New survey finds expats are miserable

[Miro]

Brits who migrate to Costa del Sol more unhappy than those who stay at home - that's the headline of an article in the Independent http://tinyurl.com/lsjbkyu which publishes the findings of an "academic" study. I have carried out my own academic research (by reading some of the article) and found that the author of the survey, a Dr David Bartram of the University of Leicester, is an idiot.

Quote: "Almost 3,000 Britons move abroad each week, with around five million now living outside the UK" and yet "Dr" Bartram bases his conclusions on a study of just "265 migrants from Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Netherlands, France, and 73 from the UK who resettled in the Mediterranean countries", and compared his results with a survey of "56,000 people who had remained in the northern countries."
What's wrong with this picture?
I confess, I didn't read much further.

The article claims there are currently 383,093 Brits living in Spain alone. Is 73 taken from 4 Med countries a reasonable representation? I think he could have done better by simply posting his stupid survey on A.com. And these people are supposed to be clever??

[eazbak]

Patially correct as there are a few MOSs on this forum!

[ajtg1952]

The survey had about 30 seconds airing on Sky News yesterday morning but the main topic of discussion between Eamonn Holmes and Tony Blackburn was Spain losing UK television.

I had a look at the survey but it is far from clear what it tried to achieve.

[masterob]

Miro wrote:
I have carried out my own academic research (by reading some of the article) and found that the author of the survey, a Dr David Bartram of the University of Leicester, is an idiot.

A tad harsh to call the man an idiot based on a Newspaper article. Might be worth reading his full report rather than what some "journo" says before dismissing him as an "idiot"! Lol.

That apart, there is no doubt that a fair number of Brits are returning to the UK for whatever reason including because they think they would now be happier there but I suppose the grass is always greener and all that.

[eazbak]

The majority of the expat brits now returning to the UK because they think they will be happier there are the same brits who previously left the UK to go to Spain because they thought they would be happier there, in a years time most of them will be wanting to leave the UK again because they think they will be happier somewhere else!

[Nimrod]

Maybe they're returning to the Uk because there are few work prospects in Spain . the dream didn't come off, and they've got a support structure in the UK.
If you're coming back to the UK potless you're hardly likely to swan off abroad again and be potless.
Once bitten twice shy.

[katy]

Expats are miserable...hmmm. Maybe. Using this forum as a barometer they are certainly grumpy

[elusive]

The majority of the expat brits now returning to the UK because they think they will be happier there are the same brits who previously left the UK to go to Spain because they thought they would be happier there, in a years time most of them will be wanting to leave the UK again because they think they will be happier somewhere else!

thats what the removals guys who brought our things over said. the last couple of years they have been taking people back to the uk and now they find they are bringing the same people back.they said they have had an upturn of people coming to spain.

imo its the retired doing this and not the young looking for work

[eazbak]

There are many people who won't be happy wherever the are as the only moan and groan about insignifant things rather than making the most of what they have..they will moan and groan and complain whever they are.Personally I thonk that one of the most important things to do to be able to enjoy where you are living is to learn the language..and fluently.

[Miro]

I would agree with that...except that some (many) of the problems of living in Spain are not necessarily made any easier simply by speaking Spanish (Think Movistar!) In some respects, it creates more stress. When you speak Spanish, it's natural to take on tasks that you would not think twice about in your own language - like ringing the phone company, for example. Those who don't speak Spanish are forced to turn to gestors and/or translators (official or not) and usually end up paying for things they wouldn't have to in their own country - but they also avoid the stress of dealing with bureaucracy etc. Some may say these people live in blissful ignorance.
And also, when you speak the lingo, you often find yourself being put-upon by "friends" who can't/won't learn.

[eazbak]

If movistar is a reason not to learn spanish,or gives you stress and makes you miserable and makes you think of returning to the UK IMHO you have lost track of what the important things in life are,only my opinion and I know the majority will not agree.

[El Cid]

If movistar is a reason not to learn spanish,or gives you stress and makes you miserable and makes you think of returning to the UK IMHO you have lost track of what the important things in life are,only my opinion and I know the majority will not agree.

I agree with you.

Especially as almost all contact I have had with Movistar on the phone has been in English!

I wonder if BT has a system in the UK that responds to Spanish speakers in Spanish?

Sid

[Devils Advocate]

I struggled to get anyone in a BT call centre to speak to me in English, that's why I left them and went to SKY.

[Miro]

I think you misunderstood my point. Whether you speak Spanish or not, Movistar's customer service is legendary (for being awful). I would generally agree that you will have a far better experience living anywhere if you learn the language, but if things such as customer service (lack of it) from utility companies is one of the things that gets you down here, being fluent in the language doesn't always help. If courier companies that refuse to deliver to your home, or whose drivers can't read a map (common topic here) is one of the things that gets you down, speaking Spanish won't help. If you make the mistake of letting your neighbours know that you speak Spanish, sooner or later you will find yourself being president of the community, and taking all the cr4p that goes with the territory. If you ever have the misfortune to have to deal with Hacienda, speaking Spanish better than the ar5eholes who work there will most certainly not help one iota. In fact, it can make things worse when you know just how rude and arrogant people are being to you!
And then there are those who don't speak the language, and who don't let things like this get them down, because (not speaking the language) they just get someone else to deal with it for them.

(I used the Movistar example, because I had just been dealing with a phone line problem for an inadequate friend who after 20 years here can't do more than order a vino bloody tinto for himself, and can't even understand when an engineer calls to say he's on his way. My own fault i suppose - but sometimes, I do thin k my life would be more tranquilo if I didn't speak Spanish! That was my point. Rant over )

[Mowser]

I always get an English speaker when I call Movistar. If it's computer-related, it's better to post on the Movistar forum. At least you get time to post your question and check it. Any time I've posted a question there, I get a response pretty quickly. The response is from a Movistar employee.

Off to be miserable again.

[katy]

One of the secrets of a happy life is to NOT speak much Spanish. You won't be aware of all the carp happening all around you by getting involved with other peoples problems, pick up on derogatory comments about guiris or read the bad news everyday.

As for people coming back yeah right. I believe in never say never but also once bitten twice shy is a good saying. Some tempting bargains around though right now, if you can find a legal place

[eazbak]

Once bitten twice shy? Doesn't seem to apply if the brits who left the UK as they didn't like living there later return to the UK again....going back to be bitten again.

[katy]

If it's true, we only have a couple of hearsay posts to latch onto. Although all the stuff i keep reading on here about prices not having risen for 7/10 whatever years it does sound attractive to the naive
The ones returning to the UK have hardly been bitten if they bought property again. On the contrary they are thousands in pocket.
I have my eye on this which sounds a snip, hope you don't think I am spamming

http://www.leggettprestige.com/french-p ... sin-france

[eazbak]

Sometimes I find it difficult to understand your posts Katy,especially the ones you post in the evenings,hope you're not overdoing it on the afternoon tea.

[katy]

No have been on a diet, going to the South of France today Makes sense to me. A lot more sense than posts that the Brits are returning when stats show around 90,000 have left. Of course, You lot make it up as you go along, "a bloke who works in xxxx told me blah blah "

Perhaps the ones returning are the ones who haven't managed to sell, which is most of them