PROBLEMS ARE UNIVERSAL – EXCEPT IN SPAIN WHEN YOU’RE AN EXPAT

From the moment your plane touches down, the thrill of living life to the full in a fresh and exciting new country is real. Life becomes a near-ending assault of new experiences, new sounds, new smells, new people and new sights……

For some people, that initial rush can be a little overwhelming. But for those able to stick with it, the rollercoaster soon settles down into a relatively familiar rhythm, but to a new and different beat.

Life in a new country can never really be exactly the same as the one you left behind. So the question you need to ask before you move is: do you want to let go of the tastes from home and dive head first into a completely new culture, or would you prefer the transition be a little more gentle? Others moan about the lack of favourite foodstuffs in their adopted country – namely bacon, butter, the right type of milk and, of course, the good old English sausage! Whilst there is a fair smattering of tropical viruses and poor or virtually non-existent healthcare, it becomes immediately clear that not all expat destinations are created equal.

For all the glory of Thailand, the friendliness of Australia or the opportunities in the good ‘ol USA, none of these locations can compete with Spain in terms of making the ex-pat feel right at home. Brits living in Spain have no such problems adjusting to the time difference, lack of healthcare or the lack of choice in the supermarket aisle. Spain has developed such a deep cross-cultural appeal for Brits and of course many other northern Europeans, that it really is a home-from-home for millions of happy expats, albeit one with better weather, affordable properties, stunning beaches and a rich vein of Spanish culture and history that happily exists side-by- side with the many Irish, Scandinavians, Germans and Brits that now call it home.

VIVA ESPANA!