Roaming Brit
  • Blog
  • The Story Of Us
  • Other Blogs
    • Forever Enduring Cycles Blog 2015 >
      • Forever Enduring Cycles
      • Bipolarcoaster
      • Books For Sale
  • Gallery
  • Spain
    • First Month
    • Three Months
    • Six Months
    • One Year
    • 2 Year Anniversary
    • Spanish Views
    • Gran Alacant >
      • GA Advertiser
      • Gran Alacant News
      • LoungeD
      • No Wives Club
  • About
    • New Life
    • Wedding
    • 21 Years
    • Timeline
    • My Story
    • Australia 2016/17
  • Guest Bloggers
    • Penelope Wren
    • Debra Rufini
    • Claire Coe
    • Richard Guy
    • Optimistic Mummy
    • Julie Rawlinson
    • Letters Of Hope
  • Links
  • Contact
  • My Writing
    • Short Stories From My Youth
    • Verruca Almond
    • The Streets

From a new life in spain, to an old life in britain, 'roaming brit' documents uncertain times!

Picture

On 31st January 2016, my partner and I left Southampton to start a new life as Expats in Gran Alacant, on the Costa Blanca. This blog will document our journey, as we navigate the Spanish system, travelling a path untried and untested. With Brexit looming, political turmoil in Europe and an unpredictable future, harsh decisions have to be made. Illness, family bonds and a Change of heart all make for challenging times in a life of a 'Roaming Brit!'

Picture

Journey of Life!

2/4/2016

0 Comments

 
Picture
Picture
Picture
Yesterday was another great day for me in Gran Alacant.  My job is going well at Dunbars. I am working with some great people and am being taught some amazing stuff, by some Knowledgeable colleagues. It does seem weird, doesn't it, that so far, since moving to Spain, I personally have not got a bad word to say, about the people I have met here. That is not true about every aspect of Spain, but so far the residents have been everything I could have hoped for and more.  One has to remember, this is only the beginning of my time in Spain, so as I move forwards and begin to integrate further into this community, my views may of course change. It is literally a matter of time and judgement!

I was a very poor judge of character.  That was one of my downfalls in life.  Being able to tell the bad from the good, was always a problem and it has caused me no end of problems in the past.  Nasty people, who have an alternative agenda are very good at pretending to be, all things to all people.  Even the worst of people, can project an air of normality and calm.  To them, this is just a way of gaining something from you, in order to further their own ends, as I can testify!  Even today, even after what I have been through, I still find it hard to work people out. Maybe I do know how to work individuals out, maybe I just don´t want to, take them on face value or just foolishly block out, what I really know is true. Whatever the reason, even at forty four years old, I have to change.

Taking advice from others is an important aspect to learning from your mistakes.  I am a great listener and am listening to all those who wish to share their words, for all the right reasons.  Most people who live here, have had property for at least ten years or more and they know the local community well.  Their help has and indeed is invaluable.  There are all sorts of people living and working in an area of about 30,000 people.  Everyone from different walks of life, each person with a different past and all of us mixing together, in a melting pot of views and opinions. Inevitably, there will be problems, gossip and rumblings from some of the less savoury individuals, in future, but these are things we will have to deal with in time, as we integrate further.

We were given lots of free advice last night, from three people, who know all too well, what this place can be like.  At the moment, we see things through rose tinted glasses and believe that living here, will be the saviour of all our problems, everything is perfect and there are no bad people living in GA.  Well as we are fully aware, now, that could not be further from the truth.  All communities have rotten eggs, gossips and stirrers.  We have all met that person, who presses buttons and winds people up, tells lies and pushes people to their limits.  In many respects, It can be an aspect of human nature to actually act in the most distasteful way, in order to get a reaction.  Cause and effect if you will!  These sorts of people, like to play games.  Other peoples lives make for some truly fun times for others, always at the expense of people, who's only failing, was to trust someone they shouldn't. I think all of us know someone like that and many more of us, know a lot of them. Even the most astute person can be fooled by someone else, someone clever, someone devious, into believing that they are a true friend.  Manipulators can be perfect at getting what they want and if they don't, that's when things start to get nasty.  I, like many of my readers, have had first hand experience of this and the aftermath is not pretty.  The debris left behind is beyond measure and picking up the pieces can be very difficult.

People come to Spain for many different reasons.  Many come here to retire.  The weather is the selling point.  When you suffer with ailments in old age, the sun can be a great cure.  Arthritis almost disappears, depression becomes unimportant and many of the harsh realities of British life no longer rate.  After all the climate is a great healer in Spain.  It really can solve, not everything, but  at least a large measure of what people in Northern Europe suffer with.  Other people have come to Spain to work. Freedom of movement in Europe is important, and as much as people like me, have come to work here, many more Spanish take up opportunities in The UK.  Work life can be hard in Spain, with high unemployment and restrictive employment laws being a major stumbling block.  However if you are prepared to work hard and have the right attitude, then life here is good.  Then there are those who are running away from something, usually themselves, but of course they would say different.

It can be easy to restart your life in a foreign land, Darrell and I have done it many times before and although initially difficult, for me, I have settled in better than I would have ever expected, unlike past endeavours.  This was a bit like a last chance saloon, at the beginning, and last chance saloons never work.  This was more about the way I perceived our situation back then, when actually, it would have been better to look at it as a positive, forward thinking step.  It wasn't until I came here, realising that this was our life now, our new home and our future, that my outlook changed. As a rule I hate being forced to do anything, it is not in my nature, but this forced move, has become the best move, the only move, the first move of the rest of our life together.

I have no idea how long we will be living in Spain, but with our plans to also live with family in Croatia for a while, finally ending our life's journey in Australia, we have much to be thankful for.  The journey of life is not supposed to be easy, if it was, we would never learn anything.  Although our life has been hard, for me, now is the easiest part.  Finally living the life I always wanted, away from the dreadful influences of the past and without the turmoil that engulfed our life for so long!

​Peace and love always!



0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    51-year-old Author and professional blogger. Expat formerly living in Gran Alacant on the Costa Blanca! Currently, residing in my adopted home of Perth, Western Australia.

    Picture

      Contact Luke.

    Submit
    Picture
    Click me & email for more information!
    Picture
    Picture

    Categories

    All
    Asia-2019
    Australia
    Australia-202223
    Bettys-revenge
    Bipolar
    Bipolarcoaster
    Britain
    Bullying
    Business
    Cancer-research
    Cats
    Characters-i-have-known
    Charity
    Charlatan-or-confidant
    Christmas-thoughts
    Claybornes World
    Coming-out-stories
    Cooking
    Coronavirus
    Croatia 2022
    Current Affairs Politics
    Darrell In The Uk
    Death Of Queen Elizabeth
    Dunbars
    Easy Horse Care
    Events
    Events That Shaped My World
    Family
    Fascinating Facts
    Friends & Colleagues
    Gran Alacant
    Guest Bloggers
    Ibs
    Immigration
    Information
    Inspirational People
    Interviews
    Japan And Thailand 2020
    Jersey-2019
    Lifestyle Break
    Lockdown-life-in-photos
    London 2022
    Lounge-d
    Luke-martin-jones-awards
    Marmite Watch
    Memories Of Fareham
    Memories-of-home
    Memories-of-southampton
    Memories Of Spain
    Me-too-oxfam
    Milestones
    Moving
    My Life
    My Writing
    Non Touch Toast
    Oxfam Sociopathy
    Penelope Wren
    Photographs-of-hope
    Pippa
    Platinum Jubilee
    Postcards From Home
    Quotes
    Rabs-world
    Remembering Gran Alacant
    Reviewing Gran Alacant
    Santa-pola
    Self-isolation
    Shopping
    Short Stories From My Youth
    Southampton
    Spiritual
    Teaching Jamie
    Thailand 2022
    The-darkness
    The-streets
    The Two Of Us
    Travel
    Verruca-almond
    Villa In The Sun
    Visits From Friends
    War In Europe
    Weight Loss & Health
    Year In Review 2015
    Year In Review 2016
    Year In Review 2017
    Year In Review 2018
    Year In Review 2019
    Year In Review 2020
    Year In Review 2021
    Year In Review 2022
    Zest

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Tweets by realtruthblog
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture


    Instagram
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    A place to call home
    Finally, a place we can call home.  A community of like minded individuals, who used to call Britain home.  Now Spain is our choice, an altogether gentler, happier, sunnier and safer experience!
            Luke Feb 16
    Picture
Picture
Picture

Telephone

+447999663360

Email

lukemartin.jones@gmail.com
  • Blog
  • The Story Of Us
  • Other Blogs
    • Forever Enduring Cycles Blog 2015 >
      • Forever Enduring Cycles
      • Bipolarcoaster
      • Books For Sale
  • Gallery
  • Spain
    • First Month
    • Three Months
    • Six Months
    • One Year
    • 2 Year Anniversary
    • Spanish Views
    • Gran Alacant >
      • GA Advertiser
      • Gran Alacant News
      • LoungeD
      • No Wives Club
  • About
    • New Life
    • Wedding
    • 21 Years
    • Timeline
    • My Story
    • Australia 2016/17
  • Guest Bloggers
    • Penelope Wren
    • Debra Rufini
    • Claire Coe
    • Richard Guy
    • Optimistic Mummy
    • Julie Rawlinson
    • Letters Of Hope
  • Links
  • Contact
  • My Writing
    • Short Stories From My Youth
    • Verruca Almond
    • The Streets