Moving to a different country: Spain/Gibraltar

sonneti · #1 07-15-2007, 10:08 AM

This might be a bit googletardish but I just want to read experiences from moving to a different country. I live in Northern Ireland now and after reading this thread: Property: What Can You Buy For $500,000? I've came to the conclusion that theres no way I'm paying $500,000 to live in a shed when I can move country and live in a castle. Plus I think the experience would be fun & give me a new sense of perspective in life.

Spain/Gibraltar has been my first choice, it's fairly close, great weather and I should be able to get some sort of job out there. I think I could support myself playing poker but I don't want to rely on it + I'd like to just be able to turn off when I come home from work instead of thinking about poker 24/7.

Stuff I want to know is:
Was it difficult leaving friends & family?
How did the people treat you in general?
Any surprizes or regrets?

Any tips, stories or advice appreciated [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

mason55 · #2 07-15-2007, 10:15 AM

make sure you know spanish cause people there really don't speak english

TheMetetron · #3 07-15-2007, 03:41 PM

1) We have a travel forum now if you'd like to ask future questions there [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

2) You are really going to need to speak Spanish or at least have a desire to learn to speak Spanish, ESPECIALLY if you are trying to get a job there. Even just living there without speaking Spanish isn't going to be fun.

3) Make sure you move to a part where Castellano is the main language, as moving to an area like Barcelona and trying to get a job would require you to now Catalan as well.

cbloom · #4 07-15-2007, 03:56 PM

If you're an EU citizen can you move and live anywhere in the EU ?

TheMetetron · #5 07-15-2007, 03:58 PM

[ QUOTE ]
If you're an EU citizen can you move and live anywhere in the EU ?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes. Assuming you can support yourself or find a job there.

PS - Please tell me you aren't an EU citizen and that is why you didn't know this.

cbloom · #6 07-15-2007, 04:03 PM

Yeah I'm American and am depressed by the ridiculous price of housing here and how cheap it is in lots of other beautiful countries, but I mostly can't just move there cuz of the stupid laws [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

shanghairay · #7 07-15-2007, 04:11 PM

spain sux if you can't speak spanish... well it's great for like a week, but then it's a b***h.

(in spain it's actually that tons of people just don't speak english)

TheMetetron · #8 07-15-2007, 04:43 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Yeah I'm American and am depressed by the ridiculous price of housing here and how cheap it is in lots of other beautiful countries, but I mostly can't just move there cuz of the stupid laws [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

Perpetual tourist? Works for me although it isn't really cheaper unless you hole yourself up in a middle economy and never travel, which I find isn't very much fun.

TheMetetron · #9 07-15-2007, 04:45 PM

[ QUOTE ]
spain sux if you can't speak spanish... well it's great for like a week, but then it's a b***h.

(in spain it's actually that tons of people just don't speak english)

[/ QUOTE ]

The rest of the world but Northern Europe sucks if you can't speak their language. I imagine Italy would start to suck too if you didn't speak any Italian. I'll be finding out in 2009 I suppose.

I think Thailand may be an exception to this, but I can't imagine anything in South America, France, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, etc would be a ton of fun to live in if you didn't speak their language.

Fishmonger · #10 07-15-2007, 05:20 PM

There are several areas in Spain where not speaking the language would be no impediment to leading a full and happy life, including a job. You can do it, but that doesn't mean it's to be done. As languages go, Spanish is easy to pick up and the people really appreciate when a foreigner makes the effort.