Notes from Spain 49 - Alan and Brian

[Ben]

Many of you will know Alan (AKA ‘El listo’) and Brian (AKA ‘Greytop’), from the forums, and here they are in reality! Brian (http://www.notesfromspain.com/forums/member.php?u=107) talks about the good life in Pego (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=pego,+spain&ie=UTF8&om=1&z=12&ll=38.843184,-0.11776&spn=0.166324,0.43396&t=h), on the Costa Blanca, whilst Alan tells us how to turn up in Valencia (http://www.notesfromspain.com/forums/showthread.php?t=870) with not much idea what to do, and end up having the month of your life…

Listen here! (http://www.notesfromspain.com/597/)

[Nic]

Another great podcast! Its great to hear how Alan and Brian coped with moving and living in Spain. Really inspirational and eye-opening!

[Edith]

Cool! What great idea to interview some of our own forum members. :)

Being able to have a Christmas BBQ sounds like my idea of paradise, although I realize this is not all there is to it.

[guapo]

Cool! What great idea to interview some of our own forum members. :)

Agreed, another cool podcast. I am sure that will inspire many people to get over to Spain and give it a go. Many thanks to Alan and Brian for sharing their experiences, it was great to hear from you both.

[gary]

Brian link picks up Valenciason's profile....

great podcast!

[ValenciaSon]

Brian link picks up Valenciason's profile....

great podcast!


That's because we are really the same person>:D

[gary]

That's because we are really the same person>:D

Naaah - you cant be in Pego and retired - you would probably be in bed - its 2am in Pego!!

Hang on, I'm confused - isnt it greytop thats retired and in Pego?

Is brian actually in Pego - Id better listen to the second part of the podcast....

[Brian]

A very nice podcast, and a great way to meet some of our forum members. I didn't know that Greytop was a Brian also. Great name! :thumbs-up:

[greytop]

A very nice podcast, and a great way to meet some of our forum members. I didn't know that Greytop was a Brian also. Great name! :thumbs-up:
Until Monty Python got a hold of it!
Glad you all enjoyed the podcast. It was an interesting experience but the recording equipment is so small you soon forget it is there.
Anyone still confused about ValenciaSon and I? Tough. We all have our little secrets!;D


Always look on the bright side of life, ta dum, ta dum......

[richardksa]

Informative, educational and totally enjoyable. Just what a podcast should be. It was good to put voices to the photos. I must admit Alan was much as I expected, but I thought Gretop would be more brusque and bluff. Instead I heard a mild, laid back bus pass carrying hippy.;)

There was lots of useful info for those of us about to make our own move. Do gestors speak English and do they appear in loas paginas amarillo?

[greytop]

Informative, educational and totally enjoyable. Just what a podcast should be. It was good to put voices to the photos. I must admit Alan was much as I expected, but I thought Gretop would be more brusque and bluff. Instead I heard a mild, laid back bus pass carrying hippy.;)

There was lots of useful info for those of us about to make our own move. Do gestors speak English and do they appear in loas paginas amarillo?

My potential hippy days were spent in uniform so I must be making up for it now;D
Some gestors do speak some english. At least you can struggle through it with him away from the relevant office, without a queue building up behind you thumbing through the dictionary. Many also work from insurance offices, lawyers or similar. Estate agents may be able to recommend one that speaks your language. Driving schools often handle licence applications.
I've also found bank staff to be helpful in pointing me in the right direction. Most banks have foreign speaking staff - quality not guaranteed!

A typical example of Spanish admin this week when, having turned 65 I needed to get a new health card.
Monday: visit Pego health centre clutching E121 forms sent from England. Lady tells me (in ES) where I need to go to get an INSS number that will put me into the Spanish Social security system.
Tue: trip to Denía and find correct office. Answer (in ES) all the questions, pass over photocopy of residencia card and get issued with number and EU health card. Ask to include my (younger) wife as a dependant and told I need another form from England, although letter accompanying my E121 stated it would be done by the Spnish. Back to Pego health centre administration and she enters more details into their computer (all in ES). Cuts my old medical card up and tells me to go to reception to get a temporary one and go back tomorrow for a new plastic one. Two windows in reception, place awash with people trying to make appointments for flu jabs, wait ten minutes in smallest queue but they say I should be in the other one. Go home. Will try again tomorrow!
Don't get me wrong - this is not a complaint, just an example of the sort of patience you need to get things done.
When I got home I rang UK pension department and a helpful young man is sending out the correct forms for my wife. Next week I can start again with those.
Would a gestor have helped? Probably not to get the paperwork correct in this case, but as an interpreter yes.
Update Wed: Revist health centre and got a temporary card valid until next July! Just my wife to go now.

[cubix]

Wow, what an amazing podcast. I really enjoyed this, Greytop you had some awesome insight and advice. Alan, it sounds like you are having a great time(Oh and I love the Scotish Accent, but I bet people like my Southern Accent too)

[Steve W]

I can't believe you got 50 replies! The most I ever got was 5. But it's quality, not quantity, eh? :)

I'm good friends with 2 of mine, and my first ever intercambio in Valencia, is one of my 2 best friends here in Spain, and through him I met so many other people, which indirectly led to me being in Barcelona now.

[Brian]

I can't believe you got 50 replies! The most I ever got was 5. But it's quality, not quantity, eh? :)

I'm good friends with 2 of mine, and my first ever intercambio in Valencia, is one of my 2 best friends here in Spain, and through him I met so many other people, which indirectly led to me being in Barcelona now.

I bet if you'd advertised an intercambio in Catalonian for English, you'd have gotten 500 responses. ;)