# Expat on the move, but to where i don't know



## disculpe (Jan 7, 2009)

Hi,

Hope someone can help me with some info, if you can i'd very much appreciate it.

I've been on the move for nearly 15 years now and have lived in Thailand for the last 8. I now work as an editor for this mag, Chiang Mai Citylife, and have written copy for travel mags, short stories for ezines, investigative, topical articles for mags and travel pieces for national newspapers etc, i can also teach TEFL if i have to.

I'm looking to move to Spain and would like to work for an English language publication so i reckon that i will probably have to move to a fairly big town. Even though i've been to the coast of Spain a few times as a kid, i don't really know much about the country. I don't really want to live in a holiday town either.

I thought maybe Seville, Granada or Valencia would be good places to live, would you agree?

Be nice to be near the coast and living in a cultural town, and of course somewhere where there is work. 

I am use to the heat already, it doesn't bother me.

Could anyone be so kind to point me in the right direction? A mid sized city, cultural, near the coast with English language publications to try and work for? 

I am English by the way.

One more thing, do you think editing/writing will pay well, or at least afford me a decent standard of living? 

Thanks for youer help


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

Hi and welcome to the forum.

I've moved this over to the Spanish section, since you're clearly thinking of moving to spain. There are lots of Brits here who are living in Spain and can probably advise you on specific towns.
Cheers,
Bev


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## gravytrain (Jan 7, 2009)

I think it will depend on what type of work you will want to do. if you want to work as an english teacher, I'm sure you can get a nice job in spain somewhere. Have a look online and see what's offered. I hope this helps.


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## SteveHall (Oct 17, 2008)

Hope someone can help me with some info, if you can i'd very much appreciate it.

**Our pleasure. 

I've been on the move for nearly 15 years now and have lived in Thailand for the last 8. I now work as an editor for this mag, Chiang Mai Citylife, and have written copy for travel mags, short stories for ezines, investigative, topical articles for mags and travel pieces for national newspapers etc, i can also teach TEFL if i have to.

** You are welcome to add links, content to thisisbangkok.info | 

I'm looking to move to Spain and would like to work for an English language publication so i reckon that i will probably have to move to a fairly big town. Even though i've been to the coast of Spain a few times as a kid, i don't really know much about the country. I don't really want to live in a holiday town either.


I thought maybe Seville, Granada or Valencia would be good places to live, would you agree?

**WRONG! AFAIK, Seville and Granada do not have one and the Valencia one is based outside the city. In reality none of those three cities have big expat populations. The expats live along the coast. Almost from the French border to the Portuguese border. They tend to avoid the big cities like Valencia, Alicante, Málaga, Almeria, Cádiz etc and live in their own urbanisations, small towns, ghettos, strongholds call them what you will. Even BCN with a big international population is not expatshire. Many non-spaniards are employed by European/US companies there. They are not in God's Waiting Room and are relatively affluent with their rents, Spanish lessons often paid etc 

There are literally dozens of expat magazines. Send me your email by PM and I will send you a huge list. 

Be nice to be near the coast and living in a cultural town, and of course somewhere where there is work. 

**There is no work. You create your own. 

I am use to the heat already, it doesn't bother me.

**Much of Valencia is on snow alert!! Be afriad of the cold!!! 

Could anyone be so kind to point me in the right direction? A mid sized city, cultural, near the coast with English language publications to try and work for? 

I am English by the way.

** A curse many of us carry!!! 

One more thing, do you think editing/writing will pay well, or at least afford me a decent standard of living? 

**NO.

Thanks for youer help.


** I know dozens of writers and almost none are working regularly, They are TRYING to sell villas, doing airport runs, setting up (yet another) expat web-site, pretending they are builders/plumbers/gardeners/ web gurus etc 

I know lots of the owners/editors of expat magazines and all are hurting. 

That said I have a close friend who is looking to set up expat magazines in Granada, Madrid and Barcelona. If you like I will put you in touch. You could be a good fit. I definitely think that you have the right pedigree although your lack of knowledge of Spain/expat life will be an issue to start with. 

How good is your Spanish? 


Te deseo mucha suerte


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## SteveHall (Oct 17, 2008)

gravytrain said:


> I think it will depend on what type of work you will want to do. if you want to work as an english teacher, I'm sure you can get a nice job in spain somewhere. Have a look online and see what's offered. I hope this helps.



Gravytrain - have you been to Spain in the last 12 months? 

There must be 30/40/50 applicants for every vacancy. I know two schools that have closed in Torrevieja within the last month and another that decided not to open. 

In Fuengirola I know three on part-time hours. (I was talking to one 10 minutes ago. 

"A nice job in Spain"? There is more chance of Man City winning the FA Cup this season.


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## disculpe (Jan 7, 2009)

Thanks a lot Steve, that's helpful. I can't PM you just yet, i think i have to make some more posts before i can do that.

I suppose the best thing for me to do would be to get to the country first and travel around. It would be nice to have a job beforehand, but then again, i doubt anyone will employ me without even interviewing me, i doubt i would take someone on without seeing them first.

My knowledge of Spain is limited. I've visited a few times, but like i said, it was holidays on the Costa Del Sol and dizzy raves in Ibiza, not exactly comprehensive lessons in culture. I used to live in Mexico, taught there for a year and picked up some basic Spanish but God knows what kind of dialect i picked up in the Yucatan pennisular. I can speak Thai fairly well, and that was no easy feat, so i am confident i will pick up basic Spanish quickly if i take some classes and do a fair amount of home study.

I sold myself on Valencia, don't exactly know why, maybe it was just in the name. 

It sounds like the economic climate is under the weather over there, but this is long term planning, i'm not ready to take off just yet, i have a pretty cushy number over here so i want to be fairly certain i can make it work in Spain. 

A list of magazines would be helpful, i will make more posts and become a fully fledged member. If there is a certain region with a lot of eng lang media then that's probably where i'll head, i could always work feelance too as well as do some editing or copy writing.

Again, thanks for that.


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## SteveHall (Oct 17, 2008)

Thanks a lot Steve, that's helpful. I can't PM you just yet, i think i have to make some more posts before i can do that.

OK; send me your email to [email protected] 

I suppose the best thing for me to do would be to get to the country first and travel around. It would be nice to have a job beforehand, but then again, i doubt anyone will employ me without even interviewing me, i doubt i would take someone on without seeing them first.

**There is one word in Spanish you will not need to learn "employ".

My knowledge of Spain is limited. I've visited a few times, but like i said, it was holidays on the Costa Del Sol and dizzy raves in Ibiza, not exactly comprehensive lessons in culture. I used to live in Mexico, taught there for a year and picked up some basic Spanish but God knows what kind of dialect i picked up in the Yucatan pennisular. I can speak Thai fairly well, and that was no easy feat, so i am confident i will pick up basic Spanish quickly if i take some classes and do a fair amount of home study.

**Wow, if you can speak Thai you have my total respect - I think my eyes glazed over on my first lesson. Was it the 33 vowels, the irregular stress patterns or simply the amazing syntax. A Canadian walked out when the teacher told him the word for an "island" was the same as "unmarried princess" or similar. He just could not get it two words could have the same meanig, or one word could have more than one meaning. Don't even get me started on to,too, two or for and four or bank (banco) and bank (river) etc. Guess he had never studied linguistics - nor could he cope with the fact that in English we have one worried for princess (married or not) until she becomes a queen, renounces or dies. Apparently in Thai (and I am told some Indian languages) a prya becomes a pryen (or whatever!) when she marries. If you can speak Thai you will waltz through Spanish! 

I sold myself on Valencia, don't exactly know why, maybe it was just in the name. 

** One of two logical venues - that and Andalucia. 

It sounds like the economic climate is under the weather over there, but this is long term planning, i'm not ready to take off just yet, i have a pretty cushy number over here so i want to be fairly certain i can make it work in Spain. 

**"Under the weather" ---mmm, that's a bit like saying Attila the Hun was a "bit naughty" or that WW1 was "unfortunate". Classic!

A list of magazines would be helpful, i will make more posts and become a fully fledged member. If there is a certain region with a lot of eng lang media then that's probably where i'll head, i could always work feelance too as well as do some editing or copy writing.

** You will find them (SNIP) but be aware they open and close "quite often" and, yes, that is a euphamism too!


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## ceapedro (Nov 17, 2008)

*Why not consider Ecuador - Cheaper than Spain*

Hi,

I noticed your post requesting information re re-locating and that you are looking at Spain. Have you ever considered Ecuador. We now live in Cuenca, Ecuador. We find it has the best of both worlds. The other day it was rated as the cheapest city in the world to live.

Although food, real estate, taxis, restaurants, hotels, taxes, electricity and everything else is cheap it is still a very modern/old city to live in. We have been back in Ecuador now since September and are currently applying for our residency. <snip>

We are not retirees as our website name may suggest, and since we have moved back we have found so many wonderful business opportunities. Of course working with locals is of great importance to us, and also giving something back to the people.

I am currently looking at giving some of my time to volunteering at an orphanage here just outside of town. Spanish of course is the language here, but many also speak English.

We travel to the coast on a regular basis and have just returned from spending New Years Eve in Montanita. We can do this as it does not cost us the earth to take a vacation to the coast.

I know an Ecuadorian young guy in Quito who may be able to help point you in the right direction re working with publishers etc. But it is so cheap to visit here that you may want to consider doing that and then be introduced to people who may take you on as an employee. Just remember that salaries here are nothing to what you might be used to.

Cuenca is also a very cultural city...........lots of music, art, theatre etc.


Ciao
Dixie





I suppose the best thing for me to do would be to get to the country first and travel around. It would be nice to have a job beforehand, but then again, i doubt anyone will employ me without even interviewing me, i doubt i would take someone on without seeing them first.

My knowledge of Spain is limited. I've visited a few times, but like i said, it was holidays on the Costa Del Sol and dizzy raves in Ibiza, not exactly comprehensive lessons in culture. I used to live in Mexico, taught there for a year and picked up some basic Spanish but God knows what kind of dialect i picked up in the Yucatan pennisular. I can speak Thai fairly well, and that was no easy feat, so i am confident i will pick up basic Spanish quickly if i take some classes and do a fair amount of home study.

I sold myself on Valencia, don't exactly know why, maybe it was just in the name. 

It sounds like the economic climate is under the weather over there, but this is long term planning, i'm not ready to take off just yet, i have a pretty cushy number over here so i want to be fairly certain i can make it work in Spain. 

A list of magazines would be helpful, i will make more posts and become a fully fledged member. If there is a certain region with a lot of eng lang media then that's probably where i'll head, i could always work feelance too as well as do some editing or copy writing.

Again, thanks for that.[/QUOTE]


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## chris(madrid) (Mar 23, 2008)

SteveHall said:


> There must be 30/40/50 applicants for every vacancy. I know two schools that have closed in Torrevieja within the last month and another that decided not to open.


I'm told there is still demand in Madrid btw.

But here's the rub. These are more often than not - NOT stable positions. The number of full time positions is VERY VERY limited. 

What are out there are "fill in" positions or the jobs nobody else wants - often on demand or involving long trips. 

I'm occasionally in touch with a guy in the city who is a freelance reporter - does work for Aussie papers and for the Beeb world service. He was giving lessons too - but stopped as they were always "after hours" and he was trying to integrate himself with a rather attractive Spanish girlie. 

He talked to places like Berlitz but reckoned it was better to be totally freelance.


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## SteveHall (Oct 17, 2008)

I know a lot about the Madrid/Barcelona situations as I have several friends who have gone through the "system". Often the much vaunteed "jobs" are ONLY (literally) available to those who have gone through THEIR OWN cousre TESL/TEFL. In other words, you have to pay to get their "certificate" (however worthless that is) to be able to teach in their schools! I have a freind who has Cambridge/CELTA and many years of teaching in Singapore/China etc who was asked to pay 1200 euros for, to quote him "Some toilet paper that has no international worth and is not homolagted" if he were to be offered a place on their supply bank. In other words, he lays out 1200 euros with no guarantee whatsoever of getting an hours teaching. 
He decided not to pay to play and went private but could not make enough as he wanted and is now back in China where English teachers are much in demand apparently. 

I have another friend who got 3 months' work there but could barely survive and after a few weeks decided just to regard himself as a tourist who was inconvenienced to have to do 3/4 hours teaching when it suited the school. He spent the winter "Trying to keep warm and enjoying the art galleries". In fact, he enjoyed the social life so much that he met up with a Venezuelan girl half his age and is now teaching English over there .....and learning the delights of parenthood at 50!!! So, it MAY have its appeal !!!! 

If asked to pay to take a course at an individual school - be careful !!!


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