Status Newbie Tourist etc

[Sadie]

Hi all, When and how does your status change newbie - resident etc, when do I stop being a tourist?

Regards
Sadie

[hillybilly]

All depends on the number of posts you make. It's just this site's method of "ranking" by activity of its members. Other forums use different nomenclature.

[sterlos]

I want to know as well.
What is the number of posts I need to get to in order to achieve tourist status.

[McT]

I believe 20 posts will dub you "tourist" and 50 posts will make you "resident". (No matter where you live!) I suspect you need 300 or more to become a "guru". (Which you become by virtue of the quantity of your posts rather than the quality.)

See here for more discussion on the topic:

http://www.andalucia.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=6890

McT

[McT]

Oh, and the other odd thing is that once you achieve any particular status, all your posts will show that status - it's retrospective.

McT

[Sadie]

Thank you both for replies..
Regards
Sadie

[annie_d]

Hello---so --am i still a newbie? i have read all the posts every day for months and months and months!
i have bought a house in salinas, near villanueva del trabuco and am planning to move there permanently in a couple of years time when the youngest daughter has left university. Hopefully my husband will find work as a teacher. (presently working in a primary school here with a degree qualification from Goldsmith's) We attend for Spanish lessons each week but along with looking forward to the move - i am TERRIFIED as we will be miles from anywhere and i cannot drive. I don't imagine that my skills will be transferrable as i am a senior nursing sister on a unit for people with challenging behavious and mental health problems in this country and with the best will in the world my Spanish will not be good enough to function within that world. Does anyone think there will be any voluntary work i will be able to do? As i say - i have read ALL the posts and thought i should finally make the jump into the fray!

[Marina]

Annie, Your skills are most probably not transferable, but in time, especially if you learn some Spanish you may find a niche. The best thing you could do at the moment is learn to drive. It's so important. What if your husband has a medical emergency? What if he's in hospital or worse?
Learning Spanish will improve your quality of life. learning to drive could save a life!
We once had a house at Iznajar and needed to call out the fire brigade. It took nearly two hours for them to reach us! I doubt if a trip to hospital in an ambulance would have been much quicker!

[annie_d]

i know, i know i should learn to drive, but i doubt that i shall. I can do lots of thingsbut i just know i won't be able to master the whole driving thing. Should a medical emergency occur - then so be it! LOL - i have had a medical emergency here in England and the ambulance could not find us, and when it did the care was poor!
i am worried more about the loneliness. We will have solar power only so no guarantee of the internet!

[sterlos]

you could always get a moped. No car license required.

[annie_d]

really??? none at all? i could do a moped i think. i am good on a bike (no smart remarks please!)

[sterlos]

50cc
there are other posts on scooters and mopeds
http://www.andalucia.com/forums/viewtop ... ight=moped
try this link I am not sure if it will work as its the first time i have tried to paste a link on here. If not go into search and type in scooter

[annie_d]

Gosh - thankyou very much - i am loving this!---it keeps my mind of the thoughts of me being lonely in Spain (as much as i want to be there)

[annie_d]

hello---no - i read all those "moped" posts - i think i do need to have a driving license from here (england) Perhaps i will have to stick to a bike.

[avellana]

Your husband may find work in an international school but as far as I know they are all on the coast and the majority would be a long commute from Salinas.
If I was terrified of being isolated and worried about being lonely I would not consider moving to somewhere, that from your post, sounds isolated.
Unfortunately there are a lot of people, especially inland, who are bored and lonely. Many spend their time gossiping and backbiting for want of something better to do.
There isn't the social infrastructure that you get in the UK unless you are on the coast. There aren't the cinemas, theatres, good libraries, clubs that can be an essential part of a social life in the UK.
Speaking Spanish will be essential if you don't want to become part of the expat communities that now abound inland.
Please don't think I am being negative - I am being honest and realistic and having lived for 6 years in Spain, all in an inland village, I have some experience.

[alaninspain]

Annie. If you are a friendly and chatty type of person and prepared to attempt Spanish, you will find the Spanish will laugh WITH you and not AT you, they are generally helpful and kind people, and village life is much the same as in England. We have been here 3 years now and have more Spanish friends than ex-pats, and yes, they still enjoy a laugh at my Spanglish. As to driving, the Spanish on the Costa seem to think their cars are Ferraris and drive accordingly, but life is more sedate in the countryside. Keep posting with any queries and you will find someone will reply with helpful advice. It is unlikely to be me as I do not know what I am doing most of the time, but I try.

[Marina]

Annie, a moto license is really easy to get. You don't even need to get on a bike!
You only need very basic Spanish to get through the lessons and test and the instuctor will give you so much help you couldn't fail if you tried.

[Babby]

We had lunch in Salinas the other day - it we are talking about the same place (province of Granada) it is a beautiful place with lots of restaurants. we saw quite a few English people walk by whilst we sat eating. It is a hot tourist spot because of the trout farm and good food and at weekends it gets absolutely packed (a lot of Spanish like to eat there), both winter and summer. Along the river there is usually a market on Sundays. I would not say it is a lonely place at all. It is not far from Antequera and Archidona and it has a train station.

Good luck with your move, it is a nice place.

[Shukran]

Hello---so --am i still a newbie? i have read all the posts every day for months and months and months!

It's not the amount of times you view posts - it's based on the amount of times you contribute to posts.

[avellana]

Salinas doesn't have the trout river - Riofrio does and there are several restaurants there which are very popular. Salinas is not the most attractive of villages but has the advantage of being close to the motorways to Antequera and Malaga.