still living the dream?

[princess peach]

I have lived here in Spain for nearly 5 years now,and have never considered myself as "living the dream" sometimes its a real hard slog!
I pretty much do everything in Spain that i did in UK,except i have the sun on my back,and i dont work.
Do you think people arrive from UK and expect more from Spain?
Do you think thats why most only stay a few months and go back to England, as "living the dream"is not what they expected?
I would be interested to hear your views?
Are you disappointed with living here?
Is living in Spain all you expected it to be?

[rymanskid]

Hi PP like you I have been here 8yrs now I certainly dont think that I "am living the dream " infact at times the exact opposite. yes its nice to have the sun most of the year but if you have to work and live a lifestyle similer to the UK it can be a very hard slog added to this that the wages are crap compared with the UK ok I know the cost of living is cheeper and maybe not being fluent in Spainish the red tape can seem daunting but over all I think you have a better quilty of life style.

[anis]

Hello PP, 8 yrs for me too and although I'm supposed to be retired, sometimes, I think I have never worked so hard in my life for so little - in cash terms I mean.
I wouldn't swop it and go back though. When I weigh up the plus points, the list is longer than the shortcomings.
The red tape is VERY off putting and difficult - you only have to look on the forum to see how confused some of us are still, about things you would think we should understand clearly by now. Much of the meaning is lost in interpretation and it keeps changing.
I think you have to discipline yourself not to be a permanent holidaymaker - and try to have outside interests as you would at home.
I also think some people have unrealistic expectations of Spain and forget that there is little in the way of social security ( unless you have been signed on contract for some time) or a network of any sort to fall back on when things get tough.
If it was hard going for them in UK, why do they think it will be any easier here ? It isn't easier, it is more difficult, in my opinion. That is when the dream can turn into a nightmare for some.

[wagon ropes]

Yes, I am living the dream. I spent 40 very hard working years in the UK to earn enough to be able to buy a house in the sun. I have been here 7 years and have spent that time helping to reform the finca we bought. It has been incredibly hard work but such FUN, and to be able to stand back now and say 'We did that ourselves' is a an amazing feeling.

Neither of us has had a moments regret and we still pinch ourselves every day to prove it is real. I wouldn't change our lives now for anything. I just wish other people could be as contented as us.

[frog]

well ive been here for 10 years,do i get a bonus point for that?

seems expats like that sort of carp

am i living the dream,only since i joined this forum and met you pp

me and ryman have only just realised we know each other,we are both examples of how people can work and live here but its not a dream,its just another place to live and work with a bit better weather

you win the lottery you can live the dream,moving to spain will not give you that

still,off to see deep purple tomorrow in estepona

hang on i did that in plymouth

[alaninspain]

Hi Peachy - I thought you had gone, I will now dry my tears, and it saves me finding someone else to tease . I have been here for the same time as you, bureacracy baffles me, especially in another language, but there have always been helpful people around, of all nationalities and we manage. I just wish Andalucians would learn to speak at a sensible rate so I can pick up more of the conversations. It is not actually a dream, but a considered choice to move to a more happier country, better weather, nicer people, improved lifestyle, and no Tony & Gordon. Nothing is ever perfect, but this is much closer for me than remaining in the UK.

[crazyred]

Good to see you back PP

We have been here for just over 4 years now and I have had to go back to a dreary office job in Gibraltar (something I never wanted to do after leaving my job when I had my first son 8 years ago) because the work my husband was doing in the construction industry was far too unsafe. I'd rather sit at a desk all day than wonder if he's going to come home in 1 piece but, I wouldn't go back to the UK. We only live in apartment here but in Essex we had a beautiful house and a 200' garden but, could rarely use it as it was usually p1$$1ng down. The children have more freedom here, the beach is on our doorstep and we have integrated well into the community. Friends we have met here (both British & Spanish) are far truer than the 'fair weather' friends we had in the UK.

I was born & grew up in the UK but never felt at home there. I do feel at home here in Spain.

I just have to carry on in the boring office job until I qualify as a homeopath and can work from home - then hopefully I WILL be living the dream.

[princess peach]

Hi Peachy - I thought you had gone, I will now dry my tears, and it saves me finding someone else to tease

haha,nooo,only away for a while...glad you missed me tho Alan...had any accidents while i was away?

Thanks for the welcome Crazy. maybe i might stumble across you one day in Gib,shame you dont like your Job tho,hang on in there.
Are you doing your homeopathy courses on line,or do you go to college in Spain?
How much longer do you have to go until qualified?

[crazyred]

I'm sure if you've got one of your bully's with you and I'm about then I'll definately stop for a slobbery kiss (from the dog I mean!!).

I'm doing my course online with the CPH college in London. Although I've been using homeopathy on my family & friends for about 8 years I'm only a few months into the course and I have between 4-7 years to graduate. I've had to put it on hold at the moment as I can't afford to pay for the course & pay the mortgage. Now that the kids are going back to school next week, hubby has to get some work!!!

What happened with the 2 other Bulldogs you were offered? Did you take them on in the end?

[princess peach]

I have pmd you Crazy.

[Babby]

Wherever you live in the world you take your responsibilities with you and will always have a basic life style. For most of us we still have the washing, ironing, cooking (though we do eat out and socialise more here than we did in the UK) housework (unless you are Katy ) etc. etc. in fact we have one more chore here - to clean and maintain the swimming pool, but it is a kinda fun chore to have.

[Cliffs Dad]

If you are happy and content, you must be living the dream!!

[Wicksey]

Not having to get up and go to work each weekday is a dream for us. Of course, things get on our nerves here from time to time, but I can't ever imagine returning to my 'old' life in the UK. Anyway, after 8 years away from the workplace I don't think anyone would employ me now - I'm far too laid back

[Free at Last]

I'm with you on that one, Wicksey. It's an unimaginable luxury for me not to have to get up at 5.30 am every weekday and spend at least 3 hours a day commuting (often more) in all weathers.

It's only taken me 2 years to get to the stage of being unemployable, I think! If I were to go back to work now it would only take one instance of someone being rude to me, or a senior manager asking me to get something completely pointless or stupid done, and I would be straight out of the door. I suppose it's knowing that you have what I've heard called "f... off money", ie enough money in the bank to meet all your basic needs (although not fund a life of luxury) so why put up with stuff when you don't have to?

[Wicksey]

Glad I'm not the only one Free ..... 5.30am .... phew ... I had enough trouble getting up at 8am. I worked flexi hours and had to be in by 10am at the latest, and I ended up only just getting into the office on time, I hated it so much!! At moments of stress I still do occasionally have nightmares that I have to return to my office and finish off my outstanding work .... obviously a traumatic time for me

F*** off money .... .... that is soooo true

[Pink Lady]

It's funny, I thought that learning the language would make things easier here but it actually made me realise that the Spanish are moaners and groaners just like us Brits. It's too hot in summer, too cold in winter, everything is too expensive and the goverment are to blame for everything bad. Spain is ok for now but we've decided that it's definitely not forever. There are too many things that I don't like and cannot accept. England has so much going for it, it's about time everyone stopped blinkin moaning!

[crazyred]

Each to their own though Pink Lady. The UK may have lots going for it in your eyes, for me there is nothing that I want there!! Yes the Spanish moan too but, they are generally much happier and more tolerant people. I have never had a shot gun pulled on me for a parking space here, I'm not constantly in fear that my children will be snatched, abused or murdered (although, I'm not complacent) and I'm happy that they can ride their bikes around the way I used to before London turned into the cess pit that it is now. The people are uncaring, selfish and rude. When I was 6 months pregnant going to work on the train into Fenchurch Street I fainted. What did all the kind people on the full carriage do?? Stepped over me and didn't even alert someone that a pregnant woman was lying on the floor I only just managed to drag myself off the train before it headed back out of the station back to Essex.

I was born & raised in London and yes there are nice parts of the UK which are lovely to visit but I personally wouldn't want to live there. I've just never felt at home in the UK and asked my Mum from the age of around 10 why on earth she left Italy to live in England.

We are finding it tough here at the moment financially but, I'm under no illusions that it would be any better in England. In fact it would be far worse as I would also end up clinically depressed!!

I doubt we'll live the rest of our lives in Spain. Once the children have grown up I'd quite like to give S. America or a nice Caribbean Island a try

[Pink Lady]

Blimey it does sound like you had a bad time in the UK Crazyred. London can be a cold old place at times. In saying that a friend of mine had a bad car accident here and not a single car stopped to call the police or to see if she was ok. She was left to crawl from her car and call the police herself. As for the crime I don't feel any safer here. Crime is rapidly on the increase in Spain, I was only watching a programme about it the other day. Guns are so easily obtainable here and is becoming a big problem just like the knife culture in the UK. Some houses near to me in a small village were broken into and the owners were gassed just a few weeks ago. I mentioned to my spanish friend this morning what you said about the spanish being tolerant people, with a puzzled look on her face she replied "I assume she was joking". I'm not saying you are wrong but I have had very different experiences to you. I have many friends here from different places, Argentina, Peru, Morrocco and Europeans and all of them have had problems with racism, some very severe. In my opinion England is one of the most tolerant countries in the world. That is something I am very proud of. I know we all experience different things in Spain and everywhere we go , I just wonder how much of the bad stuff is missed by the expat community due to the language barrier.

[Devils Advocate]

Pink Lady speaks a lot of sense!

DA

[Paula]

I don't think you can use big cities as a comparison, they all have crime whatever country they are in. I was in Italy last week, and didn't feel safe enough to venture away from the main tourist trail in Naples, which has extremely high crime. Yet Sorrento is about as safe as you can get. Our house in the UK is only 20 miles from the city of London but a village with barely any crime and certainly non serious. I have lived in Cities in UK that have high crime, compared to those I feel safer in Spain. Compared to our house in a village in the UK I don't. It's swings and roundabouts really.