I read this on another forum today (not one we hear about) & thought many would enjoy reading it. It's about Brian & his family, who moved from the US to Ribarroja de Túria, Valencia. Unfortunately though it's not worked out so he's returning to the US. Brian has a blog http://www.mcmurtryfamily.net
Epilogue: Leaving Spain
After 6 months of living in Spain, we are moving back to the US. Basically, it´s been very difficult to overcome our financial needs.
It´s been a very wonderful time for us as a family, as we´ve experienced what it´s like to live in a small pueblo. We´ve seen generosity and a giving heart from many Spaniards who have accepted us as family. We´ve been invited into their homes and have made several groups of friends. Our boys have learned so much Spanish in 6 months! Even the boys can carry on a conversation in Valenciano--amazing! I´ve lost weight just by eating the healthy Mediterranean diet-- and by walking everywhere! I´ve experienced the weekly mercadillo, buying fresh fruit and vegetables every week. I have participated in the Cabalgata- the parade on the evening of Reyes. I´ve seen David Bisbal come to our little town for a concert. I´ve been awakened by fireworks at 2 AM. I´ve strolled for hours in the cauce del Túria in Valencia, where they´ve constructed green parks and museums.
I´ve experienced Spanish life, and I don´t regret it a bit. It´s been fantastic.
If you´re thinking about moving your family to Spain, let me share a few of my experiences. This is not intended at all to be a criticism of Spanish life, but I do hope that you can learn from our experiences.
1. Moving to a foreign country sounds romantic and exciting, but the truth is that you still have to work and pay bills at the end of the month.
2. Starting a business is expensive and time-consuming. In fact, if you don´t have a good grasp on the laws, you will find yourself over your head really quickly. We contracted a gestor, and it was still really hard. If you are going to start your own business, bring enough funds to last for a year. If you can do it for a while without a local while building a customer base, better. For a small family business, plan on it taking 2-3 months between permits, tramites, licencias, construction, Telefonica, and Iberdrola before you can ever open your doors.
3. Whatever you budget for a specific project, triple your estimate in terms of time and money. For example, if you think that something will take 2 weeks and 200€, be prepared to wait 6 weeks and 600€. This isn´t an indictment or criticism, but it´s just how things work.
4. Learn how to regatear and reclamar. These are 2 very critical skills. Bargaining is not only accepted, but EXPECTED. If you accept the first offer, then they will look at you strangely. Also, our American and British sensibilities tend to keep us from making complaints. Here in Spain, reclamando- complaining about a perceived lack of service or response- is part of the culture. It is a skill that you must develop when you have to call Telefonica day after day after day, going through the same argument that you did the day before. And when reclamando, make sure that you exaggerate. If it´s been 2 weeks, say, "Hombre, llevamos 3 meses y ustedes todavia no han...."
5. I agree with Ben´s assessment that it´s important to make friendships with your fellow ex-pats. It´s a good network of support that will help you through the stages of Culture Shock. They´ve been through it, too. On the other hand, don´t build a "little America" or "little UK" around yourself. You must learn to swim in the culture quickly. It´s ok to watch your favorite American TV shows, but if you don´t accept the new culture, you will be homesick.
6. In the middle of the fight to make a living, don´t forget to stop and smell the paella. Take weekend trips to the campo. Hit the beach. Go out for tapas. I know, this is a given, but isn´t that why you came to Spain, anyway? It´s easy to get caught up in everyday life and not enjoy those things. Pleasurable experiences in the culture go a long way to help you forget the bad.
7. Don´t pay Telefonica´s exhorbitant long-distance fees! Skype your family. The quality of the call is much, much better than many telephone connections. When I call someone, they say, "but you sound just like you´re in the next room!"
8. Have enough cash in reserve to return in case of emergency. This is common sense, but it´s always important to keep a portion back, in case things don´t work out.
9. If you bring a family, don´t go without a job offer. Salaries are low, and jobs are even harder to find. There is a lot of competition, and honestly, discrimination abounds. I once had a job interview, and 3 minutes into the interview, the interviewer stops me and says, "May I be honest? I can´t present you as a candidate to my company. You have impeccable skills. In fact, you are overqualified for the job. Your Spanish is very good, but it is not perfect. If I were to present you as a candidate, they would toss me into the street, because in a pressured environment, you might have difficulties communicating." I repeat- If you have a family, do not go without a job offer. If you are able to get your university degree convalidated before going, do it. However, this takes a lot of time (up to 2 years) and money. Keep in mind that most degrees will require for you to take additional university courses for convalidation. So, if you are young and single, going without a job offer is probably ok, but be prepared to wait out the search time. If you have little ones depending on you for food, be wise and get that job offer before buying plane tickets.
10. Above all, enjoy the process! It´s a once-in-a-lifetime experience. And you know what? I have no regrets.