# With hindsight



## gingham (Jun 23, 2011)

This has probably been tried before but a thought occurred to me today, yes I know that that is unusual, If I started a thread where posters could put down all of their good/bad experiences, niggles or otherwise it might help newbies or people looking on who maybe thinking of moving abroad. 
Anyway the question is, using hindsight and having your time to come over again would you move to Spain? Would you move to a different country or would you stay in the UK?
Might be a disasterous thread but I thought that I would try it.

G


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

gingham said:


> This has probably been tried before but a thought occurred to me today, yes I know that that is unusual, If I started a thread where posters could put down all of their good/bad experiences, niggles or otherwise it might help newbies or people looking on who maybe thinking of moving abroad.
> Anyway the question is, using hindsight and having your time to come over again would you move to Spain? Would you move to a different country or would you stay in the UK?
> Might be a disasterous thread but I thought that I would try it.
> 
> G


hmmm

with hindsight I'd have brought my tumble drier!!

but seriously ..........................

we'd have still come - we had tried the US & I hated it - although with hindsight I think if we'd moved to a different area there we'd probably still be there

as young as our kids were at the time we'd have put them straight into Spanish school, rather than spending so much on International school the first year

I would have learned _some _Spanish at least before we came - I shudder to think now that I was alone with 2 young kids after just 2 weeks - could barely speak a word of Spanish & I didn't even know what number to dial for an ambulance 

my OH would have never given up his business outside Spain to try & get something going here - it's just too hard & things came so very close to falling apart - & only came back together again when he started working away again - and that was long before the recession - so that holds true even more so now

much as we love where we are - & much as the kids are doing absolutely fine with having to study in both Castellano & Valenciano - I think the only thing we _might _do completely differently if we were coming now would be to maybe choose an area where they only had to learn Castellano


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

With hindsight I'd have moved to the costa first!! As it was, we moved inland cos it was cheaper and more "Spanish" - however, my children and indeed myself arent Spanish and we need some brits and spanish who are happy to accept brits - thats not to say we had any trouble inland, but I did feel a little isolated sometimes.

My biggest regret is that we didnt do it sooner. We (for many, many reasons) didnt move to Spain til my children were 10 and 12 - too late!!! Should have done it when they were toddlers, or certainly little children. they would have adapted and integrated far better

But I would choose Spain again and absolutely love it!

Jo xxxx


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

I would have crammed far more into the container when we shipped our belongings here.

I do not think we would have bought the particular apartment on the coast, but found a better one with its own entrance.

Otherwise quite happy here in the splendid isolation of the Meridian Isle.


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## Guest (Oct 27, 2011)

With hindsight, I wish I sold my yacht before coming here. It´s now a proper pain in the butt and is costing me in time, money and frustration. Also wish I punched the manager of the marina and thrown his rotten, stinking carcass into the River Tyne, but hey, I´m not bitter...

Wish I´d learnt some Spanish before rocking up here, but only had a week or two´s notice about the work opportunity.

Really wish I didn´t spend months working with a git who, ultimately, didn´t have the "investment" he claimed to get the business up and running. Nothing new, eh?

It´s funny, because we were talking last night about work and I ran through a list of why I wouldn´t go back to UK and work in London. Sadly, most of what I said is simply not fit to publish, but covered all the usual gripes (tube, rent, miserable people, smelly place, crowds etc).

I´m glad I came here and whilst I´ve made some mistakes and had a few tough times, I´m still here and stronger for it. 

I´ve made some good friends and have a bunch of mountaineering buddies to go play boy scouts on the hills with. 

I swap recipes with the local butcher for his multinational recipe book he gives out and he is always giving me nibbles of great cheeses, hams and stuff to try.

I get to hang out with lots of _really _cute mothers when I take the little ´un to school, which is probably sexist, but hey, at least I´m honest.

All in all, it is what it is and I don´t find myself thinking of the UK much, apart from my sons in London and we Skype all the time. That and the beer. I really miss some the excellent British ales. Lager in the winter just doesn´t work for me.

For all of Spain´s faults, the list of pro´s far outweighs the con´s for me. 

Expat and proud!


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## JulyB (Jul 18, 2011)

I would chose Spain again in a heartbeat. But if I'd had a long term plan to come here, instead of the opportunity just suddenly arising as it did I, (like everyone else) would have spent a couple of years learning Spanish before moving. The first six months/year was so hard in many easily avoidable ways if I had had the slightest idea what was going on!

It's crazy, but after two years here, if I ever have to leave Spain I think I'll always be a little homesick.


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## Maimee (Jun 23, 2011)

I would not change anything. Love where we chose to live, love the people and love the area. Never thought that I would live in another country so was resistent to the idea initially, now I wonder why.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

I came to Spain already having secured a job, not very well paid, but enough to get by, and I think that's the best thing I did. Not only did it give me some kind of basic economic security, but it also gave me immediate contacts, although they weren't Spanish. Nowadays I think having a job is even more important, especially if you fall into that under 25 age group which is suffering from over 45% unemployment
In hindsight I wouldn't have gone to Valls, Catalonia. One because of the language thing (I thought it was a case of 2 or 3 old gals speaking Catalan in a remote village) and 2 because, although I thought I wanted to be in a smaller place, when I got there I realised I didn't! I guess the hindsight there is that I should have thought not only about the job, but also the *lifestyle* and the *opportunities* the area offered.
Like some others, I also wish I hadn't rented the house I did. It was a typical weekend house which was fine for the summer, but not made for living in all year round re heating, plumbing, furniture, windows etc etc


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## Guest (Oct 27, 2011)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Like some others, I also wish I hadn't rented the house I did. It was a typical weekend house which was fine for the summer, but not made for living in all year round re heating, plumbing, furniture, windows etc etc


Yup, got caught by that one as well. Rose tinted brain at the time, I guess.


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

I love it here and never ever want to go back to Britain. If we change countries in the future I have no idea where it will be but it won't be Britain and it probably won't be north of here.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

thrax said:


> I love it here and never ever want to go back to Britain. If we change countries in the future I have no idea where it will be but it won't be Britain and it probably won't be north of here.


As I'm celebrating my 25th anniversary here I v. much doubt that I'll be living in the UK again either thrax, but is there anything that, with the gift of hindsight, you'd do differently?


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## andmac (Nov 9, 2010)

Yossa said:


> Yup, got caught by that one as well. Rose tinted brain at the time, I guess.


Got caught by the summer house too. It was terrible last winter, still rose tinted then though. Summer was fantastic, private pool, family over, great times. The prospect of another cold, isolated winter looms large though....

Contract expires in 10 days though so using all our experience to get a year round house, they do exist with central heating and air con built in! Also moving another 70 miles down the coast to be in the thick of it with work. Also, living near a city rather than in a "destination" was another thing which with hindsight we would have changed.

As far as other things, the only positive I will miss in this town is my daughter's school. It is a private one, but (and having worked in education for years) it is simply superb!!!


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## gingham (Jun 23, 2011)

Like one or two who have posted the third language, Valenciano in my case has caused problems. The good old moving to Spain books dismiss it as a few speakers but where we live Valenciano is THE language. The house a little warmer in winter would be nice and fish and chips or a pasty every now and then would be lovely, there is only one other English couple whom I have seen twice living up in the mountains near me so no English food.
Although I have no real complaints about GB, it is a beautiful island, the good points of living in Spain so outweigh moving back there and unless a serious family crisis arose I could never ever see me going back.
I would still reiterate to anyone thinking of moving to Spain that Valenciano and even more so Catalan can cause problems and does need to be taken into account.
Speaking of pasties if anyone knows of a make of HARD margarine here to make them I would be grateful then I could make them myself.

G


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## Phsye (Aug 4, 2010)

Although moving here was the hardest thing I've done and I found the process heavy going, I have no regrets. I am far more worldly wise as a result. However I could still go back to England without any worries. I seem to enjoy life in both countries.

Learning some Spanish before I left was a really good idea. I could not have survived this year on my own without it (stay at home, working from home Dad!).

Not getting british TV was the second best idea. We just turned it off instead!

My wIfe and son are really happy with the move too.


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## gingham (Jun 23, 2011)

Phsye said:


> Not getting british TV was the second best idea. We just turned it off instead!.


Because of a hiccup with our house sale in the UK we had to wait an extra month before leaving, it was then that I realised just how dire tv was so we had already turned it off before we left the UK. Watching Spanish tv which I know is even worse at least helps with the language. When we first arrived there were a lot of quiz shows on, some of these were really helpful but they seem to have tapered off.

G


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## Guest (Oct 28, 2011)

gingham said:


> ...Speaking of pasties if anyone knows of a make of HARD margarine here to make them I would be grateful then I could make them myself.
> 
> G


Oooh, gotta be lard for a really tasty pastie. Makes all the difference to the pastry.

Try asking for "manteca de cerdo" - nearest I can come up with. Pork Fat/Lard.

...unless your a vegetarian, in which case, I´ll get my coat


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

gingham said:


> Like one or two who have posted the third language, Valenciano in my case has caused problems. The good old moving to Spain books dismiss it as a few speakers but where we live Valenciano is THE language. The house a little warmer in winter would be nice and fish and chips or a pasty every now and then would be lovely, there is only one other English couple whom I have seen twice living up in the mountains near me so no English food.
> Although I have no real complaints about GB, it is a beautiful island, the good points of living in Spain so outweigh moving back there and unless a serious family crisis arose I could never ever see me going back.
> I would still reiterate to anyone thinking of moving to Spain that Valenciano and even more so Catalan can cause problems and does need to be taken into account.
> Speaking of pasties if anyone knows of a make of HARD margarine here to make them I would be grateful then I could make them myself.
> ...


Not exactly what you're asking for but if you look at post 103 here
http://www.expatforum.com/expats/la-tasca/77273-recipe-swap-11.html#post634906
you'll find a recipe for pastry


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

Those winters sound awful!!


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## gingham (Jun 23, 2011)

Thanks for all the recipes.
G


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

We sailed here although we didn't know we were coming here until we got here - could've ended up anywhere. Although it was fun, with hindsight, I would have not bothered with the yacht and just flown straight here - it would have save a shedload of money. Of course I didn't know at the time that that's what I should have done.


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