# Moving to Gran Canaria this year



## hel2403 (Jan 3, 2013)

Hi

my names elly, i'm 37 and hoping to move to gran canaria later this year. i would be moving on my own but this is somewhere i have wanted to live since the first time i went on holiday back in 2000. i just want some advice really, i know that living and holidays are diff and to start off with i wouldn't mind just working in bars & restaurants. with the sale of my home i would be able to move with a good few thousand pound in savings but i would be hoping to find work as quickly as possible so the money would just be there to get started and then in case of emergencies. i don't to just live of it. has anybody got any advice from my post on chances of finding work relatively quickly, the best time to move and what is it really like living on the island. i don't speak spanish but i do intend to at least my best shot.

thanks for reading this

Elly


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## AlexBramwell (Sep 24, 2012)

Having some money behind you is always a good idea when moving to Spain, especially if you don't have a job to move to. Be aware that residency rules have changed and you are no longer automatically entitled to live and work here. You may even have to prove that you have private medical insurance equivalent to the cover offered by the Spanish social security system. 

Have you considered coming here for a long "holiday" and renting your UK home until you have a feel for the place and are sure it iss the place for you?

You will find bar work in Gran Canaria but expect it to be long hours for little money by UK standards, and to be under the table. You might also consider contacting academies to see if you can get teaching work (expect 12 to 15 euros per hour). If you fancy teaching then a TEFL certificate helps enormously. I aslo think you should start studying Spanish mañana if you plan to come and live here. While you can get by in the resorts with English, a basic grasp of Spanish opens many doors.

In terms of rent expect to pay 400 euros for a flat or small bungalow, more on a short-term contract.


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## hel2403 (Jan 3, 2013)

Hi Alex

thanks for taking the time to read my post, it would be all or nothing as my home is shared ownership so i can't rent it out, legally anyway but i think i would be able to have about 12 possibly 13 grand behind me if i did decide to take the plunge. 

I suppose the bar/restaurant work if i could get it would be just until i found my feet. I am under no illusions that the money would not be like here for that type of work, not that i do that kind of work back here in blighty. i don't have any experience in teaching are the academies you mention something that could be a reality with someone of no experience so to speak.


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## AlexBramwell (Sep 24, 2012)

Hello,

Yes, you can get aacademy work in Gran Canaria with no experience. Most of it is in Las Palmas and you would be behind people with TEFL qualifications in the queue but it is doable. 

What, if you don't mind me asking, do you do in the UK?


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## hel2403 (Jan 3, 2013)

Hi Alex

Apolgies for the delay in responding. No computer at home so i have wait until am at work!!

i work in customer service here in blighty, lots of computer work, spreadsheets, word anything and everything really, my real passion however is sport, mainly playing. i have played competitively in tennis, football, golf but i can turn my hard to most and enjoy all sports. it has been the one thing that has always come naturally to me. i know you can only advise as everbody is different in how they cope with a new life but i suppose because it has to really be all or nothing, with the money i would have behind me, my main objective is to get out there and work in bars if i have to but know that with hard work and determination oppourtunties are there??

where do you live if you mind me asking??


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

Look to the right of his name, you will see his location, Las Palmas, one of my favourite cities!!


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## AlexBramwell (Sep 24, 2012)

Hello,

You might think about contacting the golf courses on the island to find out if they are looking for instructors. The tips are good :-D

If you have a positive attitude then there are opportunities here but I can't say it is easy. Most of the teaching work is up in the city of Las Palmas rather than in the resorts. You will find bar work in the south but the pay is lousy for long hours.

I live in Las Palmas and work as a writer, photographer and social media wonk.


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## hel2403 (Jan 3, 2013)

Hi 

thanks for your advice, i have been looking into the TEFL qualifications so that may be something i can look into when i'm out there. 

i might be naive but with the way things have been in this country for the past few years and for me personally, i just need a fresh start and i really don't mind what i do, if i can earn enough to live be it working in the bars/ restaurants to start off with then so be it. it is by no means a lifelong ambition to work in a bar!! and maybe i will fall flat on my face with my lack of ambition but if there is one thing i have learnt over the past few years is that having money doesn't bring happiness.


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## goingtobcn (Sep 9, 2012)

Hi Elly and welcome to the forum 

If you do go down the TEFL route, let me know as I can help with qualifications etc - I did the Trinity Cert TESOL a couple of years ago and now working as a private teacher here in Barcelona. Basically, there are loads of TEFL qualifications out there, but there are only really two that are recognised everywhere - the Trinity Cert TESOL and the Cambridge CELTA.

As I said, if you decide to do it, let me know


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

I dont know the situation regarding bar work, altho I do know someone who moved over there a year ago from mainland Spain, he found work in a gay bar for a while, but is now returning to the mainland as the work has dried up there apparently??!

Just make sure that you have a "plan B" should things not work out, its not easy to move over and simply find work- even bar work maybe hard to find, and if you dont, you need to make sure you have somewhere to return to and some money.

Jo xxx


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## hel2403 (Jan 3, 2013)

Hi

i suppose like anthing in life, a decision especially a life changing one can best or worst thing you ever do.

if i have done my sums correctly, with the sale of my property in 4 or 5 months time i would have about £12 or 13 grand behind to move out in the summer, if i waited until the end of the year i could probably save another 3 or 4 grand but as i said in my earlier post that would be security not to live on. 

probably a really stupid question but if you can get qualified and work in education without the study and degrees that we are use to in this country, what about teaching sport in schools as that is my passion in life????


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## goingtobcn (Sep 9, 2012)

hel2403 said:


> Hi
> 
> i suppose like anthing in life, a decision especially a life changing one can best or worst thing you ever do.
> 
> ...


I *think* that to teach in a primary or secondary schools you'd need more qualifications. To teach in an English Language Academy you "only" need an English Teaching certificate (the ones I mentioned are 4 weeks and extremely intensive - you don't have time for anything else in those 4 weeks! You can do them part time as well though).


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## AlexBramwell (Sep 24, 2012)

I found this today. Might be worth an inquiry: http://www.segundamano.es/las-palmas/profesores-nativos-ingleses-autonomos/a40644113/


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