scary website

Do you have a query on how to get things done in Andalucia, where to find things, who to call? Find out by posting and hear about others experiences.
laswalkirias
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scary website

Postby laswalkirias » Fri Apr 14, 2006 6:34 pm

Having emotionally comitted to buying an appartment in Malaga and to make the move permanent from next year I must say this forum has certainly stopped me in my tracks!!! Like most Brits wanting to relocate to CDS my only experience of Spanish life has been on vacation to its wonderful holiday resorts and forgewtting that in the real spain of town halls and bureaucracy english is not widely spoken. I really thought that I could live in Spain and pick up the language at my convenience but reading some of the posts it seems that I would be deemed offensive to the locals and totally helpless in an emergency situation!!
I am sure other people are scanning this forum who like me have this unrealistic dream however forewarned is forarmed and i urge other potential expats to spend hours and hours reading all the posts on this forum before making their final decision!!
I will certainly be making the move to Spain on a permanent basis however the information I have gleaned from Andalucia , com has made me reschedule my move for at least another 2 years.
Thanks to the regulars who have opened my eyes to the problems and pitfalls of a permanent move and I take away the knowledge that not to speak spanish is not an option!!! Fellow dreamers Think!!!
Dying to move to spain

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spanish_lad
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Postby spanish_lad » Fri Apr 14, 2006 6:46 pm

1. learn spanish.

2. holiday in part a of spain.

3. learn spanish.

4. holiday in part b of spain.

5. ....

6. ....

until u are really sure... then :

sell ur car, DONT BRING IT, rent out your house, rent for 6 months in spain, bring savings, learn spanish, try and find a job, ....

its not a long holiday, its a change of your life.
Alhaurin el Grande since 99, working at the airport since 2011.

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costakid
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Postby costakid » Fri Apr 14, 2006 8:19 pm

We have a home in a very spanish part of the CDS and speak only limited spanish but we have never offended anybody. We try and the locals help. If you try the locals will give you a free lesson on your mistakes. You should take plenty of time holidaying before you move to an area as it is a very big step. Good Luck.

Valencia_Paul
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Postby Valencia_Paul » Fri Apr 14, 2006 8:32 pm

A bit of Spanish does go a long way. You could certainly live in Spain and not speak any Spanish but you will probably have to pay for people to help you for certain activities.

Just think about it - if a Spaniard in England starting asking you stuff in Spanish and then kept going on at you in a louder and louder manner you probably wouldn't be very impressed. Rather than do that you can just ask them if they speak English, in Spanish.

It doesn't take long to learn "Hablas Ingles?" and understand a si or no response.

There are so many advantages to learning Spanish if you live or even just holiday there. People who don't try are either lazy or lacking in confidence.

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gazalucy
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Postby gazalucy » Fri Apr 14, 2006 9:44 pm

Totally agree. Do your homework, holiday in area, meet agents and most importantly Intergrate with the locals. My experience if you try, they will also.
ONE LIFE-- LIVE IT

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Re: scary website

Postby pete_l » Sat Apr 15, 2006 12:20 am

laswalkirias wrote:forgewtting that in the real spain of town halls and bureaucracy english is not widely spoken. I really thought that I could live in Spain and pick up the language at my convenience
Don't forget that all these forums are "self selecting" and often atttract
people who have made a greater than usual effort to integrate themselves
into the spanish way of life.

While I have done some spanish courses in the UK most of the classes
have been pretty poor quality - they seem to be run by native spanish
speakers who don't have any teaching skills. Plus I'm lousy at
learning languages. After 2 years, I have picked up a bit, but certainly not
enough to converse with any spaniards I have met. I fully expect to take
more classes in spain, but until then I have been able to get by OK.

Most bureaucracy can be sub-contracted to an english speaking gestor

If language skills are the only thing stopping you, I'd say leave that
concern behind and get over there. However, don't burn your bridges:
keep an escape route. You will find that holidaying in spain is completely
different from living (and earning a living) there. If you do find it's
not for you, you will be able to get back to the UK, with luck only a few
thousand pounds poorer, but wiser.

Good luck
Pete

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pwwm
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Postby pwwm » Sat Apr 15, 2006 10:20 am

If I had a euro for everyone that has said we are on a long holiday I would be rich, there are still bills to pay, usual household things like shopping and cleaning, all the same things as in UK, bureaucracy rules well.

But I still much prefer being here, just stop thinking we are on one long holiday .

geegee
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Postby geegee » Sat Apr 15, 2006 4:13 pm

But don't let all us moaners put you off - most people find it easier to complain than to praise, its human nature! Despite all the difficulties, language learning, official paperwork etc., I don't regret the move at all (been here nearly a year) and hugely enjoy the different working and social life. The advice re keeping a bolthole in the uk if you can and renting before you buy is good advice. My partner and I have kept a small flat in the uk 'just in case' and although we have no intention of moving back, its nice to know its there...

masterob
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Postby masterob » Sat Apr 15, 2006 5:30 pm

As you have rightly said, holidaying here is so different to living here. Moving here in retirement with a UK based income is fine. I would have serious reservations about moving here if I needed to work because of the high level of employment, lack of language skills and lower wage levels. But, a personal choice.
Andalucia has a lot in favour of it, but, and it may be sacrilege to say so here, it somehow lacks a certain sophistication. A personal opinion!

frank
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Postby frank » Sat Apr 15, 2006 11:18 pm

masterob wrote: Andalucia has a lot in favour of it, but, and it may be sacrilege to say so here, it somehow lacks a certain sophistication. A personal opinion!
Quite right, very uncouth lot down there! ;-) Did you not notice this before you moved there, or has it become unsophisticated since your arrival? Where would you recommend as a sophisticated place?
Regards, Frank

No soy residente, simplemente un turista, ¿qué sé yo?

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Postby Beachcomber » Sat Apr 15, 2006 11:26 pm

masterob wrote:Andalucia has a lot in favour of it, but, and it may be sacrilege to say so here, it somehow lacks a certain sophistication. A personal opinion!
I agree. Give me Scunthorpe any day! :?

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meseta
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lacking.......

Postby meseta » Sat Apr 15, 2006 11:27 pm

How can you say Alora lacks a certain sophistication ?

nevada smith

Postby nevada smith » Sun Apr 16, 2006 12:09 am

and i always thought that
andalusian 'naivete' (accent over the final 'e') was just a 'front'
put on by the locals so as not to offend
sophisticated foreigners...

masterob
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Postby masterob » Sun Apr 16, 2006 10:36 am

What I had in mind when using the term "lacking a certain sophistication" was overall mediocre infrastructure, excessive bureaucracy, antiquated working hours, and endemic corruption. Maybe the word "sophistication" is not the best term to use in this context! But to me these are all things detrimental to Andalucia in the 21 century. A personal viewpoint.

Frank wrote
Quite right, very uncouth lot down there! Did you not notice this before you moved there, or has it become unsophisticated since your arrival? Where would you recommend as a sophisticated place?
These issues were here before my arrival and yes, I knew about them. I make the comparison with Catalunya.

Beachcomber wrote
I agree. Give me Scunthorpe any day!
Never been there so will have to take your word for it. I can see however, why you say this, I doubt there are the electricity issues there that you were recently whingeing about! :roll:

Meseta wrote
How can you say Alora lacks a certain sophistication ?
In the context of charm, it has much, hence my reference to Andalucia having a lot going for it! In the above context, it is no worse nor better than the rest of Andalucia.

nevada smith wrote
and i always thought that
andalusian 'naivete' (accent over the final 'e') was just a 'front'
put on by the locals so as not to offend
sophisticated foreigners...
..and I always thought the English language used capital letters for certain words and that a single sentence need not be broken up over 4 lines, but then I am an easily offended sophisticated foreigner who recognizes sarcasm! :)

nevada smith

Postby nevada smith » Sun Apr 16, 2006 11:34 am

"...but then i am an easily offended sophisticated foreigner..."
somewhat conflicting terms, masterob, and a revealing statement
in keeping with your "life in andalusia after 2 years"...

Beachcomber
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Postby Beachcomber » Sun Apr 16, 2006 12:45 pm

masterob wrote: Beachcomber wrote
I agree. Give me Scunthorpe any day!
Never been there so will have to take your word for it.
Neither have I thank, goodness. I just picked on a UK city with the most depressingly horrible sounding name I could think of! My apologies to any Scunthorponians or what ever you are called! :D

laswalkirias
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scary website

Postby laswalkirias » Sun Apr 16, 2006 2:15 pm

Its the lack of sophistication that attracts a potential expat like me in the first place!!!My spanish friends have told me that the CDS is looked down upon by most mainland spaniards becuse of the perception of sleaze and lack of culture which makes me want to live there even more!!!! If i wanted culture and fabulous infrastructure I would stay in London!!!
Dying to move to spain

frank
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Postby frank » Sun Apr 16, 2006 2:44 pm

masterob wrote:What I had in mind when using the term "lacking a certain sophistication" was overall mediocre infrastructure, excessive bureaucracy, antiquated working hours, and endemic corruption. Maybe the word "sophistication" is not the best term to use in this context! But to me these are all things detrimental to Andalucia in the 21 century. A personal viewpoint.
Yes "sophistication" wasn't the best choice of words, however I agree with your sentiments! ;-) especially where the bureaucracy and corruption is concerned. Never been to Scunthorpe either, but I agree, I bet it doesn't enjoy the power cuts that Spain does.
Regards, Frank

No soy residente, simplemente un turista, ¿qué sé yo?

spanish hopes

Postby spanish hopes » Sun Apr 16, 2006 3:47 pm

But the UK certainly enjoys bureaucracy and corruption in government, and not just at a local government level either.

masterob
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Postby masterob » Sun Apr 16, 2006 5:15 pm

Not so sure about that spanish hopes! Can't think of anywhere in the UK that's had three Mayor's in a row charged with corruption and on the scale of that developing in Marbella. Yes, cash for peerages is a current example in UK and it will be interesting to see what comes of it.

Of course I also accept that most Governments/Local Authorities in any country inevitably create their own bureaucracy, but I think you would be hard pressed to find in the UK, anything approaching that found in public organizations here! I have never had to provide so many photocopies of various documents in my life! Thank goodness for my scanner! :)


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