i_sistren

Hi all--

I know this is more of a travel/vacation blog and my question is a bit different since I want to stay for months rather than weeks. But hopefully....

I am a recently single woman planning to quit my job and spend a chunk of time in Europe, (first Spain) as a positive way to address my midlife crises. I want to live in beautiful surroundings with warm, friendly people. I'd like to find a place that offers a good balance between action and quietude so that I can finish my novel. Also, I need to make a little money so I'm hoping to teach English while I'm there, maybe even live with a family.

Any suggestions of where in Spain would be good? I'm open to smaller town or big city (not Madrid). I'm thinking Cordoba or Cadiz but I'd really love some input!
Thanking you in advance.

Robert2533

Cordoba? For how long? It’s a small city and it can be rather hot there in the summer. Cadiz is fine most of the year, but I would suggest not skipping Madrid. You need to spend a few days in Spain's capital, at least, to see why the NY Times listed it as one of Europe’s most exciting cities.

We tend to prefer the north coast, the Basque Country, Cantabria and Asturias, as well as Catalunya. You may want to refer to Maribel's Guides (http://maribelsguides.com) for a little more useful information in selecting one or more areas of Spain to spend some time.

WTnow

We have been traveling Europe for the last year and we live in a small beautiful white village in the winter and love it.

It is very difficult to get a long term visa for Spain which I am sure you know...... especially if you want to work. The jobs tend to be very low paying and it is much easier for UK people to get any English speaking jobs.

We got the retirement long stay visa but I know many who have tried and could not get it. The hassle is unbelievable ( but that is true of every European country I hear).


Also I am assuming you are fluent in Spanish as it will be quite difficult without that unless you live in a UK expat only area.

Also there is the problem with the falling dollar and that trend is most likely to continue, but will put a burden on you most likely. I suggest putting money into Euros when and if the dollar goes up.

That said, if one lives like a native, one can live VERY cheaply in authentic Spain and it is a sweet life especially in the winter. ( I do not care for the crowds or heat of summer).

I think you would be better off trying to make money from home or over the internet. I hear it is VERY difficult for an American ( which I am assuming you are) to get a job in Spain.

Living there is different than visiting, so prepare for some culture shock and time to adjust. I would take your time and plan well before coming and do lots of reading about living in Spain. ( We planned for years before take off and devoted the whole last year just for prep).

Carpe diem and good luck! Perhaps our blog will be of some use to you.

http://www.soultravelers3.com/

ComfyShoes

What a wonderful idea! I have thought something similar (spending half a year in Europe doing something drastically different from what I do for a living even though I love my job) but in 4-5 years. WTnow's blog is a must see for you. There are couple other Spain related blogs I occasionally browse that I will try to find and post for your purusal. I have not done enough research to provide pointers so far as a specific city, but the blogs could be a good start and I am sure others will provide input.

CathyM

Wow - I can so relate to this post. My dream is to pay off my condo (9 years and counting), get laid off my job with a nice severance, and head to Cadiz for 3 months!

Is it possible to visit Spain and a couple of cities prior to your long stay? I am a huge fan of Cadiz but it's not for everyone. I love the location, the "real" feel of the town and the friendly people. There are several other small towns nearby (Sanluar de Barrameda, El Puerto de Santa Maria) that are also incredible. I've never been to Rota but there's a large US Naval base there and it's in this same area.

You'll definately want to research the legality of a long term stay. I haven't got this far (yet) but as the other posters note it is very difficult. Teaching english may be an option though. I do know of someone who moved to Sevilla and teaches english - but he was also married to a spaniard which may have made it easier.

fall06

Because Spanish is not the preferred language in Catalonia or the Basque country, I think it is not a great choice for a base for six months, partly because the time you invest in learning the local dialect doesn't really pay off for you in terms of acquiring fluency in Spanish. Once you are fluent in Spanish you have expanded your travel and work opportunities tremendously. So I would stick to a region of Spain where Spanish is the preferred language.

You will find that in Spain being located outside a largish city means restricted opportunities to explore Spain unless you have a car or are willing to rent one.

What perhaps you should do is make an extended visit to Sevilla and use it to explore the surrounding areas to get an idea of rents, etc. and how you would feel about being in place like Cordoba over the long run.

nona1

I'm guessing you are American? It's extremely difficult to get any sort of visa that will allow you to work - and if you are thinking of working illegally, that's almost impossible these days too. Thanks to workers' mobility between all EU countries there isn't a shortage of legal immigrants around. Any job for an illegal immigrant will be dire conditions and dire pay.

i_sistren

Hi again! Thanks so much for all the great responses!!! This is my first time using a blog in this way. I went to Madrid and Barcelona last year. I have had high school Spanish plus 2 years and have traveled to a few Spanish speaking countries. I have dual citizenship Jamaican and US--neither will help I'm sure. I don't really have to work for at least 4 months since I have some money saved, but I wanted to, so I'll play that part by ear. I'm thinking of visiting the area during my Christmas vacation and driving from Cadiz (it still sounds lovely) to Malaga to check it. Anyone knows what the temperature/weather is likely to be at that time? Thanks again to all of you!

WTnow

Last year it was beautiful at xmas time, we were in shirt sleeves on xmas day and it was sunny as it is most of the time.

Some areas of adualucia have more rain than others. We were in a micro climate that got very little last winter or the one before that.

But some areas got a lot of rain. Jan and feb tend to be the coldest months , but we never wore winter jackets all winter.

weather is tricky to predict, as it is always subject to change, but look at how it has been in past winters and you will have an idea.

Luck is part of it too. I know someone who came for 4 days from the UK and it rained all 4 days in a month that had nothing but sunny days other than her 4.

BUT you should have much nicer weather in southern Spain than any where else in Europe at xmas ( except southern Portugal which is similar).

I don't know if this is true, but someone told me once that once you are in the country for 3 months that you can reapply for 3 more months in your town. Something to maybe check out...altho it is hard to get straight answers from consulates and such.

i_sistren

Oh, Soultraveler...forgot to mention that we homeschooled our children in Princeton, NJ for 5 years up to high school and loved it... We didn't travel as much as we would have liked, but we loved the flexible lifestyle and the family intimacy that homeschooling gave us! More power to you!! Thanks for your additional response. I think I will be in your neck of the woods come Xmas!

Aduchamp1

With the EU visa situation, you may be only allowed to spend 90 days in Spain in any six month period.

Very different social circumstances, but in 1972-3, we spent six months in Spain. We traveled to just about every region just to get a flavor of the country. As you know Spain is at least five countries-Catalunya, Basque, Galicia, Andalucia, and La Mancha. The languages, climate, history,
topography, and culture all vary.

With three months, I would make at least three differnt areas your home.

Of course, we have returned numerous times and as recently as last May. We are a family of writers and artists, so we understand creativty and discipline.

kenderina

In fact..there are 17 "countries"

ComfyShoes

Kend, okay, name'em Alphabetically Your home doesn't count.

kenderina

LOL, Comfy !!! If I don't name my own..there are 16 , but that's not fair

Here it goes :

Andalucia
Aragón
Asturias
Cantabria
Castilla-La Mancha
Castilla-León
Catalunya
Comunidad Valenciana
Extremadura
Galicia
Islas Baleares (Balearic Islands)
Islas Canarias (Canary Islands)
La Rioja
Madrid
Murcia
Navarra
Pais Vasco

and two autonomous cities in Northern Africa : Ceuta and Melilla

ComfyShoes

I thought you were going to count your "house" as a "country". Okay, now write these backwards in less than 60 seconds Just kidding. Impressive. i_sistren now knows she has 17 "countries" to choose from.

(Kend, reading a book right now by Arturo Perez Reverte much of which is set in Ceuta/Melilla).

Revulgo

In that situation I'd choose the atmosphere of Asturias: Oviedo, Gijon and the coastal villages.
Copy and paste:
http://www.spain.info/TourSpain/Dest...tm?Language=en
http://www.spain.info/TourSpain/Dest...tm?Language=en

flanneruk

To stay in Spain for more than 90 days in any six month period, a non-European must obtain a visa from the nearest Spanish consulate BEFORE leaving home. The proposed stay must be for a legitimate purpose (like taking a specific education course): i sistren's plan won't qualify for a long-stay visa, and she MUST herefore plan on going home after 90 days unless she really, really wants to be an illegal alien.

To all intents and purposes, there are no circumstances, apart from bribing an official, under which a non-European can legally teach English in Spain. Work permits are given only if an employer can demonstrate a shortage of the necessary skills in Europe. With 65 million native English speakers in Europe already, a skill shortage in English teaching cannot be established.

bellastarr

I have American friends who have found teaching positions in European countries within the past two years (they also were students and had obtained CELTA or TEFL certification. It is difficult to find, but not impossible. In certain countries, you can work for a limited number of hours per week if you are also a student.

bellastarr

I should also add that merely speaking British or American English does not immediately qualify a person to teach the language well.

NEDSIRELAND

Your 'countries' are Autonomous Communities. My favorite is Cantabria, specifically, Santander, home of Universidad Internacional Menendez Pelayo (UIMP). You may enroll there to qualify for a Student Visa. Whether you attend classes seems to set Europe apart from the U.S.

Mr. Kevin's English language school is in a loft on C./Salmeron - close to Santander's Bus Station & FEVE Station. Mr. Kevin is from Ireland