How does one meet new people if retired?

[lovethesun]

Originally Posted by chefinla

I know learning the language is key, but how about meeting other ex-pats who speak English? I am sure speaking a language other than your own every day can get pretty tiring, how does one meet others who speak English in Spain?

In which area do you live?

[chefinla]

Originally Posted by lovethesun

In which area do you live?

We haven't moved yet, we are doing some research from California at the moment and will take a trip in November to check out the coastal areas.

[Chica22]

Wow, what a wonderful post by GC, and it makes me incredibly envious. I wish sometimes I could just transport myself into an area where no English is spoken at all, and arrive back home with the ability to speak fluent Spanish to OH. But after 30 years I doubt very much that this is going to happen!!!

However in my serious quest to actually speak Spanish, I have for the past few weeks informed the small group of attendees at the gym (which consist of Spanish, German and Dutch, I am the only English person) that from now on English is barred!!! At the moment, I find it very frustrating but every bit helps!!

I have also enrolled onto the free Spanish classes via the Town Hall, but intermediate level, in September, on the basis that I am going to cram as much learning as I possibly can in the next few weeks. I find I need a target to work towards.

I am trying hard to get into the habit of putting Spanish TV on, with subtitles, but it doesnt help that OH prefers English TV!!! Writing this it appears that I live with a macho Spaniard who doesnt wish his wife to speak Spanish, this could not be farther from the truth, I know it is my problem that I just will not speak Spanish to him, and even if he speaks to me in Spanish, I always answer him back in English.

With regard to meeting ex-pats, as I said in my earliest post, I believe it is the 'person' that matters rather than the language, and sharing 'commonality' in aspects of life. We have some wonderful English people living near us, and a minority that shop and eat in Brit establishments and complain all the time about the Spanish people/way of life, whilst this appears fine for some, it is not the type of life I have chosen, either here or in the UK.