What do you miss about practical life in the UK?

6342 Views 51 Replies 16 Participants Last post by Eva33, Jul 16, 2010

Kilajoules

Discussion Starter · Sep 16, 2009

Hi everyone,

I am giving serious consideration to moving to the Costa Del Sol in the coming months and whilst the numerous positive aspect are immediately apparent I want to give more thought about some of the drawbacks that are not so apparent until you have lived there for a while.

I don’t mean in a sentimental way ( i.e. missing family / friends ) but in a practical way...

So what cant you get / buy?
What is it hard to arrange?
What services cant you get?
What services are poorly provided?
What industries are only carried out by the Spanish and through language barriers do you struggle to deal with?
What kind of areas have people found it hard to adjust to when moving.

Any input would be greatly appreciated as I really want to know what I’m up against when making such a big decision and try and combat the problems or plan ahead to avoid them from arising.

Many Thanks.

Status: Not open for further replies.

1 - 20 of 52 Posts

XTreme

· #2 · Sep 16, 2009

So what cant you get / buy?
Nothing!
What is it hard to arrange?
Nothing!
What services cant you get?
Nothing!
What services are poorly provided?
Nothing!
What industries are only carried out by the Spanish and through language barriers do you struggle to deal with?
Nothing!
What kind of areas have people found it hard to adjust to when moving.
Everything! Cos they're too lazy and/or stupid to make any conscious attempt to learn the language and understand the culture and processes here. Then they expect others to take up the slack for them.....as if we're all marooned on some desert island.

Pesky Wesky

· #3 · Sep 16, 2009

Kilajoules said:
Hi everyone,

I am giving serious consideration to moving to the Costa Del Sol in the coming months and whilst the numerous positive aspect are immediately apparent I want to give more thought about some of the drawbacks that are not so apparent until you have lived there for a while.

I don’t mean in a sentimental way ( i.e. missing family / friends ) but in a practical way...

So what cant you get / buy?
What is it hard to arrange?
What services cant you get?
What services are poorly provided?
What industries are only carried out by the Spanish and through language barriers do you struggle to deal with?
What kind of areas have people found it hard to adjust to when moving.

Any input would be greatly appreciated as I really want to know what I’m up against when making such a big decision and try and combat the problems or plan ahead to avoid them from arising.

Many Thanks.

I'm happy to say that I don't miss anything or feel that anything is missing here. I find the paperwork a pain in the butt sometimes and I get very frustrated with the education system at times, but paperwork is part of being in Spain and i ask myself "Is education of a better standard in the UK?" I don't see any evidence of it when I go back. And when I go to England I'm so glad to get back to Spain!

Liberty

· #4 · Sep 16, 2009

Have to agree with Xtreme. The Costa del Sol is "Little Britain". It's just Britain with sunshine.

Liberty

· #5 · Sep 16, 2009

Have to agree with Xtreme. The Costa del Sol is "Little Britain". It's just Britain with sunshine.

Stravinsky

· #6 · Sep 16, 2009

Kilajoules said:
Hi everyone,

I am giving serious consideration to moving to the Costa Del Sol in the coming months and whilst the numerous positive aspect are immediately apparent I want to give more thought about some of the drawbacks that are not so apparent until you have lived there for a while.

I don’t mean in a sentimental way ( i.e. missing family / friends ) but in a practical way...

So what cant you get / buy?
What is it hard to arrange?
What services cant you get?
What services are poorly provided?
What industries are only carried out by the Spanish and through language barriers do you struggle to deal with?
What kind of areas have people found it hard to adjust to when moving.

Any input would be greatly appreciated as I really want to know what I’m up against when making such a big decision and try and combat the problems or plan ahead to avoid them from arising.

Many Thanks.

Do you think this is a third world country?

If you live on the CDS as has been said I'm guessing you will be able to use Brits for everything & buy Brit foods everywhere

I cant say I really miss that much really. It is a bit more of a struggle sometimes to get things done here in the CB North, but once you get to know the good Spanish tradespeople its not so hard.

SteveHall

· #7 · Sep 16, 2009

Have to disagree with you - it's as Spanish as you want it to be. Just because there are Brits everywhere doesn't mean that one has to live in a Brit environment.

OP

Miss? Rugby league, Man Utd live at Old Trafford, local government etc working smooothly

Everything else is here.

Stravinsky

· #8 · Sep 16, 2009

SteveHall said:
Have to disagree with you - it's as Spanish as you want it to be. Just because there are Brits everywhere doesn't mean that one has to live in a Brit environment.

OP

Miss? Rugby league, Man Utd live at Old Trafford, local government etc working smooothly

Everything else is here.

Who you disagreeing with

SteveHall

· #9 · Sep 16, 2009

Sorry, post crossed!

I was disagreeing with DonkeyBoy's/Liberty's character assasination of the CdS!

XTreme

· #10 · Sep 16, 2009

SteveHall said:
Sorry, post crossed!

I was disagreeing with DonkeyBoy's/Liberty's character assasination of the CdS!

I never mentioned the CDS....I've never lived there. I'm speaking of my personal experience inland.....where people go cos they can't afford to live on the coast.
Very few are here out of choice!

SteveHall

· #11 · Sep 16, 2009

Sorry Xtreme, I am misquoting s.o. misquoting you!

To confirm - I disagree with Liberty. The Costa del Sol is as Spanish or as Swedish, Polish, English as you want.

Spanish is good for me!

kelvinkayesha

· #12 · Sep 16, 2009 (Edited)

Mistake made.Mistake made.Mistake made.Mistake made.Mistake made.Sorry.New to this.

jojo

· #13 · Sep 17, 2009 (Edited)

I live more or less on the costa del sol (inland 20 mins) and if I wanted there is nothing I cant have here that I want in the UK (even rain, cos its chucked it down for the last few days!). Theres an Iceland/Waitrose supermarket 20 mins away (even the checkout operators and shelf fillers are British), Carrefour supermarkets that do everything "British" And then of course theres Gibraltar which is an hours drive from me which IS British, it even has a Morrisons, Dot Perkins and Peacocks to name but a few, its a typical British high street (in the Sun)!!!!!!!!

Things I've heard others say they miss are things like green scenery, the roads (excluding motorways, main roads etc) um........ I think thats about it!!??? However I could give you a very large list of things I dont miss!!!!!!

Jo xxx

xabiaxica

· #14 · Sep 17, 2009

I don't miss anything

when we first arrived I missed being able to buy everything in one supermarket within walking distance - you know - everything from paracetamol through food through pet stuff through clothes

but I quickly adapted

when we first arrived it wasn't so easy to get British foodstuff, unless you were willing to pay through the nose (which I wasn't), so we adapted our eating habits

6 years on we have our very own Iceland & I have to admit to buying 'english' stuff there now - actually lots of the local spanish shop there too - the prices are brill for most stuff

Liberty

· #15 · Sep 17, 2009

SteveHall said:
Have to disagree with you - it's as Spanish as you want it to be. Just because there are Brits everywhere doesn't mean that one has to live in a Brit environment.

Everything else is here.

How???????

I've never been able to visit the CdS without seeing large billboards everywhere written only in English, all day English breakfasts advertised on A-boards outside restaurants, British style pubs everywhere, shops and bars run by staff who can't utter a word of Spanish.....I could go on.

Precisely how does one live on the CdS and avoid all of this when you trip over something British every six paces? I'd find it impossible to shut all of that out and just live the "Spanish life" on the CdS.

The Costa del Sol is a very British environment. You'd have to live in a bubble to block all of that out.

Suenneil

· #16 · Sep 17, 2009

Liberty said:
How???????

I've never been able to visit the CdS without seeing large billboards everywhere written only in English, all day English breakfasts advertised on A-boards outside restaurants, British style pubs everywhere, shops and bars run by staff who can't utter a word of Spanish.....I could go on.

Precisely how does one live on the CdS and avoid all of this when you trip over something British every six paces? I'd find it impossible to shut all of that out and just live the "Spanish life" on the CdS.

The Costa del Sol is a very British environment. You'd have to live in a bubble to block all of that out.

I disagree Liberty ... it not like that everywhere on the CDS. Most definitely not. In Estepona where we live you hardly ever see it ... seriously you dont. Obviously the main areas that cater for the tourists (Marbella, Fuengirola, Torremolinos etc) advertise in English / German etc to attract tourist business ... and I dont think thats all bad. There are certain places were it is more obvious - but its still definitely Spain.

For the original poster. If I remove any sentimental things I miss - I dont really miss much at all, we buy Spanish goods 95% of the time, but I think even the stuff we consider "British" isnt necessarily true! Sunpat Peanut butter for example lol!! is something I cant live without .... but its not British! but I generally have to go to a Brit shop to buy it.

From a female perspective I "miss" for want of a better word .... standard clothes sizes! I seem to built a different way to Spanish ladies so struggle whenver Im clothes shopping

I agree with Xtreme to an extent ... but I would add that its not what you cant get service or goods wise (because you can get everything) but its the struggle sometimes to get things in a time frame that you may be used to in the UK ... thats just something Ive adapted to and its no longer a big issue (although with my Vodafone conversations yesterday I may change my mind on that grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!)

Sue x

lane:

See less See more

jojo

· #17 · Sep 17, 2009

Liberty said:
How???????

I've never been able to visit the CdS without seeing large billboards everywhere written only in English, all day English breakfasts advertised on A-boards outside restaurants, British style pubs everywhere, shops and bars run by staff who can't utter a word of Spanish.....I could go on.

Precisely how does one live on the CdS and avoid all of this when you trip over something British every six paces? I'd find it impossible to shut all of that out and just live the "Spanish life" on the CdS.

The Costa del Sol is a very British environment. You'd have to live in a bubble to block all of that out.

I disagree too Liberty, (sorry, nowt personal). I live in a very spanish town just inland from the costas with very few Brits and the Brits that are here tend to intergrate. The only British bar in the town itself is an "Irish Bar" which is actually owned and run by two Spanish guys and has a mostly Spanish customers, but it serves guiness!?!! ?

I know what you're saying tho Liberty, but there is a bit more to the CdS than the "golden mile" costas stuff

Jo xx

xabiaxica

· #18 · Sep 17, 2009 (Edited)

Suenneil said:
I disagree Liberty ... it not like that everywhere on the CDS. Most definitely not. In Estepona where we live you hardly ever see it ... seriously you dont. Obviously the main areas that cater for the tourists (Marbella, Fuengirola, Torremolinos etc) advertise in English / German etc to attract tourist business ... and I dont think thats all bad. There are certain places were it is more obvious - but its still definitely Spain.

For the original poster. If I remove any sentimental things I miss - I dont really miss much at all, we buy Spanish goods 95% of the time, but I think even the stuff we consider "British" isnt necessarily true! Sunpat Peanut butter for example lol!! is something I cant live without .... but its not British! but I generally have to go to a Brit shop to buy it.

From a female perspective I "miss" for want of a better word .... standard clothes sizes! I seem to built a different way to Spanish ladies so struggle whenver Im clothes shopping

I agree with Xtreme to an extent ... but I would add that its not what you cant get service or goods wise (because you can get everything) but its the struggle sometimes to get things in a time frame that you may be used to in the UK ... thats just something Ive adapted to and its no longer a big issue (although with my Vodafone conversations yesterday I may change my mind on that grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!)

Sue x lane:

Oh yeah - CLOTHES!!!

we have C&A in Ondara now so it's easier

I always think of them being very English - but of course there aren't any in the UK now

thinking about it I'm wearing jeans that I bought here in a Spanish shop - & had to turn up! even though I'm very tall by spanish standards

Hombre

· #19 · Sep 17, 2009

For us it was getting used to the "manana..manana " attitude. Thought it was a myth but it really does exist. We are used to it now and you have to take delivery dates and promises of returning calls with a pinch of salt. But, hey! would'nt change any of it...love it here...love it ..love it..love it.

jojo

· #20 · Sep 17, 2009

xabiachica said:
Oh yeah - CLOTHES!!!

we have C&A in Ondara now so it's easier

I always think of them being very English - but of course there aren't any in the UK now

... ok, on a trivial note, I'm very chatty, so I miss the banter with shop assistants, waitresses etc and all the small talk, you know, when you're standing in the queue to pay for summat, I used to be one of those who'd always start chatting with those standing next to me. I'm not sure how long I'd need to live in Spain and be learning the language before I'd ever be able to have a normal conversation!!!! I can get by but its by no means easy.

Jo xx

Jo xxx

1 - 20 of 52 Posts

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