Hello again! What are you all up to these days?

[dido72]

I'm a bit out of practice with this forum malarkey, it's been a while! Sorry if I'm posting in the wrong forum.

Anyone remember me? I used to be here a LOT but life kind of took over, what are all my old friends up to these days?

If you do remember me I'll tell you where we are now...

Still living in Spain after 9 years, still loving it so they weren't rose tinted spectacles after all you cynical lot!! My 3 kids are fluent in Spanish, sadly I'm still not, oldest is in high school now and we're living close to Archidona near Antequera. Work wise I now have my own social media/virtual assistance/writing business and my husband has to go commute to the UK to work as a carer so he is away for long periods, any suggestions for work in Spain greatly appreciated

Are Benidorm, Spanish_lad, katy et al still about?

[costakid]

I think Katy has flown the nest.

[El Cid]

Katy is still a member, but she has not posted for any time. According to the members list, she reads the forum almost every day.

Sid

[BENIDORM]

Hello Di...
Good to see that you are still here and surviving !!!

And Yes, I'm also still here on the forum and still in Spain, just don't have as much time to join in as often now though...
Hope that you will become a 'regular ' again..

Regards,
Gordon...

[gus]

Good to see a familiar face again, welcome back. Glad to hear life has been working for you.

[chrissiehope]

Hi Dido welcome back - where 'close to Archidona' are you living now ? As I recall, you were in Antequera when you were here before ?

[pilgrim2]

I am not a prolific poster but I do remember you, I am still here !
We arrived here in 2004, like you with our family, ¨abandoning¨ the oldest two in the UK
The 15 year went back to finish his schooling in the UK, but it was girlfriend that he missed the most, they are now married with a young family, so I guess that was meant to be. My then 13 year old daughter is still here and has her own successful business and the youngest is in his final year of ESO. I work as a Tefl teacher.
They are obviously fluent in Spanish, though I am not! But I can more than get by. Like you hubby goes back to UK for work and is away for periods of time, but also comes back here for periods of time. His aim is to work for just 6 months a year, and that is more or less the case. He did have a job doing the same thing here but it was the money that took him back. Here he had to work very long hours to earn in a month what he earns in a week in the UK. On his regular flights to and from the Uk he has met more than a few people from all walks of life doing the same thing, both English and Spanish. The arrival of grandchildren has seen my visits become more frequent but usually just for a weekend and when the plane lands in Seville I am always happy to be home.
Its not all plain sailing, but I enjoy the challenges that life sometimes brings, living in the back of beyond, as I was once told, in Spain!

[Lavanda]

Hi Dido. We are still here and it will be 10 years, full-time in May, next year. Not a day goes by and we do not feel blessed. The only thing I would have changed when we came here would have been to have brought my parents with us then. They are now 93 and 90 and are the only reason I go back to the UK these days. For us, Extremadura is home and I. too, was accused of having 'rose-tinted' glasses when I first started to post on here. Guess what? They weren't.

[Free at Last]

I. too, was accused of having 'rose-tinted' glasses when I first started to post on here. Guess what? They weren't.

That rings a bell! I was told the same thing, plus that I had no idea of what it would cost to live in Spain, that I would run out of money (because I was giving up my job to come here, aged 50) and that I would be bored because I was retiring too early. Wrong on every count.
We too are still here 10 years later, now have pensions coming in as we planned for so no money worries, and still enjoying every day.

It is nice to hear that people have got businesses off the ground, good luck to them.

[spanish_lad]

Hey there Dido ! Hows things ? Im still around, moved out, so asking questions now as well as answering them haha

[anyroads]

Katy is still a member, but she has not posted for any time. According to the members list, she reads the forum almost every day.

Sid

Has someone upset katy then ?

Would you believe it !

anyroads

[Manchesteral]

Hi Dido, I don't post much these days as I'm going through a tough time personally, and frankly sometimes it's hard to motivate myself but welcome back and keep on trucking, (as Jerry Garcia would say).

[karandjon]

Hi DIane,I remember you! I too am not on here nowadays, as after 12 years in Spain, moved back to UK when my children were 17months and nearly 4, just over 4 years ago. They are now 5.5 and nearly 8!
We moved back to the UK as my son was struggling with the language in Spain and knew we had to choose one over the other. It was the right decision for us, as he got diagnosed with autism as soon as back in UK, and within 3 months with just one language, absolutely flew it. He's very high functioning, so excels in maths, English, reading, writing, etc, but is quirky as in very literal, obsessed with monuments and landmarks, digresses by the second part of a three part command, and loves his little sister to bits! Ironically, he's now learning German at school and has picked it up magnificently, and is starting to recall Spanish very well!
His sister is 5 going on 15 and is a complete delight!
We travel abroad about 7 times a year, whenever school holidays hit, often back to the Algarve or Spain, but loving the fact we can go everywhere else too, such as Italy, Croatia, Balaerics, Canaries....each year we spend Christmas in Lanzarote, so life is treating us good.
Great to hear from you, and happy to see so many "old timers" still going strong.

[oliveview01]

We have been living here now for 12 years, time has flown past. We too have started to travelback to the UK as we now have grandkids, but have no plans to move back. We are content, I realise how lucky we are that we have escaped the rat race, we have outlived close family members now!! The only thing I would do differently if starting here again is not to have adopted so many dogs! I would have stuck at 2 Oh to have a dust free house, that would be a luxury, having a campo house is nice, but the dust! I guess the answer to that problem is dust every day

[gerryh]

I guess the answer to that problem is dust every day

Adopt the Quentin Crisp philosophy that if you don't dust every day then "After four years,you don't notice the dust."
Cheers
Gerry

[Lavanda]

The dust is a HUGE problem but in our circle of friends we have decided to ignore it in our own house and in those we visit. Dusting once a week is not enough but life's too short for dusting every day.