[jojo]

Last year when I came back to the UK, I felt - or was made to feel as though I maybe wanted to move back to the UK. My friends were around, my kids were happy, carpets, central heating and what with the bad exchange rate last christmas and cheap stuff in the shops..... hhhmmm, it did get me thinking.

This year I'm missing Spain. Dont get me wrong, we've had and are having a wonderful time and I love being with my older children, but I am missing Spain and beginning to wish I hadnt arranged to stay here quite so long (we return new years day). Things are more expensive here again, the atmosphere is one of doom and gloom and the roads, shops, countryside, everywhere are so crowded - I know it always is at christmas, but its so claustrophobic!

I think however bad the economic climate is in spain, there's still an air of optimism and theres still open spaces and the feeling of freedom - if that makes sense!! I'm missing it anyway!

Jo xxx

 

[nigele2]

jojo you made me laugh (in a nice way may I quickly say). Tomorrow at 16:55 I will be winging my way to Madrid but more importantly after new year up to mi pueblo en Asturias. And having been away for 5 months I miss it.

But equally I live when here in England in a country village so it is not due to overcrowding that is for sure.

I am very dismayed by the state of Spain, the government, the corruption, the economy, and broken society. But I feel happy there sharing the culture with my spanish family and friends. I just hope one day that I can repay a little by supporting change. It leaves me in turmoil at times but love it I do.

But equally when I am there I miss England and in 3 days will miss Big Ben. How weird am I :confused2:

 

[Veronica]

Last year when I came back to the UK, I felt - or was made to feel as though I maybe wanted to move back to the UK. My friends were around, my kids were happy, carpets, central heating and what with the bad exchange rate last christmas and cheap stuff in the shops..... hhhmmm, it did get me thinking.

This year I'm missing Spain. Dont get me wrong, we've had and are having a wonderful time and I love being with my older children, but I am missing Spain and beginning to wish I hadnt arranged to stay here quite so long (we return new years day). Things are more expensive here again, the atmosphere is one of doom and gloom and the roads, shops, countryside, everywhere are so crowded - I know it always is at christmas, but its so claustrophobic!

I think however bad the economic climate is in spain, there's still an air of optimism and theres still open spaces and the feeling of freedom - if that makes sense!! I'm missing it anyway!

Jo xxx

Last year living in Spain was still comparatively new for you but now you have become used to the way things are done in Spain and it feels like home to you.
The first time we went back to the Uk we said we were going 'home' to visit family, now we say we are going to t he Uk to visit them. When we are there we now say we are going back 'home' to Cyprus.
The Uk no longer feels like home and if we didnt have family there we would probably never go.
Too many people go running back to the Uk at the first sign of homesickness without giving the new country of their choice a chance to feel like home.
We always say you need to give it at least a full year or better still 2 years before giving up and going back to your country of origin, wherever that is.
You have had your ups and downs Jo but you have overcome them and Spain is now feeling like home to you.
Have a great New year.

 

[Pesky Wesky]

This year I'm missing Spain. Dont get me wrong, we've had and are having a wonderful time and I love being with my older children, but I am missing Spain and beginning to wish I hadnt arranged to stay here quite so long (we return new years day). Things are more expensive here again, the atmosphere is one of doom and gloom and the roads, shops, countryside, everywhere are so crowded - I know it always is at christmas, but its so claustrophobic!


Jo xxx

Good, that means you're coming back to Spain, for all it's faults!!

 

[Pesky Wesky]

I am very dismayed by the state of Spain, the government, the corruption, the economy, and broken society. But I feel happy there sharing the culture with my spanish family and friends. I just hope one day that I can repay a little by supporting change. It leaves me in turmoil at times but love it I do.

I agree, in many ways this is not a good time for Spain and I'm lucky that for the moment we've kept our jobs and while anything may happen, it looks like we're going to go on keeping them!
However, I still find Spain a "positive" place and agree with Jojo that the UK has a gloomy, negative feel to me. Perhaps it's where I go in Spain and where i go in the UK, or it's my attitude colouring things...

 

[xabiaxica]

Last year when I came back to the UK, I felt - or was made to feel as though I maybe wanted to move back to the UK. My friends were around, my kids were happy, carpets, central heating and what with the bad exchange rate last christmas and cheap stuff in the shops..... hhhmmm, it did get me thinking.

This year I'm missing Spain. Dont get me wrong, we've had and are having a wonderful time and I love being with my older children, but I am missing Spain and beginning to wish I hadnt arranged to stay here quite so long (we return new years day). Things are more expensive here again, the atmosphere is one of doom and gloom and the roads, shops, countryside, everywhere are so crowded - I know it always is at christmas, but its so claustrophobic!

I think however bad the economic climate is in spain, there's still an air of optimism and theres still open spaces and the feeling of freedom - if that makes sense!! I'm missing it anyway!

Jo xxx

so you're coming home then:clap2:


how do the kids (the two here) feel?


is spain calling them back, too?

 

[jojo]

so you're coming home then:clap2:


how do the kids (the two here) feel?


is spain calling them back, too?

TBH I havent dare ask them! I suspect my son will be glad to get back to Spain, altho he is having a great time here (well, its christmas), but my daughter, I'm sure wont wanna leave here! hhhmmmm, I'm tempted to leave her here for an extra week with her dad and older sisters. When everything is back to normal, everyones back to work, no one can give her lifts, run around after her, she's not a novelty and its not christmas, she may realise that things arent that great here??!

Jo xxx

 

[mrypg9]

Good, that means you're coming back to Spain, for all it's faults!!

Everywhere has its faults.
The UK: crowded, aggressive, materialistic, gloomy, cold, rains a lot, dreadful 'summers'. etc etc
Czech Republic: awful food, poor infrastructure, lunatic drivers, poor hygiene, freezing in winter etc etc
I could do a similar list for other countries I've spent time in.
But Spain:
fabulous weather, even in winter, excellent food and wine, smart,friendly, helpful people, good shopping (round here at least), sun sea and sand...
Of course there are downsides and maybe we've just been lucky with our experiences but if Paradise exists somewhere it's bound to be awfully crowded..