casablanca83

Hello

Just wanted to ask this question and see how many people have found that life in Spain is what they hoped and longed for.

I've got a lovely idea of walking along in the sunshine most days, sitting in squares with locals (and expats of course) until all hours eating tapas and drinking wine, meeting great, outgoing, similar people and inviting the round for BBQ's and Sangria every other week. :-)

I was just curious as to whether these expectations are realistic.

Of course I know that there is all the boring stuff too, work, trips to supermarket, chores, paying bills etc - but hopefully thats all a lot nicer when the sun is eating down outside...

CC

licinius

YES, YES, YES, YES, YES, YES, YES, YES, YES, YES, YES, YES!

Living in the UK I was so angry. I believe in live & let live, I don't interfere with you & you don't interfere with me but that seems to go against British philosophy.

In Spain I'm totally relaxed & chilled out. I still work (in fact still have the same job with the same employer) but my home life really couldn't be any better

missile

It can be like that and indeed for us it is. Difficult to explain but, after a while "living the dream" can become tedious.

cricketman

Well, yes and no

I am enjoying life in Spain, but really the biggest difference is the language and culture. And most "expats" speak English most of the time so even that wont be so different. Most of the time I am still working and doing the things I'd be doing in any country.

What you wrote sounds like a holiday to me or maybe a retirement

And yes the weather is better in Spain, but it isnt without its inconveniences i.e. cold in the winter and too hot for 2 months in the summer (it makes everything difficult, ok when you are on holiday when you have nothing to do!). But the odd day when we go for an excursion at the weekend is priceless, its those times you appreciate.

JulianWard

I came to Spain when I was 47, I was on sick leave. I officially retired the following year. So I have lived here now around 24 years. 5 years ago this week I married a Filipino who is 32 years younger than me.

No Spain is not what I expected. It is a whole lot better and gets more so every day and I know how lucky I am.

casablanca83

Its funny you say that about it sounding like a hoilday or retirement. As it's neither but I'm just looking for a full life and people in UK tend to have that opinion also - that those kind of things are 'just for holiday' etc. why shouldn't bbq's and socialising and fun stuff not be part of 'the norm' , after all we only live once

casablanca83

And yes the weather is better in Spain, but it isnt without its inconveniences i.e. cold in the winter and too hot for 2 months in the summer (it makes everything difficult, ok when you are on holiday when you have nothing to do!). But the odd day when we go for an excursion at the weekend is priceless, its those times you appreciate.[/QUOTE]

I appreciate your point re the hot summers, I'm sure that coudl be hard getting used to. maybe we'll use that time to back to the UK summer which will be nice and cool!

bil

I'm reporting this post to the mods, as I believe you may have stolen my identity.......

You and me both, you and me both....

casablanca83

It's great to hear all your positive experiences.
More welcome!! :-)

Also if anyone has tips on meeting freinds, i.e are there social website to arrange activities etc?

Thanks
CC

bil

Life out here is precisely what you make it. We are retired, and are loving it. I have my garden and fruit trees, an dthey take up a lot of our time. The weather is a whole lot better than the UK for us. There actually IS sunny weather in Spain, instead of the persistant greyness of the UK that used to depress me so badly.

There aren't many tasks that aren't made more pleasant by sunshine, - try and imagine a cafe culture on an average day in the UK!

Nowhere is perfect. I repeat NOWHERE IS PERFECT. The trick is to find a place that you really like, and then strive to iron out as many of the niggles as you can.

Me, I love it here because I am no longer feeling as tho I am in a hamster wheel, running and running every day just to stand still. Shall I start building that wall, or shall I go out for the day and cruise the garden centres.....Ooooo, decisions decisions. We did just that today, stocking up on pots and saucers from one of our customary viveros, then it was back home via the local bar where we eat lunch twice a week and collect their used coffee grounds, which we tip on the compost. Tomorrow, if the sun shines I shall take an hour out to go lie in the sun and relax just that little bit more.

The heat doesn't bother me nearly so much, but Jan doesn't like it when it gets really hot. There are tricks to minimise the effect of the sun, all they require is a bit of intelligence, and maybe the investment in a mobile a/c unit for when it all gets just too much.

bil

Very little danger of getting overheated under the grey skies.

cricketman

I am the biggest advocate of Spain, I love it, but I can't see what BBQs, socialising and "fun stuff" have to do with Spain? Why is that any different to any other country?

In London we frequently went to BBQs or to meet up with friends at the weekend. And my friends in London still do. While here we go out to restaurants with friends/family on a Sunday or meet up at people's homes. Pretty much the same.

Although imo the food is way better in Spain, but that is my opinion and from being on this forum a long time I know most British expats prefer to eat British food anyway.

bil

I'd say BBQs are relevant. Pick any Saturday from here to october, and I would bet good money that it will have great weather.

cricketman

Maybe I've forgotten how bad the weather was in the UK

The good thing in Southern Spain is that more often or not it isnt raining, so you can plan your weekend and its very rare you have to cancel.

I used to play in a tennis league in London, it was a nightmare, you'd arrange a time, book a court, be looking out your window all morning, and then in the end the match got cancelled!

I still maintain though, that unless you are retired, the weather isnt a good reason to move countries. There has to be something about the country that you can relate to and be part of.

bil

I cherish the fact that we get a reliable summer in Spain. I used to keep track of the weather to prove all the people wrong who said I exaggerated the paucity of sunshine in the UK where we were. Perfect summer days with no cloud were a rarity, and it was interesting to notice that as soon as there was half an hour's sunshine, everyone would start saying 'Isn't it a lovely day?' It was as tho they were actually incapable of remembering anything except for the sunshine, and edited out all the grey bits.