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In response to Steve W’s post about moving to Spain, we add our two pennies worth on the first things you’ll need to sort out once you hit these sunny shores. Good luck to Steve, Pepino and all the rest of you that make this fantastic decision!
Some of the sites we mention in the podcast: for info on getting things sorted in Barcelona, try Barcelona Connect. We recommend Open Bank for on-line banking, Loquo for flat hunting (and much more!), Infojobs for jobs, and Asisa for private medical care.
Discuss this podcast in the forums.
Londinense
18 Jul 06 at 1:22 pm
My experience talking to people here in Britain about their reasons about moving to Spain are quite desolate. Sun and Weather, Sun and Weather.
Spaniards that come to Britain don’t usually want to remain on british soil until they die. The majority are very keen on learning the language and acquiring some professional experience that will be very useful when they are back in Spain.
As time goes by and the climate in the north parts of Europe will change to a more pleasent one, I hope that less north europeans will misuse Spain as a way for them not to pay their heater bill.
celia stevenson
19 Jul 06 at 8:52 pm
Another great podcast with some very useful links.You have convinced me that moving to Spain need not be as complicated as it could be.Although,it has to be said,that buying property abroad is another matter!
ps.I hope you have both managed to cool down!By the way,the temperature in the south of England today is 37 degrees.
Londinense
19 Jul 06 at 10:56 pm
Celia, bonita, as you can realise, there’s no point in moving to Spain. You’ve got the sun here! what else do you desire that you don’t have here?
Edith
20 Jul 06 at 9:38 am
Ben and Marina, thank you so much for this interesting podcast. Maybe my dream of moving to southern Spain or the Canary Islands will come true one day…
I do not agree with Londinense, who says we might as well stay home because our summers are getting warmer. Yes, the climate is changing and our summers are becoming warmer too, but as I have noticed again over the past few days, the heat in northern Europe is not the same as in southern Spain. The dry heat of the Meditarranean is much more pleasant, and southern summers last from Aprik or May until October. Even though our summers are getting warmer, winter is still as bleak, gloomy and desolate as ever.
I would like to move to Spain after my retirement, not only because of the weather but also because I like the lifestyle, the food, the music and the language. Learning the language will probably be the least of my problems since I already know some Spanish, and hanging out with Dutch expats only doesn’t sound very interesting to me. Socializing with Spaniards as well as with Europeans from other countries is probably much more interesting. Of course, it would be nice to know some Dutch expats too because you can share experiences.
Moving to Greece would probably be cheaper but I have a definite preference for Spain because of the language, and because Spain is more modern.
Edith
20 Jul 06 at 9:40 am
Meditarranean = Mediterranean
Aprik = April
Sorry for the typos, it must be the heat!
Londinense
20 Jul 06 at 10:52 am
Dank je wel, Edith! Nederlandse mensen zijn anders als Engelse mensen.
Ik verkieze je veel geluck in Spanje!
Brian A
20 Jul 06 at 10:54 am
Sorry Londinense to disagree with you. Yes the weather is a factor but it can be just as uncomfortable in the heat as in the British cold. Heating bills are certainly less in winter but there is also aircon in summer if you want a good night’s sleep. British indirect taxes to be paid out of a pension are another reason! Plus the high cost of property, transport & services in the UK. For me the real reason to be here (in Spain) and of many other expats I know, is the whole Spanish experience of food, wine, and sheer joy of living that the Spanish have. My only word of advice would be to avoid the real tourist hotspots unless you like that sort of life or are just spending holidays here. Permament living is a better experience amongst the Spanish.
Edith
20 Jul 06 at 11:08 am
Hoi Londinense,
Bedankt voor je leuke reactie!
Waar heb je Nederlands geleerd? Er zijn trouwens ook wel Nederlandse expats die liever bij elkaar klitten, maar omdat wij een klein land zijn moeten we wel vreemde talen leren, dus gaat ons dat misschien iets makkelijker af.
Groetjes, Edith
Londinense
20 Jul 06 at 12:53 pm
Ik spreek jammer geen beetje Nederlands, maar ik begrijp veel omdat ik erg goed duits prate, lese en schrijve.
Groetjes
Edith
20 Jul 06 at 1:54 pm
Amazing, Londinense! (I’m switching back to English because most of the other forumites probably don’t understand what we are talking about).
I also speak German.
My retirement is still 19 years away (we will probably have to work until we are 1967 by then), so I’ve got plenty of time left to keep on dreaming of living in Spain, speaking the Spanish language on a daily basis and enjoying my paella and rioja in the mild spring sunshine.
Londinense
20 Jul 06 at 2:30 pm
Mine is even further!
I think you have a pretty nice ‘Nederlandse lí¤ndle’ over there.
Holland is so central that I think it is the best place to live in Europe (well, if you forget the weather).