Would you do it again?
Aug 22nd 2013, 7:02 am
#31
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Joined: Apr 2010
Location: London (mainly)/Oliva
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Re: Would you do it again?
Realistically is anyone going to come on and say it was the biggest mistake they ever made
I know if I was left with a worthless illegal house that is how I would feel.Generally people make excuses for their mistakes, although I do think the posters on this thread are being honest.
I just do not believe it is necessarily representative.
Aug 22nd 2013, 8:06 am
#32
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2009
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Re: Would you do it again?
And of course for those that the dream didn't materialise, of which there are a lot, they are probably back home wherever that might be and don't read these forums.
Aug 22nd 2013, 8:11 am
#33
Joined: Jun 2011
Location: In the middle of 10million Olive Trees
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Re: Would you do it again?
Aug 22nd 2013, 8:17 am
#34
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Location: Aracena area Huelva Spain
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Re: Would you do it again?
So why did you go home Jacky? And would you ever decide to come back?
Aug 22nd 2013, 8:50 am
#35
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Location: Velez-Malaga
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Re: Would you do it again?
I would go along with that feeling of nervousness as well.
At present there's such a great degree of uncertainty and lack of confidence about what lies over the horizon and who will pay the price.
Even if the country does slowly move out of recession, it's still deep in the mire for a long time to come.
Lynn mentions the improved facilities, but I never came to Spain looking for another typical Western country and I never had a great problem with things as they used to be anyway, instead very much enjoying the easy going carefree atmosphere that was so much more prevalent back then.
I would take the country as it was twenty years back, even though still in recession, anytime, as against what it is now.
Even when things weren't so good, there was still confidence and optimism back then, which I shared myself, that everything would eventually come good and work out fine, which to a certain extent it did..........for a while anyway.
Sadly the whole atmosphere is so totally different now to then, with a certain feeling of foreboding, commonly shared by Spanish and Expats alike, as has also been so obviously displayed on this forum itself in recent times.
At present there's such a great degree of uncertainty and lack of confidence about what lies over the horizon and who will pay the price.
Even if the country does slowly move out of recession, it's still deep in the mire for a long time to come.
Lynn mentions the improved facilities, but I never came to Spain looking for another typical Western country and I never had a great problem with things as they used to be anyway, instead very much enjoying the easy going carefree atmosphere that was so much more prevalent back then.
I would take the country as it was twenty years back, even though still in recession, anytime, as against what it is now.
Even when things weren't so good, there was still confidence and optimism back then, which I shared myself, that everything would eventually come good and work out fine, which to a certain extent it did..........for a while anyway.
Sadly the whole atmosphere is so totally different now to then, with a certain feeling of foreboding, commonly shared by Spanish and Expats alike, as has also been so obviously displayed on this forum itself in recent times.
Same with the corruption and nepotism that you and other posters constantly refer to (and I don't like it either). But the 1990s was the decade when Jesus Gil was Mayor of Marbella - the corruption and the nepotism was flourishing then, and had been for much longer. The difference is that in more recent times people have begun to be investigated and are finding themselves in the dock, although proceedings seem to be excruciatingly slow and the penalties not harsh enough.
Aug 22nd 2013, 8:56 am
#36
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 7,749
Re: Would you do it again?
But was the "confidence" and optimism twenty years ago not due to the fact that so many people had jobs, and were making good money, because of the kind of grandiose projects and EU money being spent that you are such a harsh critic of now? Construction work on Valencia's City of Arts & Sciences, for example, began in 1994 and the planning and approval must have begun much earlier. The first AVE line opened in 1992, so again planning and construction must have started well before that. The building boom was well under way too.
Same with the corruption and nepotism that you and other posters constantly refer to (and I don't like it either). But the 1990s was the decade when Jesus Gil was Mayor of Marbella - the corruption and the nepotism was flourishing then, and had been for much longer. The difference is that in more recent times people have begun to be investigated and are finding themselves in the dock, although proceedings seem to be excruciatingly slow and the penalties not harsh enough.
Same with the corruption and nepotism that you and other posters constantly refer to (and I don't like it either). But the 1990s was the decade when Jesus Gil was Mayor of Marbella - the corruption and the nepotism was flourishing then, and had been for much longer. The difference is that in more recent times people have begun to be investigated and are finding themselves in the dock, although proceedings seem to be excruciatingly slow and the penalties not harsh enough.
Although the fundamental reason is that 20 years ago Spain had almost zero public and personal debt. The 15 years that followed, everyone - people and politicians were busy spending money that they never had
Then in 2008 the money tap was switched off and Spain was brought back to reality, and people suddenly found themselves lumbered with massive amounts of debt which they could never hope of getting back through selling their assets
By the way, most Spaniards I speak to say that the crisis is just a temporary thing and the economy will be back on track in the next year and two. I guess people need that hope, but I dont see it turning around in the next 10 years, and possibly not in the next 20 years. I am very careful who I share that view with though because nobody likes a killjoy
Aug 22nd 2013, 9:26 am
#37
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Location: Living in a good place
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Re: Would you do it again?
I think mainly seeing what was happening to a lot of expats and not feeling secure as some have touched on as "nervousness". Would I go back, no plans right now but I never say never about anything
We did visit my old house in June, just for a drink. The garden has been completely transformed with expensive sofas all around, lots of Buddha statues too
and what I called my orchard all bulldozed..I hated it
Aug 22nd 2013, 11:17 am
#38
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Re: Would you do it again?
Good question! Probably a combination of things which I may list when I have more time. I was whinging about various things even before I joined this forum but I didn't want to leave I think mainly seeing what was happening to a lot of expats and not feeling secure as some have touched on as "nervousness".
Would I go back, no plans right now but I never say never about anything We did visit my old house in June, just for a drink. The garden has been completely transformed with expensive sofas all around, lots of Buddha statues too and what I called my orchard all bulldozed..I hated it
I think mainly seeing what was happening to a lot of expats and not feeling secure as some have touched on as "nervousness". Would I go back, no plans right now but I never say never about anything
We did visit my old house in June, just for a drink. The garden has been completely transformed with expensive sofas all around, lots of Buddha statues too and what I called my orchard all bulldozed..I hated it
Aug 22nd 2013, 11:53 am
#39
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Joined: Aug 2008
Location: Madrid
Posts: 6,400
Re: Would you do it again?
Maybe it's because I've lived in too many places, but I never harbour feelings about previous abodes in that way. 
Aug 22nd 2013, 12:34 pm
#40
Mucho Macho
Joined: Sep 2005
Location: Huescar
Posts: 1,213
Re: Would you do it again?
Came here in 2005.....still here.....and we'll always be here!
Not sure I would have done anything differently because things have worked out well for us!
Not sure I would have done anything differently because things have worked out well for us!
Aug 22nd 2013, 12:49 pm
#41
On the road again.
Joined: Aug 2008
Location: On Top of the World
Posts: 17,507
Re: Would you do it again?
But was the "confidence" and optimism twenty years ago not due to the fact that so many people had jobs, and were making good money, because of the kind of grandiose projects and EU money being spent that you are such a harsh critic of now? Construction work on Valencia's City of Arts & Sciences, for example, began in 1994 and the planning and approval must have begun much earlier. The first AVE line opened in 1992, so again planning and construction must have started well before that. The building boom was well under way too.
Everything, absolutely everything was standing still.
All projects totally abandoned almost as though the world had come to an end and lots of ppl out of work and struggling.
That was in Tenerife but I'm sure the recession was still pretty widespread then, though maybe it took a little longer for the Canaries to get their arses back into gear.
No to me the atmosphere now is totally different to back then and maybe Cman describes the reasons well.
There is not the same optimism now,.. rather a mood of depression, and the continuing or ever increasing exodus is probably a realistic reflection of the present situation.
Last edited by Dick Dasterdly; Aug 22nd 2013 at 12:52 pm. Reason: typo
Aug 22nd 2013, 1:00 pm
#42
Account Closed
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 1,176
Re: Would you do it again?
Not at all, definitely not where I was anyway.
Everything, absolutely everything was standing still.
All projects totally abandoned almost as though the world had come to an end and lots of ppl out of work and struggling.
That was in Tenerife but I'm sure the recession was still pretty widespread then, though maybe it took a little longer for the Canaries to get their arses back into gear.
No to me the atmosphere now is totally different to back then and maybe Cman describes the reasons well.
There is not the same optimism now,.. rather a mood of depression, and the continuing or ever increasing exodus is probably a realistic reflection of the present situation.
Everything, absolutely everything was standing still.
All projects totally abandoned almost as though the world had come to an end and lots of ppl out of work and struggling.
That was in Tenerife but I'm sure the recession was still pretty widespread then, though maybe it took a little longer for the Canaries to get their arses back into gear.
No to me the atmosphere now is totally different to back then and maybe Cman describes the reasons well.
There is not the same optimism now,.. rather a mood of depression, and the continuing or ever increasing exodus is probably a realistic reflection of the present situation.
When I lived in Ireland, all the stories of depression and people leaving the country ... no different to here really.
And also the UK http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/poli...ent-drain.html
I just wonder where everyone's going?
Aug 22nd 2013, 1:42 pm
#43
Joined: Jun 2011
Location: In the middle of 10million Olive Trees
Posts: 12,053
Re: Would you do it again?
The mood of the recession is in every country effected.
When I lived in Ireland, all the stories of depression and people leaving the country ... no different to here really.
And also the UK http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/poli...ent-drain.html
I just wonder where everyone's going?
When I lived in Ireland, all the stories of depression and people leaving the country ... no different to here really.
And also the UK http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/poli...ent-drain.html
I just wonder where everyone's going?
Aug 22nd 2013, 1:53 pm
#44
Banned
Joined: Feb 2011
Location: Mallorca
Posts: 19,367
Re: Would you do it again?
Same with the corruption and nepotism that you and other posters constantly refer to (and I don't like it either). But the 1990s was the decade when Jesus Gil was Mayor of Marbella - the corruption and the nepotism was flourishing then, and had been for much longer. The difference is that in more recent times people have begun to be investigated and are finding themselves in the dock, although proceedings seem to be excruciatingly slow and the penalties not harsh enough.
But I think one change that would immediately effect a dramatic difference is to bar any public servant or member of the legal system (including lawyers and judges) that spends any time in jail for any violation of the public trust. It seems we still have quite a few at all levels of the legal and political system that have been in and out of jail repeatedly - one concept that you really have to get used to if you come from elsewhere.
Last edited by amideislas; Aug 22nd 2013 at 1:55 pm.
Aug 22nd 2013, 2:42 pm
#45
On the road again.
Joined: Aug 2008
Location: On Top of the World
Posts: 17,507
Re: Would you do it again?
The mood of the recession is in every country effected.
When I lived in Ireland, all the stories of depression and people leaving the country ... no different to here really.
And also the UK http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/poli...ent-drain.html
I just wonder where everyone's going?
When I lived in Ireland, all the stories of depression and people leaving the country ... no different to here really.
And also the UK http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/poli...ent-drain.html
I just wonder where everyone's going?
Ireland has picked up and the movement to and from the UK is fairly normal in this day and age with skilled workers moving in as well as out.
With regard to Spain the virtual one way movement out of skilled workers continues to increase to the UK, Germany elsewhere in N.Europe and Worldwide.
Little wonder that the language schools, many of which didn't even exist a few years back are doing a roaring trade.
The Spanish have paid scant attention to such things for as long as I can recall until all of a sudden these last few years they realize how desperate the situation has become and how important it is for themselves and their families to make really serious efforts in this direction in the hope of guaranteeing themselves a better future.