Hi comrades.  I’m an American and moved to London two years ago, where I still reside.  Its the worst place on earth and I want to get out of here, but I dont want to move to another place in the UK or Ireland or go back to the US. 

So I’ve long considered moving to Spain.  I have citizenship in an EU country, by the way so I have no visa questions.  However, I do have numerous concerns.

1.  Whats the standard of living in Spain?  In London its absolutely abysmal.  The stuff of nightmares.  I currently rent a tiny ROOM in an overcrowded, dilapidated house.  I do not want to live like this.  So is flat-sharing common in major cities in Spain (as in London) or is it typical for people to have their own places (as in the US)?

2.  I took Spanish classes for two years in university and have a basic level of understanding but am far from fluent.  Or even conversational, really.  Ive been using some language software recently to try to improve.  Anyway, is it likely I’d be able to find non-teaching work with…really rudimentary Spanish?  I’m 29, by the way and worked as a supply teacher in the US and did some classroom assistant work in London but…I really hate it.  Im thinking that teaching would be the only possible option, but…hopefully not.

3.  Would I even be qualified to do TEFL work in Spain?  As I said, I have experience in classrooms but I’m not qualified.  I dont have any TEFL certificate or any other teaching qualifications.  I have a university degree, though.  And this previous experience (for whatever its worth).

Sorry for the questions, but moving to London was a massive mistake for me and I dont want moving to Spain to be the same.  I worry because I have a very difficult time finding work in London so how much more difficult would it be in Spain where I dont speak the language terribly well?  And the housing conditions also concern me.

Hi,

Lucky you, London!!!

I’ll try to help you a bit. (1) Unless you live in Madrid or Barcelona, you should find housing to be relatively available and not to expensive. In the larger cities, room sharing is common. Cost of living is reasonable if you don’t own a car. (2) My spanish sounds like yours, and so far it’s been impossible to find work. Visit http://www.thinkspain.com and www.infojobs.net to get an eye for things. (3) In Valencia there is an abundance of English language schools so you may find luck there.

well you in london and want to get out .... same ere years ago and only stayed few day on holidays when i was young and it rained only good think was the hotel was good

Now Hanging by my toes sayed if in the big citys you have to share as price are hight ie Madrid or Barcelona , but have seen some place that are very hight standers not the old cramped damp old stile house off the uk , like a bedsit

jobs here are there from telesale , teaching you name then there here in spain

you like it
cheap flights with ryanair easyjet and gety you self a cheap hotel are hostel work from there

jurdy

Hello, Mr. Bombastic.  Have you been to Spain to check it out?  You’ll find young adults have a very high quality of life in Spain, as distinct from standard of living, and that people have a high disposable income, which is how they can spend a lot on clothes and entertainment.  This is partly because they stay at home and sponge off their parents for longer than would appear normal or indeed healthy in the UK or US.  Salaries are generally lower than the UK, but they’re on the rise, along with prices.  The Spanish think they have a housing crisis on just now, but they really don’t know how lucky they are by comparison with London. As for finding work, do you have any skills that transcend language?  If not, I suggest you start your own business, teach, or head for the costas, where you might get seasonal work or a job in real estate (but it could be commission only).  If you like to get your hands dirty you could head for my part of Spain where a lot of people get by on a mixture of agriculture, building and hotel work.  Or if you have some capital you could buy an old building for reform like we did.

by getting you hand dirty , think Martcross you always gettingyour hands Dirty from what i can see on you web site
that where the real money is and long hours will get lot cash
I did it in Ireland Usa and uk pumping,Ganrdening ,Wiring building and so on

just looking for my dream site with house and rebuild it and Yes off coures a pool
jurdy

elbombastico - 15 November 2007 05:22 AM

Hi comrades.  I’m an American and moved to London two years ago, where I still reside.  Its the worst place on earth and I want to get out of here, but I dont want to move to another place in the UK or Ireland or go back to the US. 

So I’ve long considered moving to Spain.  I have citizenship in an EU country, by the way so I have no visa questions.  However, I do have numerous concerns.

1.  Whats the standard of living in Spain?  In London its absolutely abysmal.  The stuff of nightmares.  I currently rent a tiny ROOM in an overcrowded, dilapidated house.  I do not want to live like this.  So is flat-sharing common in major cities in Spain (as in London) or is it typical for people to have their own places (as in the US)?

2.  I took Spanish classes for two years in university and have a basic level of understanding but am far from fluent.  Or even conversational, really.  Ive been using some language software recently to try to improve.  Anyway, is it likely I’d be able to find non-teaching work with…really rudimentary Spanish?  I’m 29, by the way and worked as a supply teacher in the US and did some classroom assistant work in London but…I really hate it.  Im thinking that teaching would be the only possible option, but…hopefully not.

3.  Would I even be qualified to do TEFL work in Spain?  As I said, I have experience in classrooms but I’m not qualified.  I dont have any TEFL certificate or any other teaching qualifications.  I have a university degree, though.  And this previous experience (for whatever its worth).

Sorry for the questions, but moving to London was a massive mistake for me and I dont want moving to Spain to be the same.  I worry because I have a very difficult time finding work in London so how much more difficult would it be in Spain where I dont speak the language terribly well?  And the housing conditions also concern me.

I am an American citizen with residencia no lucrativa ( Resident non-lucrative) what that means is that i cannot work in Spain but thankfully i do not need to!!!!! I have been living in the Posh Marbella, Puerto Banus for six months it is like living in South Beach or Southern California. 70% of the residents are all foreign retirees most from Britain. Life in the south of Spain vary from a very Exciting Summer season to a down and slow winter season but still the change of pace was good for me i needed to slow down my pace of life of what i had in Miami. In the costa del sol and many areas in spain the cost of living is Prohibited for locals. Allot of the young people stay home with there parents even till they are more than 30+ years old. This is because housing in may areas of Spain is very expensive for locals. And those who decide to rent a 1-2 bedroom flat they have to do it with roommates. Just to give you an example i have met some 30 year old Spaniards that has been working in the same restaurant for 10 years as a waiter making the most 800 euros a month and a studio apt outside the city maybe in a rundown area is about 500 euros so he has to have a roommate to split themselves in that tiny studio so they could live. I live in a house all paid for but my luck is not the same situation for everyone. One thing that really bothers me is that young Spaniards after they graduate College they still live with their parents and they are in the most very complaisaint they are not carrier-driven like the young people in the United States. I don’t care what people tell me if you are a professional or any type of entrepreneur there is no better place in the world to make money than the United States!!!!!!!!!!!