I'm Happy in Spain !!!

[Ancient-Briton]

I'm a bit fed up of reading all of the Doom and Gloom written about living in Spain at the moment, I know there are lots of problems but I really do have to say that I am quite happy with my life here.

I'm retired and yes I've had to tighten my belt quite a bit and cut down on the luxuries, and yes I'm a bit disgruntled about not getting as much pension because of the weak pound, but what the hell !, I'll survive.
I can understand why many expats have returned home because of lack of money, and I really do feel for younger families who have had the guts to have a go at living abroad, but have had no choice but to go back to UK.
But honestly I'm happy to soldier on and I know of plenty of other Brits who feel the same way as me, the thought of returning back to UK permanently sends shudders down me spine !
Everyone talks as if Spain is the only place that has corrupt politicians and estate agents and solicitors etc, not true, at least in my case, I had plenty of problems with British con-men, in UK and here in Spain..
I've been in Spain quite a long time now and seen lots of people coming and going for all kinds of reasons, so nothing new as far as I'm concerned.
Get real everyone, there is no really great place to live at the moment, make the most of what you've got, I say.
I get a bit rattled when it is made to sound as if all expats are unhappy with their lives in Spain.
Sorry if I sound grumpy,I'm just not happy that it's made out that all Brits are jumping ship.!

[gerryh]

Welcome to the forum.
I entirely agree with you.
I am also happy living in Spain, particularly now it has stopped raining.
Cheers
Gerry

[frank]

You're obviously not alone, I know of several that seem happy there. Whilst you are happy to tough it out there, that assumes you have the money to do it, there are many that don't and are left with no choice but to return home. Personally, I have always said it's an OK place to retire you, provided you have money, with no worries about exchange rates etc. You tell us to get real, yet you seem to suggest that Spanish corruption is on a par with other countries. Not too many countries with tens of thousands illegal properties come to mind, and all these deals have been nice little earners for someone. Unfortunately a lot of the doom and gloom that you speak of comes from people that can't get jobs, and have ended up with a worthless illegal property, you'd expect their take on life to be a bit gloomier than yours. For everyone that's fed up with their lot, there's probably another that's happy with his lot, you're lucky you are in the latter. I find it interesting though, having read this forum for several years, to see how individual people's opinions of Spain have changed. Normally from being madly in love with everything Spanish, defending it to the hilt, to having had enough and wanting to leave Spain. Some in this forum have been a complete transformation, a complete about turn.

[pete_l]

I'm a bit fed up of reading all of the Doom and Gloom written about living in Spain at the moment, I know there are lots of problems but I really do have to say that I am quite happy with my life here.

Well, good. I'm glad you're happy.
There is a school of thought that says one route to happiness is knowing someone worse off than you are Though I'm not suggesting you'd get pleasure from other people's plight!
It does seem a common thread amongst the people who are content with Spain, that they're the easy-going types: rather than the go-getters who don't know how to just kick-back and relax.

[Chris Williams]

Hi, I was glad to see this post from Ancient- Briton, good luck to you. We bought a village house in the Axarcia region three years ago and visit as often as we can do, we love it there and would move out to live full time tomorrow if we were in a position to, unfortunately I need to work for another four years then we will go, we have made lots of friends both Spanish and English there. Quite honestly we get depressed when we have to return to the UK. I have built properties both here in the UK and Australia. were I lived for fouteen years and there is just as much red tape and bureaucracy in both these countries the difference is you are dealing with it in your own language so it is far less daunting, as for corruption it also exists here but it is hidden deeper, just take all the politicians with there greedy expenses claims coming to light. For any expats who are stuggling financially at the moment in Spain I have sympathy for, but dont think things are all rosy in England, I have had the quietest 12 months at work ever but the bills are bigger. everybody will have different opinions, but remember why you went to live in Spain in the first place. Chris

[Ancient-Briton]

Gerry-Thanks for the Welcome--I'm sure I've seen you in Lidl, or was it Corte-Ingles.?

This is my first topic on Andalucia.Com,but I've been reading and enjoying most of everyone else's topics since 2004, but I've never had time to join in before, so thought it was time I had a go.

And to be quite frank--Frank-- , I've never paid much attention to your efforts at answering everyone with your boring answers, sorry can't take you seriously, and if I remember right you've never lived in Spain or owned a house here, and you do come across as a bit of a know it all !.
And why do you always try to twist everything that it is written ?
I have always been very supportive towards other expats, I don't have much money but I would never see anyone starve.
So good luck to everyone whatever their situation....

[Julie]

Your going to be popular Lol !!

[ladymuck]

Many expats would go home tomorrow if they could afford to. Returning to the uk costs a lot of money
if you have family to go to then your lucky as that will ease the costs slightly. but I for one
can not sit in a country that treats people in such an awful way.
Maybe you have been lucky and not exprienced the way you get treated here by the spanish, maybe you dont mind being ripped off by people. if you dont mind all that then your welcome to it.
maybe your one of those who cant afford to go back. Or maybe your just one of many smug brits most of us try to avoid. some of us have some pride.
we didnt go home because of lack of money we were just sick of it and sick of certain types of brits who talk a lot of waffle.

[janda_grant2]

Hello Ancient-Briton, (are you wearing woad by the way - sorry I digress!) Glad to hear you are happy with your life here in Spain. You aren't alone, it's just that we've had a cr*p winter and everyone is getting grumpy!..

There are some posters who delight in stating that life here is miserable and they hate it and that there are

many smug brits most of us try to avoid

. Not sure who the "most" are, but Hey Ho. They are probably the glass half empty brigade. Whilst some are having real dificulties living here, it is generally much easier to look on the black side and be negative about everything. Life in the UK is not a bed of roses either -if it was why do so many of us leave? (And I'm not just talking about the numbers that come to Spain, but the numbers that emigrate world-wide every year!)

[beachbabe]

I don't understand this leaving because of the exchange rate.

Costs in UK are about the same and a lot more for petrol, council tax etc. And you get to pay for the heating blasting away for 6 months instead of 4.

Just don't see how it's cheaper to move back - especially if you have to sell a property.

[ladymuck]

I am not a negative person but I would have become one staying in spain.
I speak to lots of english who want to go abroad and are suprised that we returned but most think
everything is cheaper in spain and every thing is great.
The uk is not as bad as people think and many things are cheaper than spain. many return because they dont like spain anymore and its not always due to lack of money. each to their own but for us and many others it was the right thing to do.

[julian]

"The uk is not as bad as people think "
so people think it is bad, but it isn´t as bad as people think.......I think
how bad is it? and how bad do people think it is?

[Mowser]

Methinks someone has changed moniker again .....

[Ancient-Briton]

Everyone's situation is different, I just wanted to make the point that some people are Happy in Spain, and why shouldn't I be able to state that !

There's loads of things I miss from UK, mainly food !-
But my wife is a wonder in the kitchen so I'm really quite happy, and I might be a little fat-but I'm not smug.

Just one point though,--I've been 'ripped off' by more Brits than Spanish since I moved to Spain.

Janda- Do I wear Woad---- ! -and yes I do have some woad garments that I keep for Sunday Best, but the rest of the week I will probably now have to wear ''Sack Cloth and Ashes'' .

[katy]

Gerry-Thanks for the Welcome--I'm sure I've seen you in Lidl, or was it Corte-Ingles.?

This is my first topic on Andalucia.Com,but I've been reading and enjoying most of everyone else's topics since 2004, but I've never had time to join in before, so thought it was time I had a go.

And to be quite frank--Frank-- , I've never paid much attention to your efforts at answering everyone with your boring answers, sorry can't take you seriously, and if I remember right you've never lived in Spain or owned a house here, and you do come across as a bit of a know it all !.
And why do you always try to twist everything that it is written ?
I have always been very supportive towards other expats, I don't have much money but I would never see anyone starve.
So good luck to everyone whatever their situation....

Well I was going to say good luck to you too til I saw this nasty post. Frank probably knows the area better than you, almost certainly speaks spanish better than you, if he comes across as a know it all...it's because it's true.

As for prices, lets not go down that way Will just say that my utility bills, including broadband have been halved in the UK for a similar sized house except pool, and the house is warmer than Marbella one. Gas and electric has gone down in the UK, not so with Spain there has been an increase. For choice and quality of life I would happily pay a third more anyway,,,fortunately I don't have to.

So you have been ripped off...does it matter which nationality they are, spain is a rip off place and many of your so-called aquaintances are chancers, losers ya ya...par for the course darling.

[concorde]

Strange, on another forum they have had the most boring topic going on for eons, in fact, thinking about it there are 2 topics, the same usual arguments.

Most new posters on here are asking for advice, which is freely given.

Why would a new poster suddenly come on and start an argument???????

What happened to 'live and let live'?????

i think the rain is rusting some posters brains!

[Ancient-Briton]

Hi Concorde,Sorry I wasn't looking for an argument, just stating that I'm fine about living in Spain.
As I mentioned I've been visiting this forum regularly since it started, and I've had plenty of good tips from it, but never felt the need to ask advice, most of my questions are well catered for on here.
I also have been resident in Spain for a long time, and have family members married to Spanish , and by the way I can't get on with one of my Spanish 'in-laws' at all, the other is great.

But you are right about rusty brains,and there is also a lot of Sour Grapes around as well

[Jim Allen]

I feel that the most sane people dont come on any forum looking to start an argument
However if they are happy with life in Spain they will soon get into one.
I agree the currency issue cant be as much an issue as some make out and most countries its tough for many to get by right now.
No where I really would love to live right now but I would want to be with good friends and family,live in tent rather than live surrounded with as--oles .
The bottom line is life can be a bitch at times,people can bo so evil, think nothing of the misery they inflict on others mostley through greed , many are the brits and the Spanish are expected to take the total blame..

We all have reasons to be happy or sad with our lot and a pain that some cant understand that.


Jim Allen

[Chris Williams]

Hi again Ancient-Briton, I think the post and subsequent discussion is interesting because despite the negativity about Spain at the moment, there are still people who are interested in going to Spain to live and the more opinions they here on both sides of the discussion the better they will be informed. As a person who spends a fair bit of time in Spain but lives in England I still maintain that with the Pound and the Euro being equal in value, it would be still marginally cheaper for me to live in Spain than the UK, but everybodies circumstances are different. Chris.

[concorde]

Ancient-Britain, the comment was not posted about you.

Just find it weird that suddenly there are several posters about that have never surfaced for years or are 'new to us'

However, I agree, in some ways. a forum I visit about money has lots of complaints about various banks and the few who are happy get either slagged off or are accused of being bank staff!!!!!

It is my own fault, I must keep off the 'other forum about Spain', too boring and depressing by half.
I keep checking though to see if it's getting better, it's not!!!!!!!

note to myself:

Stop looking at that flaming depressing, boring other forum.
Stick with ths one, and ignore posts that irritate you, also stop having large G&T's on Friday nights, you know they make you irritable and maudlin