# Losing faith, any support welcome.



## overlander (May 30, 2009)

I,ve been reading this forum for a while but never posted on here before so hello everybody. You seem like a knowledgable bunch from what ive read in the past and I hope you can share your knowledge and opinions with me. 

Back in the UK I was a successful property investor and, without wishing to blow my own trumpet, quite a talented designer. About 2 years ago I leaft the UK for Lanzarote as I believed I could further my career as weel as having a less stressful life. I must stress that I really do love working, I have to do something creative every day or I get very depressed. I get an immense buzz out of completing a project and the money is only ever bonus to me, not what drives me. 

Of course, everything, everywhere is slow to say the least so im finding it very hard to judge what this place is like during times of stability, particular for people willing to put the effort in. Assuming that most of Spains resorts are on a par with each other can someone let me know what it was like during the more stable times. Really im interested in the normal times not the boom years. Were there more opportunities here, were there greater gains to be made, was life really that much more enjoyable? 

I apologise for such a vague thread but I am rapidly losing faith here.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

hello and its nice you "meet" you. Knowledgable???? hmmm, maybe one or two have their moments.

As for your question, well, from the little I know, its been a fair while since Spain was stable. It seems to me that from the 70s onwards its been growing and growing rapidly to the point of... well stupidity "the boom years". I think it peaked a couple of years ago and is now spiraling downwards, not only cos of the world recession, but I think its been overdone!

I think now is a time for lots of people to do what you're obviously doing and taking stock and thinking ahead... maybe pastures new would be the answer and jump on the same ride that Spain has had in the past few decades?? It certainly isnt easy to predict where its going, how it will stablise or if it will ever see those kind of "good times" again???

Dunno how the others here will see it??

Jo xxx


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## SunnySpain (Jul 30, 2008)

overlander said:


> I have to do something creative every day or I get very depressed. I get an immense buzz out of completing a project and the money is only ever bonus to me, not what drives me.
> 
> Assuming that most of Spains resorts are on a par with each other can someone let me know what it was like during the more stable times. Really im interested in the normal times not the boom years. Were there more opportunities here, were there greater gains to be made, was life really that much more enjoyable?
> 
> I apologise for such a vague thread but I am rapidly losing faith here.


Not sure where you are going with this thread, but I'm willing to play along and see what happens. 

You say money is just a bonus and you get a buzz out of work and if you don't have work then you get depressed, I think.

If thats the case and you are depressed then why not move to a part of Spain that is not classed as a "resort" as thats where most of the opportunities are

I await your thoughts on my reply.

Dave :juggle:


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

SunnySpain said:


> Not sure where you are going with this thread, but I'm willing to play along and see what happens.
> 
> You say money is just a bonus and you get a buzz out of work and if you don't have work then you get depressed, I think.
> 
> ...


Yes but you do need to go where the work is, money or no money. and I guess that in recent years the resorts have provided work and money and have obviously been an emotionally rewarding challenge. Where to go and how will it be once this crisis is over to still achieve both is the question??

Well thats how I view it??? :eyebrows: But I am blonde and very stupid at times 

jo xxx


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## SunnySpain (Jul 30, 2008)

jojo said:


> Yes but you do need to go where the work is, money or no money. and I guess that in recent years the resorts have provided work and money and have obviously been an emotionally rewarding challenge. Where to go and how will it be once this crisis is over to still achieve both is the question??
> 
> Well thats how I view it??? :eyebrows: But I am blonde and very stupid at times
> 
> jo xxx



True, but I think the OP was suggesting that work is scarce in his resort and that all resorts are much of a muchness workwise, well I think thats what he meant


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## Tallulah (Feb 16, 2009)

overlander said:


> I,ve been reading this forum for a while but never posted on here before so hello everybody. You seem like a knowledgable bunch from what ive read in the past and I hope you can share your knowledge and opinions with me.
> 
> Back in the UK I was a successful property investor and, without wishing to blow my own trumpet, quite a talented designer. About 2 years ago I leaft the UK for Lanzarote as I believed I could further my career as weel as having a less stressful life. I must stress that I really do love working, I have to do something creative every day or I get very depressed. I get an immense buzz out of completing a project and the money is only ever bonus to me, not what drives me.
> 
> ...


Hello and welcome Overlander.

Interesting - so what have you been up to these past couple of years in Lanzarote then?? As you admit by your post, it's a little vague - but that's understandable, being a first post. Just curious as to whether you've been surviving on an income/funds from the UK whilst here researching your next project? Admittedly, property market - investments, newbuilds, reforms of older properties - have taken a nosedive understandably. Anything else up your sleeve to bring in some funds whilst here? I understand your predicament - being a creative being. How willing are you to diversify? Or are you now looking for a job in order to survive here? 

Nosy lot, aren't we - but we're only trying to help, honest!!

Tallulah.x


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Tallulah said:


> Hello and welcome Overlander.
> 
> Interesting - so what have you been up to these past couple of years in Lanzarote then?? As you admit by your post, it's a little vague - but that's understandable, being a first post. Just curious as to whether you've been surviving on an income/funds from the UK whilst here researching your next project? Admittedly, property market - investments, newbuilds, reforms of older properties - have taken a nosedive understandably. Anything else up your sleeve to bring in some funds whilst here? I understand your predicament - being a creative being. How willing are you to diversify? Or are you now looking for a job in order to survive here?
> 
> ...


Its actually an interesting question and discussion. Its certainly thought provoking!

Jo xxx


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

Hope you don't mind me jumping in here from across the border, but it's an interesting topic.

One problem at the moment is that so many people are trying to declare the recession "over" or past the turning point, with the hope that things will "get back to normal." After the big excesses we've been through over the last decades, I'm not so sure there really is a "normal" to get back to.

With any sort of luck, at least a few people have learned something, and those people will be the ones to come up with a new approach to business and industry and how to make things work so that people can be employed and carry on with life, perhaps without quite the same frenzy or "get rich quick and then get out" attitude that got us in trouble in the first place.

It bodes well for someone who claims that money is only a bonus and that they are just looking for something creative to do each day. There are needs out there to be met - in a creative fashion. I hear that in some areas that had been given to spend-spend-spend there is now a huge demand for repair services. Little things like that are going to be what carry things forward - not a return to the way things were.
Cheers,
Bev


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

Bevdeforges said:


> One problem at the moment is that so many people are trying to declare the recession "over" or past the turning point, with the hope that things will "get back to normal."


Its a refreshing change if some people are actually talking things up, as the media were so helpful in instilling panic in the first place.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Bevdeforges said:


> Hope you don't mind me jumping in here from across the border, but it's an interesting topic.
> 
> One problem at the moment is that so many people are trying to declare the recession "over" or past the turning point, with the hope that things will "get back to normal." After the big excesses we've been through over the last decades, I'm not so sure there really is a "normal" to get back to.
> 
> ...


thats what I was trying to say in my post on here, but you said it so much better Bev!!!! Nice to see you in Sunny Spain LOL

Jo xxx


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## overlander (May 30, 2009)

Wow. I didn't think this would create such a stir. 

In answer to some of your questions I still have income from the UK which is keeping me very well. The first six months were spent nursing a broken leg and I have spent the last 18 months rebuilding a Finca which is now very nearly finished. Without wishing to confuse people my problem is not that I am short of work, I can always buy some more especially at the moment, but if there is no one to buy the finished product from me then its all a bit pointless. 

I came to Lanzarote over a shortlist of here, Barcelona and Cadiz as I felt I could learn Castillian here but as English is widely spoken I could fall back on that when required. Also, the light here is the best in Spain, as is the weather and the scenery is amazing .You can easily get away from the tourism as the Island remains largely unspoilt as the tourist resorts were so well contained (three cheers for UNESCO) and the twelve month per year season I felt would go a long way to keeping the local economy lubricated. All of those reasons for coming are still here and I feel that on the whole the Canaries have weathered the crisis much better than many areas on the peninsular. 

I suppose that my problem is that I can't judge what life here should be like in times of economic growth, on whatever scale. It depends on what you did in the UK before you got here but did people find life more exciting and more enjoyable when they moved away?

Thanks for all your input.


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## SunnySpain (Jul 30, 2008)

overlander said:


> I suppose that my problem is that I can't judge what life here should be like in times of economic growth, on whatever scale. It depends on what you did in the UK before you got here but did people find life more exciting and more enjoyable when they moved away?
> 
> Thanks for all your input.


Absolutamente ni idea:lol:


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