Madridboy

I'll be the same age as you soon so I know what you mean but personaly I think I'd regret it if I went back. It's only a matter of time before the crises will be over in Spain and opportunities will be there for those that stay IMO. Good luck in what ever you decide though.

manamama

H A P P Y B I R T H D A Y !!!

I think it's the approaching Big Four Zero - makes us all think of where we've been and where we're heading...

..I know a guy who has been here four years, worked in Gibraltar, loves Spain, but realises ( maybe now that he's going to be 40 next birthday), that he has to "get it right". Him and his family returned to the UK yesterday..

Good luck. I think that Spain and the UK are great in their own ways.

spainboy

Thanks a lot!!!

Chiclanagir

[QUOTE=rugbymatt;8189653]Hotel jobs are going mad here at the moment, don't ask me why but they are, the OH is looking to move on from here, the owners have basically given up and its not a good place for her to further her career, and in just 2 days of looking we found 40 jobs just down here in the Southwest, actually in Devon alone.
I am pretty sure part of the problem is that all the Eastern Europeans that normally filled the jobs have gone home to take advantage of the weak pound, it was no longer prudent to work here and send money home, they got so much less for it, and as a result jobs are starting to flood the market. Pay is the issue, some jobs are simply rubbish pay, but its not all bad, as an example a well known hotel down here are looking for an assistant head of housekeeping, starting wage..... £18,000. Receptionists are starting on £17,500 and an assistant duty manager (the job the OH is going for) is a starting wage of £21,000. For hotel work down here thats a good wage.







Bloody good for Devon. Think I may move back home!

Chiclanagir

A friend has to move back because of lack of work and has got a job in the UK but no starting date. Has been told he can get unemployment benefit until he starts but has to sign on every fortnight until then. However has he has no home in the UK until he moves back......anyway around it?

Madridboy

Go back and claim homelessnes imediatly, I know people who did this.

Chiclanagir

No, that would be terrible as he has a wife, a 2yr old and a baby on the way. At least he has a home here in Spain until they can move back when he gets the start date. Just need some help for the next few weeks.

CBANDY

Spainboy, I actually envy you in a way. I am 36 this year and we hve been talking about moving to the uk for 4 years now. My situation is different though. I am in a good paying job and have 2 very young children. My job is not very secure at the moment as the company is in financial difficulty so we dont know wheather to get ahead of the game and start looking for work in the uk now or ride the storm and see if things get better. We also have a house we would need to sell.

I think that as you approach 40 you do look at things very differently and with 2 kids life takes on new meaning.

Good luck with whatever you do but I would give it a go.

chulo

I'm not writing porkies.

There from Malaga region, so yes they are aware of Leroy Merlin and the various shops around the area, they cannot afford Corte Ingles.

As far as I'm aware there is no shop similar to Argos in Spain, at least they haven't seen it.

We also took them to Ann Summers and they were surprised by that, not the sex shop exist, but the type of people buying and the openness.

There main reason for wanting to move is the Uni for there son and job prospects and security, plus they like the houses and the quietness that comes with it.

I don't need to make this up, I have no interest to live in Spain and I'm still fighting the OH that Italy is the place to buy a second property over Spain.

It just happens I'm convinced Spain is a poor option, my OH hoped finding info on the Spanish forum would help change my mind, it has done the opposite and now I'm kinda addicted.

steviedeluxe

I don't know if this applies in all areas, but in both Madrid and Valencia the Chinese shop/emporiums (often titled todo a cien etc) sell all manner of things (yes, furniture, clothes and electrical goods too) at amazingly low prices. Ok, maybe not a direct comparison, as one shop will have a different range to the other. I still found them great places to buy stuff. I can't believe I would ever miss Argos, and Fnac made up for the lack of a Waterstones or Borders (now sadly defunct). As you mentioned, El Corte Ingles is generally too expensive. I think the one type of shop I missed was Greggs bakers - although I love a lot of Spanish foods I was never taken by their attempts at sandwiches and meat pasties (a meat empanada).

chulo

I'm not stating Spain does not have shops, I'm simply writting the view of some friends on their first visit to the UK, I'm trying to point out how people from outside the country view it and how sometimes we take for granted something, I think a lot of people are not aware of that and spend too much time slagging off the UK, many I read I doubt would be happy anywhere.

big wheels

Anyone buying electrical goods from the chinese shops are far braver than me.

Mitzyboy

And where do you think a lot of your electrical goods are manufactured these days?

bil

That's backed up by the figures given for returning expats. I used to read the figure of 70% returning within 3 years, and that was also for people moving within the UK. Brits don't transplant well it appears to me.

chulo

I remember seing on a trip to Spain once in a market these little battery operated dogs that barked, walked and sat.

They seemed to be everywhere.

Then by coincidence a few months past and the local news had an interview with trading standards about buying goods from UK markets.

On display as an example where these very dogs, apparently there eyes and legs did not pass UK standards.

I've been in a few of the chinese stores in Spain and I would not personally buy anything in them.