..and the sky is blue, yes i know this was obvious.  Hello fine people, hope you are all doing well.  My name is Petty, i am 26 yrs old and from Mississippi, USA.  I have developed a real interest in moving to Spain sometime in the next year or so, and becoming a chef, and would like to just get my info out there and see how realistic my goals are. 

First thing is i speak zero spanish, which will be a problem im sure, but im a fast learner and i imagine i can pick up the tongue fairly quick with some Rosetta Stone, and ive got some friends who speak spanish fairly well and i try to learn from them; so im not too concerned with this. 

I have been working offshore in the gulf of mexico for 4 years on a oil platform to save up money for a life change, so i believe i have a good enough stash to be able to make the move and sustain myself financially for a while until i get firm feet on the ground.

I have no formal culinary training, but i grew up cooking with my grandmother, and have been cooking when i get the chance for years now.  I have talked to chefs ive met along my journey in life, none of these are chefs at 4 star restaurants, but good chefs nonetheless, and a few have said you should go to culinary school, and a few said they just entered into an apprenticeship.  I would really prefer to just take up an apprenticeship at a restaurant and learn like that rather than going to school.  In my mind, im going to find a small little local, family owned restaurant that just makes amazing food and is low key; i have no desire to work in a super upscale place with snooty waiters and tiny little bites of food on huge plates.  I really want to be around a place with fresh markets for meat and veggies and cheese and wine and all the good stuff to eat.

I really need to start getting my ducks in a row as far as my paperwork goes, and i need to start learning the language, and i need to start reading up on the laws in Spain (im apparently bout to be busy), but i just wanted to introduce myself and tell yall what my plans are.  To sum it up: Move from USA to Spain, find work at a restaurant, work my way to being head chef, enjoy life. 

Please critique my ideas, straighten any misguided beliefs i have, and tell me if i am thinking unrealistically.

Hi, Welcome to the forum.

I would suggest that in the first instance you read through the content of this link;

http://www.spainexpat.com/spain/category/C23/Working/

On the home page of this site you will find much information relating to the whole Spanish Experience. You need to be aware specifically about Visas.

See this link;

http://www.spainexpat.com/spain/information/visas_in_spain_for_work_or_holiday/

and for Social security and healthcare

http://www.spainexpat.com/spain/information/social_security_in_spain_social_security_numbers_and_healthcare_unemploymen/

A working knowledge of Spanish is essential for the type of career path you are looking at, particularly if you are looking at finding work in smaller hostelries.

Finding work will be very difficult. Spain’s economy is in a very poor state at the moment and we have something over 20% unemployment.

Not to put too fine a point on things you have to be able to offer something pretty special these days to find a job.

Research is everything; do your homework and then do a lot more.

I wish you lots of luck.

fb

so basically you are saying that doing what i described will be next to impossible?  This doesnt surprise me at all, but near 20% unemployment????  Thats wild man.  Is there just hordes of unemployed people walking around all the time?

Will do some more research for sure man, thanks.  Maybe Spain isnt the place for me, i dunno seems really hard to get into right now.  Im just tired of America’s ridiculous politics (i realize politics in general have a tendency of getting out of hand), tired of completely materialistic media fed automotons sheep being led by slightly less ignorant television stars and celebrities, im tired of adhering to a society that i dont agree with for the most part; i dont HATE America, i just loathe the direction its headed.  I need a change of culture, hell i want to have some culture in my life period, and around here isnt cutting it.  New Orleans has culture for days and i live only about an hour away, but theres so much crime…

Who knows, im gone do some more research and come take a trip over there and see if its for me and then really decide, but i just wanted to start getting some info from real citizens.

Ignoring the fact that this link is from a Socialist website, it pretty much describes things as they are at moment and regrettably for the foreseeable future.

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2010/jan2010/spai-j25.shtml

Personally I don’t have to worry too much about work since I’m probably old enough to be your Dad and am retired. Even so living on pensions that derive from the UK we are subject to some restraints due to the Pound Sterling / Euro exchange rate.

I have to agree with your thoughts on the way things are in the US and really don’t understand why more people aren’t looking to do the same as you. We left the UK some 5 years ago for much the same reasons.

Regarding politics, three observations…

“Politicians are like seagulls. They arrive from out of nowhere in a fluster, squawking, sticking their beaks in…. crapping all over everything and then flying off leaving a mess.”

“Politicians are like nappies / diapers…They should be changed frequently, and for the same reason.”

Billy Connolly: ‘Anyone who wants to be a politician should be automatically barred from being one.’

I really think that if I was in your position, I’d get myself a 3 month holiday visa, and come visit. If nothing else it will be a change of culture. Don’t get me wrong on this point however; its totally different from what you are used to. The Spanish are totally laid back in their approach towards everything. Nothing gets done in a hurry. Don’t expect a please and thank-you. And never forget Spain closes down between 2pm and 5pm every weekday, and grinds to a complete halt for the whole of August.

If you do come over here, don’t make the mistake of centering yourself in one spot for the duration. Visiting Madrid or Barcelona as a tourist is one thing but living there may be something else.

A certain young woman has posted on another thread on this this forum her dislike for the culture she has experienced over here, but so far as I can tell she hasn’t left Madrid in all the time she has been here and as a result hates the place, and the people and can’t wait to leave.

As for crime…crime exists everywhere I’m afraid but where we live I can go out for the day and leave the door unlocked; I can walk the streets at three in the morning in complete safety. The bus company leaves one of its coaches parked overnight unattended at the roadside. Its the difference between living in a major city and a small village. We chose the village life.

As I said before, do plenty of homework the decide; you may be lucky enough to be able to find a niche over here.

good luck

fb

I would definitely move around vs just staying in one place for my entire trip; im a ramblin man.  I am VERY laid back, even to the point where i consider myself lazy on occasion, but thats fine because i work my ass off when its time to work, but i really despise it altogether.  I wouldnt mind stretching out the workday a few extra hours in exchange for a siesta…certainly no problem with that. 

I love to eat supper late, love staying up late, hate August; i mean everything ive heard and read about Spain has been nothing but what i want; i REALLY just want to be able to wake up, go to the fresh veggie/meat market and get my ingredients for the day, go back to my kitchen and pour my heart into what i cook and make people happy, and know my customers on a personal basis.  That and i want to consume Spanish ham by the pound and watch Barcelona futbol games with beautiful Spanish women around me…