# where shall we live?!



## Lissalydia (Mar 6, 2016)

Hello all, my husband and I are starting the process of following our hearts and moving abroad. We were originally thinking southern Spain, Murcia way, but dont want to rule out other areas. What is northern Spain like as an expat? My criteria are, semi rural living, mountains are a definite, sunshine, fruit trees!! and weirdly, I would love to hear the noisy cicadas!!! We are in our late 40s. I will hopefully look for work as a science teacher and my husband can turn his hand to most physical jobs.
Any advice at all is welcomed. We are very much new at this and really really want to make the right choices. Where do you live? Does it match my ideals? Do you know of any small towns near mountains that I simply would not have considered. I am sure this all sounds very naiive, and it is!! Thanks in advance


----------



## Madliz (Feb 4, 2011)

If somebody asked a similar question about moving to Britain, how would you start to answer it? It really is hard to find the right area for somebody else with all their requirements!

If work is going to imperative, maybe that should be the focus of your search to begin with. You may have heard that Spain has been suffering a severe downturn for around six years now. Unemployment in Spain is 20%, second only to Greece, compared to 5% in the UK. There are no benefits until you have paid into the system for some time. This is why people are trying to get to Britain!

The workforce here is generally well educated and desperate to work, but without jobs things are very difficult. If you think you may have a chance of a job, that may be the most important consideration, as you may well find an area to suit you but no job.


----------



## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

Follow the link below for photos of this place, probably will not suit you because will have high unemployment, however we need tourists, and well perhaps you might be tempted to visit.

Incidentally from my garden, I can see fruit trees, the highest mountain in Spain and the Atlantic Ocean


----------



## Elyles (Aug 30, 2012)

Lissalydia said:


> Hello all, my husband and I are starting the process of following our hearts and moving abroad. We were originally thinking southern Spain, Murcia way, but dont want to rule out other areas. What is northern Spain like as an expat? My criteria are, semi rural living, mountains are a definite, sunshine, fruit trees!! and weirdly, I would love to hear the noisy cicadas!!! We are in our late 40s. I will hopefully look for work as a science teacher and my husband can turn his hand to most physical jobs. Any advice at all is welcomed. We are very much new at this and really really want to make the right choices. Where do you live? Does it match my ideals? Do you know of any small towns near mountains that I simply would not have considered. I am sure this all sounds very naiive, and it is!! Thanks in advance


What is northern Spain like? We personally love living at the base of the Pyrenees, where we have four distinct seasons, unlike living in the upper Rockies, where there were only two seasons (ski season and bad ski conditions) . We live in a valley only about 20km from two major and cheap ski resorts.

However the reality of finding employment is slim to none. Although a grand dream for some to come here and continue their professions, it is extremely difficult. To even get a visa to work here, one would have to have a job with a contract first. The economy all over Spain really sucks and Spaniards are hired over expats as a general rule. 

I would check on employment with US DOD schools through the Dept of State but last I heard, there are no current opportunities. Keep in mind that you have to have a source of income, health insurance, etc., to relocate here. For those of us retired and living on pensions and IRA disbursement sit is easier.


----------



## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Lissalydia said:


> Hello all, my husband and I are starting the process of following our hearts and moving abroad. We were originally thinking southern Spain, Murcia way, but dont want to rule out other areas. What is northern Spain like as an expat? My criteria are, semi rural living, mountains are a definite, sunshine, fruit trees!! and weirdly, I would love to hear the noisy cicadas!!! We are in our late 40s. I will hopefully look for work as a science teacher and my husband can turn his hand to most physical jobs.
> Any advice at all is welcomed. We are very much new at this and really really want to make the right choices. Where do you live? Does it match my ideals? Do you know of any small towns near mountains that I simply would not have considered. I am sure this all sounds very naiive, and it is!! Thanks in advance


List your wants and needs (and dont wants).... do some google map searches and then ave a few fact finding trips

Jo xxx


----------



## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Elyles said:


> What is northern Spain like? We personally love living at the base of the Pyrenees, where we have four distinct seasons, unlike living in the upper Rockies, where there were only two seasons (ski season and bad ski conditions) . We live in a valley only about 20km from two major and cheap ski resorts.
> 
> However the reality of finding employment is slim to none. Although a grand dream for some to come here and continue their professions, it is extremely difficult. To even get a visa to work here, one would have to have a job with a contract first. The economy all over Spain really sucks and Spaniards are hired over expats as a general rule.
> 
> I would check on employment with US DOD schools through the Dept of State but last I heard, there are no current opportunities. Keep in mind that you have to have a source of income, health insurance, etc., to relocate here. For those of us retired and living on pensions and IRA disbursement sit is easier.



The OP is from the UK, so the visa & schools info doesn't apply to her - but I'd go along with the rest.


----------



## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

As others have said, work is going to be the priority. You will not be able to work in state schools as a science teacher so you'll have to look at international or British schools. You can Google this to find schools and what jobs are on offer. Also look at the TES and the Education part of the Guardian.
My husband can turn his hand to... usually translates to a series of temporary jobs paid in cash.
The north of Spain is beautiful. I think the summers are usually (much) better than a British summer, but parts of the north can be very wet too. There are threads with lots of photos, try searching for threads titled north Spain, northern Spain, Galicia, Asturias etc and also scroll to the bottom of each page for links to more threads


----------



## Tammydog (Mar 7, 2015)

I think Spain is all about what you really want in life..you can choose country or towns or cities or seaside and holiday resorts. Just try before you buy. You will know. We actually gone to everything we did not think we wanted. But it's perfect for us at this time. Maybe 10 years you get very much the opposite .


----------



## Tammydog (Mar 7, 2015)

Tammydog said:


> I think Spain is all about what you really want in life..you can choose country or towns or cities or seaside and holiday resorts. Just try before you buy. You will know. We actually gone to everything we did not think we wanted. But it's perfect for us at this time. Maybe 10 years would be very much the opposite .


----------



## Tammydog (Mar 7, 2015)

Sorry! Meant 10 years ago wanted everything opposite to what we have gone for now. We have all the amenities and suits us to live right on that Costas....,horses for courses. Life to short not to take chances and just go with it. Going yo make the most of our last lap no matter what. And even in expat land I have made many Spanish acquaintes at the local sports club. And we talk despite my being useless with Spanish. I do try ...I like to talk.....


----------



## melissaspain (Feb 18, 2016)

Lissalydia said:


> Hello all, my husband and I are starting the process of following our hearts and moving abroad. We were originally thinking southern Spain, Murcia way, but dont want to rule out other areas. What is northern Spain like as an expat? My criteria are, semi rural living, mountains are a definite, sunshine, fruit trees!! and weirdly, I would love to hear the noisy cicadas!!! We are in our late 40s. I will hopefully look for work as a science teacher and my husband can turn his hand to most physical jobs.
> Any advice at all is welcomed. We are very much new at this and really really want to make the right choices. Where do you live? Does it match my ideals? Do you know of any small towns near mountains that I simply would not have considered. I am sure this all sounds very naiive, and it is!! Thanks in advance


Hello Lissalydia,


First of all, congratulation, you project is great!
I moved from France to Spain one year ago and I really do not regret my choice
I moved to Murcia without speaking any Spanish and without any jobs. I first took intensive spanish lessons and after 3 months I could speak relatively well spanish and I found a job after 5 months! I think it is totally possible to work and live here, it depends on you.
People here are very pessimistic but if you have really involved and looking for a job you find it. In addition, the foreigners are very appreciated as very few peopke here can speak 2 languages fluently. Perhaps you won't be a teacher immediatly but there are so many others jobs you could do that may need a profile like you, especially in the tourism sector.

If you want sun, get integrated into the local life, be close to the nature and see the mountain, Murcia is a great place to live. 
It is a safe city, people are really easygoing, friendly and there is a lot of life in the street: people are having drinks out in terraces even in winter!
Areas like: alberca, Santo Angell, el palmar are very beautiful. You are in front of the montain and at only 10min by car from the city center.
If have any additional question please let me know. 

Good luck,

Melissa


----------



## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

melissaspain said:


> Hello Lissalydia,
> 
> 
> I think it is totally possible to work and live here, it depends on you.
> People here are very pessimistic but if you have really involved and looking for a job you find it. .


Maybe 'people here' are pessimistic because unemployment has been over 20% for the past seven years? Are the five million Spaniards still unemployed, many for over two years, not 'really involved' or 'looking for a job'?
Yes, people find jobs. Of course they do. People die, retire, move on. Young foreigners, many without proper qualifications, often on casual hire and paid in cash, get temporary, low paid jobs. MY partner and I, both retired, have been offered jobs, me teaching, she working as a receptionist in a Marbella beauty salon she frequents. Both offered through contacts, neither offering a living wage. Getting work is usually a matter of luck plus contacts or, for more secure well-paid jobs, having professional qualifications or skills in demand.

It irks me somewhat to read posts that seem to imply that getting a job is just a matter of perseverance. Of course you won't get a job if you sit on your backside at home or in bars all day bemoaning your fate. But there are people out there living on Granny's pension, being fed from soup kitchens, being evicted from their homes and put on the streets. If each one of these unfortunates had been offered work, I'm sure they would have accepted the offer. They deserve respect and empathy.

So yes, there is work, more often than not cash in hand, on the black, illegal. But it's quite wrong to imply that all you need to find work is to show 'perseverence'. More often than not it's a case of knowing the right people, being in the right place and your face fitting.
The charity I work for as a volunteer has over the past couple of years taken on three employees. All through contacts, word of mouth. No advertising.


----------



## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

To live legally in Spain, you need to show an income of 600 euros a month per person paid into a Spanish bank account plus savings and provision for health care as you will not be eligible to receive treatment from the Spanish system until you have paid in, which means being registered, and you won't be eligible for treatment on the NHS.

Just a thought: if you have Qualified Teacher Status in the UK and are working in the state or private system, you will qualify for a FSS pension on retirement with all that entails. I'm not sure how that would work in Spain.
Of course some people won't think that far ahead and it's not compulsory...I'm just an ultra-prudent type who stuck at a job in education I didn't really enjoy until I knew I could retire with a pension income sufficient for a life in Spain.


----------

