new member here,need info on spain.Can you help?
Nov 19th 2003, 1:04 am
#1
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2003
Location: currently london but not for long
Posts: 6
new member here,need info on spain.Can you help?
I was just browsing on the net and decided to check if there was a forum about spain,viola here i am.Me and my partner is planning to move there in the next 6-8 months time.The problem is im not sure what part of mainland Spain.I have been on holiday to Gran Canaria,Tenerife and Majorca.I have a number of questions:
1)Would i be limited to work in bars or real estate?
2)If so what are roughly the pay in a bar like and real estate?Any perticular real estate to look for or avoid?
3)what roughly would i pay for a 1-2 bed flat per month just outside the touristic area?What is the minimum contract and if i get 6months or more,would it work out cheaper?
4)Any other tips that any1 can suggest before i leave,ie the amount of money i bring etc.
I will be looking forward for any comments or suggestion
dtone
1)Would i be limited to work in bars or real estate?
2)If so what are roughly the pay in a bar like and real estate?Any perticular real estate to look for or avoid?
3)what roughly would i pay for a 1-2 bed flat per month just outside the touristic area?What is the minimum contract and if i get 6months or more,would it work out cheaper?
4)Any other tips that any1 can suggest before i leave,ie the amount of money i bring etc.
I will be looking forward for any comments or suggestion
dtone
Nov 19th 2003, 9:59 am
#2
C.G.D.S
Joined: Nov 2003
Location: Ireland--->London--->Spain--->Rockport, MA
Posts: 3,353
Your question is such a broad one!
Spain is a huge and varied country. From the cold and green north where it rains a lot, to Madrid, Barcelona out to the Balaeric Islands.
I live in the Northern Costa Blanca which is relatively unspoilt. It's a green and scenic area with lots of orange groves and allegedly a mirco climate, but then every region in Spain claims that!
About a 50 mins from me is Valencia which is the 3rd largest city in Spain and a great place.
In Southern Alicante it's really built up and no disrespect to anyone living there but I think it's an awful place with row upon row of cheaping housing and British bars.
Work is tough here. Working on the premise that you're not fluent in Spanish then you are limited to work in bars and real estate, or villa management, cleaning etc.,
The pay isn't high as there are so many people working on black money and illegal immigrants who will do unskilled work for cheaper than other EU nationalities.
The only thing you can do is come over, get your feet on terra firma and have a look for yourself.
Maybe decide if you want to live in a metropolitan area or a tourist area. Somewhere more Spanish and maybe somewhere inland.
It's just impossible to give any real advice until you've narrowed down your options a bit.
Spain is a huge and varied country. From the cold and green north where it rains a lot, to Madrid, Barcelona out to the Balaeric Islands.
I live in the Northern Costa Blanca which is relatively unspoilt. It's a green and scenic area with lots of orange groves and allegedly a mirco climate, but then every region in Spain claims that!
About a 50 mins from me is Valencia which is the 3rd largest city in Spain and a great place.
In Southern Alicante it's really built up and no disrespect to anyone living there but I think it's an awful place with row upon row of cheaping housing and British bars.
Work is tough here. Working on the premise that you're not fluent in Spanish then you are limited to work in bars and real estate, or villa management, cleaning etc.,
The pay isn't high as there are so many people working on black money and illegal immigrants who will do unskilled work for cheaper than other EU nationalities.
The only thing you can do is come over, get your feet on terra firma and have a look for yourself.
Maybe decide if you want to live in a metropolitan area or a tourist area. Somewhere more Spanish and maybe somewhere inland.
It's just impossible to give any real advice until you've narrowed down your options a bit.
Dec 1st 2003, 1:29 pm
#3
Just Joined
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 1
Hi,
Well I have to agree that the question is indeed a broad one. I have been working out in Spain for some 14 years now. I have never worked in a bar, a real estate office etc. I worked for a Spanish company in their Finanace dept. and in a number of IT companies.
I agree with what sibsie says. If you do not speak Spanish you are instantly limited to jobs that either serve the tourist community/the expat community and you are likely to be paid peanuts, well you could end up teaching English as some of the less reputable private language schools as well.
The minimum salary is Spain if low, I forget the figure but many people and below 600 EUROs per month, and forget a 35 hour week. The amount of illegal labour, which is not really subject to much control, means that many people are doing 55 hour weeks for 500 Euros. You say no to a few extra hours (no extra pay)...fired on the spot.
If you speak Spanish then that is a good start, if you don´t you will once again find it difficult to operate outside the tourist/expat areas.
Having said all that, when I wanted to go out to work in Spain I was given the same pessimistic advice, it was all woe and gloom and doom, except for one small titbit a friend (who worked abroad) gave me.
He asked me what I wanted to achieve and why Spain:
I had not been there before so had no real preconception, I think I replied, sunshine, cold beer, afford a house etc.
He then said, so why not go to Australia then, you got all that and no problem with the language, although there are immigration procedures to go thru. Long debate and we agreed on Spain. I spoke NO Spanish, knew nothing about the place etc.
He suggested that I plan and act on my desire rather than turn up and see what there was. Well from the idea to actually arriving here took 18 months, in which I time I had learnt passable Spanish, had managed to get a job here whilst in the UK, so when I arrived, just rented a flat, had a job, continued with the Spanish at all hours of the day. Was it easy, well it felt like it because I really wanted to go, but nowadays I wonder how I ever managed it.
The reality was that I figured out every UK company who did business in Spain, sent every type of letter & CV you can imagine out, and if I tell you that every Monday having written the letters out at the weekend I used to buy a Sheet of 1st class stamps.
Meanwhile, after work, I managed to spend 20 hours a week learning Spanish - those dumb tapes and books, but it helped. God it was depressing, but if worked. 14 years later, still here in madrid, don´t know what the future holds but so far so good.
Nowadays I would surf the web as well for job offers, if you have any marketable skills then all the better. But I am afraid Spanish is the key.
As for your questions about how much would you earn and what would your basic cost of living be, that would depend on where you live and what you do.
All the Brits I know out here are non -expats. E.g. you would no more find them in an English bar than you would on the moon, they are generally married to Spaniards (like myself) and planned their move VERY carefully, and when they needed a skill they did not have, language, cultute they bust their guts out learning it before they arrived. This has made their lives much easier subsequently.
Do you speak any Spanish?
What skills do you have?
What sort of jobs have you done?
What do expect out of Spain?
Answer the questions and I will see what I can dig up for you, howver the toursit area is not my strong point.
mike
Well I have to agree that the question is indeed a broad one. I have been working out in Spain for some 14 years now. I have never worked in a bar, a real estate office etc. I worked for a Spanish company in their Finanace dept. and in a number of IT companies.
I agree with what sibsie says. If you do not speak Spanish you are instantly limited to jobs that either serve the tourist community/the expat community and you are likely to be paid peanuts, well you could end up teaching English as some of the less reputable private language schools as well.
The minimum salary is Spain if low, I forget the figure but many people and below 600 EUROs per month, and forget a 35 hour week. The amount of illegal labour, which is not really subject to much control, means that many people are doing 55 hour weeks for 500 Euros. You say no to a few extra hours (no extra pay)...fired on the spot.
If you speak Spanish then that is a good start, if you don´t you will once again find it difficult to operate outside the tourist/expat areas.
Having said all that, when I wanted to go out to work in Spain I was given the same pessimistic advice, it was all woe and gloom and doom, except for one small titbit a friend (who worked abroad) gave me.
He asked me what I wanted to achieve and why Spain:
I had not been there before so had no real preconception, I think I replied, sunshine, cold beer, afford a house etc.
He then said, so why not go to Australia then, you got all that and no problem with the language, although there are immigration procedures to go thru. Long debate and we agreed on Spain. I spoke NO Spanish, knew nothing about the place etc.
He suggested that I plan and act on my desire rather than turn up and see what there was. Well from the idea to actually arriving here took 18 months, in which I time I had learnt passable Spanish, had managed to get a job here whilst in the UK, so when I arrived, just rented a flat, had a job, continued with the Spanish at all hours of the day. Was it easy, well it felt like it because I really wanted to go, but nowadays I wonder how I ever managed it.
The reality was that I figured out every UK company who did business in Spain, sent every type of letter & CV you can imagine out, and if I tell you that every Monday having written the letters out at the weekend I used to buy a Sheet of 1st class stamps.
Meanwhile, after work, I managed to spend 20 hours a week learning Spanish - those dumb tapes and books, but it helped. God it was depressing, but if worked. 14 years later, still here in madrid, don´t know what the future holds but so far so good.
Nowadays I would surf the web as well for job offers, if you have any marketable skills then all the better. But I am afraid Spanish is the key.
As for your questions about how much would you earn and what would your basic cost of living be, that would depend on where you live and what you do.
All the Brits I know out here are non -expats. E.g. you would no more find them in an English bar than you would on the moon, they are generally married to Spaniards (like myself) and planned their move VERY carefully, and when they needed a skill they did not have, language, cultute they bust their guts out learning it before they arrived. This has made their lives much easier subsequently.
Do you speak any Spanish?
What skills do you have?
What sort of jobs have you done?
What do expect out of Spain?
Answer the questions and I will see what I can dig up for you, howver the toursit area is not my strong point.
mike
Dec 3rd 2003, 9:42 am
#4
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Nov 2003
Location: Chiclana
Posts: 3,327
Reply to Mike
Very interested in your reply to this topic. I too am looking to move out within the next 3-6months. Am looking in the Costa de Luz and also Valencia area, will be going out to see the areas first before deciding.
I will have income in the form of rent from a property in the UK of £550 per month but will also want to work for my sanity as much as the money. I have 10 years experience in sales including working for the Pru as a financial consultant. Although I do not speak Spanish, I will bust a gut to learn, do you think these skills will help me to get a job, possibly in real estate.
Glynis
Very interested in your reply to this topic. I too am looking to move out within the next 3-6months. Am looking in the Costa de Luz and also Valencia area, will be going out to see the areas first before deciding.
I will have income in the form of rent from a property in the UK of £550 per month but will also want to work for my sanity as much as the money. I have 10 years experience in sales including working for the Pru as a financial consultant. Although I do not speak Spanish, I will bust a gut to learn, do you think these skills will help me to get a job, possibly in real estate.
Glynis
