New members of the Spain forum, introduce yourselves here - 2018

Greetings!

We are Joel and Walt and have recently purchased a villa in the North Costa Blanca area (specifically Ontinyent) and LOVE the town and surrounding area.  We love the accessibility to both Valencia and Alicante (1 hour in either direction)

We also have a home in the San Francisco/Bay Area where we currently reside.  Eventually we will relocate to Ontinyent in 4 years but in the meantime we will be traveling back and forth during the year.

We both are teachers (Walt is retired and Joel has 4 more years) in the Bay Area.  We are foodies and wine enthusiasts in addition to loving  foreign travel.  Cycling is a favorite past time as well. 

So thrilled and happy to be part of this Expat community!!!

hello im a filipina living  spain and i want to work   live in gibraltar

Starlight

If you still need the info you should be able to get an answer by emailing the Gib Gov at

info@bca.gov.gi

Hello,

My name is Thomas. My partner and I are looking to move to Spain and are considering Murcia. We were hoping to use our TEFL certificates. Any insights?

Hi
I was reading through this site via a link from somewhere else
And found a very interesting read by johncar working for the spanish police
How do I send a private message to him ?
As I don’t seem to be able to find him now I have joined

Thanks

Click on the envelope upper right corner, then send a message to johncar.

Hi thanks for accepting me my names

Itsshreck

Hola a todas!

My name is Koko.  I live in Vancouver, BC, Canada and my husband and I plan to retire in Alicante in the fall of 2020.  He is originally from Mallorca, but we have decided to make roots on the mainland instead. It's much more affordable and gives some distance from the familiy ;-)  We've been together for 31 years in Canada, so it will feel a bit like starting over for him as well.

We're both passionate about good food and wine; hubby is an incredible cook and we look forward to utilizing all the wonderful produce Spain has to offer.

Before we move, I plan to get my TESL certification to have in my back pocket, as I will be searching for part-time work to supplement our limited pension income.   


I hope to gain knowledge and tips from expats on how to deal with all the bureaucracy that comes with becoming a resident.  I.E. Understanding tax laws in Spain and what this means for my pension, healthcare insurance, buying a car and auto insurance etc. 

Looking forward to meeting new people through this forum!

I live in Alicante and can probably give you tips on some things. Imam an American, so I may not be able to help directly on taxes, but I would suggest that you look into whether Canada has a tax treaty with Spain (they probably do). On another thread, there is a long discusion on the American Spain treaty on the conditions under which one files in Spain or the US. It may be pertinent. There are English svhools in this area and I previously worked as a technical translator. English tutors can find work. Rent and real estate prices are very reasonable in Alicante and I can help on neighborhood information when you get to that point.

Hi,
We have also lived in Australia for a long time & are now retired.
We live 10km from Estepona in Sabinillas close to the water.
Our thoughts were to settle in Estepona, but Sabinillas was  much more affordable, not far from Estepona, and also very nice & liveable!
We are also lookingto get to know English speaking expats to get together, sharing a lunch/dinner, listen to music, play cards etc
If that's sounds like you guy's you are welcome to keep in touch.
Cheers
Elisabeth

Hi my name is Carmen,,,,I live in the USA and cannot resist it anymore so I am selling here,and will try to move to Spain,,,From where my whole family came from

Hi tomas,,,,,,all my mothers side family are from Murcia,,way too religious,,and conservative,,,I am trying to move overthere  but I will not move to Murcia,,,,,the more north you choose the more literate and advanced they are,still conserve the happy way

Hi quamar,,,,go directly to the Spanish consulate or embassy,  so they help you,,,,,,nothing else I would suggest

Hi Rob,,,,in Spain the best way to meet people is sitting in one of those outdoor cafes,,,you start a conversation and people are nice so they respond,,,that is sober,  not in a club,,,,,,but more real life

Hello Spain, we are a Belgian (Flemish) serial expat family.

We will be moving to Soto de la Moraleja, Madrid this July and our 8-year old son will start at the International College of Spain in September. If anyone lives close by, has useful tips or would like to meet up, let me know.

Hasta luego!

Wonderful and thank you. We will be renting...preferably a chalet, but will likely need to be  a flat if we choose to live in the city. I'm curious about Santa Pola as well. Have you been there? Thoughts?

Reply to Koko:
Santa Pola is a nice town about 20 km south of Alicante. I have been there many times. Has good restaurants, interesting roman and iberian ruins, and you can likely find a chalet there. The last time we went it was to buy fresh seafood at the lonja, where you could previously buy fresh locally caught fish directly from fishermen or wholesalers. It now appears as though la lonja has stalls operated by middlemen. In any case,bit is a nice area, gets quite a bit of tourism, although I doubt the numbers in the wiki. There appears to be regulat bus service with the airport and Alicante, and Santa Pola also is close to the Tabarca island which is a nice place to visit. As a town I think it is less touristic and more Spanish Valencian than the area around Benidorm and Alfaz de Pi. It is not dead in the winter like some of the coastal tourist towns.

Hi  like everywhere nowadays  you need to be careful,,,,,,the best is to ask the embassy or the consulate  they might have  secure and reliable referrals

Hi!

Moving to Marbella for a job at the end of August and looking to make new friends to go out with.

Would be lovely to speak with you!

Heather x

So glad to hear this about Santa Pola! Will definitely visit there next year as a prospective future hometown. Thanks!

Hello,
I have just retired and living at santiago de la ribera.
I am looking to exchange my UK car for a newer Spanish car.
Does anyone know if any garages in the San Javier /torrevieja area.
Hoping to join the SAMM mo bo club shortly.

Steve

Hi

I am moving to Spain (Marbella) in August for a new job. I am a primary school teacher and looking to make new friends to make the move a little bit less scary!

Any hints/tips about the move would also be appreciated!

Thank you!
Heather x

Hola to all - My name is Tina Weymann, from Rochester NY (USA). I am in process of buying a lovely townhouse in the small village of Salem (in September) and need, initially, a lot of hand-holding and advice about the whole moving process. I'll try to post some specifics soon, but in the meantime, it is very comforting to know how many like-minded folks have already been through the process! And, of course, once I am settled, I'll be eager to join the Valencia expat community in a more than "virtual" way.

Hilary and husband Roy taking early retirement and moving to Lanzarote (Playa Blanca). Should complete villa purchase mid July. Can’t wait.

Hello all,

I moved to Barcelona in back in February and started a Spanish class a bit later. It is not coming along very fast as my partner speaks English as well. I'm also looking for an interim job maybe as an English tutor or a supplier of Jamaican baked treats to cafes. Anyone has any ideas of how to go about this please feel free to give tips.

Brgds
j

Hello members,
I am investigating all the things I need to do to move to Magala or Valencia or Seville - haven't decided.  I  am Kathi from Cleveland Ohio, USA. Plan on retiring in about 2 years.  I will be looking to involve myself in volunteer work to help out whatever community I end up in.  I will import my car but mostly plan on using my bicycle as transportation or public transportation.  I was hoping to grow a garden but the soil ( from Photos) looks poor.
I am open to all advise, tips and good info.

Hi. Me and my family are looking to move  out to tenerife. Does anyone know of any rental company's that would meet us at the airport and show us around properties

Hi Meli,
I just joined the forum today I am not in Spain presently but on my way.
There is a very good app for learning any language with audios, stories to listen to , grammar etc.
I have started my Spanish on duolingo and am advancing fast - one hour a day is plenty especially if you are already surounded by Spanish everywhere you go.
Please take a look and let me know what you think.

Cita S.

Hello!
I am a US resident planning to move to Spain in the fall of 2019. I traveled through northern Spain this year and fell in love with Pamplona!  My plan is to work remotely for a US company on a non-lucrative visa, but still figuring out lots of details. I’d like to work for a Spanish company but that seems incredibly difficult to work out (I’m in the tech industry). I learned to speak Spanish in Chile, and find Spaniards much easier to understand! Haha

Anyone else in the Pamplona area? Or have experience with a NLV and remote work? Excited to get to know this community!

Hello everybody!.Iam a new member in Spain. I just moved from Mauritius to Spain but I was born in Cuba.
I would to make roots here in Benidorm. I used to work in the Hospitality industry but I want some changes in my life...So ,Iam thinking about to work as Realtor. Alguna empresa inmobiliaria interesada en contratar a una persona multilingüe y emprendedora como yo?.
Cheers,
Saludos a todos.

P.s. Hope to meet some new friends. Espero conocer nuevos amigos.

Hi all,
I'm Rebekah I'm from the UK but I currently live in Turkey with my husband. We are planning to leave Turkey in the future to hopefully make a better life for ourselves and our future children.

I'm an English Kindergarten teacher and I would love to continue this career in Spain. I have looked at Granada as an opportunity but I am open to options.

If anyone has any contacts or advice or guidance it will be most gratefully received.

Thanks again!

Hi my name is Pete hope to have some good conversations on here.  I have been coming back and forth to Spain for the last 14 years I am retired but not yet become a resident  depending on the Brexit it remains to be seen if I do.  Pete.

Hi, I’m currently living in France with my wonderful Bernese Mountain Dog. He is getting on in years and when he joins that dog club in the sky, I am coming down to Spain in the Mijas area. Looking forward to that and meeting golf loving, dog loving people there.

Hola Koko,
My name is Carmen ( originally Montreal but as lately B.C.).
I am an International teacher just about to retire - have one remaining year from a two year contract in Poland. I have an apartment in Spain so I spend  my summers and other holidays in Spain.
My place is  in Almeria province ( Almerimar - a small place with a population of around 14.000 people, 2 Golf courses,a Hospital, a marina where a lot of Scandinavian people moore their boats, bars, restaurants a Mercadona and the nearest town with more sofisticated shopping and a big department store El Corte Ingles 10 Km. away)
Spain is an incredible country, cheap to live in so your limited incomes ( pension) will do you just fine but you can always do some private tutoring on the side.
Depending on the maintenance fee for your house/apartmetn if you own a house you will pay at most 3000 Euros / year - that includes water, electricity, maintenance fee, house insurance , internet. property taxes. Renting I don't know it varies from place to place starting from 500 Euros/month to 1200 for a bigger accommodation with3/4 bedrooms in places like Marbella, Malaga.
People's decisions to establish themselves in a particular province depends largely on their preference, experiences or simply circumstances. I came to Almerimar because one of my coworkers had a place here, came to visit, liked it and bought an apartment in the same complex as my friend.
Since I haven't lived long enough in Spain I can't give you more insights than superficial advise but if you have questions just ask away and if I have the answer I will answer you.
Regards,
Carmen Santorini

Hello all, from South Africa. Very excited to be moving in the next few months to Barcelona with my family. Paperwork done and just to file it at the Spanish embassy. Looking forward to this.

I would absolutely recommend the Malaga area. Whether you are looking for a town centre, Malaga is a must. Beautiful city, lovely walks, fantastic tapas bars, restaurants. Outside of Malaga there are beautiful places up towards the mountains. Easily reached from the airport for your friends to join you.

Hello all
My partner and I moved to the Southern Costa Blanca two years ago but have now moved inland to Ontinyent in search of a more settled, less “touristy” community. We are both retired- I was a teacher in my former life, whilst Philip was a vet.
He is vegan and I am predominantly veggie, which can be tricky in some areas, but generally people are very accommodating!
We started to learn Spanish when we moved over, but Valenciano is spoken here and is very different!
Would be grateful for hints and tips, and to hear from anyone in the area.

Hi All

I have recently bought a holiday static caravan close to the mountains in finestrat near Benidorm.

I wonder if there is anyone else is close by who I can meet up with for a coffee and cake and to share information about the local area.

Also I would like to know if there is a citizen s advice center or website for english People who don't speak Spanish that could help if you have any issues regarding living out there.

Thank you for reading 😎😘

Dawn

Hi Everyone,

My wife and I are considering buying a property for us to move to. We are thinking about Almeria, could anyone provide any advice on the best areas, property prices, best real estate agents to use etc.

Thanks

Anders