Are you more sociable in Spain?

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IreneD
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Re: Are you more sociable in Spain?

Postby IreneD » Thu Aug 22, 2013 12:54 pm

Jogger, my OH and I sound very similar to you both - I used to say to people that there were only a handful of Brits in our area because we hardly saw any as we walked around Canillas and we don't tend to hang out in the bars here. We came over last March and didn't speak to anyone for months other than the locals - and that was only 'Hola' (everyone greets you as you walk around) or asking for stuff in the shops. That was one nice thing about our frequent trips back to the U.K. last year, we had conversations with people other than each other lol.

We started Spanish lessons last September - free, organised by the ayuntamiento and that was our first real contact with our fellow countrymen and women. It's been a real eye-opener to find out how many are actually here, mainly in the campo and now that we do attend the ferias etc. we are gradually getting to know people. As I've said before, it's been a very positive experience for us.

We haven't 'pushed' anything, it all started thanks to the Spanish lessons really and we are lucky that we've made friends with like-minded people. We have also found some lovely A.Commers :D

We are inland from Velez Malaga so maybe we will get to meet you one of these days! Oh, and you might like to have a look at this - U3A have a walking group and there are other such groups locally, too. http://u3aelmorche.wordpress.com/

Issiell - welcome to the forum! I'm pleased your first few months have been so enjoyable and you have good Spanish friends and neighbours. Maybe you should start a thread introducing yourself and saying you'd like to meet other Brits in the Martos area, it might give you a good response, worth a try. There could be people out there in your area not reading this particular thread :D

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Re: Are you more sociable in Spain?

Postby jogger » Thu Aug 22, 2013 8:16 pm

Hi Irene

Thanks for your post, yes it would be good to meet up with you and your OH when we are over there to hear more about your experiences, trials and tribulations of moving to Spain ( a quick hour in a bar would be brill honest). We were there in June and stayed at a villa between Velez and Arenas (closer to Arenas) we absolutely love it there, we drove through a few villages the other side of Arenas and they were really nice places. We went for a few strolls along the front at Torre Del Mar were the Spanish seem to holiday and Velez had such a nice vibe the people seemed really friendly (previously last year we spent a bit of time in Fuengirola no comparison).

I was just telling other half about your post and the Spanish lessons sound a great idea. Also only two days ago I was asking her about U3A as a cycling group had been advertised, I'd never heard of it until two days ago. We are looking forward to retiring out there and really aren't looking at it through rose tinted glasses but through what we have seen and heard for ourselves. And in the spirit of this thread looking forward to a bit of socialising ( I think :) )

Roy

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IreneD
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Re: Are you more sociable in Spain?

Postby IreneD » Thu Aug 22, 2013 8:41 pm

Hi Roy - we'd be happy to meet up with you both next time you're over - drop me a PM next time and we'll find a nice bar somewhere :)

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Re: Are you more sociable in Spain?

Postby jogger » Thu Aug 22, 2013 9:39 pm

IreneD wrote:Hi Roy - we'd be happy to meet up with you both next time you're over - drop me a PM next time and we'll find a nice bar somewhere :)
Thanks Irene will do and a coffee bar is fine as well :)

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Re: Are you more sociable in Spain?

Postby issiell » Fri Aug 23, 2013 8:46 am

Irene D
Thank you for your 'welcome', I have followed your suggestion and started another thread it will interesting to see if I receive a response.
Thank you!
Issiell

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Re: Are you more sociable in Spain?

Postby Tenerona » Mon Sep 30, 2013 10:38 am

Greetings from a newbie,
I hope the single (and other) members will be happy to share information and opinions, and give advice!
I am a Slovenian national...recently moved to Panama....and now looking to live somewhere sunny in Europe!
Having done my research my list narrowed down to southern Italy and southern Spain.
I arrived in Brindisi, Italy last December to collect our beloved Birman cat from friends in Livorno where he (Giotto) spent 4 years while my daughter went to study in UK and mother went in search of her spot under the sun. I need to take Giotto to my daughter in London when she finally settles (she graduated in June) and until then I hope to spend some time in southern Spain.
Four years ago I travelled to Costa Rica where I shared a house with Mary, a retired American lady, suffering with lupus. Eventually it got too cold and dump and I left Mary and travelled downhill to sunny and hot David in Panama. There I met a retired lawyer lady and her family adopted me immediately:-) I looked after her big house, a dog and two gold fish when she went away and I needed to do some translation work. They also enjoyed some of my cooking:-)
I am 58 years young, a very dynamic single woman (and mother)....curious and eager to live a new experience! An interior designer turned translator - I love my work despite it being very lonely at times. On my free days I love to walk, do gardening work, stay outdoors, read, cook and make juices, sauces and jams...and do anything else that needs doing. I love to meet new people and make friends.
I have never been to Andalusia or Malaga but that won't discourage me. I am used to being a lone traveller.
I was hoping to find a house-sitting opportunity but had no luck. I would happily share a house or find a small apartment - preferably somewhere where the countryside was easily reachable. In Costa Rica I helped manage a farm and a private tourism facility - every opportunity considered.
All questions and suggestions most welcome.

I am reachable on [email protected] or Skype: silvana.vucic.burns or Facebook: silvana.vucic.burns. My website: http://www.translatorscafe.com/cafe/SL/member78076.htm

Have a happy week!

Silvana

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Re: Are you more sociable in Spain?

Postby pete_l » Mon Sep 30, 2013 11:25 am

Yes, without a doubt expats in Spain are a far more sociable lot than the average street in Britiain.
I reckon there are three main reasons. First, the people who have made the move are more outgoing and willing to do things outside their "comfort zone": like moving country, getting to know strangers, etc.
The second reason is that there are very few expat familes that I've come across (well, come to think of it: none). Where I lived in the UK was mostly families and most of the time any invitation was met with "Oh we can't. There's such-n-such's football that we have to take him/her/it to", or "we can't get a baby sitter" or "we went out last week (or month :thumbdown: )". And on the few occasions any of the neighbours did get together: christmas, jubilees, etc. all they ever talked about was Little Tarquin's flute lessons (he's really exceptional, you know)" or the technicolour nappies (kill me NOW!).
Finally, with brtish TV harder to come by, it's not so easy to just waste your life away, wearing a hole in the settee.

So yes, life in Spain is definitely more social. Even if most of the talk is about tax, money, tax, new laws, tax, the latest rumours - oh, and tax.

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fyfin
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Re: Are you more sociable in Spain?

Postby fyfin » Mon Sep 30, 2013 11:33 am

Great post Pete and don't forget 4. The weather , a bit dodgy sitting outside in UK for most of the year. :thumbup:
A man likes his wife to be just clever enough to appreciate his cleverness, and just stupid enough to admire it

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IreneD
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Re: Are you more sociable in Spain?

Postby IreneD » Mon Sep 30, 2013 1:20 pm

Hello Silvana and welcome to Andalucia.com :wave:

I hope you are successful in finding somewhere to stay in Andalucia - I expect you have done lots of internet searches already but here are a few links you might find will help

http://www.mindmyhouse.com/

http://www.helpx.net/

http://costawomen.ning.com/

If you find yourself in 'my' part of Spain, do get in touch. I wish you all the very best - you sound an adventurous person, not afraid to get out there and enjoy new experiences, I'm sure you will love Spain. I have to say, though, it isn't always sunny here, the Winters can be very cold at times but usually only for short periods and then the sun returns.

Pete_I - yes, that sums me up pretty well, life did revolve very much around the family which of course means our social life here is completely different. We've had a pretty busy Summer, one way and another, although not so many bbqs etc. to go to now. Still got a few events coming up and also Spanish lessons have started again which also has a social side, the well-deserved cerveza afterwards :) Also, on Fridays we are now doing Spanish conversation so plenty going on, really.

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Re: Are you more sociable in Spain?

Postby katy » Mon Sep 30, 2013 5:45 pm

Sounds like a bit of spam to me :roll: ...not yours Irene the one above :)

Baby talk would bore me, you won't get that with expats as they are nearly all pensioners! Whinging pensioners bore me too. 8)

As for TV.

Finally, with brtish TV harder to come by, it's not so easy to just waste your life away, wearing a hole in the settee.

Could have fooled me with all the threads on how to get the channels. Sounds like a main priority :lolno:

anyroads
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Re: Are you more sociable in Spain?

Postby anyroads » Thu Oct 10, 2013 5:19 pm

anyroads said....

"a good word for La Linea! "

Would that be dynamite ?

I was having a good laugh at this, and then I realised, I wrote it !

anyroads

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Re: Are you more sociable in Spain?

Postby Jover » Sat Jun 09, 2018 9:51 am

This 2018, I plan to visit Europe and Spain. For my summer holiday, I'm looking at Tenerife or Lanzarote.I came across this one article about the place here in https://www. url deleted. I've never been to either and apparently, the beaches are fantastic as well as being suitably 'different' to make it interesting. How about you guys? Any plans?

Unsolicited links to other web sites or services are only permitted from well-established members.

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IreneD
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Re: Are you more sociable in Spain?

Postby IreneD » Sat Jun 09, 2018 5:38 pm

I don't know why Jover chose this ancient thread of mine to pop his post on, but I've quite enjoyed reading all this again! :lol:

D1ckyS
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Re: Are you more sociable in Spain?

Postby D1ckyS » Sat Jun 09, 2018 6:24 pm

Hi Irene. It was actualy very timely that this thread reappeared when it did as my wife and I are due to move out to the campo outside Canillas de Aceituno in July. Your thoughts on expats and "do's" are fascinating. Actually, it has been some of your comments in this and other threads on here about Canillas that first made me consider looking in the area so, thank you. I hope that we will meet you at some "do" once we get settled. By the way, did you manage to get back behind the wheel?
Richard

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IreneD
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Re: Are you more sociable in Spain?

Postby IreneD » Sat Jun 09, 2018 10:45 pm

Hi Richard - how nice! I look forward to meeting you both in the near future- I'm sure you're going to love it here. These days, we have Scrabble night once a week, quiz nights every couple of months and there are other 'events'. As for me driving, I have got behind the wheel but only to drive very locally, still not confident and I still want to overcome that fear! Funnily enough I was talking to my OH about it a couple of days ago. I need him to encourage me...... and he doesn't. :(

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Re: Are you more sociable in Spain?

Postby Manchesteral » Mon Jun 11, 2018 5:28 pm

When I'm in Gran Canaria I rarely mix with the British contingent as most of them are in their seventies or eighties and are the offspring of the eighteenth and nineteenth century colonialists, I have one close Finnish friend a German friend a British friend, just one, the rest are Canarians who I interreact with on a daily basis, wHen I go out for a glass of wine which is most nights I'm to be found in La Tacita with my Canarian pal Oscar who gives me daily lessons on how the Gran Canarians will be eternally grateful to the British because, in his words "The British built Gran Canaria".
Of course there are the British holiday makers in the flesh pits of the south but they don't count !!
I am definitely more social here than in the U K :-)

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Re: Are you more sociable in Spain?

Postby Pamela1 » Tue Jun 12, 2018 8:10 am

Im a people person and i can hold a conversation with anyone, makes no difference whether its Spain or Uk...If anything im like my daughter or shes like me and we both love the company of the older generation, they have so many interesting stories and they also have a wonderful sence of humour..I miss my spanish MIL so much since she died...she is huge loss to us all..

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Wicksey
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Re: Are you more sociable in Spain?

Postby Wicksey » Wed Jun 13, 2018 8:44 am

I think I am more social as I have more time to be social. When living and working full time in the UK I used to go out with workmates after work sometimes, for a meal, to the theatre or cinema, but now I have all day, every day to pursue hobbies and pastimes, and if I want to stay out late, I don't have to get up the next morning!

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Re: Are you more sociable in Spain?

Postby Lavanda » Wed Jun 13, 2018 10:51 am

Agreed, Wicksey. I'm more sociable now because I'm not working and not stressed and have more time.


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