maybe this is crazy but....

tobyo said:

I had a wild idea today that was born of my desire to retire to Spain. I've been checking out expat blogs and, if I'm not mistaken, this all began when I checked out Alcalaina's blog. From her blog I clicked on something which brought me to a website with a bunch of expat blogs. I found heaven!! and besides that I found a bunch of young (in their 20s I imagine, which is young from my perspective) people teaching English in Spain. and I am so envious of their experiences. This morning I clicked on a link for a program to teach English in Spain and from there "who should teach English abroad". It was after I clicked that link and I found this:

Then I thought "why couldn't I do this?" If all goes well, and this is assuming Obama gets reelected which means my retirement wad won't get mucked up by the idiots on the other side....but I digress!! If all goes well, we could move in 8 years instead of 10!! We had our semi annual meeting with our financial advisor and he thinks we just might be able to do it!! Hubby would retire at age 65 (2019), I would TRY REALLY HARD to work one more year(blech, blech, BLECH!!) while he spends that year getting everything ready to go. I'll be 60 (a very young 60 I might add, heh) and feel I'll still have alot of energy. so, when I read that blurb about retirees teaching it really intrigued me!

I have always wondered if I would have been happier as a teacher. I think I would have been a good one. and when I have trained others at work I am always told that I teach well. so.....could this be a way to fulfill another dream of mine? I already have a degree in Spanish, am a native English speaker. the only thing I would need is to get certified, I think. Still researching this so not completely sure yet.

So, this could also be a way for us to not draw on my social security until I reach that magical year (which could go from 65 to 67, if it hasn't already....grrrr). I have some other ideas to make money those first few years but more research is needed.

Could this also be a way to obtain retirement visas? I realize this could be a stretch but wondered if our dream to retire to Spain could be made easier if I get a teaching job? and then once we're there, apply for retirement visas? I have no idea so naturally came here wondering if anyone here might know.

You can call me crazy, it's okay. I can take it Just wondering if anyone's got any thoughts on this. This is for about 8 years from now assuming our financial plan doesn't go off course. We are thinking about Plan B ideas if our dream of retiring to Spain doesn't pan out for whatever reason. and I have much more research to do from that perspective.

okay, will stop rambling now. thanks for listening. gosh, this got long!!

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folklore said:

IMHO what is crazy is waiting 8 years. So many things (health/finances) can change. I left my paying profession at 42 (bronze parachute) but the idea came to me when I first started and after reading the company newsletter obit's. People who had retired say 1-2 years earlier were dying off in droves. The actuaries of the world figured out how to milk us to retirement...

my advice...run don't walk to retirement. do whatever you can...sell everything...lighten the load...and never put yourself in a position where you can't walk away in 30 minutes with four suit cases...if Spain is not in your budget, then look at countries that will allow you to vacate the machine now...South America is nice this time of year

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bizylizy said:

If you think your idea is crazy, I am sure you'd think mine is more crazy! After divorce many years ago, found myself without any property, money, savings, NOTHING, worked hard as a parent and in my jobs but now at 54 I still have nothing materially speaking. I did a quick visit to Spain, decided I loved everything about it, came back to the UK now, STILL have no work for the last 2 years, fed up, so I am leaving here again, going back to Spain next month with NOTHING. I don't care if I have to live in my old car to start with, anything is better than the UK and dead end just work all hours and have no savings. So, with two teenagers and me, we're off back to Spain with no money, no house to sell, all we have is education, optimism and - best thing is, when you have nothing, you have nothing to lose!!!

Liz

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mrypg9 said:

We did similar to you but not as young as you...
We didn't sell everything either. We kept all the contents of our home but sold properties we owned.
We planned to spend time in quite a few countries before returning to the UK but after a while Spain got a grip on us.
But you are so right.. I knew a teacher who dropped dead of a heart attack in the school car park on his last day at work.

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mrypg9 said:

Only several kilos when you can't afford to eat!! I doubt too if the police would leave you to sleep peacefully in your car for long!!
Are your teenagers of school age, I wonder? Will all three of you be looking for work?
If so, your chances are slim to non-existent especially if you don't speak fluent Spanish. At least in the UK you have the state to fall back on for health, rent etc.
Nothing like that here.
Have a look at the other threads about employment -or rather unemployment - in Spain.
There is an alternative which is more sensible at the moment which is to investigate schemes whereby you receive board and lodging in return for work.
Until you have a fixed address in Spain you won't be able to work legally and the Government is quite rightly cracking down on people who work on the black and cheat the system. More than five million Spanish people are looking for work.
So think about that option, about which there is information on this Forum.
I believe one of our regular posters came to Spain via that kind of scheme and is comfortably settled.

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bizylizy said:

Thank you for your thoughts. I have done a lot of research and not kidding myself on how silly I am but if I wait for this or that, it will never happen! I would probably attach a decent caravan to my car first though and park on an approved site!! I am assigned to writing some technical books so what better place to do that? I guess money from that won't come in any time soon though. I hadn't realised the crisis is Spain re jobs is so bad, looked around the forums here, a bit scary really. Not much better in UK... I have never been out of work before. Rather than take jobs from the Spanish and local folk, I'd be looking at setting up business later on. I do admire some people's spirit of adventure and those who've just dropped everything and have now made a new life in Spain! Thanks again...

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mrypg9 said:

We did that..well, sort of...but we had some dosh behind us as we sold all we possessed in terms of properties.
You are obviously a highly skilled person -I kneel humbly before anyone 'technical' - and you could do well.
But just in case you need somewhere to park your van, I seem to remember that poster's name was Shoeman Pete.
Alcalaina knows about things like that too.
Good luck

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bizylizy said:

If you think your idea is crazy, I am sure you'd think mine is more crazy! After divorce many years ago, found myself without any property, money, savings, NOTHING, worked hard as a parent and in my jobs but now at 54 I still have nothing materially speaking. I did a quick visit to Spain, decided I loved everything about it, came back to the UK now, STILL have no work for the last 2 years, fed up, so I am leaving here again, going back to Spain next month with NOTHING. I don't care if I have to live in my old car to start with, anything is better than the UK and dead end just work all hours and have no savings. So, with two teenagers and me, we're off back to Spain with no money, no house to sell, all we have is education, optimism and - best thing is, when you have nothing, you have nothing to lose!!!

Liz

Click to expand...

folklore said:

IMHO what is crazy is waiting 8 years. So many things (health/finances) can change. I left my paying profession at 42 (bronze parachute) but the idea came to me when I first started and after reading the company newsletter obit's. People who had retired say 1-2 years earlier were dying off in droves. The actuaries of the world figured out how to milk us to retirement...

my advice...run don't walk to retirement. do whatever you can...sell everything...lighten the load...and never put yourself in a position where you can't walk away in 30 minutes with four suit cases...if Spain is not in your budget, then look at countries that will allow you to vacate the machine now...South America is nice this time of year

Click to expand...

XTreme said:

Research your family tree for Eire decendents.....one of my mates in Connecticut did and found some long lost Irishman in his roots.
And he's now the proud owner of an EU passport anytime he wants to take advantage of it.
Providing you've got the money they don't exactly make you jump through hoops to get it.

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XTreme said:

Research your family tree for Eire decendents.....one of my mates in Connecticut did and found some long lost Irishman in his roots.
And he's now the proud owner of an EU passport anytime he wants to take advantage of it.
Providing you've got the money they don't exactly make you jump through hoops to get it.

Click to expand...