One question for an ex-pat?

[Ben]

What is the one question you would like to ask an ex-pat (any ex-pat!) that has been living in Spain for a while?

(For an idea that I hope will soon come to fruition - thanks for your help in advance!)

[Edith]

What is the one question you would like to ask an ex-pat (any ex-pat!) that has been living in Spain for a while?

(For an idea that I hope will soon come to fruition - thanks for your help in advance!)

Would it still be possible to find a modest yet decent two-to three-room apartment somewhere near the coast in southern Spain?

[neskadebilbao]

I guess I would want to hear what it was like for an American. Meaning that European citizens tend to have an easier time becoming legal citizens and such. Ben, do you have any American friends? Follow up on your latest podcast..jaja!

[cubix]

I guess I would want to hear what it was like for an American. Meaning that European citizens tend to have an easier time becoming legal citizens and such. Ben, do you have any American friends? Follow up on your latest podcast..jaja!

I agree, seems like there are lot more hurdles for an american or non-eu citizen wishing to move to spain

[Ben]

Ben, do you have any American friends?
One or two (http://catavino.net/about-us-en?PHPSESSID=fa8927286c4c8615568094122e1cc02d) ;)

[Brian]

One or two (http://catavino.net/about-us-en?PHPSESSID=fa8927286c4c8615568094122e1cc02d) ;)

We must not be proper enough for him. ;)

[Ben]

Not at all! I just never met many out here!!!

[richardksa]

I agree, seems like there are lot more hurdles for an american or non-eu citizen wishing to move to spain

And vice-versa!!

[Greg]

I agree, seems like there are lot more hurdles for an american or non-eu citizen wishing to move to spain
I'll second that...even having the big advantage of marrying a Spanish citizen, it still was a long, drawn-out process for me. What Ben and Marina said in the podcast is exactly right: the most important things to bring are an open mind and infinite patience.

Before getting married, I looked into different options for getting my residency, including setting up a business, looking for records of european grandparents, you name it. :) The laws on immigration tend to change often, so it's a good idea to talk to a lawyer or gestor who knows the current laws, even if you end up doing the paperwork yourself.

If anyone's interested in the details of how I ended up getting my NIE, just send me a PM or email me. Now if I could just convince the DGT to exchange my US driver's license...

[richardksa]

My experience of Spaniards is on a semi-professional level and everyone I meet is very friendly. However, if a foreigner, (a giddy?????), moves in next door, what would be the usual reaction of the typical Spaniard? How long would it take to be accepted - assuming you are a general all round nice guy and not the neighbour from hell?

[Ben]

I have an Austrian next door, and an English lady down the hall... and I don't speak much to either of them! I think the concept of neighbourlyness is not as strong here as it is the UK. People will happily live next to each other and ignore one another forever...

The word you were after is Guirri :)

[Edith]

(a giddy?)

guiri:


Definición (http://www.wordreference.com/definicion/guiri) | Sinónimos (http://www.wordreference.com/sinonimos/guiri)
En Francés (http://www.wordreference.com/esfr/guiri) | En Portugués (http://www.wordreference.com/espt/guiri)
in context (http://groups.google.es/groups?hl=es&lr=lang_es&q=guiri) | images (http://images.google.com/images?hl=es&safe=on&q=guiri)
guiri mf argot foreigner

[Ben]

Gracias Edith - guiri con un 'r', no dos como habia puesto yo :)

[richardksa]

I have an Austrian next door, and an English lady down the hall... and I don't speak much to either of them! I think the concept of neighbourlyness is not as strong here as it is the UK. People will happily live next to each other and ignore one another forever...

So no different from the UK then.

[Edith]

Gracias Edith - guiri con un 'r', no dos como habia puesto yo :)

No hay de qué. ;)

El sonido del palabra sigue fascinándome - no parece muy español, ¿verdad? ¿Quizás viene del vasco?

[greytop]

I think the concept of neighbourlyness is not as strong here as it is the UK. People will happily live next to each other and ignore one another forever...

The word you were after is Guirri :)
I found I had to make the first approach. My townhouse needed work doing to it so I made the builder call on next door and we (he mostly!) explained what we were doing. The lady of the house was a bit stand-offish & obviously did not know what to make of los guiris. I had to go back a couple of times as we did things that might worry her. Typical response was "Yes, you can do that but I'm not paying anything".
Her mother lived next door but one and spent a lot of time sitting in the doorway sewing or waiting for friends to pass, so we made a point of talking to her every day.
We also joined los vecinos when there was a parade and put our chairs out on the pavement with the rest of them.
After 3 years we decided to move and they said "Why, what's wrong?" and seemed genuinely upset.
Unlike UK they never asked us in to the house socially, that seems to be reserved for family and old friends. If we'd stayed around for 20 years maybe we'd have qualified.
In contrast we now live next door to some Swiss people and have had several meals with them both in restaurants and at home.