29 Jan 2010 11:32 PM:
As you can see I am fairly new to EOS and have been looking on this thread to see what comments other people have with regard to "Living in Spain", but after a while I got a bit bored with it as it seemed to be a slanging match between some of the more active members.
In reply to the original thread, we moved to Spain about 8 years ago and live in a small mountain village, it has not been easy and is very often frustrating with the drivers and the red tape, but we would not go back to the UK. When we speak to people about our life here we say that it is not paradise but it is as near as we are likely to get. We work hard but it does have its compensations, like sitting on our terrace in the evening with a glass of wine watching the sun set over the mountain, taking the dogs for a walk in the mountains or on some occasions out of season, on the beach.
It is like going back 50 years as we have limited electricity and low water pressure in our house and the shower dies sometimes (when you are covered in soap) because the pressure will not keep the boiler alight. We do not have central heating and use a wood burner in the winter, but enjoy going "logging" in the mountains and then spending hours in the garden cutting up the logs with the chain saw. Would we accept this in the UK? NO is the answer, but it is quite acceptable in our more laid back lifestyle.
We find it very difficult learning the language and are still learning and I think it is true when some of the other posts say it is an age thing, but we know enough to get by and I don´t think we will ever be what I would call fluent, but at least we try and don´t expect the Spanish to change for us. When in Rome and all that.
We go back to the UK to visit family and friends occasionally, for very short periods, but are always glad to get back and our friends and family vist us often as they love our laid back lifestyle.
It is certainly more difficult now because of the increase in the cost of living, fuel and food have increased substatially, but when you only have to pay about 200 euros a year for what in the UK would be community charge, then that certainly evens some of it out. Work is harder to come by and wages much lower than the UK, but as long as we can do enough to pay our bills and eat and keep our head above water, then that is fine. We are thankful that we can at least do that and if we can make it to the end of the recession, however long that may be, then that is fine. It will go full circle and at some point will level out and hopefully we can all start to move forward again. We have found that our secret is to keep a positive attitude and thankfully we are quite adaptable, if one job dies out, look for something else not neccessarily what you originally chose to do and above all don´t give up on the dream at the first hurdle.
Thankfully we have not been caught in the web of corruption and do have heartfelt sympathy for those that have. No matter what is done about it, it can never be enough to compensate people for the worry, hurt, dissappointment and in most cases financial hardship that it causes. I sincerely hope that this problem can be resolved before long, but somehow I don´t feel confident that it will, but surely there must come a time when people can consider moving to Spain without the worry of being cheated out of their hard earned money. Even the Spanish government must come to accept at some point that it is doing the country no good at all to carry on in this manner.
On saying all that, Spain is now our "home" and unless something happens beyond our control then I think it will be for the rest of our lives. Living here is not for everyone, life would be very boring if we all liked the same, each to their own as they say.
As some of the other posts have said "viva españa".
Sorry, if I´ve gone on a bit
Thread:
Is living in Spain really that bad now???
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