What is Gibraltar like?
 

Reason I ask is because I was looking on a Spanish jobs website and a job caught my eye ... an AAT qualified accountant required in Gib. Seeing as I'm AAT qualified I thought I'd look into it further as there were about 8 jobs on this one site.

From what I've gathered when I was researching at 11pm last night it is very English and the main language is English?

Apparently it has over 300 days of sun a year but from what I was reading last night people were saying it is very often cloudy and windy and can get very cold in the winter?

The currency is Gibraltar pounds and you can use GBP there. Does this mean the exchange rate is 1 GIP = 1GBP?

Are the salaries there quite high compared to Spain? How do they compare to the UK?

Would you recommend working/living there?

Is Spanish spoken enough so that I could improve my Spanish there (but still having the option to speak English if I get stuck) and possibly move on to somewhere more Spanish after a year or so?

Sorry for all the questions!

Re: What is Gibraltar like?
 

why dont you go and see for your self.if thats possible.then you can have a good look around and see if it does anything for you.some people love one place and other people hate the same place.apart from that thats all I can say as I have never been

Re: What is Gibraltar like?
 

I was there a few weeks ago and have to say in my opinion it is a total dump and unless it was an absolute emergency (i.e. Morrisons lol) I would not step foot in the place again! :thumbdown:

Re: What is Gibraltar like?
 

English is the main language because Gib is a British territory, hence also it is very English!
Apparently many parts of Spain get very cold in the winter too.
Salaries are high compared to Spain because it isn't Spain.
Moving to Gib to help improve your Spanish is like moving to Birmingham to improve your German.
Many people live in Spain but work in Gib.
It isn't very nice!

Re: What is Gibraltar like?
 

I used to live in Malaga province, so been / known a few people who have worked in Gibraltar. Basically it is a British colony, so English is the main language but all the native residents are bi-linguial English/Spanish; and Spanish is still the main language you'll here on the streets, although most businesses operate in English.

There a quite a few British companies, especially financial / gambling (as Gib is a tax haven), and salaries are high by Spanish standards for sure. The Gibtaltar pound is held at the same value as UK pound sterling. To live within Gibraltar itself is very expensive; rents start and £800 a month for simple apartments; buying property is also astronomical. Most people live across the border in Spain and commute (you can park on the Spanish side of the boarder, walk across & catch a bus into town). Driving into Gib itself is a bit of a nightmare and parking is non-existant.

You could live anywhere in the Campo de Gibraltar (the inland area on the Spanish side of the border) although I believe rents / house prices are increasing as the economic boom Gib has had has drawn people into the area. La Linea de la Conception; the town on the Spanish side of the border; is a bit of a dump; you could live in Estepona and drive down the highway; takes about 45 minutes- there is a big expat community in Estepona.

Climate in Gibraltar is like the rest of the med; although as it is on an exposed peninisula it can get windy and sea-mist is common in winter; never really gets that cold though; and if the Saharan winds blow across the Strait in summer in can get very warm!

Its a good place to start a life in Spain because you have an english-speaking town but you can still have all the delights of spain as well. Any more info pm me. Good luck whatever you decide to do :thumbup:

Re: What is Gibraltar like?
 

big rock with lots of macaque (Rock Apes despite the fact that they are monkeys) gambling is big industry there most likey it with one off this companys gambling

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gibraltar that give more on the the place , dont mind going there very now and then but the hotels want to up date there rooms
jurdy

Re: What is Gibraltar like?
 

I live(sometimes) in Estepona and many of my friends work in Gib. Most of them travel by motorbike as it is easy to get in and out of Gib on a bike. There can be queues for cars. I also like Gib and I have a number of friends there. If they can afford it most opt for a Spanish weekend house to get away for the weekend. As has been said the natives are bi-lingual although Spanish is the social language but English the Professional one. Some of the time they switch between them as they speak. Gib is like Marmite you love it or hate it.

Re: What is Gibraltar like?
 

:eek:Hate it :mad:

Re: What is Gibraltar like?
 

Try some on crackers:p

Re: What is Gibraltar like?
 

:blink:
I would still hate it...rip off sh*thole ......can't think of a good thing to say about it (what are you talking about btw :lol:)

Re: What is Gibraltar like?
 

Marmite, aren't you? :D

Re: What is Gibraltar like?
 

Oh,yeah...sorry :o

Re: What is Gibraltar like?
 

god thought this was going to be good one but i am wrong again :frown:

Re: What is Gibraltar like?
 

I work there and live in Spain.

Gibraltar is an over-priced crap hole to be honest.....and thinks it's something it isn't. I think the government is trying to liken it to Monaco - small, tax haven on the med you know....

But it's far from it, okay they have nearly finished Ocean Village which is nice, but turn around and there are a hundred high rise council blocks with everyones laundry hanging out the front, it's an eye-sore!!

The Spanish side isn't much better unless you go ~45mins outside. The problem with being on the Spanish side and close to Gibraltar means you are also close to the refinery. For a scare, read the cancer rate attributed to the refinery, reason enough to think again especially if you have a family.
Sotogrande would be a good place to consider as it's far enough away (well technically not, but you can't see/smell it usually) but its expensive.

Re: What is Gibraltar like?
 

Its a tip but good for business & banking!