Here’s a personal quandary Mrs Flamejob and I are going through: Emigrate to Spain or stay in London?

She’s Spanish, but a Londoner at heart and has been offered two new jobs, one here in London with very good prospects and training for two years and another in Malaga on very good money with paid accommodation for the three year contract.

I work for a small architecture practice that does all sorts of weird and wonderful projects; it’s a great job. I asked my boss last night and he said there might be a way of working from Spain.

We worked out that if I work 2 days a week for my current company we would be in the same financial position as if she took the London job.

I also have friends who run a mountain bike holiday company in that area of Spain.

What to do?

Spain. You knows it!

Go.

I left 5 years ago and aint coming back!

Popping back to visit mates and family is fine but return for good? No f****** chance!

It’s not where you live – it’s how you live.

Spain. No contest.

I’d go as well….for the experience if nothing else.

Just wondering….where do the above posters live?

Our situation was similar – Mrs Eck is Spanish but lived in London all her life and then 2 years ago we decided to give Madrid a go. There are obviously difficult stages that you go through at the beginning but the way of life is great here.

I was lucky and found a job quite quickly and I’m now on my second job, working in a Spanish company and improving my Spanish no end!

Going back to the UK doesn’t feel like going home any more which probably says a lot.

Do it! Even if you hate it and go back in a year, you will have had a great experience (and I’d love to come and visit!)

Moved from the UK 5 years ago (to NZ) and not regretting it, be prepared for some hassles at first but they pass quickly, don’t bail out to soon, give it a year minimum. Don’t get to 50 and wonder what would have happened if you’d gone to live in Spain.

If you don’t take an opportunity, you’ll always wonder “what if?”.

My wife and I had a similar scenario a few years ago and we ended up moving to Holland for 2 years. It was not an easy decision even though we weren’t far away from family & friends but we’re so glad we went. It took a little while to adjust but most of the time it felt like we were on a working holiday and we still regularly talk about our time there and the things we did. Great experience.

On a slightly related note my wife is off to Spain next month (near Orgiva, 2hrs from Malaga)to work at a health spa for a week. I think she would love to work there full time and I would jump at the chance to go. Slap bang in the middle of some of the best riding in Spain. I’m not quite sure what I’d do for a job though.

Go for the experience but don’t burn your bridges. I know a number of folk who retuyrned after a few years. They missed too much about Britain.

Myself I travelled widely with a view to emigrating but in the end Britain is my home and there was too uch here that is not available elsewhere.

At least with a spanish wife you won’t be stuck in the ex pat community complaining about the day old newspapers and the lack of marmite.

Its not an either or situation. go for a few years and see how it turns out.

I would def live in Spain rather than London.

Oh, and it’s now 10 past 10 and we’re just starting our day’s work despite the fact that our working day starts at 8.30.

(well, we have to go down for coffee, don’t we?)

And we finish at 3 every Friday….and every day from mid-June to mid-September

I’d rather live anywhere than London.

I’d rather live in Edinburgh than anywhere

eckinspain – don’t be too smug – I’m not working at all today and going out riding. 😛

spain – no brainer 🙂

I feel the need to be smug.

The one thing I didn’t mention is that before the contract Mrs Flamejob needs to go to the back of beyond in Germany to learn about how to build trains for 3 months.

I’d rather say we tried it and did/didn’t like it than I wish we had gone,we are going to Canada next week with the attitude of if it doesn’t work out it was a big holiday and at the most it cost us a bit of money

eckinspain – don’t be too smug – I’m not working at all today and going out riding.

joder 😡

Myself I travelled widely

And they dare to say Travel broadens the mind. Not to everyone though.

As strato says. I have spend the last 4 year in UK 2.5 of which I kept moaning about coming back home in the South East of France.

Now I am back home and the only thing I want is come back to UK. Even the hilldoger, CFH, TJ djglover and other racists on here can’t spoil the overall that I meet a lot of nice people.

So I am looking for jobs in the north probably around Aberdeen, Edinburgh or Dundee.

i know what i would do….. SPAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks guys, all this is really useful.

BTW Mrs Flamejob is reading this now!

The saddest question you can ask yourself is “what if?”, seriously you’ll never know if you don’t go. Don’t worry about missing “things”, it’s surprising how much you don’t miss.

Malaga is a bit of a nightmare and a bit out of the way, despite Spain’s cheap railways but there are some nice enough places nearby (for mountains I prefer the Sierras de Cazorla to the Alpujarras). Madrid would be a no-brainer though – brilliant city. Doesn’t sound like you’re anticipating a permanent move but the bigger question would be how MrsFJ feels about her career and your general life plan.

Where’s Mrs Flamejob from? Maybe she knows Mrs Eck.

If she learnt to drive in London she probably learnt with Mrs Eck’s dad!

Do it you can always come back if it’s crap.

How you doing Mrs Flamejob? 😉

Get out there & try it.
Great opportunities like that don’t come along everyday.
Do you speak spanish?

I think we’re going… you guys, plus a comment from one of her current colleagues ‘don’t be daft, just go while you’re young enough’

She’s from Valencia; I didn’t mention that my folks live in Mallorca too.

My Spanish is at Tarzan level, though this will certainly give me a kick up the arse to learn more!

do it, never look back on life and regret it.

Oooh shittywok. They have forgotten that they told her that the accommodation would be paid for ……. NOW WHAT?

Life is a long holiday in a weird sort of way. Go while you still can and come back when you are bored.

😀

Gary_M – Member
Spain. No contest.

Spot on!

my sister emigrated to Canada. Came back for a short while after about 5 years out there. Hated England, couldn’t wait to get back to Canada.

I’m visiting this summer, I may not want to come back…

Can’t believe your even asking. Been in Canada just over a year now, loving it.

Oooh shittywok. They have forgotten that they told her that the accommodation would be paid for ……. NOW WHAT?

Still go; you’d have to pay rent/mortgage if you stay in London, might as well pay it to live somewhere in Malaga. Sounds like your boss is pretty chill if letting you work from abroad (is there really a lot you can’t do from there with a good broadband connection, email and skype?) is not fazing them but actually being considered.

as many have already said, experience etc. better of finding out through experience its not for you, than wondering if it is.

I moved to Australia 2.5 years ago now, after a number of years of to and fro between London and Colorado – first 3-4 months of not knowing many people, hard time finding work etc was tough and I thought of returning to London; now me and my (aussie) wife have a house 7 mins from the beach, about to buy acerage (hello private, handbuilt and designed trails!!!), i have been with the same relaxed company ever since I got my first casual job with them and been ‘promoted’ to a point where I’m pretty much left to my own devices, and am just about to go back to London for the first time in 3.5 years.

It’s hard to say it at times, but London is no longer home; I don’t miss rush hour connex/tube, or everyone being too busy or everything being expensive; I say hi to random folks in the street and get a reply rather than a look as if I’m nuts, ride every day if only to work and back. The only downside for me is being so far away from certain friends and family, but phones, emails, texts and webcams make it a hell of a lot easier than ever before. You’ll be in Spain; 60mins on the plane and you can be back if you are desperate – although I reckon more of your friends and family will be wanting to visit you and more than happy to provide heinz baked beans, marmite and yorkie bars in exchange for floor space and warmer weather riding.

wow, long post; but listen to Nike; Just Do It

After a sleepless night I re-did the sums and it seems that if I can do 3 days work a week for 50 weeks a year then we would still be on top.

I’ll wait till Mrs Flamejob wakes up to discuss it.

I am actually used to re-inventing myself and have been: Farmer, Pilot, Entrepreneur, Student, Engineer, Businessman, Bike shop manager (eeek!), designer all over four or five countries.

Again, thanks for the support; it’s great having an unpartisan group to self sanity check against.

Juan – how on earth can you call me a racist – that is both offensive and untrue. To accuse me of a closed mind is out of order as well

Call me a fool or whatever – but do not be so insulting as to call me racist.

flamejob, its better to regret doing something than not doing something in my opinion. im hoping to emigrate next year, fingers crossed.

could you mail me if you dont mind, on something totally unrelated 🙂

(bet thats got you thinking hasnt it) 🙂

It seems that we’re going! Subject to me reading Mrs Flamejob’s contract with a scanning electron microscope.
I had a long word with my boss and he is sad to see me leave the office, but thinks it’ll work out.