JnK

Just been reading the thread about why people are leaving Spain with great interest as we've now sold the house and will be moving over to Spain in the New Year. Haven't been put off by the all the negatives in the thread but we do take it all on board. Just thought it would be interesting to hear why people have decided to stay in Spain. Some good news amongst all the gloom would be wonderful

onlineamiga

Hmm many reasons for me:

1. The fact of being away from the UK. Spent 26 years there, totally bored of the place. Its nice to be somewhere new.
2. Made loads of amazing friends out here whom I'd have never met if I stayed in the UK.
3. Got a good job here.
4. The people here are better, im meeting people from all over europe and beyond, whom i'd never have met in the UK.
5. Its cheaper to live here (well, was until the £ went to crap)
6. Of course the weather. I hate cold weather. I hate winter here but I know a hot long summer is on the way, like it will every year.
7. The diversity of the place. Within a few hours I can be laid on hot beaches. trecking in countryside mountains or snowboarding. I can turn left out of my urbanisation and be on the coast, or turn right and be in the middle of no where with spectacular mountain views.
8. Generally a more relaxed ambience about the place. People are more easy going. None of this blame culture.
9. No chavs. (except in the park in La Linea at night)
10. Safer. You dont hear about people randomly getting knifed or mugged here like you do in the UK. (Especially Gibraltar)
11. A nice summer holiday to the Algarve is a 3 hour drive now. In the UK, I'd have got Skeggy for that



I'd carry on but leaving work now. But im sure others can carry on this list. Theres loads of great reasons to be in Spain. I think its great

EsuriJohn

Are you sure the Algarve is only 3 hours from Estepona. The border bridge takes 1.25 hrs from Sevilla and two years ago it took me much longer than 1.75 hrs to travel from Estapona to Sevilla. I would guess you are looking at the topside of 4-4.5 hrs from Estepona to Faro.

jdr

He has got a flying machine. ;-))

Lionda

I think he's great, he has really made a success of it after moving over alone and also being let down by 'friends'. Well done Andrew, you just about summed it all up.

onlineamiga

Hmm you might be right. Perhaps it is a bit further than 3 hours. But im sure i did it pretty quickly before, then again Im a self confessed speeder, especially on those empty motorways up to seville

And thanks Lionda for your kind words

jjh

Don´t be pedantic, he´s made a go of it, and that´s what matters.

jjh

Of course there are going to be negatives because Spain, like all the EU is going through a recession. We have stayed here because we love it. It´s really cold at the moment but at least we can draw comfort that it´s only for a few months.

There are, obviously, things we don´t like about Spain, i.e. animal welfare, but it is getting better and our two campo dogs and campo cat are testimony to that as we wouldn´t have found them if it wasn´t for our neighbours. . The Spanish people we know have welcomed us so much and, as far as we are concerned, there isn´t that attitude to immigrants that you have in the UK. OH works and I´m retired and, apart from the fact that my pension (in Sterling) doesn´t got that far, we are managing. Good luck with the move.

JJx

AdrianTO

It takes around 2 and a half hours to get from Marbella to Sevilla. Not sure how much further Portugal is from there.

I love Estepona btw. Taking a walk on the boardwalk on a sunny Sunday afternoon is awesome. If you have family, it is definitely a good area to settle.

EsuriJohn

I have followed onlines progress down from Barcelona over the last 18 months and I must say he has done remarkably well after an upset right at the start and problems with accomodation in the early stages but I find it grates when people in general quote short times for journeys in Spain. Spain is a vast country compared to UK and it gives a false impression of the size to quote really short times. For instance rental sites often give the time from Sevilla airport to Ayamonte as one hour I travel that route often after 9 pm and the best I can do is one hour 30 mins including the stretch from Huelva, which is very quiet, at 160 km per hour.

jjh

John & Kath, I have also followed his progress, quietly, and I know the problems he has had, including his personal hurdles. I didn´t mean to be rude to you, although re-reading it, it probably sounded that way. I agree people don´t understand the vastness of Spain but I wanted to give him a bit of slack.

JJ

dunmovin

I lived in Hong Kong for thirteen years, going back to the UK every 18 months and realised that I couldn't "go home" as the place I left is not what it is now.
I've been in Spain 7 months now and my only gripe is the loud scooters.(not a hugh problem as I've bought a house way out in the country, therefore teenagers trying to look "cool" on a machine that has all the power of a sewing machine:curse: is a temporary annoyance and far less iritating than the never ending Hong Kong noise of jack-hammering ) I've made quite a few friends, both Spanish and expats. I'm slowly learning the language( my lack of being able to speak fluently in Spanish is not a problem as people try to help by being understanding) and it's a great deal easier to learn Spanish than Cantonese. Because of reasonable planning the currency crisis only affects me slightly (annoying but not as much as listening to expats moan about how they hate staying here,but I can always walk away from moaners).
Jnk , I whole heartedly hope you will like Spain as much as I do good luck on your move

Cape Blue

I found the same but then again, so do Australians or Kiwi's in the UK - I imagine if you or I were a Moroccan immigrant then things might be a little different.

JnK

Thanks to everyone who has replied it's nice to read about the positive too. Having moved countries twice in my life, I'm aware of the immense difficulties and stresses that go with it. We're also aware that in the 18 months we've been planning the move how much things have changed (house price and sterling plummet) but we still feel it's important to give it a go as we're now both in our 50s and feel that it could possibly be our last chance to have a new life. So thanks again and ... keep the positives coming

baz259

hi, my reason? 'i like it here'
Barry