Hola!

I have decided to move to Spain having recently separated from my Husband, my children are grown and I have just lost my job!  (I’m 44).  I am researching where would be the best location for me to settle and could use your advice.  I’m thinking the Costa Del Sol as I imagine I would be more likely to get English speaking bar/restaurant work there while I study Spanish (I am determined to be fluent in 6 months).  I don’t know anyone in Spain and am excited and terrified in equal proportions.  Could you give me the benefit of your experiences?

Thanks, Sarah

Hi Sarah,

Spain is a wonderful place, but I am sorry to need to start with a reality check.  There are simply no jobs to be had for anyone not fluent in Spanish these days.  A branch of Iceland Overseas opened near us a couple of months ago, they received over 1400 unsolicited CVs as people identified them (correctly) as a potential employer where you might not need Spanish, they probably hired less than 100 of them so that shows how many are still looking in our small town.  We are Costa Blanca not Costa del Sol but I am sure it’s no different, unemployment is rising daily, and bars etc are closing.

I completely get the need to start over at your point of life and really do wish you every possible success, but would advise you very strongly against uprooting yourself without some means of support, as you simply cannot count on getting paid work in Spain even once you master the language.  Of course, you have lost your job in the UK so maybe it’s no different, and if you can get any kind of income this is a great place to be… I would just urge you to be realistic and think very carefully before burning bridges.  Look at as many different options as you can and keep an open mind,

GOOD LUCK whatever you do..!

Maya

Thanks Maya I appreciate the information.  I’m actually living in Ireland at the moment and things aren’t any better here really.  I could purchase a property in Spain mortgage free (unlike Ireland) and I could support myself for up to six months without work.

It sounds like you’ve done quite a bit of thinking about this Sarah and I hope my earlier reply didn’t come across as too negative.  It’s just there are so many ‘I’m gonna move to Spain and work in a bar, la la la’ type posts around here… and those of us who are already out here and seeing businesses folding and people running home without their shirt, good hardworking people with sound businesses often - it’s easy to be cynical.

6 months without having to work, and no mortgage, opens up a lot of options; also there are some amazing property bargains around.  Check out my sig if you are interested in one way to earn a living regardless of location, and assuming you aren’t on a ‘get-rich-quick-without-any-hard-work’ delusion, which it doesnt sound like you are.  If you are open to new ideas, new ways of working - its eaiser in a country where people work to live rather than the other way round and dont get hung up about job titles and professional status - then hopefully it will all work out for you.

Keep us posted!

Maya