# Wants to live in spain for a while



## klagrega (Aug 22, 2011)

Hi all. I am 22 year old recent graduate and I am interested in living in Spain for about a year. My plan is to just get to spain and hopefully find a job (not a serious one maybe in a restaurant or something) get some cheap housing and just live. are these plans crazy? do you all think its doable


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

klagrega said:


> Hi all. I am 22 year old recent graduate and I am interested in living in Spain for about a year. My plan is to just get to spain and hopefully find a job (not a serious one maybe in a restaurant or something) get some cheap housing and just live. are these plans crazy? do you all think its doable


In word "no"!!

Jobs are hard to come by, there is mass unemployment and living costs would be probably higher than any earnings as a waiter. Also I believe that you would need to be sponsored to work here and the company that would sponsor you would need to prove that they were unable to get anyone local to fill the position??? That said, I dont know if there are any student/holiday type visas that would allow you to work????

Jo xxx


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

klagrega said:


> Hi all. I am 22 year old recent graduate and I am interested in living in Spain for about a year. My plan is to just get to spain and hopefully find a job (not a serious one maybe in a restaurant or something) get some cheap housing and just live. are these plans crazy? do you all think its doable


Hi & welcome

first you need to check what sort of visas are available to you by contacting the Spanish Consulate in the US - a working visa is very difficult to get - you'd need a job here first & then the company would have to prove that there was no EU citizen available to do the job in order to get you the visa


apart from that there is massive unemployment in spain, so I wouldn't be advising even a EU citizen (who doesn't need to get a work visa) to come here on spec.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

In a word: No.
Sorry.... But you are not an EU citizen and unemployment in Spain is the highest in Europe, national average 21%.
Waiters and similar jobs are actually quite prestigious and sought-after. A good waiter here needs not only the expected skills but also a knowledge of a couple of European languages -English, German, maybe French or Dutch -ass well as his native Spanish.
Being a waiter or any kind of restaurant work is not a 'non-serious' job in most European countries.


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## Malagueño (Apr 18, 2011)

Hello,

I like your spirit of adventure!

It is true what others have said that there is not much work to be had here. Wanting to earn in Spain and being non-EU is a further obstacle.

However, it sounds to me that you want to come here just for the experience. This gives you the advantages of being young, curious, adventurous, flexible on schedule and without fixed ideas of what type of work you would be looking for.

I don't think it would do you any harm at all to contact one of the American Associations here.......originally being from the same country as you, I think they would be better placed to advise you.

However, I think you should emphasise that you want to come for the experience rather than with fixed expectations. Maybe one of their older members could accommodate you in return for some sort of work around their home........I don't know - helping about the place, painting, clearing land, driving, shopping, cleaning......that type of thing.

It's a long shot.....but it gives you some scope to investigate the opportunity more fully for yourself rather than rely on the opinion of people of vastly different age, circumstances, experience, desire for security and day-to-day expectations.

Give it a good shot!

Having just finished your studies, you are in a great position to do something that _"living commitments"_ (also known as enslavement to career, mortgage, paying taxes and otherwise being a good little citizen) will probably deter you from doing once you have turned yourself in to lifelong slavery on the global plantation.

*But just make sure you have the means to get back home when you need to!!*

Here is a link to the American Association here on the Costa del Sol:

American Club Costa del Sol - Home

There are 4 or 5 of them in different locations - I would suggest trying the FMB (Fuengirola/Mijas/Benalmadena) branch first.

*Good luck!!!*


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Malagueño said:


> Hello,
> 
> I like your spirit of adventure!
> 
> ...


The American Club of the Costa Del Sol will most probably not be in a position to help you. It is a social organisation composed mainly of elderly U.S. expats.
I know because I occasionally attend their functions, although I am not an elderly U.S. expat.
Being non-EU is a MAJOR obstacle.


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## barca (Aug 18, 2011)

Sorry but have to agree with the other posters - it's going to be very tough if not impossible. I would suggest you earn the money back in the USA and come and spend time in Spain as a tourist. That way also you can travel around the country a bit more, and get to see a lot more of this great country. Good luck!


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

barca said:


> Sorry but have to agree with the other posters - it's going to be very tough if not impossible. I would suggest you earn the money back in the USA and come and spend time in Spain as a tourist. That way also you can travel around the country a bit more, and get to see a lot more of this great country. Good luck!


Sensible suggestion.

Another possibility is to come on a 90 day tourist visa and work a few hours a day for board and lodging, under a scheme called Workaway. You don´t need a work permit for this.

Find host families and organizations as a volunteer, for gap year, work and travel. Spain


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## Malagueño (Apr 18, 2011)

Like I said (for the reasons I have already given), give it a go if you can.....BUT MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE MEANS TO RETURN HOME IF YOU NEED TO!

Regarding contacting the American Club, it is true that it is primarily a social set up.

But that does not exclude the possibility of you stumbling across some sort of mutually-beneficial arrangement between you and an expat American already established here.

Or, by some strange quirk of fate, somebody could be specifically looking for a 22 year old graduate from New York with your qualifications to do something here. Who knows? In fact, for all anybody knows, somebody might have a full-time, fully-legal paid position just waiting for you! That would need some REAL luck.......but what's the harm in trying?

If you *DON'T* contact them, you will definitely be in the same position as you are now.

If you *DO* contact them, there is at least a chance that something may come of it. You've got nothing to lose!!

You are obviously making some effort because you contacted this forum - which, if you look through it, you will find is also basically (keyboard) socialising.

But of course, that doesn't exclude members of such social clubs helping people out, passing on useful information or for useful and beneficial _'coincidences'_ occurring.

Some people say "_It's not what you know, it's who you know"_.......another positive reason to contact the American Club.

If you want to do this thing, remain positive........but just make sure that you have the means to get back home if/when you need to.

Otherwise you might always wonder what could have been.......


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## Malagueño (Apr 18, 2011)

Good, constructive suggestion, Alcalaina!!


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Frankly, I wouldn't waste my time with the American Club but if you pm me I will try to get you a contact number for the honarary American consul based in Marbella, whom I have met socially.
Best course is as Alcalaina suggested.
I always wonder whether people who tell you to jump in, have a go and so on would be willing to personally give you financial or other help if you unfortunately came unstuck.


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## Malagueño (Apr 18, 2011)

mrypg9 said:


> ..........if you pm me I will try to get you a contact number for the honarary American consul based in Marbella......


*That's more positive! But why didn't you make this more constructive offer in the first place........alongside (of course) your justifiable warnings?*



mrypg9 said:


> .....I always wonder whether people who tell you to jump in, have a go and so on would be willing to personally *give you financial or other help if you unfortunately came unstuck*.


*Sigh......for the fourth (that's right - 4th) time of stating:* 

*"BUT MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE MEANS TO RETURN HOME IF YOU NEED TO!"*

That's hardly "_jump in_"!!

It was a little mischievous of you to use such language because it falsely suggests that I urged the original poster to be reckless.

But a more diligent re-read of my posts on this matter proves that implication of yours to be a complete falsehood.

Incidentally, it's "_honorary"_ not _"honarary"._


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Malagueño;592310 said:


> *That's more positive! But why didn't you make this more constructive offer in the first place........alongside (of course) your justifiable warnings?*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


You make good secretary material. When I have a vacancy I'll contact you.
Pay small but appreciation great.

And since you are keen on close reading you will note that my comment about 'jumping in' was a general one and not specifically focused on this poster.

I have read many posts of the 'Come on over, you've nothing to lose' variety. Generally that's a reasonable suggestion if addressed to a young, single person. As advice to one and all I'm sure you'd agree it's not sensible at this time.
Can implications be 'false', by the way? An interesting topic for those with nothing better to do to ponder.....


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Malagueño said:


> *That's more positive! But why didn't you make this more constructive offer in the first place........alongside (of course) your justifiable warnings?*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


While I agree that being young and single without commitments is the best time to go and experience other cultures and worlds, the fact that Americans do need the right visas etc needs to be addressed sensibly and lets not forget, "the means to return home" aint the same from the US as from the UK! Our advise on here is tempered with caution as it seems very easy to think that you can hop on a plane, get off, get a job an apartment and enjoy!! For EU citizens it isnt that easy and can be very costly (certainly in this economic climate), for non EU residents it needs careful planning and caution - that is the message being conveyed! 

Jo xxx


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## Malagueño (Apr 18, 2011)

mrypg9 said:


> You make good secretary material. When I have a vacancy I'll contact you. *Pay small *but appreciation great........


Sorry, MrYpg9, from what you have said, if you can only _"pay small"_, you simply can't afford the quality of help you need. Looks like you'll just have to carry on settling for what you _can_ afford instead - something that more realistically corresponds to your capabilities.

But I do wholeheartedly agree with your idea of a secretary for yourself - I am sure that would help you immensely with your comprehension. It might - for example - help you to accurately read what is actually written in a post..........thus saving you wasting so much time replying to things that were not said. 



mrypg9 said:


> I have read many posts of the 'Come on over, you've nothing to lose' variety. *Generally that's a reasonable suggestion if addressed to a young, single person. As advice to one and all I'm sure you'd agree it's not sensible at this time.*.


And this whole paragraph is a perfect example of you not accurately reading what is written.....please do call that help you so obviously need!

As most readers will have noticed, my post *was* addressed to a young person (22 years old). And, at least for the purposes of the trip, we can assume it is a single person (no mention of _"my partner and I"_).

So, as you said yourself, I made _"a reasonable suggestion"_ because it seems that this person _*is*_ young and single.

Do you see where you're going wrong with your comprehension? You didn't need to waste your time writing all that out because you are actually in agreement with me......in effect, you are repeating what I have already said.

And you then move on wasting more time and effort with your sentence beginning "_as advice to one and all....."_.

But the sentence is irrelevant......because the advice I offered clearly (well.....at least to most people) was NOT "_to one and all_".....it was specifically addressed to the original poster only. Have a quick re-read......can you see that now?

*So, to avoid any confusion you have created, my posts were saying that:*

Times are hard here (for many people) and that not being from an EU country is a further difficulty for this enquirer. However, having just finished education, this is an excellent opportunity to give it a try. So, if the person is finally satisfied with preparatory enquiries, why not go ahead and give it a shot? Try to think out of the box a bit - contact a variety of people and organisations during the course of your enquiries.....*there is nothing to lose by doing this!* BUT, make sure you retain the means to return home should you need to do so.

MrYpg9, I can't see the problem with that advice......why go to such lengths to take issue?

And finally:



mrypg9 said:


> Can implications be 'false', by the way?.....


I am not sure whether this is a rhetorical question......so to avoid the possibility of being rude to you, I'll answer it anyway.

To make an implication is to imply something. Obviously, one can imply things that are false. This could be referred to as making _"false implications"._

Therefore, the answer to your question is _"yes"_ - one can indeed make a false implication (in fact some people make quite a habit of doing so).

I hope this helps you!


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

ahem.............lets just cut out the personal comments, folks....


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Malagueño said:


> Sorry, MrYpg9, from what you have said, if you can only _"pay small"_, you simply can't afford the quality of help you need. Looks like you'll just have to carry on settling for what you _can_ afford instead - something that more realistically corresponds to your capabilities.
> 
> But I do wholeheartedly agree with your idea of a secretary for yourself - I am sure that would help you immensely with your comprehension. It might - for example - help you to accurately read what is actually written in a post..........thus saving you wasting so much time replying to things that were not said.
> 
> ...



What a load of complete twaddle, which doesnt help the OP or anyone else.

Please stay on topic

Jo


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Just to bring this thread back to the OP questions. The key points are:

1/ Work availability
2/ Visa necessity
3/ Finances, both available and required
4/ Where

Those are the main issues that the OP needs to establish. There maybe some mileage in contacting "American clubs" and altho I doubt they can "do" anything as such, I'm sure they will be able to offer some tips and guidance.

Since the OP is living in the US, its not gonna be easy for him to "pop over" and suss things out, so in that case, forums such as this one are invaluable for gauging the situation in Spain.

So, to summarise, no one is trying to put the OP off, but there are issues that need to be addressed before he hops on a plane, for what could be a 10 hour flight!

Jo


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

jojo said:


> Just to bring this thread back to the OP questions. The key points are:
> 
> 1/ Work availability
> 2/ Visa necessity
> ...


I think they have all been answered, too, but just to be clear....

1/ very little - & can't work legally without a work visa - although there is a possibility of voluntary work in exchange for accomodation - but only for 90 days (see 2)

2/ can only come with a* 90 day* *holiday* *visa *unless sponsored by a company

3/ would need to have enough money to be self-supporting for the 90 days, just in case any voluntary work fell through, and enough on top of that for the flight back - I would recommend a return ticket already booked & paid for

4/ for a holiday.............anywhere!!


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