nope! Just the cars alone make them not legal! Plus are they filling out the relative UK tax forms, nope! etc etc etc really haven't got time to into the nitty gritty of it!
Plus morally it is not correct!
So don't worry, you won't get 'done' for it, but it is not correct.
We live near Duquesa..
ps. Fred they couldn't live on 1 wage - it was a bartenders wage!
Jul 12th 2010, 9:38 am
#15
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Re: I Think I Made A Huge Mistake ! Advice Please
My original post was 50/50 positive/negative, exactly how it should be when advising someone as to whether they should make the move or not!
How about someone else gives the guy some advise! People are probably too worried about giving someone advise, due to those of you out there just waiting for a chance to have a debate!
How about someone else gives the guy some advise! People are probably too worried about giving someone advise, due to those of you out there just waiting for a chance to have a debate!