SHERGAR

I read somewhere of people who actually want to return to U.K. because they either are "homesick"or just they realised they made a mistake in moving to Spain in the first place
As i intend to move over shortly can i have your feedback on this subject.I understand not everone would be happy with their new life,but am interested why they changed their mind.
By the way ,if anyone is intending to sell up let me know as i am determind to buy .

rugbymatt

Spain isn't for everyone, it is a difficult place for some to integrate into at times and sometimes people get a little daunted about living among people they have no cultural or emotional ties to, so they often make the mistake, in my opinion, of living in ex-pat enclaves. That's fine but all you are really doing is swapping one place back home full of Brits with another place full of Brits, just with sun.

SHERGAR

I agree with your view Matt.I dont like the idea of living in an all ex-pat communty.I want to be able to integrate with the local people(when in Rome etc)

rugbymatt

In my experience, it is the people who integrate more who last.

Fred James

I think if you were able to analyse the reasons why people return to the UK it would show that the majority did so because they could not get the work that they expected at the rates they would like.

Some return for family reasons - missing the family etc.

Some just decide they don't like it here.

Most people who retire to Spain seem happy to stay. The only retirees that I know who have returned did it for health or bereavement reasons.

My personal opinion (guess) is that the first reason accounts for 75% or more.

spain

agree with Matt and also it will depend on your expectations of Spain, whether you have to work, have kids etc etc all these things have major bearing factors on settling here

I have known a lot of people who came over and have now gone back - probably best for you to speak to them but generally most people on here are either already living or going to be living in Spain - I know one couple who sold up and moved over to Oliva, was here 2 days and said they realised they had made a terrible mistake and went back didnt understand it then and still dont now - they had left their jobs and sold their house so had to go into rented accomodation as they couldnt get a mortgage it was all very bizarre but takes all sorts I suppose

SHERGAR

As we are retiring and are willing to intergrate we should be O.K. then

rugbymatt

Isn't not managing to find work a symptom of not integrating though?

I never found a single problem finding work at all.

Fred James

I don't think "integrating" has much to do with it. The failures can usually be blamed on too high an expectation of the ability to find a job and to high an expectation of the pay - usually due to a lack of research or rose tinted glasses.

If you take an really objective view of leaving the UK to find work and give you enough money to have a reasonable lifestyle how many would choose to go to a country where they do not speak your language, where unemployment is much higher than the UK and where wages are far lower.

But of course, I forgot, it doesn't rain and the booze is cheap!

rugbymatt

I arrived in Spain with a tenner, no friends and no Spanish, but I accept your point of view.

scotlass

Do you work Matt? How long you been in Spain?

scampicat

We will return at some point, but purely because it was never intended to be a permanent move. We will know when the time is right - it may be two years, it may be ten. This is the main reason we did not sell our UK house when we came here.

We have taken early retirement and live in a smal, traditional Spanish village with only a few other expats.

Some of the people I know who have gone back have done so because they have either come here with unrealistic expectations for work/money, some come here intending to live on capital from a house sale, do not budget properly and run out of money, or just hate the locals (like one couple in our village who hate it because the Spanish live/work/sleep/eat differently to them and keep chickens and rabbits for the pot).

glad 2 b back

Yes but why did you leave Matt, that is the question?

crispy

Shergar I have PM'd you.

SueG

"I never found a single problem finding work at all"


You were very lucky then.