Help desperately needed please

[Campo Kenny]

I don't think people are being miseries, just relaying honest thoughts it seems to me.
I've seen more than my share of miserable ex pats over there which always makes me and the Mrs. shudder.
The tell tale sign is usually knocking and slagging off everything to do with the UK and saying how much more fabulous it is in Spain and that they dread going back to UK for visits etc.

Not normal behaviour in my books and it stands out like a sore thumb.
There are also hundreds of genuinely happy folk over there who've had a plan and a goal and just got on with it.

Kenny

[dido72]

I agree Chrissie, it's not like she is risking everything and will have to come back to the UK with nothing left. As for your son Colena, I can't see how he can come to any harm and I'm sure he will see it as a big adventure.

However some practical advice...

*As someone said you will need 2-3 months rent plus deposit in advance.

*You may find it difficult to get a teaching job for as many hours as you need to live as there are many "english teachers" in Spain.

*You will need an NIE number to work and possibly to rent somewhere(?) do a search on the forum for details.

*You will need a Spanish bank account, please don't read my thread on this it may put you off!

*If you are going to be self employed you will need to pay 250 euros a month.

*How are you going to transport your belongings? Can be costly.

*If you are bringing a car over you need to transfer it to Spanish plates within 6 months which can cost around 1000 euros.

*you were talking of earning 800 euros a month, this would not even cover your rent and autonomo of 250 euros, then you have taxes, utilities, fuel, food etc there are NO benefits to top up your income in Spain.

I seriously hope you can make a go of it and you have nothing to lose if you try but I wanted to make you aware of some extra costs you may not have budgeted for. I have not made the move yet myself but have been researching for almost 2yrs now and I still learn new things all the time.

Best of luck with it all, at the worst you will have had a nice long holiday if you do have to come back

[Seat.driver]

hi again

Personally, I would steer well clear of estepona region. If you have been there, and liked it, then great, go for it, but if not, please please please have a look first before taking the plunge.

I think a lot of people have got their heads formly lodged in thier backsides on these forums. At the end of the day, you are moving from your own country to Spain. Unless extremely well backed financially, it is perfectly reasonable to expect that the first months will be 'interesting' but anyone who is willing to work hard, and has a bit of 'get up and go' will find that it is possible to get a job and do well.

Skills are obviously advantageous, but if, like you say, you dont mind working in a shop (and maybe doing 2-3 hours of tefl in evenings/weekends) then i think you will find something!

But like i said, personally, dont go west of malaga - its a dump! (Im sure that'll annoy a few!) In my opinion only of course!

Any more questions dont hesitate to ask!!

SeatDriver

[laclotte]

We moved to Vinuela region about 6 years ago, and have moved to nerja region in the last year for work reasons. SeatDriver

Perhaps it is all this good Alpine air that clear the brain.........Vinuela 6 years ago and now Nerja?? And.....now you have eventually just discovered the forum ........sure or..........you have just got a phone line/wireless/computer!!!
Just shot me as a paranoid...........

[Mydogdylan]

Makes you wonder what planet these people are on

[Rookiekookie]

Why don't you try working in Gibraltar and living in Spain ? loads of people do it - and it may give you more security financially

[katy]

If tele-sales jobs are so good on the CDS why are they advertising for staff every week in the local papers? I don't think there is any quality of life in spain if you need to work. i know a woman who works in a shop 10am-2pm and 5pm-9pm 6 days a week (wed AM off!) not very good life if you have a family.

[toddcl]

is it April the first?

[masterob]

it's not like she is risking everything and will have to come back to the UK with nothing left

According to her she´s got little to start with! Will the UK Social Services be called upon to help out if the exploit in Spain fails?

she could use the advance rent/sec deposit she will receive from her tenant in the UK who is renting her flat??

Is she renting out her flat in the UK? I got the impression from an earlier posting that she was selling?

[Miro]

I don't think there is any quality of life in spain if you need to work. i know a woman who works in a shop 10am-2pm and 5pm-9pm 6 days a week (wed AM off!) not very good life if you have a family.

Right on the nail, Katy. What's the point? I'd prefer the 9-5, Mon-Fri routine to that any day. What use is a 3 hour lunch break to anyone? It's not like you can go to the beach & spend quality time with your family & friends. Far better (IMHO) to put in an 8 hour shift, get it over and done with, then have the whole evening to relax, plus a proper weekend to look forward to.

Over to all the morons who still pretend to believe that siesta is a great idea.......

[claire4james]

the point is this.....

Telesales is EXTREMELY bouyant. There are more jobs currently than people able to fill them (hence there are sooo many ads!)....And telesales is just one example I use because its easy to break into...Like I said she could get a job at home doing this, and come here with some experience in this field and therefore find work.

The telesales jobs mostly work Mon-Fri, 10-6.

These are the same hours one would work in the UK (give or take), so if like me (a young professional with a family to support) rather than someone who has been through thier career and is coming here to "slow down/relax" and or semi retire, and you NEED to work, where is it best to do so...Here in the sun, near the beach where generally things are cheaper, or in the UK in the grey & p*ssing rain for most of the year!

From my experience, best to be here.....

And this is how/why I advised her as such....She too is a young professional looking to relocate to the same area as me, looking for similar opportunies for a similar purpose....You can only offer her advise IF you have personally experienced what she is looking to do...

All you guys whom are at the end of your careers, or live in an area of high unemployment or an area where you NEED to speak spanish, are not best positioned to offer her advice. Your experiences yes.

Similarly I wouldn't give out advice on things I have no direct experience of!

[katy]

I wouldn't call tele-sales a real job or think of people doing it as professional. Suppose you would as you are obviously trying to recruit people, don't they usually try to sell airCON, timeshare etc.

[claire4james]

I wouldn't call tele-sales a real job or think of people doing it as professional. Suppose you would as you are obviously trying to recruit people, don't they usually try to sell airCON, timeshare etc.

In which case my invitation to you is to broaden your thought process!!! I would say 90% of FTSE 100 companies operate a phone based sales operation of some sort, are these not professional?. What constitutes a real job is surely one that offers a contract, pays a basic salary and allows people to earn a decent living, as opposed to one that you personally feel is "desirable"...

[samizdat]

I would say 90% of FTSE 100 companies operate a phone based sales operation of some sort, are these not professional?. What constitutes a real job is su

`i think you might be loosing plot a bit here. FTSE companies would be working in ENGLAND. Spanish companies would be canvassing in Spain IN SPANISH! which gets back to the original point that you would need to be fluent in Spanish.


Having lived on coast the vast majority of telesales jobs WITHOUT Spanish are with the likes of Ocean Estates, Viva, Majestic etc. companies which prey on other Brits and use hard sell commission only type jobs.


Where we are inland, I have numerous friends who want to work, several of whom went to University in SPain, who cannot find well paid permanent work. The best opportunities are opening a bar or a shop so they can be self-employed. Several are IT specialists who can work anyway but they still have to return to UK to tout for new work, as the Spanish will not pay "real" money for their services.


Lets loose the usual Rosy Glasses in A.com and admit that its difficult but not impossible if you are willing to do anything. i.e. cleaning, or manual work.

[Miro]

Telesales is EXTREMELY bouyant. There are more jobs currently than people able to fill them (hence there are sooo many ads

Who are you trying to kid? The reason there are so many ads is because these so called "professional" companies have such a high turn over of staff that they have to run a constant ad in a desperate attempt to put bums on seats, to perform a monkey see monkey do task of reading some BS from a script over and over in the cynical knowledge that sooner or later some dimwit will take the bait and buy their useless car sales ads/property ads/timeshare/cheap internet/whatever else it is that they prefer to flog from a temporary office on the Costa del Crime where they can up sticks and disappear overnight much easier than in the UK, or just regularly change the name of their shady operation in order to keep one step ahead of the watchdogs/ripped off punters/employees waiting for commission cheques that will never materialise.
Anybody looking for a serious professional job with proper working conditions & prospects will see these companes for what they are and avoid them like the plague. Katy, telesales is a real job when done properly and professionally, and Claire or James is of course right to point out that most FTSE100 companies operate a phone based system, but the suggstion that any such company may have an office in sunny Cabopino or vicinity is laughable. We all know they're far more likely to be in Mumbai these days.
Come to think of it, since property there is likely to become the next hot spot, and the jobs are there too, perhaps we should all be thinking of moving out to India? No problem getting a decent cuppa, either!

[BENIDORM]

Miro,
Well I bet you are glad that you've got that off your chest...! !

However I totally agree with you...........

[Miro]

Benidorm, you are right, I feel great!

[jennyshaw]

Colena's gone quiet, maybe she was'nt real.

[mijas-lady]

Well I think shes unpacking her case and cancelling the TEFL after all thats been said

[laclotte]