It has been a strange few weeks here for myself and Darrell in Spain.  Today I have done a lot of soul searching and thinking.  This is the inbetween bit, the period between calm and madness, just before the tourists arrive in droves for the summer season.  By all accounts it has happened later this year, so we wait, just a little bit longer and see where this rollercoaster ride takes us.  I have never experienced seasonal work, so really have no idea what to expect, but from what I am told, it will get busy beyond belief.

Mine and Darrell's circumstances changed, like a bolt from the blue.  Another difficult time to go through, that will ultimately change our plans for the future.  Leaving The UK, was the biggest challenge of my life.  It was so hard having to leave family and friends behind, but necessary after the experiences we went through, that could never be healed, whilst living in a place, so full of nightmares.  Spain was indeed our saving grace, it has given us time to breath again, take stock and finally learn to love us and the people who are now a large part of our life,  When we left Britain, there wasn't much love left.  Horrific experiences, tend to turn one's heart cold and one becomes dead to the World around.  Spain has shown us that there is a World out there, far removed from what came before.  The welcoming nature of the expat community, the genuine help and support given freely, without any expectations and the cheerful, almost joyous disposition of those who we consider close has almost erased the past, we so need to forget.  A community, acting as a community should successfully, is amazing to see first hand.  Sometimes I just sit quietly, not quite believing how lucky I am, to have ended up here.  I never knew this place or even imagined what it was, that made it tick, but today, I am fully aware of what these people mean to me.  They have meant acceptance and a sense of belonging, after a year of detachment and isolation!

It has been a few weeks of up's and down's.  Realising what some people are really like has been difficult, but dealt with swiftly, so as not to prolong any difficulties and angst. I for one have learned many lessons , even in the last few days and will probably continue to grow more and more as time goes on.  Sometimes you know someone in a different place and time, that wasn't really real.  A strong sense of reality is born of experience.  When you eventually wake up and see the remains of the past you left behind, although hard, the realisation that what you see before you is horrific, is yet another reason to keep battling on, all the time removing the stumbling blocks to success and determination.

Homesickness has been a problem for someone we live with and is close to us, like a son.  When you are young, leaving home for the first time, it is hard, very hard.  He knows that one day we will return to Australia and he will go back to the UK and the bonds we have will cease to exist, which is upsetting for all of us.  We all came from difficult circumstances and went through shared problems and pain together, so parting ways in the future will be hard, but it will happen.  We all have our paths to follow, which are very different.  Myself and Darrell's journey will never take us back to Britain,  The pain there is too raw for us, but of course for some it will.  I worry about him falling into the same old traps, but would hope his friends will help prevent that from happening, otherwise I fear for the future.  Nothing is set in stone and he is well loved here, works hard and could forge a good life, given the chances he never had at home and the break he needs to succeed.  I'm sure when the season ends, he will do what is right for him and we will of course support that!

Going back to Australia in November is an option we are considering for many reasons, most of them personal.  This path is littered with obstacles, due to the nature of our relationship.  Australia still hasn't recognised gay marriage, and as such, I would have to return to Australia, much as I did in 1995, as a second class citizen, only able to stay on a visa, renewed on a three monthly basis and costing thousands of dollars a time.  From what we believe, Australia will allow the public a vote on whether or not to recognise same sex marriage eventually.  I am really not sure that is the correct thing to do, but it is a promise the current Government made to the Church.  If gay marriage is finally recognised, it will solve many of our fears and make the process of emigrating for me much easier.  We have also considered Darrell living in Australia for a while, whilst I remain here, until the law's change and also keeping the status quo and both of us staying in Spain.  We at least have many options to digest!

Brexit is also a determining factor for our future.  We are well aware that our status in Spain could very well change in two years time.  The panic on The Costa's after the Leave vote is very real, though in my view an over reaction.  Expats have already put their homes on the market and there is a real sense of impending doom. These are not of course my views and I believe Spain has a lot to lose, by putting conditions or worse on our lives out here.  Quite simply they will not.  Despite this vote, we have to take Brexit into consideration, when deciding our own future.  The squares in Spain are full of rumour and chatter and it could change the nature of work out here.  If the tourists stop coming and the houses are sold, there would be very little future for anyone, especially in an area such as ours, so a move to Australia would be welcome. One must remember, all the time, that this is turmoil based on panic, so I hope people see sense.

For the moment, home is Spain, our future is not certain and we live each day as it comes.  We have only been here for six months, but it feels like a life time.  If you ever feel like living the Spanish dream, don't think twice, you will learn so much from your time here, most of it good.  Wherever we end up in the end, this place will always have a unique place in my heart, lets hope for the forseeable future!

​Peace and love, always!

        Luke Martin Jones 27 June 2016 - Forever making decisions!

It was election day in  Spain yesterday.  Spain has a caretaker Prime Minister, since no one party won in the last round of elections.  The same result is expected again today, with no overall party having enough seats to form a Government.

After Brexit, there is no other subject on the minds  expats living in Spain. My stance was at odds with most people, who live and work in this country, expats and Spanish alike.  I make no apologies for the way I voted, but in reality, due to the lack of credible information, we all as individuals had to vote with our conscience, as I did.  The turmoil that Britain now finds itself in, is a product of speculation  and panic. When people finally calm down and realise that this vote for change will be a positive thing, then the economic free full in The UK, will end! My friends on The Square were very vocal about how they feel about those who voted to leave.  Let me just say, my vote was about change and stopping the waste of money that Europe is responsible for.  In my case at least, it was not about immigration and racism.  I am no racist, although I agree with stricter immigration controls.  We have to live with the way we voted and should pull together to make our Country work.  Stop the whinging and moaning and just get on with life.

We spent a lovely evening with our friends in The Square last night and had lots to chat about.  Darrell and I maybe returning to Australia sooner rather than later.  The trouble in Europe, problems with the Spanish economy and instability in the jobs market is making us reassess life here in Spain.  We both love and hate Spain in equal measure, but we know this was only a stop gap, before moving to Perth eventually. Life would be far easier, if we were to leave, but our hearts are still very much rooted in Spain.  We have to weigh up the pro's and con's and then make a decision.  For us, this was an all or nothing move.  We are not ever going to return to The UK, so we either make it work or we don't.  Of course all the people we know here, especially in our local square, have given us advice and expressed a view, but ultimately we have to make that decision ourselves!

​At the moment we are preparing to leave and restart our life in Australia, where it has to be said, things will be far better. Australia has a strong, robust economy, fair wages and due to myself and Darrell's relationship, we would have no problem settling in. Spain has very unique problems and with the Brexit vote, our life would remain very unstable for the foreseeable future and as with most things on the continent, there are no guarantees, so we have to think long term and decide what is best for us!  As with Brexit, this is also a defining moment for myself and Darrell and our life together, so we have to make the right decision, finally!

Whatever path we take now, we will always have the satisfaction of knowing, that Spain has given us back, everything we lost in Britain.  From a sense of purpose, good friends and a better lifestyle, we have achieved all we wanted to.  On that basis, we can move forwards with positivity for the future and look forward to a more fruitful and productive life, whether in Spain or Australia!

So my home country, Britain, has voted to leave the The EU.  I have just woken up and seen the news all over social media.  52% of the United Kingdom have voted to leave, in what is clearly a momentous decision and will change the course of history for my country for ever,  Personally I just didn't think, we would finally stand up and be counted, telling Europe exactly what we thought, but I was wrong.  Good on the British public for doing what we had to do.  Yes we really had no choice.

Europe has been collapsing for the last few years.  Since moving to Spain, living in another European state, I have actually seen Europe at work.  Don't get me wrong, I love Spain, but this country is in a mess because of Europe.  European regulations, Directives and Legislation has caused the collapse of this and many other European countries, over the years.  Europe should have woken up years ago to the will of its people.  This failed project, its waste, over paid bureaucrats and ill thought out laws, should eventually come to a close.  Brexit should be the first step towards the break up of this discredited union.  

The most disgusting thing I have heard, about our vote to leave The EU, is everyone who voted out is racist and it was all about immigration.  This is wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong!  This vote had nothing to do with racism, it had everything to do with taking back control, stopping the waste and investing back in our Country.  I have seen The UK, change much, especially over the last ten years, allowing unchecked immigration, the implementation of ridiculous European Directives, waste on an unprecedented scale, unrealistic quotas and Britain paying the second highest amount of money into the European cash cow.  The EU is the worst of all organisations, grown out of all control and like the charity I used to work for, a lumbering, bloated, poorly structured, out of control discriminatory project of Nazi origins that only thought about their own self interests and not the public they were supposed to serve!

In the wake of the referendum, David Cameron, the British Prime Minister resigned, just after 8am Friday morning. This really came as no surprise.  David had no choice.  He had campaigned to stay within Europe, yet the public rejected his call.  What other option did he have.

I actually have a lot of respect for Mr Cameron.  He did what he had to, to bring our Country out of the deepest recession we have ever endured.  He introduced gay marriage and championed a lot of the causes I believed in.  This was not always the way.  At the beginning I could not stand the man, or what he stood for, but over time, listening to the man and studying his policies, I realised he was right in what he did to ensure Britain became the strongest growing economy in the World, as it is today.  He was vindicated and we grew as a Nation.  

Working for a left wing charity, its corrupt management and its sanctimonious marxist rhetoric, I have finally realised, just where my political alliances lie.  Conservative at heart, with a strong belief in my home country.  This is why, David's decision to back staying in, disappoints me, he made the wrong choice.  I have a stronger belief in my home than he did and I know we will forge our way with brilliance, just as we did in the past.  

Mr Cameron was the Prime Minister we needed at the time, to clear up the mess, left behind, from the shambolic Labour Government before.  He did that job well, and to the best of his ability.  I for one will miss his leadership, but his resignation was inevitable.  

At the moment, nothing will happen. Negotiations will take place over a two year period.  As an expat my status here in Spain, my rights and Residencia will all be part of the negotiations.

When the new Prime Minister is elected in October, he or she will probably trigger Article 50, signalling the beginning of divorce proceedings between Britain and Europe.  It is likely that our status in Spain will not change, there is no reason for it too.  Countries like Norway have agreements with Europe to ensure its citizens enjoy free travel and access to services in Spain, without any problems.  For expats talking in village squares up and down the Costa's, in panic, not knowing what to do, just sit tight.  I am of the view that nothing will change at all.  Britain brings in a lot of income. Countries like Spain do not want to lose money and expertise from the UK, their economy is in a bad enough state, without forcing up to 1 million expats out of the country.  In a place like Gran Alacant, the City would close over night, it just will not happen.

There has been a lot of scaremongering about Brexit, none of which has been substantiated.  No one knows what will happen, we just can not make any assumptions.  It is probable that people in my position, with Spanish Residency, will be allowed to stay. New migrants who want to come and live and work in Spain, will probably have to apply for a work permit before arrival.  If you contribute to The Spanish system you will continue to enjoy your current status, as we will.  If you are retired, living here, you should remain in the same position, with a separate agreement with Spain, to allow you to use services as now.  It happens with many other countries, why not us.  Nothing will change!