Expats

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Rachel

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Lunch in The Square

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My friend Rachel, who I used to go to School with, nearly thirty years ago, was in Spain with her daughter, at their Spanish home.  It is half term in England, so the perfect time to get away.

Rachel doesn´t live too far from us, about an hours drive, so she drove down with Jess to see us at Casa Caprice.  Rachel helped us find our new home, so it was fitting that she saw it first.

Like most people Rachel got lost trying to find our house.  The numbering here, is actually illogical and can be difficult to work out!

Rachel and Jess

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Fish and Chips

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Luke and Jamie

After a few phone calls Rachel made it and we popped to the centre to pick up Darrell.  He had just got his NIE number, something we didn´t think was going to happen for a while, but The Police were happy that Darrell had entered Spain legally, after customs had forgot to stamp  his passport, when  entering northern Spain by road.

That was the first stage in a process of obtaining work and permanent residency in Spain.  All of us now have our numbers and are finally allowed to work legally!

We took Rachel to the local square, where we had lunch at the new bar, that had opened up on Friday.  The Fish and Chips there are to die for and was absolutely delicious.  It was nice to chat with Rachel, in more relaxed circumstances, after such an awful year.  Spain is certainly more relaxed, the people are far more obliging and the way of life here is something we are loving, although it is taking some getting used too, as it will after living in The UK for a life time!

We chatted about school and family for a bit and had a talk about the future and work.  The guys who own the bar gave me some information on local businesses and we have many options open to us.  Rachel and Darrell believe we should both keep in simple, at least for now and spend the short term learning the language, laws and customs.  I am tending to agree with them at the moment and am really just enjoying getting to know our new home, Country and the people who live here.

Rachel left with Jess early afternoon  and it was down to us to celebrate becoming legal!

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The Square

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Shots of SOTO

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Expats

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Thursday nights are the best nights down on The Square.  The people we have met so far are an amazing bunch.  Many residents are from the English, Irish and Scottish Community and all are welcoming and open.  Most people have been here for ten or more years and they all have one thing in common, THEY DON´T EVER WANT TO GO BACK TO LIVE IN THE UK.

You can see why.  This area is lovely, well kept and looked after. offering fantastic sunshine for most of the year, a safe environment for children to grow up in and a real sense of community, long since lost in Britain!

Everytime you ask the question ¿Would you go home?, you get the same answer, NO!

Britain has changed out of all proportion.  The Country isn´t the same as it was.  The values I was bought up with no longer exist and Spain offers a glimse of what could have been!

Darrell went to the bank to open a new account, so Jamie and myself went back to The Square to continue celebrating in his absence.  Plenty of beer and shots of SOTO, which really is a strong shot of alcoholic Coke.  Not being a big drinker of spirits myself, this is one of the only ones that I actually like!

Luke and Jamie

With June in The Square

With June and Darrell

At the bar

If I remember rightly, June has lived here for at least ten years and she has never looked back.  She plays an important role in the local community here.  She is motivational and inspiring.  She also tells you how it is and she is at the centre of English life. 

This is our third week, living in Spain and we have settled in much better than I would have ever expected.  There is a large expat community here, which, at least for the moment, has helped us all avoid home sickness and has helped us gently settle into Spanish expat life.  Of course other people may well be in two minds about the pro´s and con´s of an expat community, but I firmly believe, they are necessary for a smooth transition!

UK ´V´ Spain

So ¿How should one, approach a new life in Spain? ¿English or Spanish?  Well the obvious answer to these questions would be to have a balance between the two cultures!

Many people move abroad, especially to Spain, and have no need to learn the language or indeed become part of the larger Spanish community.  In reality, it isn´t necessary, especially when, like us, you have moved to an area, where there is a large expat group of individuals, within walking distance.

We met some other local people.  An English guy, who married his English Partner.  The gay couple who owned the local bar as well as those who have second homes here.  All of their opinions differ, from one end of the spectrum to the other.  The Englishman, who´s partner is a Spanish nurse, said he did feel at times, that he was living in the old British Soap Opera Eldorado!

I have just got back from the local shop, where we have just bought our supply of provisions for the week.  They all speak perfect English and there is absolutely no need to speak Spanish at all.

In that respect the jury is still out on

For those of you who are too young to remember, Eldorado was a British Soap Opera, based in Spain, centred around a British expat community.  Of course like all soap operas it had its fare share of drama, although not enough to sustain the programmes longevity and the show was axed, soon after it began.

Personally, I am not adverse to a community of like minded individuals, with common goals and aims.  It has once again offered me a great sense of belonging, something I have craved for a long time!

whether or not one should integrate fully into Spanish life or not!  At the moment, I do want that happy balance between Spanish and English.  I want to be able to speak the language and I need to be able to spend my middle years, growing old in Spain, knowing that I have done everything to become part of life here.  I am grateful a strong English community exists, for without them, we would not be feeling as comfortable as we do.  I certainly feel we can all be happy here, for a life time or indeed as long as we want too.  If things do not work out well, then we can always move on to pastures new, but for now I am loving my new life and the new people in it!

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Drunken old lush

Drunk

After another Thursday night out in The Square, I don´t mind telling you, I was totally drunk.  I mean just look at the state I was in when I got back to Casa Caprice.  Jamie was already at home and I think I really just terrorised him for a while, collapsing in bed at some point and today, suffering with the hangover from hell.

So, we all had an amazing night down ´The Square´ as we usually do.  We have met more new friends and were even given nick names, as everyone here has.  I finally have a real sense of belonging and am  truly happy with where my life is heading and so glad to be away from The UK and some of the worst people I have ever met!

Peace and love always!

Shameful

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