hollydolly

Hi everyone have been reading many of your posts and have found them very interesting.....and would like some advise myself.


Me and my partner and our 4 yr old are moving to torrevieja in feb next year. After reading some posts im getting quite concerned with regards to work. I am currently working in a achool for hampshire and have previously worked the last few years as a travel agent with completing a nvq in travel and lesuire. Im hoping to work maybe for the airports as say check in staff or in a school.

My partner is a qualified painter and decorator i understand from the posts that there is huge amount of builders there and that its not really doing to well and was wondering if that included painters to.

I guess im worried that if me and my partner do move we will be working all hours and having to put my daughter in child care/school and am trying to way up whether we would have a better quality of life there then where we are now, and finding jobs is going to be a big problem.

We are also soon going to be learning spanish. Any info would be very appreciated.

Thanks

Dee_dee

Hollydolly I have sent you a PM!!

hollydolly

Hi dee dee thanks but im new so i have to put 3 more posts on here before i can receive it.

thank you xx

Dee_dee

ok just bump it up then lol

hollydolly

ha ok x

dianaspain

My experience whether in Spain or in the UK says don't worry!

As long as you have some decent qualities to offer employers, or indeed in time your husband could go self-employed it doesn't matter what country you are in.

You manage to work shifts out in the UK and I believe here it is more flexible as many places want evening workers.

I just cannot do mornings at this time in my life because I have 14 rescued animals, that need care in the morning, but mainly doss about after LOL but loads of people don't want to do nights, so the fact that I like nights I find I get lots of offers to cover for nights off etc. (Horas extra- extra hours).

Mitzyboy

Well, I dont want to add to much cution, but you have to consider a couple of things

(a) Spain is in meltdown with the property market at the moment, and so many that were in the building industry are taking on anything they can to stay in work, and that will incluse painting and decorating

(b) If you dont have the Spanish language then you will to some extent be limited to the ex pat community

So decent qualities or not, you cant always buck the markets

dianaspain

Yes that is very true, but my OH, (Other Half) or maybe I should say Better Half gets 80% of his business because he is expat.

I would say the other 20% comes because he knows more than his competitors.

What I mean to say, is if you wish to move to a new country, and know a bit about something, does it matter who your business comes from?

My BF does not answer the phone before 11am and never after 6pm. When he came here he worked 12 hours a day, but now he picks and chooses (sorry not a correct English word but it seemed apt) and has a very nice life working around 4 hours, 6 days a week.
And I hate to say, although he speaks native English, good German and a bit of French, he has never quite mastered Spanish.

hollydolly

Thanks guys. So Diane is your partner in the building trade? the only hard thing i think will be actually getting his name about. How did your partner go about doing it?
Oh and we are not buying we just want to long term let ive been seeing 2 bed apart for around 400 pm is that good for the area?

Thanks Holly

Mitzyboy

OK, fair enough, but you have to realise that England is not Spain, and things may not work the same way

No it doesn't matter where your business comes from, but Spaniards will use Spaniards first and formost, and I dont know for sure if the 4 hours a day thing will get him by over here

dianaspain

But that is what I am talking about.

He has lived here for 17 years and although worked his b*tt off for a few years when he first arrived to get a reputation now only does a 15-25 hour week.

Why try to break into the Spanish market when you are not Spanish?

It would be mad- like me applying for a job in a Catalan bank when my talents lie in my being able to relate and communicate with expats- plus I dont speak Catalan like a Catalan can, but I do speak English like an Englishman can.

While I do not deny it is possible to become competitive with the locals if you are good at your trade and speak the language fluently why go to all that hassle when there is a large expat community crying out for your services because you speak their language?

Mitzyboy

Oh for sure yes I understand what you are saying, but ..... what makes you think there is an ex pat community crying out for his services when there are huge numbers of Brit expats here already painting decorating, building etc etc

All I was just trying to explain is that its not like hes going to be able to come here, work 4 hours a day and have loads of work to start with. Average wage over here is up to around €15k or something like that .... trades people around here at least start early in the morning, and finish early afternoon and then maybe go back for another stint from around 4-5 onwards

poshnbucks

I came to Spain as an established male model in the UK however here in Spain because of my blonde curly hair and bright blue eyes I could find no work so I ended up spending my time in Bars so much so that I now hide when my photo is taken........................ Well OK one more just for you

hollydolly

ok well thanks for all your advise i do know like any business it will be word of mouth im hoping by me workin in the travel side it will abit more secure.

george43

Personal opinion is that you are taking a big risk Dolly.This current downturn affects all industries, including travel.People with the experience in Spain and the language have a big advantage over you. All trades connected to building are suffering so I don't think there is much joy there. Don't forget there is not the same "benefit system " in Spain as the UK so you will need a good lump of savings behind you to cover the tough times.
If you go ahead I wish you the best of luck.