Reasons to Join The Expats in Spain

My brother used to live in Spain. He and his wife joined the million or so other British people who left for a better life in a warmer climate.

Funny how it happened really. One day my sister-in-law was watching television and a programme about expats in Spain came on. She’d been to Spain with her husband several times in the past, and thought how nice it would be to actaully live there. One long holiday so she thought. After discussing the possibility of moving over with my brother the decision was made, they would too become expats in Spain.

The bungalow they owned in the UK was sold and they went over to Spain to look at suitable property, which they soon found in a place called Benijofar, around 30 kms from Alicante. As he had some background in book-keeping my brother was able to do some paid work on his computer once they’d moved over to Spain, so that helped bring in some regular income. And, as his wife was at pensioner age she received her retirement pension from the British government which also helped.

I went over to see them several times with my daughter, usually staying with them for about a week at a time. The good thing is that we got to visit a lot of places which the normal tourists wouldn’t get to see. Also, we weren’t too close to where the British ‘lager louts’ go to, so we didn’t have to suffer the kind of hassle they often bring to places in Spain.

I don’t think they realised at first what sort of problems expats in Spain have when they first arrive. The buildings aren’t always up to the same standard as they are in places like Britain. And, of course not speaking the language didn’t help. But, they soon settled down and started to enjoy the more laid back lifestyle the Spanish are used too.