Been over here 3 years now and have decided to return home in 2, no one can say we did not give it long enough.

No not where they are, up in the hills. They're pretty cheap by comparison.

Genius plan. Sadly Mr Sibsie is always one step ahead of me so any skulduggery on my part re moving home would get a swift kick in the califlours. I need a super super genius plan, the likes of which have never previously been seen.

what about health care, though?

Get some friends of yours (whom you do not know, of course) to put a "for sale" sign in their front garden. Assure your husband that knocking on the door to enquire the price of the home is an accepted practise. Knock, and have them quote a Mr-Sibsie-sized price. Three homes ought to do it.

Of course, those homes will "sell" before you could possibly get it together to move back.

If you're over pension age, then it's free. Otherwise you either pay into the Spanish system or get private coverage. Private is a kazillion times cheaper than over here though. I didn't have it but went to a private doc and it was only 20 euries a pop. Most drugs, even hard core painkillers are over the counter and again, squadoodles times cheaper than the UK or US.

My wife and I are both Brits. We came over here because of my job - actually, we were dating when I took the plunge to come out here, and she wouldn't relocate unless/until we were married

Anyway, she loves it over here - probably more than I do. We've never talked about retirement, but my hope is to go back at some undefined point in the future.

Its now 9 years since we got married, and only this year did we finally get all the wedding presents shipped over from the UK So I guess that means we are here for the long haul - whatever that may be.

We had our first child in December, and thats got me thinking how I want her to grow up. My preference would really be for her to be educated in England, partly because I've seen the result of my English nephew grow up here, and he's a total Yank.

So that would mean moving back to the UK in the not too distant future, supposing 'er indoors is up for it. Housing wouldn't be a problem - we still have a house in Plymouth (which is empty), and because of the small mortgage we could easily rent out our US house and cover our costs.

Don't fancy shipping all those wedding presents back though

The quality is good? Do you have to be an EU citizen to receive free care? (I am a USC.)

Same hold for the south of France in case I win enough of a lottery pool to afford the digs?

I always thought we would go back.....but now I'm not sure.......

Can't see myself staying here forever. The wife says she'll think about moving to the UK if I become a US citizen so it'd be easier to return. Not sure when that'll happen though, after 2 years here and no green card as yet!

My knowledge only really extends to living there as an EU person. You'd have to be able to get in there first, but I *think* that once you're there legally, you're good to go.

The quality is ok. Spain is very much a family place and as such the hospitals don't provide meals etc., they expect the families to do that. I'd say it's comparable with the NHS minus the waiting times.

What she said.

And again. Except one of my parents friends had to go into hospital in Elche for a bypass and they got excellent care and meals provided. Of course the family also brought in several truck loads of Paella and fruit which we helped to, er, put away.

Oh and on the cost of medications front, my father has high blood pressure and has to take tablets every day which I believe cost them 15Euros per month. If I recall the same pills over here would set them back over $100 per month.

Are kazillions and squadoodles the correct mathematical terms?

Where did squadoodles come from? That's my new favourite word!

I want to be where my wife is, so I don't see me going "home" any time soon, which is fine by me as I love it here.