We have been here for 6 months now, we have sold our house in the UK. My husband has a full time permanant job. My children are in spanish school. We spent 8 months planning the move and preparing.
How long will it take for friends and family to understand we live here now, out of choice, we are happy, we DO NOT WANT TO COME BACK, AND HOME IS SPAIN, NOT THE UK!!!!!!!
Sorry just needed to vent.
There seems to be a bit of miscommunication between us and the friends and family in the UK.
They don't seem to understand that I don't miss anything there, i hate having to go back, and i really would have to be pushed to move back there, (extreme circumstances, never say never).
I cant even stand going to gib ( sorry gib!).
How long did it take for others to get the message across, did it happen to you?
They seem to think we are here for a long holiday and hubby's work has made us come.

love

mary x x x

Mary, my friends think its funny when I call Spain "home" but I suppose it is to them - a few have said they would love to do what we did and emigrate but they just havent got the "balls"

BUT after 4 years I still have times when Im homesick, missing friends and family and the endless choices at Tescos !!!!!

Not that I would think about going back but I dont feel I will ever be 100% happy and settled here - but then is anyone ever 100% content with their lives

On the 21st of Feb our adventure began, we arrived at Jerez airport with 2 suitcase ppl thought we were NUTS, and some family thought we were going for a look around and be back in a couple of weeks .............. We keept saying this is it we are going....... but it didnt really sink in ......... any way like Mary this is HOME and I miss nothing.............tell a little lie I miss watching English TV, but I wouldnt miss the spanish version of "deal or no deal" ,watching a film in spanish that you have already watched improves your language skills loads.

I think they realised at Xmas when we returned for a couple of days that we were not going back, when they understood how happy we both were and how we were doing what most wished they had opportunity to do.

They will understand one day Mary just give it time, my answer to our kids is well you can have a holiday in the sun when ever you want one, and we are always on the end of the PC with a web cam LOL.

We will have to do a recky on where miss naughty is and surprise her

I dont think i miss anything from the UK. I can quite happily find alternatives to everything. I cook everything fresh, so meat, friut and veg is the same the world over. We have the luxury of brit sky, but that is really on for the kids, my hubby and i just dont have the same lifestyle of sitting in front of the TV night after night. We read, play cards, socialise, we can take the kids out for dinner at 9 oclock at night. We talk about stuff we never had time to talk about in the UK. I have palm trees one side of my house and the beach the other. Life isn't easy here either. To get the house warm is a 2 hr task, no central heating to wack on. Remembering the gas, wood, sweep out the fire, no 24hr tesco. Not to mention the days with no electric or water. Bur despite all of this, or perhaps because of it, i love it here.


mary xxx

we have only been back once, going again in a month or so, BUT, why does everyone think we are going to take them a thousand fags!, order for next trip was over 3000, so have put foot down, we are taking NONE, makes it much simpler, we've told them all we are just not taking any fags back for anyone, saves us the trouble of buying them, packing them and then distributing them when we get there. We DON'T smoke, so why should we halp them ruin their health.

Good for you ;-)

We came in October

I went back early November for a day to play golf
We went back in December over Christmas
We went back 17 January for my daughters University ceremony
I'm going back 26 February for 2 days to play golf

Due to cheap fares we tend to treat the plane like a bus. I quite enjoy the freedom and ability to go back whenever I want, February is costing me £40.

Mary Ann, what a great part of the world you live in, no wonder you don't want to go back. We spent some time in Cádiz, with water on 3 sides and the history and culture, we will never forget it. In Sta Maria we had some of the best seafood we have ever tasted.

Our ex account has given us 1 yr our familys have said 2 max and we want to stay here for the rest of our lives if possible and don't even like going back when we have to.