Moving to Spain as an expat. What to do, and what not to do.
Many people, each and every day, dream of a better life, both for themselves, and their immediate family. It seems most people in the UK at least, are unhappy with some aspect of their day to day lives, and want to take the plunge and move abroad. One of the most popular destinations of people leaving the UK and resettling in another country is Spain, closely followed by places such Australia,Canada,France and Italy.
At first glance the fact that people leave the country in the first place, with the continuing recession, and the doom and gloom that goes with it, would put most people off moving abroad, however people are still leaving, but the change can be too much for some people, and of course,Europe is also in a recession.
According to a recent Mintel Research report and published in various journals, almost a third of Brits questioned say they wanted to move abroad, however a great deal of background research must be done as, it goes without saying, being on holiday somewhere is very different than living out your daily life there.
And for those who are considering the move abroad, what better source of advice than those expats who are already out there yes? …..er…….. no not quite!
Be careful where and from whom you take advice from.
In moving abroad and starting a life as an expatriate, you need to get to know people quickly and Spain is a friendly country so, provided you don’t move into the “campo” (middle of nowhere), you should pick up at least some friendly faces quite quickly, but that of course depends on how much spanish you know. Speak to people who have already moved here, and join one of the online forums, such as British expats.
The language is a major stumbling block for many people and some knowledge of Spanish is much more preferable to the “Basil Fawlty” style of speaking to foreigners, i.e. raising your voice and speaking English slowly. This will NOT work and will soon annoy the locals.
Remember, it is YOU who is the foreigner here, not them.
If speaking Spanish is not quite your forte just yet, then there are many English areas such as Javea, Benidorm, Denia, Alicante etc, where, for years, expats have come and settled down to a new life. Some have made it, but some have not, have lost everything and returned to their home country, a bit wiser, but maybe a bit more cynical.
However a word of warning. The Spanish, in general are far more friendly, genuine, welcoming and trustworthy than the British! (And I speak from experience).
Location, location, location
Moving to an English area in Spain does bring benefits such as of course the language, the availability of Familiar food in cafes and the supermarkets, but the British can group themselves into little “cliques” or they live in some sort of “English bubble” with only British friends, British education for the kids, British food and a British right hand drive car.
This is, for many, a recipe for disaster and puts you in a situation where you are living an extended holiday, instead of living the dream, your dream, here in Spain.
Many people get bored of this and end up going back to the UK.
It is best to have a good mix of other expats and Spanish, and learn the language, it opens doors for you. Property is cheaper away from the coast and you will be in a place that is not too busy in the summer and dead in the winter time. Get a good mix of that, and don’t immediately take the plunge and buy somewhere, rent before you buy.
Money!
It goes with out saying that, unless you have a UK pension (which can be paid into a Spanish bank account), then you will need money. You will need substantial funds to move here and of course if you plan to buy a house inSpain, plenty of money for that too.
The currency of Spain is AT PRESENT the Euro, but with the deepening recession here (La crisis) it is anyone’s guess whether Spain will stay in the Euro or return to the peseta, so my advice is to not make any major investments just yet, and don’t move all you money here just yet, keep some back in your home country.
If you are looking for work, don’t bother as disappointment will be your enemy.
Spain is facing record unemployment, but you could consider running a business here, or turning a hobby into something more, however Spain system is not as easy to trade as it is the UK and you would be best off getting some professional advice before you do anything.
The cost of living is cheaper here but wages are half of that in the UK so it’s all relative and it is worth mentioning that child benefit, housing benefit and tax credit, all stop when you get here, even if you still own a business in the UK. If you lose your job here, you get no help from the state at all, so be careful.
Children and families.
If you are a solo traveller then Spain offers unlimited experiences for you to discover new cultures and make new friends (amigos) and acquaintances (Conocidos) but if you are like me, forty-something, and have kids, a lot more thought must go into your planned move to Spain. Don’t underestimate the lasting effect the move and the new life will have on your children.
They are part of YOU and have their own set of emotions, thoughts and mental challenges, with periods of insecurity and helplessness, especially until they make friends and of course learn the language, which seems easier for kids to grasp than it does for us older ones.
So it’s important to make the experience of moving to a new country “An adventure” for them, and try make the move fun, even though, form experience, the whole move will be very stressful and a lot of hard work!
Spanish education offers the expat either a state school, with the other Spanish children, or an international school, although the latter can be quite expensive. The best way for your kids to integrate into life here is to go to a “colegio publico” which is your normal everyday state school. This is free.
You must however understand that placing you child into a school full of new faces and they all speak a different language, can actually effect the child’s entire life and cause many problems and feelings of loneliness, especially if you bring a child to Spain over 10 years old or a teenager.
So, do you want to come and live in Spainor not?
With the above text considered, moving toSpainis fraught with danger as much as it is blessed with opportunities, as any new start can be.
Don’t underestimate how different life will be, not just the good weather (most of the time), and don’t under estimate the fact that you are emigrating, you are leaving your home country and probably your friends ands family too.
Can you handle it?
Only you will be able to tell that, but I do hope that this article has given you some kind of insight into the transition that you will be making and if you take my advice, your move to Spain and your new life as an expatriate, will be certainly an exciting one!
Buen Suerte! (good luck!)
Euro Exchange Rate