# Feeling trapped in the UK



## casaloco

Hello,

i hope someone can give me some advice,

i have wanted to move away from the uk for many many years, mainly due to suffering from SAD and depression. not to mention hating being cold (5 layers of clothes and still cold!!)

I have 2 little boys, and i am in the predicament that i know i cannot move away without hurting my partners parents, they see the boys 5 days a week at the moment. they are aged 68 and 72, i did jokingly say the other day about getting a house in spain, and grandma stated i couldnt take her babies away from her. 

When i mentioned the move to my father, he was totally supportive (he was a resident of the malaga area for over 15 years before returning to uk)

So now i feel even more depressed.

how have people coped with moving away from family???


----------



## xabiaxica

casaloco said:


> Hello,
> 
> i hope someone can give me some advice,
> 
> i have wanted to move away from the uk for many many years, mainly due to suffering from SAD and depression. not to mention hating being cold (5 layers of clothes and still cold!!)
> 
> I have 2 little boys, and i am in the predicament that i know i cannot move away without hurting my partners parents, they see the boys 5 days a week at the moment. they are aged 68 and 72, i did jokingly say the other day about getting a house in spain, and grandma stated i couldnt take her babies away from her.
> 
> When i mentioned the move to my father, he was totally supportive (he was a resident of the malaga area for over 15 years before returning to uk)
> 
> So now i feel even more depressed.
> 
> how have people coped with moving away from family???


hi & welcome

while I understand why you'd want to leave the UK - heck, all of us that now live in spain probably felt the same way - I don't really see that moving here will help


yes, it's hotter in the summer - yes winters in many areas are shorter & not as cold as in the UK - and yes, even when it's cold it is often sunny, so that might help with the SAD


having said that, you don't say what you or your partner would to to support yourselves here - have a good read of the forum & you'll find that there are many brits feeling trapped here too - they can't earn a living, there is little in the way of benefits here, & they can't sell their property, so as much a they want to return to the UK they can't

the best I can think of to suggest is that you try to get here for as many holidays as you can afford, suss out different areas, maybe study spanish, then at some time in the future when the economy improves - _then_ you'll be well placed to make a move

also remember that you would have no family here to support you emotionally - & I think all of us mums here would admit that can be hard for even the toughest of us


----------



## donz

If money is not an issue and you can make the move then I would suggest Skype and booking flights way in advance - I know a lot of people that book up the next 10mths flights asap to keep costs down. It's tough on the relatives if you're close but you have to do what's right for you sometimes. Do be aware however that there are next to no jobs here to apply for unless you/hubby is able to get a transfer or have another trick up your sleeve 

I am an SAD sufferer and it is much easier being here than there BUT do watch out for the mildew in the winter months and indoors can be much colder than outdoors at home in winter due to no carpets, no central heating etc 

That said, it doesn't mean you can't have carpets installed if you wanted, and also you can heat a place great with a wood burner/log fire. You can also buy economy electric wall heaters and through the winter I went to bed with a hottie (not my old man lol but one of those microwavable hot water bottles with wheat instead of water!) 

I wouldn't go back if I could help it - when the sun is out here you feel so much better so much more of the time :clap2:


----------



## Alcalaina

Hi Casaloco

I really do sympathise - the long English winters used to make me thoroughly miserable!

But although there is more light and sunshine in Spain, you will ironically suffer MORE from the cold here in winter. The houses are poorly insulated, if at all; central heating (at least in the South) is rare, and it is incredibly expensive to try and keep a house at the sort of temperature you would feel comfortable at. From December to February I wear fingerless mittens indoors, plus thermal underwear and fleeces! Hard to believe, but it's true.

As for the tensions moving would inevitably cause in your family - well, you already know the answer to that, in your heart. Your children would miss their grandparents as much as the other way round. Your partner must have some views on this too, presumably?

So take Xabiachica's advice and come over for some long holidays - You can rent self-catering places cheaply in low season. Perhaps come with the grandparents!?! Maybe they will love it so much they will want to move too!


----------



## casaloco

Thank you so much for the replies,

I personally dont have any family support where i am now, as i said my father lived in spain for most of my mid teenage to young adult life, so i been on my own really since age 14. am now 40  i feel my life is running out but am so worried about hurting my inlaws.

I really feel the boys would have a much better lifestyle, and a happier mummy. i try to take them swimming but i put it off as i will be cold when i get out of the pool, dont take them to the coast because its too cold, just as examples.

I would be leaving my 20 year old boy behind (was a single mum for 12 years with him), but hes lived in london for couple of years now and is more than capable of taking over things here if i leave (and booking his own flights)

I make elite gymnastics leotards for clubs in the uk and am hoping to expand to sell basic leotards and shorts on ebay, and i am sure i can make enough to cover my partners wages. (with his help)

we cant afford holidays very often as there is 4 of us now having to pay full price. and the bills here now are OTT.


----------



## 90199

I sold almost everything in the U.K. and have settled in the Canary Islands. The house here has not needed heating for the past two winters, that is because we do not really have cold weather and there is sunshine nearly every day. My main reason for moving was quite simply the climate.

I have family in the U.K. I contact them by using Skype and I have an apartment empty should they wish to visit. I have not visited the U.K. for almost two years and have no desire to do so. I am retired so working is not an issue.

Regarding your circumstances, you have a difficult decision but first and foremost should be the welfare and future of your children and your own health, in laws are secondary,

Hepa


----------



## bernice34

casaloco said:


> Thank you so much for the replies,
> 
> I personally dont have any family support where i am now, as i said my father lived in spain for most of my mid teenage to young adult life, so i been on my own really since age 14. am now 40  i feel my life is running out but am so worried about hurting my inlaws.
> 
> I really feel the boys would have a much better lifestyle, and a happier mummy. i try to take them swimming but i put it off as i will be cold when i get out of the pool, dont take them to the coast because its too cold, just as examples.
> 
> I would be leaving my 20 year old boy behind (was a single mum for 12 years with him), but hes lived in london for couple of years now and is more than capable of taking over things here if i leave (and booking his own flights)
> 
> I make elite gymnastics leotards for clubs in the uk and am hoping to expand to sell basic leotards and shorts on ebay, and i am sure i can make enough to cover my partners wages. (with his help)
> 
> we cant afford holidays very often as there is 4 of us now having to pay full price. and the bills here now are OTT.


Hi 
I totally understand where your coming from , we made the move last week , and I know it's early days but we feel it's the right thing for us .. We also have 2 small boys and have left older ones back in the uk . We are running our business from here and it's doable . If you do move don't cut all your ties with the uk . We have rented our house out and are renting here. Learn as much Spanish as possible and as I said to my very hands on parents a few months ago ... We only have one life ! They were upset to begin with but agree that it is best for us at this time . Good luck. And do lots and lots of research on the area ! 
Bernice


----------



## donz

I wouldn't say bills here are any cheaper.....cost of living is not going to be much different tbh


----------



## 90199

donz said:


> I wouldn't say bills here are any cheaper.....cost of living is not going to be much different tbh



Depends where you live, here it is far cheaper than the U.K. 

Hepa


----------



## xabiaxica

donz said:


> I wouldn't say bills here are any cheaper.....cost of living is not going to be much different tbh


seconded - on the whole it's swings & roundabouts - some stuff cheaper,some more expensive

one thing that casaloco MUST take into account though - if she is to be self-employed here . she will be coughing up +/-250€ a month in NI payments - that's without tax - whether or not she earns anything

& I'm SURE that's a lot more than she pays in the UK


----------



## bernice34

xabiachica said:


> seconded - on the whole it's swings & roundabouts - some stuff cheaper,some more expensive
> 
> one thing that casaloco MUST take into account though - if she is to be self-employed here . she will be coughing up +/-250&#128; a month in NI payments - that's without tax - whether or not she earns anything
> 
> & I'm SURE that's a lot more than she pays in the UK


Sorry to go a bit off-topic, but do the ni payments apply even if the business is based in the uk and we are paying ni over there?


----------



## JoCatalunya

I too feel for you, but it isnt all sun, sand, and sangria here you know, life can be as hard and as depressing here as the UK. Whilst you say you don't have much support in the UK, (or have I misread that), fact is your kids see their grandparents 5 days a week. That is a heck of a lot of support to be honest.
I am a grandparent and would love to see my grandkids so much but am lucky if I get to see them a couple of times a year due to ill health and lack of funds for flights. 
Yes, you should consider your happiness, your childrens, your partners etc, but you should also consider, if I can't make a go of it here, will I be able to go back.
I know we can't, we have no means to do so. So before you jump ship you really need to consider what it is you think you will get out of Spain that you cannot get in the UK. If it is merely the sun, then as my old mum used to say, buy a blooming sun lamp. Don't burn your bridges on a whim.


----------



## nigele2

Hepa said:


> Depends where you live, here it is far cheaper than the U.K.
> 
> Hepa


Your Island:

Great place for the retired 

Absolute rubbish if you need to run a business (unless it happens to be a beach bar)


----------



## JoCatalunya

I do not find my part of Spain cheaper than the UK to live in, but then this is Catalunya, not Spain as the locals would have me believe. Ho hum......


----------



## 90199

nigele2 said:


> Your Island:
> 
> Great place for the retired
> 
> Absolute rubbish if you need to run a business (unless it happens to be a beach bar)


Beach bar? try to find the beach first.

My friend has recently started a new business, he imports and sells second hand cars, seems to be doing all right too!

Another friend has started a hairdressers she is always busy.

So there are opportunities, just a matter of confidence:tongue1:


----------



## Stravinsky

donz said:


> I wouldn't say bills here are any cheaper.....cost of living is not going to be much different tbh



Ive been through this so many times now on forums, and the conclusions I have drawn are that its much more expensive to live down in the CDS than it is a little further North in the CB. Even with the money we lost when the rate of exchange dropped, we are still better off here financially than we were in the UK>


----------



## Stravinsky

bernice34 said:


> Sorry to go a bit off-topic, but do the ni payments apply even if the business is based in the uk and we are paying ni over there?


It depends on the circumstances, of which you dont describe.

If you're a Spanish resident then your tax liability is here in Spain generally. Taxation in Spain is, in general, on your worldwide income.


----------



## casaloco

its not really anything to do with money, just as long as we can pay the bills. i run my own gymnastics club, teach 7 days a week for nothing. although it would be nice to have a bit extra. not running 2 cars and having the heating on for 8 months of the year may help.

i think its more the lifestyle i want. my boys are always stuck in the house and being a very outdoors person it rubs me up the wrong way, i think we had 4 weeks of summer last year. 

The boys going to school here is also worrying me, my eldest had a horific time at school. and it does seem to be getting worse. i teach over 100 kids a week, and these being some of the nicest kids that have an interest in something. not lay-abouts, still most do not like school, swear like troopers when they think no-one can hear them, have no respect for their parents, teachers or police when they get over the age of 11.. 

so it seems homeschooling is the only option here. are the Spanish Schools or kids any different???


have visited numerous parts of spain.


----------



## jojo

The things that alot dont understand about Spain v UK:

1. There is no social security system in Spain unless you have paid into the Spanish system for more than 3 months and even then its not indefinite and is a sliding scale depending on how long you've paid in.

2. No child allowance or any other benefits that we've become used to in the UK

3. The winters are cold here. The period between December and March can be bitter. Heavy rain, winds and even snow up in Granada, central heating and insulation is a rarity here.

4. Spanish schools are all taught in Spanish. They are probably not as "soft" as schools in the UK and from what I've seen, they are very much based on UK schools in the 50s - maybe thats not a bad thing, but it is a bit different - rows of desks, taught in a serious, "no fun" way. And helping with homework unless you're fluent isnt easy lol

5. Work is hard to find, pay is poor and if you're self employed/automono, you have to pay a set amount every month, regardless of what you earn - I think its around 250€ a month

6. Long school summer holidays and early school finishing times (usually 2pmish) can make childcare difficult

Those are just a few of the negatives I've come across when people talk about moving to Spain and arent directed at anyone in particular. Life is nicer here, the sunshine helps, but without money, family and friends its not a nice place to be!!

I'll probably come back later and write something more positive lol!!!!!!

Jo xxxx


----------



## Zimtony

jojo said:


> The things that alot dont understand about Spain v UK:
> 
> 1. There is no social security system in Spain unless you have paid into the Spanish system for more than 3 months and even then its not indefinite and is a sliding scale depending on how long you've paid in.
> 
> 2. No child allowance or any other benefits that we've become used to in the UK
> 
> 3. The winters are cold here. The period between December and March can be bitter. Heavy rain, winds and even snow up in Granada, central heating and insulation is a rarity here.
> 
> 4. Spanish schools are all taught in Spanish. They are probably not as "soft" as schools in the UK and from what I've seen, they are very much based on UK schools in the 50s - maybe thats not a bad thing, but it is a bit different - rows of desks, taught in a serious, "no fun" way. And helping with homework unless you're fluent isnt easy lol
> 
> 5. Work is hard to find, pay is poor and if you're self employed/automono, you have to pay a set amount every month, regardless of what you earn - I think its around 250€ a month
> 
> 6. Long school summer holidays and early school finishing times (usually 2pmish) can make childcare difficult
> 
> Those are just a few of the negatives I've come across when people talk about moving to Spain and arent directed at anyone in particular. Life is nicer here, the sunshine helps, but without money, family and friends its not a nice place to be!!
> 
> I'll probably come back later and write something more positive lol!!!!!!
> 
> Jo xxxx


And the air links are so good - you will probably find you see more of the family when you move here!


----------



## casaloco

jojo said:


> The things that alot dont understand about Spain v UK:
> 
> 1. There is no social security system in Spain unless you have paid into the Spanish system for more than 3 months and even then its not indefinite and is a sliding scale depending on how long you've paid in.
> 
> 2. No child allowance or any other benefits that we've become used to in the UK
> 
> 3. The winters are cold here. The period between December and March can be bitter. Heavy rain, winds and even snow up in Granada, central heating and insulation is a rarity here.
> 
> 4. Spanish schools are all taught in Spanish. They are probably not as "soft" as schools in the UK and from what I've seen, they are very much based on UK schools in the 50s - maybe thats not a bad thing, but it is a bit different - rows of desks, taught in a serious, "no fun" way. And helping with homework unless you're fluent isnt easy lol
> 
> 5. Work is hard to find, pay is poor and if you're self employed/automono, you have to pay a set amount every month, regardless of what you earn - I think its around 250€ a month
> 
> 6. Long school summer holidays and early school finishing times (usually 2pmish) can make childcare difficult
> 
> Those are just a few of the negatives I've come across when people talk about moving to Spain and arent directed at anyone in particular. Life is nicer here, the sunshine helps, but without money, family and friends its not a nice place to be!!
> 
> I'll probably come back later and write something more positive lol!!!!!!
> 
> Jo xxxx


i understand if i am working from home i would have to pay in the region of £220 a month social security contributions, so could try for child benefit after a while. (worth a try) 
Love the idea of numbers 4 (was brought up by my grandparents, so used to old school style) and number 6 (want to spend as much time with my kids as possible)


----------



## Pesky Wesky

jojo said:


> The things that alot dont understand about Spain v UK:
> 
> 1. There is no social security system in Spain unless you have paid into the Spanish system for more than 3 months and even then its not indefinite and is a sliding scale depending on how long you've paid in.
> 
> 2. No child allowance or any other benefits that we've become used to in the UK
> 
> 3. The winters are cold here. The period between December and March can be bitter. Heavy rain, winds and even snow up in Granada, central heating and insulation is a rarity here.
> 
> 4. Spanish schools are all taught in Spanish. They are probably not as "soft" as schools in the UK and from what I've seen, they are very much based on UK schools in the 50s - maybe thats not a bad thing, but it is a bit different - rows of desks, taught in a serious, "no fun" way. And helping with homework unless you're fluent isnt easy lol
> 
> 5. Work is hard to find, pay is poor and if you're self employed/automono, you have to pay a set amount every month, regardless of what you earn - I think its around 250€ a month
> 
> 6. Long school summer holidays and early school finishing times (usually 2pmish) can make childcare difficult
> 
> Those are just a few of the negatives I've come across when people talk about moving to Spain and arent directed at anyone in particular. Life is nicer here, the sunshine helps, but without money, family and friends its not a nice place to be!!
> 
> I'll probably come back later and write something more positive lol!!!!!!
> 
> Jo xxxx


I think everything you've written here is true. Unfortunately some people won't believe you, others will ignore it, other won't read it and 1, max 2, might actually read and take notice!!
It shouldn't put people off coming, but it's definitely essential to know these things before you come.
However, there _*is*_ more light, so that should help the OP with SAD


----------



## Pesky Wesky

casaloco said:


> i understand if i am working from home i would have to pay in the region of £220 a month social security contributions, so could try for child benefit after a while. (worth a try)
> Love the idea of numbers 4 (was brought up by my grandparents, so used to old school style) and number 6 (want to spend as much time with my kids as possible)


Hi Casaloco
There's one thing I don't understand in you previous posts as you say


> i cannot move away without hurting my partners parents, they see the boys 5 days a week at the moment. they are aged 68 and 72,


But then you say 


> I personally dont have any family support where i am now


so I'm confused
Also, as Jo said there is _*NO *_child benefit here, so you can't try for it.

I think you asked about schools and children in Spain.
From my limited experience in the Madrid area the educational methods definitely lean towards conservative; feed the children info, they learn it by heart and regurgitate it in exams. However, there are points of light within this grey system. The school my daughter goes to is an ordinary state school, but they are very heavily involved in a type of Erasmus programme for younger students, exchanges with students in other countries (Poland, Slovenia...), science fairs, short story contests etc etc. Not on the same scale as a UK school, but if you want to be involved you can. The extra curricular activities are run by the town halls and range from English to dance to creative writing depending on the town hall. In the schools my daughter has been in there has always been some help for immigrants - how much I don't know (my daughter is Spanish) but it's there.
The children on the whole seem to be better behaved and more respectful. It seems like they're not let loose in school and they're not so out of control in general. Of course, it's difficult to generalise. My daughter was the victim of mild bullying in her first primary school and there was little interest from the school in helping her. Since then she's had no problems and is now in the equivalent of 6th form in a state school, with a high number of immigrants from South America and the Magrebi, and a varied catchment area which includes all types of family economy. That's not to say there aren't any problems, but she doesn't feel threatened, is happy to go to school and is doing well - 10's and 4 9's in the last evaluation!!! (Typical Spanish attitude, only the numbers are important!!) Where's the PROUD MUM smilie????????


----------



## casaloco

Pesky Wesky said:


> I think everything you've written here is true. Unfortunately some people won't believe you, others will ignore it, other won't read it and 1, max 2, might actually read and take notice!!
> It shouldn't put people off coming, but it's definitely essential to know these things before you come.
> However, there _*is*_ more light, so that should help the OP with SAD


Oh definately think all points should be studied and weighed up sensibly, thats why i have spent so many years struggling with the choice to move away.

I spent many years in scotland until it got too much and moved back to the south of england. should have got out to spain then when my dad still lived there. 

Dont get me wrong. if i didnt stay i wouldnt have the boys i have now. i love my in laws very much and its just making it a harder decision, to do what i actually want myself.


----------



## janey2

Am so pleased i stumbled across this website, have been thinking of moving abroad for many years and now my children are all old enough to look after themselves the idea is getting better by the minute. Had not taken into account alot of the points mentioned above i.e. the 250 social security payments, the cold houses in the winter etc think i maybe posting alot of other questions on here over the coming months.


----------



## xabiaxica

janey2 said:


> Am so pleased i stumbled across this website, have been thinking of moving abroad for many years and now my children are all old enough to look after themselves the idea is getting better by the minute. Had not taken into account alot of the points mentioned above i.e. the 250 social security payments, the cold houses in the winter etc think i maybe posting alot of other questions on here over the coming months.


hi janey2 & welcome

so many people don't take these things into account - tbh they weren't things we thought about when we came - but then at the time I wasn't expecting to be working (I got bored being a yummymummy doing coffee) & my OH works away

the cold houses in winter was a HUGE shock & it rained almost constantly for the first month we were here

have a good read around the forum & ask away!


----------



## Alcalaina

janey2 said:


> Am so pleased i stumbled across this website, have been thinking of moving abroad for many years and now my children are all old enough to look after themselves the idea is getting better by the minute. Had not taken into account alot of the points mentioned above i.e. the 250 social security payments, the cold houses in the winter etc think i maybe posting alot of other questions on here over the coming months.


Hi Janey, nice to "meet" you. Yes, it's a great place to live if you don't need to find work. We took early retirement and we find we can live on much less here, despite recent price increases. But that does involve a big change in lifestyle (including wearing mittens indoors in winter!).


----------



## jojo

janey2 said:


> Am so pleased i stumbled across this website, have been thinking of moving abroad for many years and now my children are all old enough to look after themselves the idea is getting better by the minute. Had not taken into account alot of the points mentioned above i.e. the 250 social security payments, the cold houses in the winter etc think i maybe posting alot of other questions on here over the coming months.



southampton!!! Thats where my husband has his business and works. We have a house in Worthing. I live in Spain with the kids in rented and husband commutes here!!! 

Welcome to the forum. Have a good read thru and see what you think of all our moaning and groaning - altho the sun has been shining today so we're probably all a bit brighter!!!

Jo xxx


----------



## JoCatalunya

When we moved here my husband had a very well paid job in the Middle East which made life here very comfortable indeed. Now however, he is disabled thanks to an accident at work. Unfortunately the company he worked for is German and their system does not allow for compensation so we are now in the position of being faced with not being able to pay our mortgage after next month. We have been told we could try for the Incapacity for Work benefit, however, from what I gather from a few folk who have tried to claim it over here. (apparently if you can get it in UK you should be able to get it over here) It is nigh on impossible to actually get a positive result. 
Whilst the UK may be dull and dreary you do have family close by, give moving here serious thought, don't be bamboozled by the prospect of sun, it does rain here, it does snow, (catalunya has its fair share) and it does get cold.


----------



## Guest

as a father of four...I say listen to your father...life is short and can be brutal....get your happiness on...


----------



## Pesky Wesky

JoCatalunya said:


> When we moved here my husband had a very well paid job in the Middle East which made life here very comfortable indeed. Now however, he is disabled thanks to an accident at work. Unfortunately the company he worked for is German and their system does not allow for compensation so we are now in the position of being faced with not being able to pay our mortgage after next month. We have been told we could try for the Incapacity for Work benefit, however, from what I gather from a few folk who have tried to claim it over here. (apparently if you can get it in UK you should be able to get it over here) It is nigh on impossible to actually get a positive result.
> Whilst the UK may be dull and dreary you do have family close by, give moving here serious thought, don't be bamboozled by the prospect of sun, it does rain here, it does snow, (catalunya has its fair share) and it does get cold.


Sorry to hear about your husband - that must have Bu**ered up your plans somewhat. I don't understand where you are going to apply for incapacity for work benefit, here or the UK?
I agree that if you're used to having the family and friends around you moving away can be tough because it takes a long time to build a similar network up in another country, years probably. Not surprising really when you think how long it took you to do it in your own country!!


----------



## jojo

I'm feeling a bit more positive now. I still stand by all the points I made in my earlier post and life isnt easy in Spain - its financially no different from the UK. Life is the same, washing, cooking, cleaning, shopping........ But in the summer the sun shines, there is more space in Spain, the views are better and it does feel more relaxed - even if its simply cos you know that your washing will dry when you hang it out LOL!!!

Jo xxx


----------



## casaloco

sorry i didnt explain myself very well.

The reason i said that i "personally" have no family support, 

i was brought up by my grandparents from age 1-12, they both died within the same year when i was age 12/13.

lived with an abusive alcoholic mother from age 13-15. she got killed about 6-7 years ago, 

my father does live in the same town as me, but i rarely see him,, and hes about to move somewhere a few hours away.

so with no other family, i personally dont have any ties. 


Also, as Jo said there is _*NO *_child benefit here, so you can't try for it.

as far as the child benefit thing, must have got my wires crossed from stuff i was reading on some of the government sites.

i must say the school your daughter has attended sounds so much better. sounds like shes done well,

my son left school at 15 after suffering a nervous breakdown after being put in the hospital for the third time at his school (got the call to say that chris was being taken unconcious in an ambulance, as some boy had smashed his head off of a landrover) the boy got suspended for 3 days 

they had one trip in primary 6. not alot of school activities. not to mention none of them can spell!!! kids swearing at their teachers and walking out when they like.

think hes travelled more of the world by doing gymnastics. (proud mummy moment!!)


----------



## jojo

casaloco said:


> as far as the child benefit thing, must have got my wires crossed from stuff i was reading on some of the government sites.
> 
> i must say the school your daughter has attended sounds so much better. sounds like shes done well,
> 
> my son left school at 15 after suffering a nervous breakdown after being put in the hospital for the third time at his school (got the call to say that chris was being taken unconcious in an ambulance, as some boy had smashed his head off of a landrover) the boy got 3 days suspention.
> 
> they had one trip in primary 6. not alot of school activities. not to mention none of them can spell!!! kids swearing at their teachers and walking out when they like.
> 
> think hes travelled more of the world by doing gymnastics. (proud mummy moment!!)


I think the school thing in Spain is very much as it is in the UK. My daughter went to two Spanish schools before we finally put her into an international. The first, she was bullied mercilessly by the English and ignored by the Spanish - there was a fair amount of swearing at teachers - who swore back and clipped em round the ear etc, kids climbing on roofs and refusing to come down - not a nice school. The next school was better, it was a ESO (secondary), but even there my daughter didnt settle, refused to do homework or speak the language and because I didnt speak the language either, the school just let her "get on with it" and she simply didnt learn anything for the year she was there. she also skived alot, in fact she was rarely there towards the end, eventho I took her right to her class everyday - the school didnt tell me for quite a few weeks either (she was 12 at the time). Fortunately, she's a bright kid and caught up quickly once she was at the international school. I hasten to repeat that its not like this in all schools, but you do have to find the right school just as in the UK!

jo xxx


----------



## casaloco

sorry to hear your daughter had troubles to. its heart breaking, isnt it, wondering if their ok or not.?

my sons are 2 and 3 years old at the moment, i will homeschool them if we stay in this country. they get enough socialization with 100 kids at gym.

zak learnt 1-10 in spanish in an afternoon and they both picked up how to say a few greetings, please and thankyou on holiday last year. (think they would end up teaching me)

i would go mad living in a town so we would be looking at village schools, 

hey, getting the washing dried without the aid of the tumble dryer  sounds like bliss.


----------



## Beachcomber

It's your life, you have to live it the way you think fit. I moved here in the early 1980s and haven't been back to the UK for sixteen years. I pay for my widowed mother to stay with us twice a year, the rest of my family can please themselves but they stay in (and pay rent for) our apartment about 20km away.

However, if you have to think twice about whether you can afford it you should stay where you are and if you do decide to move don't ever take out a Spanish mortgage and make sure you keep a property in the UK.


----------



## jojo

casaloco said:


> sorry to hear your daughter had troubles to. its heart breaking, isnt it, wondering if their ok or not.?
> 
> my sons are 2 and 3 years old at the moment, i will homeschool them if we stay in this country. they get enough socialization with 100 kids at gym.
> 
> zak learnt 1-10 in spanish in an afternoon and they both picked up how to say a few greetings, please and thankyou on holiday last year. (think they would end up teaching me)
> 
> i would go mad living in a town so we would be looking at village schools,
> 
> hey, getting the washing dried without the aid of the tumble dryer  sounds like bliss.



Certainly the younger the better, they'd probably go to a preschool and simply be "spanish" and bilingual by the time they start proper school. My daughter was 10 when we moved here and very set in her ways, altho it was her choice to go to a Spanish school!? And the first one was a village school - and thats something to beware of in some villages. Its those pretty whitewash villages that attract expats and their children - and that was the problem for my daughter. Alot of the expat children seemed to think that my daughter was "snobby" (hah! hardly!!) hence they picked on her! I'm sure its not like that everywhere, but we found one that was! But like I say, she was alot older and "new"


I often wonder about the notion that life is better in Spain for children? I guess it depends where you live. Without doubt there are more open spaces and countryside, which is a plus, but you still have to keep an eye on kids. There is more sunshine, which can be a minus when its simply too hot and you need to keep out of the sun, but of course it opens up swimming opportunities. Winters are grim, especially the houses, but I guess they're shorter than the UK. The novelty does wear off and in the end, life goes on pretty much the same. But I prefer Spain to the UK thats for sure, altho my daughter doesnt. she'd go back in a heartbeat! Living here hasnt been like I thought it would be!

Jo xxx


----------



## casaloco

Beachcomber said:


> However, if you have to think twice about whether you can afford it you should stay where you are and if you do decide to move don't ever take out a Spanish mortgage and make sure you keep a property in the UK.


we live in a 2 bed housing association flat, with no chance of getting a house. i dont mind the flat as we have a large garden with orchard and horse feilds around the back. been here 16 years. £350 a month + £100 a month on council tax. 

my partner would much rather live in a house but cheapest to rent here is £500-£600 a month. 
have found at least 6 properties to rent in the spanish country side for £350..

my in-laws wont come with us to any trip we have invited them on. even disneyland in paris which i know they would love. 

its just lucky i love road trips so i dont mind bringing the boys back for visits.


----------



## jojo

casaloco said:


> my partner would much rather live in a house but cheapest to rent here is £500-£600 a month.
> have found at least 6 properties to rent in the spanish country side for £350..


TOP TIP: Come and look at property here before you make a decision on it! 

Seriously, before you do anything you should come over, have a look at the area, the properties, the schools and get a feel for how life will be living here and do be blinded by the sunshine. 

Jo xxx


----------



## casaloco

jojo said:


> TOP TIP: Come and look at property here before you make a decision on it!
> 
> Seriously, before you do anything you should come over, have a look at the area, the properties, the schools and get a feel for how life will be living here and do be blinded by the sunshine.
> 
> Jo xxx


great advice and yes i would, 

my father used to live in the hills not far from Alhaurin el Grande ( if i remember how its spelt) so i used to do alot of day to day things with him. landscaping work, selling crafts at the local markets and going with him to do odd jobs in mijas and fuengirola. (thats back in the days when there was odd job work to get!!! and i had to pay back the airfare for the trip!!!!) and i loved the area, (i dont DO touristy stuff!!)

are the schools openly willing to let you have a look around if you have an interest in registering the children?


----------



## jojo

casaloco said:


> great advice and yes i would,
> 
> my father used to live in the hills not far from Alhaurin el Grande ( if i remember how its spelt) so i used to do alot of day to day things with him. landscaping work, selling crafts at the local markets and going with him to do odd jobs in mijas and fuengirola. (thats back in the days when there was odd job work to get!!! and i had to pay back the airfare for the trip!!!!) and i loved the area, (i dont DO touristy stuff!!)
> 
> are the schools openly willing to let you have a look around if you have an interest in registering the children?


I just went along to the schools in the are and told them I wanted my daughter to start there and they either said yes (if they had places) or no (if they didnt). We used to live very close to Alhaurin El Grande - very, very British and close to where my daughters first school was. Sadly, the town is struggling a bit cos a lot of British are returning to the UK as there isnt much work - That said, now they've opened the motorway from there down to Fuengirola, it may pick up???. We were in a village called El Romeral, but then moved to another village called La Alqueria. We very rarely went into El Grande, preferring the more Spanish town of Alhaurin de la Torre, (where my daughters second school was). But its all a matter of choice. 

Jo xxx


----------



## casaloco

i did originally think about the canary islands,( after the bahamas) but thats a logistical nightmare. at least on the mainland i have road access to the uk if needed. 

one thing that probably doesnt change from country to country, the kids mislaying my stuff!!!! 

went to brisitsh championships with my eldest last weekend, came home, my keys are missing, my slippers are missing, my feet are freezing!!!!!!:confused2:

another grey and miserable morning in jolly old england, i wonder if i'll be able to turn the lights OFF today at any point!!! 

on the bright side it may not be too long before i can have my morning coffee outside :clap2:


----------



## mrypg9

Beachcomber said:


> However, if you have to think twice about whether you can afford it you should stay where you are .




Says it all.


----------



## diamantelady

mrypg9 said:


> Says it all.


Yes thats the top and bottom of it, I think to some degree we all at times, feel trapped by our lot in life, and yes sometimes we think that it would be great to up sticks and move to a new life style, but that nagging doubt in the back of your mind, becomes a hugh voice, when you read through all the good & bad points of doing so, the message that is loud and clear is, unless you have cash and have enough to not require it to survive on, you would have to have a profession/skill/service, that is required/ in demand or not offered, in which ever country you decide on, & you also have to be able to speak the language of said place perfectly, as being truthfull it looks like, were ever you go the jobs are more or less given to locals , saying that would`nt that be great if this country gave preference to our own, before giving out all our resources to immigrants that have paid nothing in to our system, as we all know in an foreign country you get nowt, there is NO saftey net


----------



## casaloco

diamantelady said:


> as being truthfull it looks like, were ever you go the jobs are more or less given to locals , saying that would`nt that be great if this country gave preference to our own, before giving out all our resources to immigrants that have paid nothing in to our system,


Forget getting a job in or around london, if your young-white-british born- male, chris applied for over 50 jobs in a month, from shopwork (which hes had experience) security guarding (for which he has a licence and experience) even down to cleaning toilets, and had no response from any of them!!!! 

What a wonderful equal opportunities policy this country has!!!!

i wonder if the costa del sol has any need for a gymnastics club:cheer2:


----------



## jojo

casaloco said:


> Forget getting a job in or around london, if your young-white-british born- male, chris applied for over 50 jobs in a month, from shopwork (which hes had experience) security guarding (for which he has a licence and experience) even down to cleaning toilets, and had no response from any of them!!!!
> 
> What a wonderful equal opportunities policy this country has!!!!
> 
> i wonder if the costa del sol has any need for a gymnastics club:cheer2:


 I dunno if this is any help, but there is a Drama/dance/singing/fitness type club based in Alhaurin El Grande and travel round surrounding areas called "Stagecoach" who seem to be mostly british and aimed at British kids who (if they're still going) maybe able to help or advise???? http://www.webexpressguide.com/costadelsol/article.php?id=1791

Jo xxx


----------



## nigele2

casaloco said:


> Forget getting a job in or around london, if your young-white-british born- male, chris applied for over 50 jobs in a month, from shopwork (which hes had experience) security guarding (for which he has a licence and experience) even down to cleaning toilets, and had no response from any of them!!!!
> 
> What a wonderful equal opportunities policy this country has!!!!


casaloco I know you are trying to convince yourself that a move is the right thing to do but you must be honest with yourself (and the good people here ). You know that unless Chris didn't put a return address on the applications the above is not true and even if it was the situation is doubled in Spain without even considering the language thing 

However sadly I get the feeling if you do not take this crazy leap you will regret it for the rest of your days. So I'd say ignore the false justification process, organise a safety net, buy return tickets, do it, enjoy the ride  

If it works well done, if it fails you'll have more life left to recover your living standards


----------



## jojo

nigele2 said:


> casaloco I know you are trying to convince yourself that a move is the right thing to do but you must be honest with yourself (and the good people here ). You know that unless Chris didn't put a return address on the applications the above is not true and even if it was the situation is doubled in Spain without even considering the language thing
> 
> However sadly I get the feeling if you do not take this crazy leap you will regret it for the rest of your days. So I'd say ignore the false justification process, organise a safety net, buy return tickets, do it, enjoy the ride
> 
> If it works well done, if it fails you'll have more life left to recover your living standards



I guess one does have to say that if someone cant get a job in the UK - foreigners or not, theres much less chance in Spain - coupled with the fact that there is absolutely no financial assistance! Like it or not, whatever the policies are for employment in the UK with regards to foreign labour, in Spain, the Spanish tend to look after themselves - especially their families!

But I still agree you should come over and take a long hard look at life here and see what you can make of it, just dont burn your bridges - especially if you have no family to return to if things dont work out

Dont forget, we were all as eager as you to come over to Spain, we all felt the same and had the same dreams, for many it hasnt worked out, for some it has but its been an uphill struggle - I'm still waiting for my husband to be able to live here instead of commuting to work in the UK! Even those who've retired here have found that their money has dropped significantly with the exchange rate and of course the cost of living in Spain is no longer cheap


Jo xxx


----------



## casaloco

jojo said:


> I dunno if this is any help, but there is a Drama/dance/singing/fitness type club based in Alhaurin El Grande and travel round surrounding areas called "Stagecoach" who seem to be mostly british and aimed at British kids who (if they're still going) maybe able to help or advise???? All the world is a stage - Stagecoach Costa Del Sol
> 
> Jo xxx




absolutely brilliant 

yes i'm aware of stagecoach (we have one locally) some of my gym kids go there. will definately be asking them about venues etc!!!

Am going to try and get hold of the Spanish national acrobatics coach at the comp in belgium in couple of weeks and bend his ear also!!! see how hard it is to transfer my british qualification into being able to teach in spain. why i want to still teach is beyond me :loco:

have worked out that i can produce enough gymnastic garments to cover cost of living, with my partners help :whip::whip::whip::whip:


----------



## casaloco

nigele2 said:


> casaloco I know you are trying to convince yourself that a move is the right thing to do but you must be honest with yourself (and the good people here ). You know that unless Chris didn't put a return address on the applications the above is not true and even if it was the situation is doubled in Spain without even considering the language thing
> 
> However sadly I get the feeling if you do not take this crazy leap you will regret it for the rest of your days. So I'd say ignore the false justification process, organise a safety net, buy return tickets, do it, enjoy the ride
> 
> If it works well done, if it fails you'll have more life left to recover your living standards


oh i thought he was feeding me some BS, when he said about it, then showed me the job centre transcripts, ok it was about 47 cant remember exactly. and he trains odd hours which doesnt help.
but all in all it does seem to be getting more of a problem especially round the big cities and more of the boys keep saying about it.

One of the Dads at his gym club has given him a job now so that helps him,
luckily his boss is a gymnasts dad or he may not have this job very long!!!!


----------



## nigele2

casaloco said:


> oh i thought he was feeding me some BS, when he said about it, then showed me the job centre transcripts, ok it was about 47 cant remember exactly. and he trains odd hours which doesnt help.
> but all in all it does seem to be getting more of a problem especially round the big cities and more of the boys keep saying about it.
> 
> One of the Dads at his gym club has given him a job now so that helps him,
> luckily his boss is a gymnasts dad or he may not have this job very long!!!!


casaloco great that Chris has something. You are certainly more employable when you are employed and when it ends hopefully he will get a good reference regarding punctuality and attitude.

[When you say he trains odd hours does his training come before the job? ]

When you mention your online business are you thinking of selling to the Spanish or would your customers be UK based? If Spanish then with a trip over (as Jo suggests) I'm sure you could find a spanish agent to test the market (even on a break even basis). If trade is possible at least you would have some clients and a contact already set up. Just a thought


----------



## casaloco

nigele2 said:


> casaloco great that Chris has something. You are certainly more employable when you are employed and when it ends hopefully he will get a good reference regarding punctuality and attitude.
> 
> [When you say he trains odd hours does his training come before the job? ]
> 
> When you mention your online business are you thinking of selling to the Spanish or would your customers be UK based? If Spanish then with a trip over (as Jo suggests) I'm sure you could find a spanish agent to test the market (even on a break even basis). If trade is possible at least you would have some clients and a contact already set up. Just a thought


I must say he is a good lad and not affraid of hard work, and not too proud to take ANY jobs if they are offered. hes been working since he was 16.

but yes his training times do determine when he works, his security guard company changed his shifts to include evenings so bang went that.

He has been training in acrobatic gymnastics since he was 7 and is in the british team. he has his first chance to qualify for world championships next year so he wants to hold out for that before he retires. he trains 6.15-8-30am 3 mornings a week and then 5 evenings too. he moved to heathrow to train with one of the best coaches in the world. but he has kept himself finacially training fees, lodging etc.

sorry i'm blabbering on.

i will sell leotards to anyone who will buy them, i'm in the proccess of making a proper website. some of the UK coaches that buy their competiton leotards from the USA are now ordering from me. £300 each leotard :clap2:

and i will do basic leotards for clubs and to sell on ebay. so i could send promotional emails to all the clubs in spain too.

I am kicking myself as we have booked a holiday in fuerventura in may and now am wishing we hadn't and done a reaserch trip instead.


----------



## nigele2

casaloco said:


> I must say he is a good lad and not affraid of hard work, and not too proud to take ANY jobs if they are offered. hes been working since he was 16.
> 
> but yes his training times do determine when he works, his security guard company changed his shifts to include evenings so bang went that.
> 
> He has been training in acrobatic gymnastics since he was 7 and is in the british team. he has his first chance to qualify for world championships next year so he wants to hold out for that before he retires. he trains 6.15-8-30am 3 mornings a week and then 5 evenings too. he moved to heathrow to train with one of the best coaches in the world. but he has kept himself finacially training fees, lodging etc.
> 
> sorry i'm blabbering on.
> 
> i will sell leotards to anyone who will buy them, i'm in the proccess of making a proper website. some of the UK coaches that buy their competiton leotards from the USA are now ordering from me. £300 each leotard :clap2:
> 
> and i will do basic leotards for clubs and to sell on ebay. so i could send promotional emails to all the clubs in spain too.
> 
> I am kicking myself as we have booked a holiday in fuerventura in may and now am wishing we hadn't and done a reaerch trip instead.


OK now I understand and all makes more sense - well sort of  

I just wish there was a better organisation to help people like Chris. Sadly in my business those days are behind us as we shrink the company towards retirement in 10 years or so but in the past we have helped a musician and a racing driver. I'm sure there are other employers who would like to also help people with any form of extreme dedication. It's just about knowing the opportunities.

First all the best of british to him. His hard work deserves reward. When is 6.15am by the way? . 

[I assume he promotes his dedication to sport in his job applications? And is 2012 an outside possibility? ]

On the business front one cannot advise without the full details but I would avoid being tempted to downgrade your product. Much easier to sell 10 at 300 rather than 150 at 30  Even in Spain and these bad times there are many rich people. On an agent I would try and get a spaniard to do the selling in Spain until you get there. A local will have a much better chance and they are queuing up for opportunities with so much unemployment. I'm sure members of my spanish family might be interested.

As for Fuerte unless you can come up with a wind/kite surfer leotard I guess you'll just have to practice your spanish and soak up the sun


----------



## mrypg9

casaloco said:


> Forget getting a job in or around london, if your young-*white-british born- male,* chris applied for over 50 jobs in a month, from shopwork (which hes had experience) security guarding (for which he has a licence and experience) even down to cleaning toilets, and had no response from any of them!!!!
> 
> What a wonderful equal opportunities policy this country has!!!!
> 
> i wonder if the costa del sol has any need for a gymnastics club:cheer2:


Leave out the white and I would agree with you. 
Do you think black British born males have an easier time finding a job?
But my point has always been that the EU immigration started by Mrs. Thatcher signing the Single European Act was bad news for British low to medium skilled jobs.
But I don't do the slightly racist bit...
And there are many well-established gyms, fitness clubs...three in our village.


----------



## casaloco

mrypg9 said:


> Leave out the white and I would agree with you.
> Do you think black British born males have an easier time finding a job?
> But my point has always been that the EU immigration started by Mrs. Thatcher signing the Single European Act was bad news for British low to medium skilled jobs.
> *But I don't do the slightly racist bit...*
> And there are many well-established gyms, fitness clubs...three in our village.


gosh i really didnt mean to cause offence to anyone, i am the least racist person i know. i probably should take more care in what i write or how i write it, i was refering to my son and the boys we know. i teach children of many, races and religions. and believe there is good and bad in any race of people.


----------



## casaloco

nigele2 said:


> [I assume he promotes his dedication to sport in his job applications? And is 2012 an outside possibility? ]
> 
> On the business front one cannot advise without the full details but I would avoid being tempted to downgrade your product. Much easier to sell 10 at 300 rather than 150 at 30  Even in Spain and these bad times there are many rich people. On an agent I would try and get a spaniard to do the selling in Spain until you get there. A local will have a much better chance and they are queuing up for opportunities with so much unemployment. I'm sure members of my spanish family might be interested.
> 
> As for Fuerte unless you can come up with a wind/kite surfer leotard I guess you'll just have to practice your spanish and soak up the sun


I'm sure hes already added British Champion to his CV  

Sadly _Acrobatic Gymnastics_ isnt an olympic sport yet as the difficulty level is apparently too hard for enough countries to compete, but we hope Chris's club and Spelbound will perform at the opening ceremony.

definately a good idea to have someone local doing the promotion and sales. i say about doing the simple kit for bulk sales as it is something my partner can help with alot, and very quick to put together, the Elite leotards can take few days to make.

would also need to find someone to stick 1000's of gems on each one!!


----------



## mrypg9

casaloco said:


> gosh i really didnt mean to cause offence to anyone, i am the least racist person i know. i probably should take more care in what i write or how i write it, i was refering to my son and the boys we know. i teach children of many, races and religions. and believe there is good and bad in any race of people.


I do think we have to be careful about what we say about employment. It is a fact that many jobs are taken by people who are not British citizens and that many of them are immigrants from poorer EU states such as Poland, Portugal etc.
When I visit the UK I am amazed at the fact that most of the people I encounter in hotels, shops, cafes, bars are non-British and many hardly have a grasp of English.
This is NOT a race issue.
Now....put the British situation in a Spanish context but with almost three times the rate of unemployment. Someone who speaks no Spanish, has no professional or artisan skills will find an almost zero chance of getting a job. In spite of what people will tell you you have a poor chance of coming over and 'picking something up'. When people say 'in my village there are two or three British businesses' they ignore the fact that that means that competition from a new arrival will probably put the lot of them out of business.
Because Fred has managed to make a go of it in Spain doesn't mean that Freda will...and in Fred's case, his 'Spanish dream' may not be of a standard that has much appeal, frankly, as low wages, insecure employment and life in a small flat in a crowded urb isn't most people's idea of a 'dream'.
You describe being in the UK as a 'trap' but it's a trap that many people risk their lives and pay people smugglers thousands of pounds to get in to.
A sense of proportion is needed here.
Spain is in no way the easy route for those with no particular skill or qualification. I do voluntary work and know of many desperate British immigrants who would love to be in the British 'trap'.
Incidentally, are you a teacher or a teaching assistant? As a former Head Teacher, I feel the distinction is an important one. UK teachers require a degree and a year's induction into teaching. No qualified teacher would gladly give up their invaluable teaching assistant, though...


----------



## xabiaxica

mrypg9 said:


> Incidentally, are you a teacher or a teaching assistant? As a former Head Teacher, I feel the distinction is an important one. UK teachers require a degree and a year's induction into teaching. No qualified teacher would gladly give up their invaluable teaching assistant, though...


I believe she teaches gymnastics in gymnastic clubs


----------



## jojo

I think the underlying message in all of this is that by all means come to Spain, but dont come because you think its easier, more caring, less prejudiced or protective. As someone else has said, the "trapped" feeling in the UK is also what enables people to have a roof over their heads, "free" health care and education. 

The same things you complain about in the UK are all here in Spain - and some! Its just here, theres no point in complaining to anyone or moaning here. You're on your own!!

Jo xxx


----------



## casaloco

mrypg9 said:


> Because Fred has managed to make a go of it in Spain doesn't mean that Freda will...and in Fred's case, his 'Spanish dream' may not be of a standard that has much appeal, frankly, as low wages, insecure employment and life in a small flat in a crowded urb isn't most people's idea of a 'dream'.
> You describe being in the UK as a 'trap' but it's a trap that many people risk their lives and pay people smugglers thousands of pounds to get in to.
> A sense of proportion is needed here.
> Spain is in no way the easy route for those with no particular skill or qualification. I do voluntary work and know of many desperate British immigrants who would love to be in the British 'trap'.
> Incidentally, are you a teacher or a teaching assistant? As a former Head Teacher, I feel the distinction is an important one. UK teachers require a degree and a year's induction into teaching. No qualified teacher would gladly give up their invaluable teaching assistant, though...


Ah well we already live in a small flat so no change there 



I know there is millions of people that have a worse life than I and will probably have a better life by coming here, that is their choice. 

The good thing about this country, is you turn up to the local housing association tell them your homeless (women and children) and hey presto you get a house or flat!!!

I am working on starting an online (Gymnastics) leotard shop, as i have started making a name for myself with the highest level clubs in this country and they are spreading the word, so its something i can really make a go of.
so i can work from any home anywhere!!!

I have spent 12 years getting qualified as a senior level Acrobatics Gymnastics Coach.
I started my own Gymnastics centre 3 years ago, and teach every day for free, as its hard enough to raise the £5000 a month needed to cover the costs of keeping the place open, but i do so the kids have somewhere to go and i just love it. Now i have trained other younger coaches to take over and my son will keep it going when he finishes his own gymnastics career.

I only asked if anyone knew of a gymnastics club as the nearest one i could find on the internet is Seville or Gibraltar. and i would need a venue to coach my own boys and maybe start a club for the kids in the local area, as long as i can cover the cost of the venue i wouldnt worry too much about wages.

for me a move is more a matter of lifting the depression and SAD, nearly dying in a car crash a while ago enforcing the fact that life is too short. if it doesnt work you end up back in england.
ho humm


----------



## mrypg9

casaloco said:


> Ah well we already live in a small flat so no change there
> 
> 
> 
> I know there is millions of people that have a worse life than I and will probably have a better life by coming here, that is their choice.
> 
> The good thing about this country, is you turn up to the local housing association tell them your homeless (women and children) and hey presto you get a house or flat!!!
> 
> I am working on starting an online (Gymnastics) leotard shop, as i have started making a name for myself with the highest level clubs in this country and they are spreading the word, so its something i can really make a go of.
> so i can work from any home anywhere!!!
> 
> I have spent 12 years getting qualified as a senior level Acrobatics Gymnastics Coach.
> I started my own Gymnastics centre 3 years ago, and teach every day for free, as its hard enough to raise the £5000 a month needed to cover the costs of keeping the place open, but i do so the kids have somewhere to go and i just love it. Now i have trained other younger coaches to take over and my son will keep it going when he finishes his own gymnastics career.
> 
> I only asked if anyone knew of a gymnastics club as the nearest one i could find on the internet is Seville or Gibraltar. and i would need a venue to coach my own boys and maybe start a club for the kids in the local area, as long as i can cover the cost of the venue i wouldnt worry too much about wages.
> 
> for me a move is more a matter of lifting the depression and SAD, nearly dying in a car crash a while ago enforcing the fact that life is too short. if it doesnt work you end up back in england.
> ho humm


As long as you don't give up any property you own or rent in the UK ...then you have somewhere to retreat to when/if things don't work out in Spain.
The main point of most of the posts here is that Spain is a great place to live if you don't need to work and have enough money to deal with all contingencies.
To give one example: when we left the UK for Prague in 2005 the £ was worth a third more than it is today. For many people this is a fall too far and they cannot afford to live in Spain on their severely reduced UK income.
When I first visited my son's house here ten years ago Spain was a hive of economic activity. The Costa was one huge building site. I presume jobs were aplenty. But the turnaround has been almost 360 degrees. 
People with professional qualifications - graduates or people with membership of professional associations and with experience - may well be able to find employment in Spain. Such people are in short supply in the UK too.My son has an IT company working in finance in the City and uses workers in India as there is an acute shortage of IT professionals in this field. Such people will find work anywhere in the world.
It's the 'I'll do anything' brigade who are plentiful. AS JoCatalunya remarked, everyone who gets off the plane is a 'plumber', 'electrician' 'plasterer' etc.
(One reason why I use Spanish tradespeople).
The most sensible course of action is to come for a longish holiday, make enquiries and see for yourself. Look for gaps in the sports/leisure market...I can save your time by telling you there are few if any in the Marbella/Estepona area. But to stay in business - any business - you need a good command of Spanish as there are fewer British immigrants in Spain than a year ago even.
Decide where you want to be. Remember village life may be attractive but there will be fewer job opportunities.
And remember...'.you don't know what you've got until you lose it' can be applied to lifestyles as well as people......


----------



## mrypg9

*


casaloco;.
I started my own Gymnastics centre 3 years ago said:



the place open, but i do so the kids have somewhere to go and i just love it. Now i have trained other younger coaches to take over and my son will keep it going when he finishes his own gymnastics career.

.

Click to expand...

How do you manage to keep the place open if you teach for free?
Do you get a grant of some kind?
I work for a voluntary association that is desperately short of money and we are always looking for new fundraising ideas so it's interesting to learn of new methods.*


----------



## casaloco

mrypg9 said:


> *
> 
> How do you manage to keep the place open if you teach for free?
> Do you get a grant of some kind?
> I work for a voluntary association that is desperately short of money and we are always looking for new fundraising ideas so it's interesting to learn of new methods.*


*


I understand what you say in your prvious post, my father did say the "Costa Boom is over" and that the only way to be making any money is probably by selling online. i think he misses living in spain very much, but had to come back here as he couldnt get work. he even worked in a drug rehab clinic at one point but that ended, so he moved back here.


sorry again i havent explained myself very well. the children do pay fees to come to class, which pays the bills, (only just) all the coaches teach for free as there is no money in the kitty for wages. 

if we want to raise money for any equipment we just hand out sponsorship forms to the kids and they do a sponsored excersice session (£500) we do Bag packing at the supermarkets (£600-£900) most people dont want to risk their eggs getting broken so just give the kids a £1 to stay away from there bags!!!
we run a 200 club. and quiz nights. discos raise a bit. fun runs, or village treasure hunts work here.

sorry thats probably no help. what sort of organisation is it?*


----------



## mrypg9

casaloco said:


> I understand what you say in your prvious post, my father did say the "Costa Boom is over" and that the only way to be making any money is probably by selling online. i think he misses living in spain very much, but had to come back here as he couldnt get work. he even worked in a drug rehab clinic at one point but that ended, so he moved back here.
> 
> 
> sorry again i havent explained myself very well. the children do pay fees to come to class, which pays the bills, (only just) all the coaches teach for free as there is no money in the kitty for wages.
> 
> if we want to raise money for any equipment we just hand out sponsorship forms to the kids and they do a sponsored excersice session (£500) we do Bag packing at the supermarkets (£600-£900) most people dont want to risk their eggs getting broken so just give the kids a £1 to stay away from there bags!!!
> we run a 200 club. and quiz nights. discos raise a bit. fun runs, or village treasure hunts work here.
> 
> sorry thats probably no help. what sort of organisation is it?


Everything helps!! I'm thinking of contacting local schools for sponsored activities...an exercise session sounds good. Thanks.
I help run a charity which rehomes abandoned dogs...we've got a website adana.es. Funny really as we retired early and left the UK for a quiet life...
Now I'm involved in this charity and local politics....
We have too many dogs and not enough money...
Many of our volunteer workers are unemployed Spanish people, some of them young. It's really tough for them. Unemployed British immigrants too. There's a guy with a law degree, fluent in four languages, working for a pittance at an estate agency. His 'wages' are a disgrace, not enough to live on. He's also had to work as a night club bouncer. Fortunately his partner runs an insurance office in Gibraltar.


----------



## jojo

There was a sponsored "fun day" today in our local village, held in the Bull ring at Benalmadena Pueblo to raise money for a little girl with Leukaemia. It well really well. There was a small entrance fee, lots of stalls, a raffle, singing, cheerleaders dancing, typical of a British country fete - altho there were a good few Spanish there too! It was a lovely day and a good turn out! Is that an idea Mary??? 

jo xxx


----------



## mrypg9

jojo said:


> There was a sponsored "fun day" today in our local village, held in the Bull ring at Benalmadena Pueblo to raise money for a little girl with Leukaemia. It well really well. There was a small entrance fee, lots of stalls, a raffle, singing, cheerleaders dancing, typical of a British country fete - altho there were a good few Spanish there too! It was a lovely day and a good turn out! Is that an idea Mary???
> 
> jo xxx


Yes...we do similar stuff, rastros, a dog show on May 8th which is quite a big event, other similar things.
Problem is the dogs keep coming...more puppies this week. It's a real headache. We need 120k euros a year just to keep going....salaries (pittances) for two paid employees at the perrera, dog food, vets' fees, medicines etc etc etc...
It's a nightmare...


----------



## casaloco

mrypg9 said:


> Everything helps!! I'm thinking of contacting local schools for sponsored activities...an exercise session sounds good. Thanks.
> I help run a charity which rehomes abandoned dogs...we've got a website adana.es. Funny really as we retired early and left the UK for a quiet life...
> Now I'm involved in this charity and local politics....
> We have too many dogs and not enough money...
> Many of our volunteer workers are unemployed Spanish people, some of them young. It's really tough for them. Unemployed British immigrants too. There's a guy with a law degree, fluent in four languages, working for a pittance at an estate agency. His 'wages' are a disgrace, not enough to live on. He's also had to work as a night club bouncer. Fortunately his partner runs an insurance office in Gibraltar.


open days/ jumble sale / car boot sale are very good, we have an open day usually raises a far bit. probably not the easiest country to raise money for abandoned dogs!!! a friend of mine does christian charity work i'll see if she has any better ideas.

We have 2 british inuits, logan is bigger than me when he stands up. sadly if we did move i wouldnt bring them with us as they have malamute coats and they wouldnt be comfortable with the heat.


----------



## mrypg9

casaloco said:


> open days/ jumble sale / car boot sale are very good, we have an open day usually raises a far bit. probably not the easiest country to raise money for abandoned dogs!!! a friend of mine does christian charity work i'll see if she has any better ideas.
> 
> We have 2 british inuits, logan is bigger than me when he stands up. sadly if we did move i wouldnt bring them with us as they have malamute coats and they wouldnt be comfortable with the heat.


Probably not. But could you bear to leave them?
We've got a much-loved Rhodesian Ridgeback - you can see pix if you look at my album. Jo has seen him and knows he's big but cuddly.
A lot of the dogs in our perrera are abandoned by Brits going home.


----------



## casaloco

mrypg9 said:


> Probably not. But could you bear to leave them?
> We've got a much-loved Rhodesian Ridgeback - you can see pix if you look at my album. Jo has seen him and knows he's big but cuddly.
> A lot of the dogs in our perrera are abandoned by Brits going home.












i do wonder if i will miss the dogs more than the in-laws  

they are 6 years old now, i have spoken to their breeder (who has a masive farm down in devon) and she would take them to live out their retirement on the outside chance of any move. the could never be spilt up being so close to wolves with their temperaments.

had another thought, do you have any ties with local equestrian centres, maybe they would be interested in doing some form of pony club/ dog agility type event/
open day,
animal lovers with money maybe??!!


----------



## mrypg9

casaloco said:


> View attachment 3295
> 
> 
> 
> 
> had another thought, do you have any ties with local equestrian centres, maybe they would be interested in doing some form of pony club/ dog agility type event/
> open day,
> animal lovers with money maybe??!!


You have to understand that people in my area at least have already got well established in this sector. There are several equestrian centres here but they are long-established and very professionally run. A newcomer with no Spanish would have zero chance of setting up a new business - the market is sewn up here and I suspect in most other places where there are large numbers -still - of British and other immigrants.
As for animal lovers with money...if I knew where they were I would be at their doorstep tapping them for cash for the animal charity I help run.
If you don't believe what I and others are telling you you really must come and look for yourself.
The bottom line is this: if you are struggling and unhappy in the UK the odds are you will be struggling and unhappy -unhappier even - in Spain.
I'm constantly amazed that people in the UK are unaware how bad things are here. The image of Spain most Brits have is from tv programmes and holidays.
Real life isn't like that, sadly.


----------



## jojo

mrypg9 said:


> The bottom line is this: if you are struggling and unhappy in the UK the odds are you will be struggling and unhappy -unhappier even - in Spain.
> I'm constantly amazed that people in the UK are unaware how bad things are here. The image of Spain most Brits have is from tv programmes and holidays.
> Real life isn't like that, sadly.


That is so true. Alot of people come to Spain partly for the sunshine and partly cos it looks like an easy option (programmes, holidays etc). Maybe it was once upon a time when Spain was growing and there were plenty of opportunities, the cost of living here was cheap, rules werent in place and the exchange rate was favourable. You could sell a two bed terrace in the UK, buy an enormous villa in Spain for nonepence with money left over. You could get by easily by cleaning pools a few mornings a week and no questions asked. Those days are gone, and I suspect they're gone forever! Spain is now a modern country, its not a cheap country to live in anymore, the cost of living aint much different. Its part of the EU, and it has tightened up on rules and regulations - of which there seem to be sooooo many, far more than in the UK and understanding them all is doubly hard when you're not used to them and everything is foreign! 

You should only come to Spain if you want to be in Spain and have a good income sorted, not just because you DONT want to be in the UK. As I say, SPAIN IS NOT THE EASY OPTION!


Jo xxx


----------



## casaloco

casaloco said:


> had another thought, do you have any ties with local equestrian centres, maybe they would be interested in doing some form of pony club/ dog agility type event/
> open day,
> animal lovers with money maybe??!!



I meant, i wondered if _you_ could contact them to run a duel fundraising event to help with the charity you do!!!


----------



## mrypg9

casaloco said:


> I meant, i wondered if _you_ could contact them to run a duel fundraising event to help with the charity you do!!!




Sorry, I'm distracted this morning...it's one of my perrera days.
We have close ties with very many business, sports and leisure facilities who conhtribute in various ways (see good news thread) but the fact is that many businesses and voluntary associations are struggling. Our association has been going for over twenty years but we have never experienced such tough times.
Why? Because many Brits have taken a double whammy from the depreciation of the £ and low UK interest rates and are going home - if they can. So businesses and charities have lost many clients. 
You say you are 'trapped' in the UK but as I think someone has said there are many Brits truly trapped in Spain who can't afford to live here any longer and who have houses they can't sell, even with prices slashed by 50% or more. I know of four people who desperately want to sell but can't and who have properties ranging in price from 200000 euros for an apartment to over 600000 euros for a house with small garden and small pool.
You need to come and see as I and others have said.
But you should plan your visit carefully as we are approaching the holiday season and apartments/villas that rented for say 1000 euros a month on a yearly contract will be three or four times that much for a one month rental in the season.


----------



## casaloco

mrypg9 said:


> Sorry, I'm distracted this morning...it's one of my perrera days.
> We have close ties with very many business, sports and leisure facilities who conhtribute in various ways (see good news thread) but the fact is that many businesses and voluntary associations are struggling. Our association has been going for over twenty years but we have never experienced such tough times.
> Why? Because many Brits have taken a double whammy from the depreciation of the £ and low UK interest rates and are going home - if they can. So businesses and charities have lost many clients.
> You say you are 'trapped' in the UK but as I think someone has said there are many Brits truly trapped in Spain who can't afford to live here any longer and who have houses they can't sell, even with prices slashed by 50% or more. I know of four people who desperately want to sell but can't and who have properties ranging in price from 200000 euros for an apartment to over 600000 euros for a house with small garden and small pool.
> You need to come and see as I and others have said.
> But you should plan your visit carefully as we are approaching the holiday season and apartments/villas that rented for say 1000 euros a month on a yearly contract will be three or four times that much for a one month rental in the season.


oh i totally understand, we are seeing less kids at gym as parents just cant afford to send them,
so sadly the last thing they will do is donate to a charity rather than try and find their own petrol or food money.
i have been spreading a link to your site around all my gym friends on face book.

i only feel trapped, as i have this nagging worry about leaving Adrians parents. 

we rent our flat which i am signing over to my son, so its no different if we rent abroad, and we could have a house not a poxy flat. i can work at home and sell online or direct to the clubs so that would be my job. if it was just me and the boys i would have left the uk by now!!!

we have talked about coming for a few weeks probably late November to have a look around.


----------



## jojo

casaloco said:


> oh i totally understand, we are seeing less kids at gym as parents just cant afford to send them,
> so sadly the last thing they will do is donate to a charity rather than try and find their own petrol or food money.
> i have been spreading a link to your site around all my gym friends on face book.
> 
> i only feel trapped, as i have this nagging worry about leaving Adrians parents.
> 
> we rent our flat which i am signing over to my son, so its no different if we rent abroad, and we could have a house not a poxy flat. i can work at home and sell online or direct to the clubs so that would be my job. if it was just me and the boys i would have left the uk by now!!!
> 
> we have talked about coming for a few weeks probably late November to have a look around.


TOP TIP: Do not fall in love with properties in Spain until you've seen them in the flesh 

Jo xxxx


----------



## nigele2

jojo said:


> TOP TIP: Do not fall in love with properties in Spain until you've seen them in the flesh
> 
> Jo xxxx


And for singles same hot tip for relationships


----------



## casaloco

jojo said:


> TOP TIP: Do not fall in love with properties in Spain until you've seen them in the flesh
> 
> Jo xxxx


gottcha!!! not too worried if its an old (ish) shack, fairly good at and not affraid of DIY!! (single parent syndrome)
just something without stairs, as my knees not good after the accident.

outdoor space more of an issue with me..if i have to stay inside for one more week:loco::loco::loco:

can i ask what the temperature is today there, please?


----------



## JoCatalunya

What doom and gloom merchants we must all seem, but fact is, we are all here, living the life and not all of us enjoying it. I personally have many gripes about this place, mostly to do with bureaucracy, abuse of power etc etc. The weather here in Catalunya is different to down South, though of course I guess it depends where down south you end up. 
You say you feel trapped by your partners parents. I must have missed why that is. But let me put it to you from the side of a grandparent. I see precious little of my grandchildren, they barely know me, I certainly don't know them, what they like, who is there favourite character on TV, is it Myley Cirus or whatever she is called or Spongebob. We grandparents are on this earth for a limited time and rightly or wrongly we want to enjoy what time we have with our grandchildren so that when we die, we are remembered, with love and affection, not as some distant relative who they hardly ever saw.


----------



## casaloco

JoCatalunya said:


> You say you feel trapped by your partners parents. I must have missed why that is. But let me put it to you from the side of a grandparent. I see precious little of my grandchildren, they barely know me, I certainly don't know them, what they like, who is there favourite character on TV, is it Myley Cirus or whatever she is called or Spongebob. We grandparents are on this earth for a limited time and rightly or wrongly we want to enjoy what time we have with our grandchildren so that when we die, we are remembered, with love and affection, not as some distant relative who they hardly ever saw.


that is exactly why i feel trapped, Adrians parents are 68-72 now. i love them to bits and i dont want to hurt them.

i lived full time, from the age of 1, with my grandparents, who both died when they were 61 within 6 months of each other. i had 12 years with them. 
so i have the upmost respect for all grandparents everywhere and it makes it so hard to do what *we* want to do.

we have tried to encourage them to learn how to use the computer so we can set web cams up, then they could speak to the kids daily if they want, maybe have a family web page that the kids can post stuff on and visa versa, but they say they cant do it. we could get back 3-4 times a year to see them.

on my behalf- i am 40 now, miserable as sin for most of the year, which trust me is not a nice feeling. and thats not good for my kids either.


----------



## mrypg9

casaloco said:


> oh i totally understand, we are seeing less kids at gym as parents just cant afford to send them,
> so sadly the last thing they will do is donate to a charity rather than try and find their own petrol or food money.
> i have been spreading a link to your site around all my gym friends on face book.
> 
> i only feel trapped, as i have this nagging worry about leaving Adrians parents.
> 
> we rent our flat which i am signing over to my son, so its no different if we rent abroad, and we could have a house not a poxy flat. i can work at home and sell online or direct to the clubs so that would be my job. if it was just me and the boys i would have left the uk by now!!!
> 
> we have talked about coming for a few weeks probably late November to have a look around.



November won't really give an accurate picture, perhaps? Although maybe it does as it's the 'deadest' time of year. Don't know what others think.
If by spreading our link around you mean ADANA''s website......thankyou so very much. Animal charities in the UK are rich beyond imagining compared to many in Spain which like ours depend on volunteers and kind members of the general public.
If your finances permit a house is definitely better, preferably with your own pool. 
Although such properties are quite pricey where we live (we're in this area only because my son has a house nearby) you can rent a place a few km inland for less than half what we're paying.
But then there's the problem of work and transport. You can only drive your UK car here for a fixed period of time before you are obliged to transfer it to Spanish plates and that will cost at least £1k.


----------



## casaloco

mrypg9 said:


> November won't really give an accurate picture, perhaps? Although maybe it does as it's the 'deadest' time of year. Don't know what others think.
> If by spreading our link around you mean ADANA''s website......thankyou so very much. Animal charities in the UK are rich beyond imagining compared to many in Spain which like ours depend on volunteers and kind members of the general public.
> If your finances permit a house is definitely better, preferably with your own pool.
> Although such properties are quite pricey where we live (we're in this area only because my son has a house nearby) you can rent a place a few km inland for less than half what we're paying.
> But then there's the problem of work and transport. You can only drive your UK car here for a fixed period of time before you are obliged to transfer it to Spanish plates and that will cost at least £1k.


I like piece and quiet, so 'dead' is fine by me.

we thought of coming in November as 
1, it will get me away from the doll drumms for a few weeks,
2, to give us an idea of what we would need to do for heating over there (if that makes sense)

we were looking at places and found quite a few at the same price as we pay now, they are mostly 15-20 mins away from the coast. which is ok.

what is the Postal Service like there these days, as that would be a main priority for me. and the info i get from my dad is probably 10 years out of date.


----------



## mrypg9

casaloco said:


> I like piece and quiet, so 'dead' is fine by me.
> 
> we thought of coming in November as
> 1, it will get me away from the doll drumms for a few weeks,
> 2, to give us an idea of what we would need to do for heating over there (if that makes sense)
> 
> we were looking at places and found quite a few at the same price as we pay now, they are mostly 15-20 mins away from the coast. which is ok.
> 
> what is the Postal Service like there these days, as that would be a main priority for me. and the info i get from my dad is probably 10 years out of date.


So.....15 -20 minutes from the coast....which probably really means about 30 minutes or even more. What about transport? There may be no buses. 
Heating...it depends. Electricity will most probably be the sole means in rented properties and that can be expensive. It gets VERY cold even a short distance inland. We don't heat with electricity as we have a large house - our salon has a 30 foot high ceiling and minstrels gallery thingy - and our bills would be astronomical. As it is our last bill was almost £200 a month.
Some people use calor gas heaters, other paraffin heaters, others burn logs...it depends on what you find in the property you rent.
We reckon on roughly £300 a month for electricity, water, Sky tv and internet/phone.


----------



## Alcalaina

casaloco said:


> I like piece and quiet, so 'dead' is fine by me.
> 
> we thought of coming in November as
> 1, it will get me away from the doll drumms for a few weeks,
> 2, to give us an idea of what we would need to do for heating over there (if that makes sense)
> 
> we were looking at places and found quite a few at the same price as we pay now, they are mostly 15-20 mins away from the coast. which is ok.
> 
> what is the Postal Service like there these days, as that would be a main priority for me. and the info i get from my dad is probably 10 years out of date.


November is often still quite warm, especially in the south. We didn´t need the heating on at all until early December last year. January and February are the coldest and wettest months, usually.

Post can be very erratic, depending on where you live. Some places which aren´t urbanised don´t have a delivery service at all, and you have to pick up your mail from a bar or office somewhere. But in other places it´s fine. I allow a week for sending birthday cards etc to the UK and they always seem to get there in time.


----------



## donz

yes I was about to say Nov you will find the weather to be not bad at all! I have always found Dec to be still fairly pleasant too. Once Xmas is out the way that's when it gets cold and miserable for about 10 weeks or so, so I would recommend your 'cold' testing trip to be Jan/Feb!


----------



## casaloco

donz said:


> yes I was about to say Nov you will find the weather to be not bad at all! I have always found Dec to be still fairly pleasant too. Once Xmas is out the way that's when it gets cold and miserable for about 10 weeks or so, so I would recommend your 'cold' testing trip to be Jan/Feb!


Yeah i did wonder about January, but we have 2 very important competitions in feb and march that i have to get kids ready for, so thats tricky,

when does it start getting brighter again.

its 9 degrees here this afternoon.


----------



## xabiaxica

casaloco said:


> Yeah i did wonder about January, but we have 2 very important competitions in feb and march that i have to get kids ready for, so thats tricky,
> 
> when does it start getting brighter again.
> 
> its 9 degrees here this afternoon.


we have bright days, or several days all through the winter - strangely, Xmas day has always been gorgeous, even if the days either side are wet & gloomy

it really brightens up properly & relaibly about halfway through march



it's 17º here right now - nearly 10pm


----------



## casaloco

xabiachica said:


> we have bright days, or several days all through the winter - strangely, Xmas day has always been gorgeous, even if the days either side are wet & gloomy
> 
> it really brightens up properly & relaibly about halfway through march
> 
> 
> 
> it's 17º here right now - nearly 10pm



ok now i'm really depressed, just imagining i could be sat outside having coffee after work, (got home from work with the boys at 8.30 ish).

the heating is still on in our house!!!!


----------



## donz

yep lovely warm evening here too. It is forecast to be 26 deg on Sat


----------



## Pesky Wesky

casaloco said:


> ok now i'm really depressed, just imagining i could be sat outside having coffee after work, (got home from work with the boys at 8.30 ish).
> 
> the heating is still on in our house!!!!


And mine!!

I put it on at about 8:30 when the sun had gone down. I am a professional _friolera_ though (friolera?? Would you just say I feel the cold?)


----------



## casaloco

donz said:


> yep lovely warm evening here too. It is forecast to be 26 deg on Sat


:Cry:

at least i have a weekend in belgium, to watch my son compete, to take my mind off the weather.


----------



## Pesky Wesky

Do you know about these guys casaloca?
They're not really gymnasts; they only do this, but it's been declared national patrimony
Colla Vella dels Xiquets de Valls: Enxaneta o veleta | Flickr - Photo Sharing!


----------



## casaloco

Pesky Wesky said:


> Do you know about these guys casaloca?
> They're not really gymnasts; they only do this, but it's been declared national patrimony
> Colla Vella dels Xiquets de Valls: Enxaneta o veleta | Flickr - Photo Sharing!


Yes ive seen them. i think its great, (my kind of gym!!!)

heres our mini version!!!!


----------



## Alcalaina

Pesky Wesky said:


> And mine!!
> 
> I put it on at about 8:30 when the sun had gone down. I am a professional _friolera_ though (friolera?? Would you just say I feel the cold?)


This is the first week we haven´t used the gas heater in the evenings - but March was colder than usual this year.

The other nice thing is that now the clocks have gone forward it doesn t get dark till 8.30.


----------



## xabiaxica

Alcalaina said:


> This is the first week we haven´t used the gas heater in the evenings - but March was colder than usual this year.
> 
> The other nice thing is that now the clocks have gone forward it doesn t get dark till 8.30.


to be fair I've only just turned our heating right down - the evenings & nights have warmed up quite suddenly


----------



## casaloco

xabiachica said:


> to be fair I've only just turned our heating right down - the evenings & nights have warmed up quite suddenly


our heating is on september thru march at the least. i dont mind the cold so much if i know the better weather is coming, ( i can do a very good impression of the Mitchalin Man with all my layers on!!) 
trouble here is you never know if its gonna turn up!!!!! then when it does, is doesnt stay long!!!


----------



## mrypg9

Depending on where you are located, the weather is very different here. The UK is a small island with totally different weather patterns.
Inland Spain enjoys what I believe is known to geographers and metereologists as a continental climate, whereas the UK is coastal. So in inland Spain you can expect extremely hot summers and very cold winters with snow, ice, gales and monsoon-like rain. 
Most of the Costa Del Sol enjoys a more temperate climate which is why property tends to be more expensive in terms of both rental and purchase.
But as I'm sure Jo will tell you, even a few km inland and the differences become more marked.
The bottom line is that for most of Spain the sun doesn't shine 365/365 as some eejits imagine from holiday brochures and tv programmes.
We do experience fabulous days in November, December, January, February, March when the UK is wet and cold. But today, for example, it's probably not much different to the UK. Overcast, light but persistent rain, slightly chilly...When I visit the UK in the winter months I usually take the same clothing as I would wear here - although I do sometimes nip into the plane WC to change from a sweater to something less warm before landing.
And when it rains here....does it rain......!!!! Last year our garage was flooded and the water in the pool rose dangerously to the rim.
We had to keep the pool pump going to keep the level down as well as the other pump plus the water in the garage needed pumping into the drain...it all adds up on the electricity bill....


----------



## casaloco

mrypg9 said:


> Depending on where you are located, the weather is very different here. The UK is a small island with totally different weather patterns.
> Inland Spain enjoys what I believe is known to geographers and metereologists as a continental climate, whereas the UK is coastal. So in inland Spain you can expect extremely hot summers and very cold winters with snow, ice, gales and monsoon-like rain.
> Most of the Costa Del Sol enjoys a more temperate climate which is why property tends to be more expensive in terms of both rental and purchase.
> But as I'm sure Jo will tell you, even a few km inland and the differences become more marked.
> The bottom line is that for most of Spain the sun doesn't shine 365/365 as some eejits imagine from holiday brochures and tv programmes.
> We do experience fabulous days in November, December, January, February, March when the UK is wet and cold. But today, for example, it's probably not much different to the UK. Overcast, light but persistent rain, slightly chilly...When I visit the UK in the winter months I usually take the same clothing as I would wear here - although I do sometimes nip into the plane WC to change from a sweater to something less warm before landing.
> And when it rains here....does it rain......!!!! Last year our garage was flooded and the water in the pool rose dangerously to the rim.
> We had to keep the pool pump going to keep the level down as well as the other pump plus the water in the garage needed pumping into the drain...it all adds up on the electricity bill....


duely noted, i did read an article on flooding in the canaries, and when we got to ibiza last may i wasnt prepared and spent the first 5 days frozen and miserable with blankets round me!!! (oh didnt i learn my lesson) and thay had just pumped out the bar and reception. 

my father used to live near Alhaurin el Grande and has always told me about the storms which he said can be quite frightening with the lightening.


----------



## kim duffy

*moving to spain*

hi 


casaloco was wondering have you a email address or here is mine as i am in the same situation as you , kim x


----------



## jojo

casaloco said:


> duely noted, i did read an article on flooding in the canaries, and when we got to ibiza last may i wasnt prepared and spent the first 5 days frozen and miserable with blankets round me!!! (oh didnt i learn my lesson) and thay had just pumped out the bar and reception.
> 
> my father used to live near Alhaurin el Grande and has always told me about the storms which he said can be quite frightening with the lightening.


Where abouts did your father live?? I used to live in Alhaurin de la Torre, El Grande has too many Brits and British bars etc for me, sadly, cos a lot of brits have gone back to the UK, its become a bit of a ghost town and isnt particularly pleasant IMO. But yes, I used to get flooded in regularly there. The winters there were cold, windy and very wet. I think being up in the mountains a bit meant that the winters were colder than on the coast (the wind blows down from the snow covered mountains further up) and the summers were hotter without the sea breeze

Jo xxx


----------



## kim duffy

*kim*

hi 


casaloco how do i do that lol new to all this kim x


----------



## jojo

kim duffy said:


> hi
> 
> 
> casaloco how do i do that lol new to all this kim x



Kim, "click" on Casalocos name above her posts, and a drop down box will offer you the choice to "private message" her

Jo xxx


----------



## casaloco

jojo said:


> Where abouts did your father live?? I used to live in Alhaurin de la Torre, El Grande has too many Brits and British bars etc for me, sadly, cos a lot of brits have gone back to the UK, its become a bit of a ghost town and isnt particularly pleasant IMO. But yes, I used to get flooded in regularly there. The winters there were cold, windy and very wet. I think being up in the mountains a bit meant that the winters were colder than on the coast (the wind blows down from the snow covered mountains further up) and the summers were hotter without the sea breeze
> 
> Jo xxx


yeah its a hard one really, i dont want to be near any major hustle and bustle, a cheap cottage in a tiny fishing village by the sea would be my ideal, but that aint gonna happen so i think the only option i have is going inland a bit.there is a couple of 3 bed country houses in 'Vinuela' one with a bit of land and a pool!!!


----------



## kim duffy

jojo said:


> Kim, "click" on Casalocos name above her posts, and a drop down box will offer you the choice to "private message" her
> 
> Jo xxx


thank you jo lol x


----------



## jojo

casaloco said:


> a cheap cottage in a tiny fishing village by the sea would be my ideal,


 I dont think such a place exists in Spain anymore - cheap property or otherwise

Jo xxx


----------



## casaloco

jojo said:


> I dont think such a place exists in Spain anymore - cheap property or otherwise
> 
> Jo xxx


yeah i figured that. but i can always dream,

My Dad used to live just outside a tiny village, near *Alqueria*
Between Alqueria and Alhaurin de Torre. Had friends that ran a stables in torremolinos.


----------



## jojo

casaloco said:


> yeah i figured that. but i can always dream,
> 
> My Dad used to live just outside a tiny village, near *Alqueria*
> Between Alqueria and Alhaurin de Torre. Had friends that ran a stables in torremolinos.



I used to live in Alqueria. There's a bar there called La Porrita where all the Brits hang out!!! We lived at the bottom of the hill on the way to Alhaurin de la Torre and it was prone to flooding in the winter - small world

Jo xxx


----------



## casaloco

jojo said:


> I used to live in Alqueria. There's a bar there called La Porrita where all the Brits hang out!!! We lived at the bottom of the hill on the way to Alhaurin de la Torre and it was prone to flooding in the winter - small world
> 
> Jo xxx


all i remember about the place was about 8-10 houses, and a tiny shop/ bar, well a few tables outside the shop which was about the size of my bedroom. and at 17 trying to ask the old lady for some cigarettes!!! other than that dad had me out working on Ralfs plot (Ralf was a friend of his who needed some landscaping done!!!)


----------



## jojo

casaloco said:


> all i remember about the place was about 8-10 houses, and a tiny shop/ bar, well a few tables outside the shop which was about the size of my bedroom. and at 17 trying to ask the old lady for some cigarettes!!! other than that dad had me out working on Ralfs plot (Ralf was a friend of his who needed some landscaping done!!!)



....... Up between the prison and Sol Andalucie ??!!

Jo xxx


----------



## casaloco

jojo said:


> I used to live in Alqueria. - small world
> 
> Jo xxx


thats what my dad has just said, i think he misses the place


----------

