August 02 2006
-Where were you born?
England
-In which country and city are you living now?
Pontevedra, Galicia, Spain
-Are you living alone or with your family?
Alone, visited by daughters and friends
-How long have you been living in Spain?
Almost five years
-What is your age?
Coming up for 60
-When did you come up with the idea of living here?
I have lived outside the UK for most of my life – in six different countries.
-Was it hard to get a visa or a working permit?
No. I don’t work.
-How do you make your living in Spain? Do you have any type of income generated?
I am retired and live off my savings and pension.
-Do you speak Spanish and do you think it’s important to speak the local language?
Yes, I speak Spanish. I have always become fluent in the language of the countries I’ve lived in. And it’s important to adopt local patterns of living — to immerse yourself, as much as you can, in the culture.
-Do you miss home and family sometimes?
I don’t miss anything about the UK. My favored recreational activities are touring and writing. And learning to play the piano.
-Do you have other plans for the future?
*To travel throughout Spain
*To travel to North Africa
*Possibly to live a part of the year in the south of France
-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home?
I own a five-bedroom house in the hills overlooking Pontevedra. It would cost about 300,000 euros today.
-What is the cost of living in Spain?
It’s cheaper than in most of Western Europe, but inflation is high, at over four percent.
-What do you think about the Spanish people?
They have a huge capacity to enjoy themselves. Great to go out with. Not easy to form close friendships with as they have close family ties and so don’t need friends the way Anglo-Saxons do.
-What are the positive and negative aspects?
From my blog: Thoughts from Galicia
“I stand accused of being condescending towards Spain. Of implying that the country is less well-developed than Britain.”
“I can hardly do anything other than pleading guilty to this charge, as it is exactly why I chose to spend the last third of my life in Spain.”
“To put things in context a little – I also regard Spain [as well as Britain] as less well-developed than Japan, Switzerland and the USA. But, then I wouldn’t want to live in any of these countries. Simply put, Spanish society may not have ‘progressed’ as much as any of these and other places but it is, by my lights, a vastly superior society.”
-Do you have any tips for our readers?
Things to know about Galicia:
* Central heating is a must, especially if you plan to live in the mountains. And dehumidification is common in the more humid areas.
* Be particularly careful about river/mountain valleys, such as the one in which the spa town of Mondariz lies. These can suffer from mists/fogs in the winter that take the entire morning to dissipate.
* Spain is a wonderful country (or nexus of would-be ‘countries) and I love living here. But there can be no doubt it can, at times, be a high-hassle place. So, the basic rule of survival is – “Keep Things Simple.”
Many others are all contained in the above sites.
-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs related to Spain?
Thoughts from Galicia