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Welcome to SPAIN!!! Introduce yourself here!!

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#1 · (Edited)
WELCOME TO SPAIN!!!



why not all write a brief intro. about yourself - you don't have to give anything away that you don't want to......
 
#2 · (Edited)
I'll go first................

I'm known as xabiachica:D


came to live in Spain with my husband & two daughters towards the end of 2003, after nearly 4 years of planning it (and a brief move to Florida on the way)!!

both girls are in the Spanish state school system, although for about a year they were at International school.


I teach, mostly Spanish at the moment, but at first I ran a homework club, then taught English in a language academy for a while. I also teach IGCSE maths, English & Spanish. I actually had no intention of working when we moved here - but got bored..........
 
#1,305 · (Edited)
I'm known as xabiachica:D


came to live in Spain with my husband & two daughters towards the end of 2003, after nearly 4 years of planning it (and a brief move to Florida on the way)!!

both girls are in the Spanish state school system, although for about a year they were at International school.


I teach, mostly Spanish at the moment, but at first I ran a homework club, then taught English in a language academy for a while. I also teach IGCSE maths, English & Spanish. I actually had no intention of working when we moved here - but got bored..........
Hi all, myself and my husband have just bought a property in Tallante, Cartegena, Murcia. We are hoping to spend the winter in Spain and the summer in the UK. My husband is retuning to the house in March for 4-6 weeks and is trying to order doors and windows to be made and delivered in March so he can fit them but we are really struggling to find a company that can assist due to the language barrier. We are also trying to find a TV/internet package company that supplies in the area, so any help would be much appreciated.
Debbie
 
#4 ·
Hi all, I'm known on here as Alcalaina because I live in a little town called Alcalá. My OH and I took early retirement in 2008 and moved to Spain so that we could have a relaxed and healthy lifestyle in a beautiful environment. So far so good ...

We don´t have any kids (hence we could afford to retire early :)) but we have an elderly cat who came over from England with us, and has adapted well to to a life of lounging around doing nothing (as have I).

I spend my time painting, reading, cooking, exploring the area, writing my blog, and wasting time on the internet. There are very few English-speakers where we live; I learnt Spanish before we moved here and spend a fair amount of time keeping it up to scratch. I read Spanish newspapers and watch Spanish TV, which helps a lot. I also do translations of local history articles into English.

I like coming on this forum because you meet people with many different opinions, and there is nothing I enjoy more than a good "discussion"!
 
#5 ·
Hi Im Lin
I have lived in Spain for the last 7 years with my OH he had to retired early due to ill health. My parents also live here just round the corner from us. They are now well into there 70ies
My 2 children 33yrs & 27yrs also lived here for about 5 years running a bar on the coast both have now returned to the UK as found it difficult to make ends meet.!!
We still love it but have found over the last few years we have had to tighten our belts much tighter than we would have liked!!
 
#2,187 ·
.


Well that is normal, Spain is more expense that the UK, they only think that is cheaper is alcohol, but the rest is 15 and 23% more expense that the UK and their isn't governments body to protect their citizens from STAFAS (Froth) most people goal is to join a political party to a high level that is the way of become a millionaire, and the averages Spanish people has nothing to live on.
 
#6 ·
I´m Thrax (not my real name, honest) and I moved to Spain about 9 months ago with my wife and beautiful baby boy. My wife's parents live here (have done for 10 years) and my parents have decided to follow me; they arrive in August. (I'm moving to Australia tomorrow). Many of the forum members speak huge sense and others read the Daily Mail. I just stick with being slightly stupid and brain dead but I know how to have fun and be opptimistic. I love being in Spain but I am only too well aware of the problems here, but also the possibilities.

I love reading (though the boy has prevented any of that lately), eating (I am a trained chef), movies (though the boy....), writing (though the boy...) and astronomy (the boy cannot prevent that as he is in bed when it happens). I have a degree in astronomy, cosmology, quantum physics and special relativity which is why I have no friends. My wife married my out of sympathy and I remain eternally grateful.
 
#7 ·
We came to Spain beginning of 2008 with plans of my husband bringing his successful audio/visual, multimedia installation company with us and running a "sister" here. We were going to sell the UK house and buy in Spain, but my older daughters liked the idea of renting it from us, so we decided to rent here in Spain - and that was sooooo lucky, cos soon after we moved here the credit crunch happened. Due to that, my husband felt it wasnt a good time to start a business in spain, nor was it a good time to buy property here, the exchange rate suddenly went down and things became a struggle. So Husband commutes and the children and I live here in Spain. Things are easier here now and I have finally found work, so we're really happy and settled, but we've had some turbulent times here, one way and another - most quite well documented on here LOL!!!!! We are finally getting used to my husband having to commute, altho sadly, we cant say that we will be able to stay here forever!!

Jo xxx
 
#8 ·
what IS forever?

do any of us really know if we'll be anywhere forever?

I can safely say Spain will always have part of my heart - & we'll always have some roots here - but I don't know if it's my 'forever home' as owdoggy would say - though I hope so - and right now you'd have to drag me kicking & screaming to live anywhere else!

but my older dd wants to go abroad for uni (the US) - the younger one I think might just stay here

we are still young enough (just) to decide on somewhere else - or not - if the early retirement plans come to fruition when the girls are off our hands

I rather fancy Greece.......................
 
#10 ·
There are a load of us "here" john!
If you want to contribute to a thread just click on reply and write away. If you want to start a new thread go back to the initial page of "La Tasca" or the main Spain page. Towards the top, under the flags, it says new thread. Put a title and away you go.
 
G
#12 ·
Greetings!

Hiya,

I´m Yossa, short for Yossarian (Catch 22 anti-hero) not Yossa Hughes (Boys from blackstuff). Just turned 44 last week and quite happy with that. Avid climber/mountaineer and sailor, though not all at the same time...

I´ve spent 27 years in IT and decided to quit my London-Newcastle-New York job (I kid you not!) and drop out for a while. Highly paid jobs come with high levels of stress and terrible politics. So, I bought a boat, set several of my suits on fire, which was lush, and decided that bimbling about was all I wanted to do for a while.

I sailed to some fantastic places, met some fantastic people, told many fantastic tall stories and drank fantastic amounts of grog.

Three years later, I find myself 3,000ft up a mountain in Spain, sans boat.

Must have been the grog...
 
#15 ·
Hiya,

I´m Yossa, short for Yossarian (Catch 22 anti-hero) not Yossa Hughes (Boys from blackstuff). Just turned 44 last week and quite happy with that. Avid climber/mountaineer and sailor, though not all at the same time...

I´ve spent 27 years in IT and decided to quit my London-Newcastle-New York job (I kid you not!) and drop out for a while. Highly paid jobs come with high levels of stress and terrible politics. So, I bought a boat, set several of my suits on fire, which was lush, and decided that bimbling about was all I wanted to do for a while.

I sailed to some fantastic places, met some fantastic people, told many fantastic tall stories and drank fantastic amounts of grog.

Three years later, I find myself 3,000ft up a mountain in Spain, sans boat.

Must have been the grog...
Hi Yossa . Pleased to meet you . Many happy Returns my friend. Just wish I was 44 again and know what I know now . To late I am 68 ,but still going stong LOL . I was an Engineer Tool-Maker for a long while, But finish up Maintenance Manager for a Mobile Phone Company. Now retired :clap2:
 
#16 ·
I'm on here most days 'cos I find it interesting - usually (!). I most enjoy talking about this, my adopted country, and am not so keen on talking about the wider issues of life on this forum, although I have been known to do so.
As I've been here a long time, and have Spanish family, I believe I've been able to help some people out over the last couple of years. And, although it sounds corny, I've also found out a lot about life in Spain through the people on this forum who are living in different parts of Spain and who are living a different life to mine.
Long may it continue!
 
#18 ·
Hepa here,

I am an old retired Git.

I first came to the Canary Island of Gran Canaria in 1962 on a Shell oil tanker called Achatina and that must have been the instigation of a life time relationship with this wonderful archipelago.

I first visited the Island of El Hierro in 1995, bought a house here in 2000. Having spent long periods here during the winter months, finally managed to sell, house, car, children, grandchildren, cats dogs, everything in the U.K., just over two years ago, and what a relief it was!

I do not have any educational qualifications whatsoever, I worked for fifty years.
I also paint, usually walls and ceilings, mainly in white.

Here where I live, there are probably another two English residents, we also have a Port Policeman of Spanish parentage, who says he was born in Wolverhampton. Therefore very little English is spoken. Crime is virtually unknown, people park cars with the keys in the ignition and engines running, some never lock their houses!!

Life here in the most southerly part of Spain is good, the climate is fantastic, the people are very accommodating and kind. My neighbours are Venezolanos and that is where my Pseudonym is from, I'm told it is a form of greeting in Venezuela.

Here is my home, here I am content to stay,


Hepa
 
#20 ·
I'm English, live in the UK and visit Denia several times a year.

I have two boys, 15 and 21, and love my life in the UK where my family and friends are. However, I've always had a soft spot for Spain and wouldn't rule out living there on a part time basis if my current work plans do not materialise.
 
#36 ·
Newbie introducing herself

Hi everyone, I'm Lin I've joined up today to chat with exBrits who've moved to Gran Canaria as we're thinking of joining the bandwagon! We would like to move to the south around maspalomas, initially for 12 months renting a bungalow till we suss out the place properly & improve our basic spanish.
My OH is a keen carp angler & has dreams of finding work on or around the beautiful lakes out there - his background is maintenance/carpentry. I'm a registered nurse & my background is A & E/oncology mainly but would consider any kind of work really, though at 44 probably too old for barwork! We have a 12 year old daughter who has fallen in love with playa del ingles - especially the Yumbo Centre! I think she's already been adopted by most of the staff at the wonderful Sparkles bar!
So we would like tips on where the best place to locate around these areas would be for work & play please. We are coming over again in a few weeks & would love to meet up with friendly expats willing to give some advice on the move/jobs/schools etc
lin xx:)
 
#2,315 ·
Newbie introducing herself

Hi everyone, I'm Lin I've joined up today to chat with exBrits who've moved to Gran Canaria as we're thinking of joining the bandwagon! We would like to move to the south around maspalomas, initially for 12 months renting a bungalow till we suss out the place properly & improve our basic spanish.
My OH is a keen carp angler & has dreams of finding work on or around the beautiful lakes out there - his background is maintenance/carpentry. I'm a registered nurse & my background is A & E/oncology mainly but would consider any kind of work really, though at 44 probably too old for barwork! We have a 12 year old daughter who has fallen in love with playa del ingles - especially the Yumbo Centre! I think she's already been adopted by most of the staff at the wonderful Sparkles bar!
So we would like tips on where the best place to locate around these areas would be for work & play please. We are coming over again in a few weeks & would love to meet up with friendly expats willing to give some advice on the move/jobs/schools etc
lin xx:)
44 is not 'too old' for anything. I finished my studies at 43 - I am sure things will work out well for you
Mo
 
#38 ·
Hi Jimenato, oops sorry bout the bar comment though to be fair if you own it.....!! Plus, you really wouldnt want to scare your public - probably why I work with sick people! Where is Jimena de la frontera and did you know anyone there before you moved from england? My daughter and I are trying to convince my OH that it is possible to make this move work for us so a positive story would be very welcome. Is it really that difficult to get a job first then move? If so would we be idiots to sell up over here and move with a small fund on the hope that we eventually will find work? x
 
G
#40 ·
Hola :)

Hi all,

New member here. Living in Wales at the moment but starting to plan a move to Spain with my husband and daughter in the next couple of years. We've both lived and worked abroad before. I used to live in Seville, whilst my husband lived in the Netherlands and Australia. Life in the UK is becoming increasingly miserable, which is why we're starting to plan a move. Spain seems obvious as I can speak the language and the jobs that we do are portable.

Andalucia is the obvious choice for us at the moment.

Looking forward to hearing other people's experiences.

Take care
x
 
#41 ·
Hi all,

New member here. Living in Wales at the moment but starting to plan a move to Spain with my husband and daughter in the next couple of years. We've both lived and worked abroad before. I used to live in Seville, whilst my husband lived in the Netherlands and Australia. Life in the UK is becoming increasingly miserable, which is why we're starting to plan a move. Spain seems obvious as I can speak the language and the jobs that we do are portable.

Andalucia is the obvious choice for us at the moment.

Looking forward to hearing other people's experiences.

Take care
x
welcome!!


sounds like an interesting life:D

have a good read of the forum & dive in with any questions you have or advice you can give
 
#44 ·
not Rosemary.....

I'm Barbara but known as Rosemary because when I joined this site there was already a Barbara and the first thing I gazed upon when thinking of a new name was a pot of Rosemary!!

We live inland from Alicante in a pueblo, been here 7 years with other half Garry.
We took early retirement from UK rat race and have never looked back

Our grand daughter lives with us permanently as her Mum not too well and having her seemed to make us integrate quicker as we had to sort schools etc and become involved with school life generally.

She was only 4 when we moved so started her education here and now at age 11 is very spanish and we are told by locals that she even has a local accent

Garry used to be a gardener in UK and now does a bit of growing and we sell our surplus at local rastro which helps spread the money a bit further

We love it, maddingly fustrating at times but would not go back
 
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