Buenas tardes!

Ok, I am a single 23 year old chef with experience of bar work and an NVQ in Cookery & Hospitality and Business Administration, I did GCSE level Spanish (gaining a C) and will be searching for local Spanish lessons ASAP.

Although i've decided on moving to Spain, I have no idea where? Ideally an English speaking area at least untill my Spanish reaches an adequate level. But also somewhere with not too expensive accomodation and amenities nearby for potential jobs in an area i'm familiar with.

Any feedback and suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Thank Youuu

Looking in last weeks Sur in English there were several ads looking for chefs/cooks for the cds. Have a look at the Sur in English online might be a good place to start, you would at least have some numbers to ring and get an idea of what the pay and conditions will be like before you jump from the frying pan into the fire.

http://www.surinenglish.com/ you want the classified ads

Hope this helps and good luck but be realistic in what your looking for sometimes the grass on the other side is painted greener

Hi Steven

The Costa Del Sol is one option as jay01 says. A whole coastline of tourist resorts and loads of English speakers. I live in a quieter part of the CDS and the rents here are upwards of 300 Euros (a studio) per month but don't know about west of Malaga. There are lots of sites that can give you an idea though, try Kyero.com for starters.

Good luck

Thanks Jay, ill check it out. I just always find myself questioning which sites can be trusted with this kind of thing.

suppose i'm fortunate in that if for whatever reason it doesn't work out I know I am still going to have a house and job to return to, so in that respect i've got nothing to lose i guess.


Marqueemoon cool i'll try that also, yeah Malaga or somewhere near seems a likely starting point. 300 seems pretty good, 1 bed?

The from 300 price is for Nerja which is east of Malaga - and for a studio which is one bed, but in the same room as the living room! I wouldn't have much of hope of you finding a job here though, better on the other side of Malaga.

If you have nothing to lose by taking the chance then go for it. The worst that can happen is you get a great holiday

Definately, thats the best way to look at it.
Would ya say its better to sort out accomodation first then search for work around that are once out there, or try and find a job online for instance then looking for accomodation around that? Surely the first, righr?

Have a look through the ads in the cds papers for work available, as I said before give a couple a ring and test the water. Get a cheap flight and accommodation for a couple of days and do some leg work with places, if you do not find anything then you can head back or if you find something permanent you can see about making the move.

To work legally, above board and pay your taxes and be covered for health care by your employer paying social security you should get and NIE number from the police station in our case it is Malaga and get a social security number (do not know which one covers the coast). Ideally once you have a rental agreement sign on to the padron, but be very weary if any employer says you have to sort your own social out as this is making you self employed and it can cost you about 250+ a month or even worse give you nothing as should you have any accident you have not health care and no protection.

Enjoy the experience and good luck.

More good advice from jay01. There are lots of things to be aware of if you do get offered work.

The first is that it could be a cash in hand job. This would give you no entitlement to health care or other benefits resulting from being legal and could end up with you be fined if caught. You could also being sacked without cause and with no comeback on the employer.

Another common practise is to give you a contract for the minimum number of hours, even if you are working full time. This saves the employer money, but means you are working illegally for the additional hours, and are paying less contributions into the system.

Everyone knows these things go on, and someone after a bit of summer work doesn't normally bother about the consequences. However if you were thinking about living in Spain long term a real contract is the holy grail! It gives you security and the ability to plan a life here, rather than a day to day survival which is the reality for so many who rely on working to get by.

Just watch pout for pay rates, I know of one person who was offered work in a cafe/restaurant, told the pay was €20, but what they didn't say was that wasn't an hour, it was for an 8 hour shift, needless to say they never went back.

At your age and presumably with not much baggage, I would take a six month break in an area like Fuengirola, starting off with cheap accommodation. Make sure you bring your EHIC, the health card with you.

With the season coming up you should be able to find work, but it's unlikely to be with any kind of contract and just cash in hand, the way the great majority of places operate, I would say all of them.

You'll be a lot wiser after your six months and if you want to make yourself permanent and legal, you'll know what to do by then.

It's a misconception that you need to be totally legal from day one, you have at least three months to do that, and the start date is up to you in most cases.

And enjoy your six months.