Spain is the number one tourism destination in Europe, therefore it is also one of the most popular places to move to, to live, study work and even retire for expatriates from all over the world. And if you're looking around for a sunny spot where the way of life is excellent, the standard of living is high and the climate, culture, history and lifestyle are so rich and varied that you're practically guaranteed to find a better quality of life, it's certainly a country to consider.
However, living in a foreign country is a very different experience to visiting it on holiday - and if you want to avoid the culture shock and homesickness sometimes associated with moving abroad, any top tips from expatriates who have already made the move overseas will likely stand you in good stead and be well worth reading and noting.
Therefore, if you're contemplating a relocation to this stunning and vibrant Mediterranean nation, here are the top 5 tips from expatriates for living in Spain and settling in so that you can get the very most from your new life abroad.
1) Learn the Local Language - if you want to truly settle in and get the most out of your move, even if you're living in an English speaking enclave and working in a position where you need know nothing of the local language, learn Spanish! You will be more accepted by your colleagues and the local community, you will get far more out of your new life, you will be able to communicate with everyone and understand everything - from signposts and menus, to popular culture and politics. This will allow you to get so much more out of your new life. If you have children you will be hugely embarrassed at your own lack of language after about a month when they come home and are fluent in Spanish - so make a real effort and learn, practice and adopt the local language if you want to settle in completely.
2) Adopt Spanish Timekeeping - the Spanish work to live, they do not believe in slogging their guts out in a pointless job for the love of the corporation that employs them! As a result they have a completely different - and very healthy - attitude to life. They enjoy 2 hour lunch breaks every day, they get up late, eat late, party and socialise late, they enjoy longer holidays than much of the rest of the world and generally don't give a hoot about keeping to anyone else's times or rules! Whilst you will be expected to turn up in good time for work, and the local transportation networks do follow a timetable, you need to become far less rigid and controlled when it comes to keeping time. And don't ever turn up to a restaurant for dinner before 8 or 9 in the evening, because it may not even be open to serve you!
3) Don't Fight the Bureaucracy - many people are employed by the government and in the public services sector, meaning that they all need to justify their employment! This results in reams of paperwork and bureaucracy whenever you want to register for anything or apply for any sort of permit or licence. Get used to it. Get used to queuing, visiting and revisiting public offices with random bits of paper, of having to submit your personal details time and again on various forms. You will never change the system so accept it and factor in a whole day to get anything changed, done, registered or applied for! That way you will reduce your expectations sufficiently and avoid stress.
4) Explore Your New Nation - Spain is a stunning and diverse, beautiful and blessed nation. And it's vast! Don't be content with landing up in Barcelona or Benidorm and thinking that's it. To get the most out of your new life you need to get to know the whole country and what it can offer you in terms of beautiful places to live, visit, eat or enjoy. The more you know Spain, the more you will love it. The more you love it, the more it will feel like home...and the more it feels like home the closer you will be to happiness!
5) Integrate Fully - The final top expatriate tip for living in Spain is to integrate as fully as you possibly can into the local way of life, and into your local community. Once you relocate overseas you leave behind your support network of friends and family - but the sooner and more comprehensively you can integrate into your new place in life, the more quickly you will rebuild the support network that's vital for you to lead a complete and satisfying life.
Rhiannon Davies writes about living and working abroad, to read more about living in Spain visit her site ShelterOffshore.com.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rhiannon_Davies
Saturday, 30 April 2011
Friday, 29 April 2011
Residency in Spain
A lot if foreign nationals moving to Spain to live and work are often confused as to what their residence status is especially regarding tax. This is even more the case when they are EU citizens that do not require a work and residence permit. It should be borne in mind however that your residence status is not based on whether or not you have gone through the formal motions for registering as such. Taxation treaties signed by countries will provide more specific criteria for establishing what an individual's residence status is but most of them will tend to follow the criteria outlined below. In general, a person is considered to be a resident in Spanish territory when any of the following circumstances occur:
1) When he/she stays longer than 183 days a year in Spanish territory. In the calculation of this 183 day period, temporary absences in other countries are not deducted unless they in turn imply effective residency in that country (i.e. a stay or series of stays of more than 183 days).
2) When the main base of his or her business or professional activities or, in general, his or her economic interests is in Spain. A person who is on a long-term contract in Spain would therefore be considered a Spanish resident.
3) When his/her spouse (from whom he/she is not legally separated) and children under the age of 18 are habitually resident in Spain. This last case allows the individual in question to present proof against this assumption if they are not in agreement.
Establishing residency is of the utmost importance when it comes to dealing with the issues of taxation and social security. There are many cases of individuals who, technically speaking, would be considered Spanish residents who still continue to make their tax and social security contributions in their home countries. This is an anomalous situation which should be rectified in order to avoid possible problems with the Spanish authorities.
The author provides services to both foreign companies and individuals in Spain helping them get the appropriate legal, business and accounting assistance they require. To find out more click on the link - Lawyers Spain; Accountants Spain; Immigration Spain.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Thomas_Leacy
1) When he/she stays longer than 183 days a year in Spanish territory. In the calculation of this 183 day period, temporary absences in other countries are not deducted unless they in turn imply effective residency in that country (i.e. a stay or series of stays of more than 183 days).
2) When the main base of his or her business or professional activities or, in general, his or her economic interests is in Spain. A person who is on a long-term contract in Spain would therefore be considered a Spanish resident.
3) When his/her spouse (from whom he/she is not legally separated) and children under the age of 18 are habitually resident in Spain. This last case allows the individual in question to present proof against this assumption if they are not in agreement.
Establishing residency is of the utmost importance when it comes to dealing with the issues of taxation and social security. There are many cases of individuals who, technically speaking, would be considered Spanish residents who still continue to make their tax and social security contributions in their home countries. This is an anomalous situation which should be rectified in order to avoid possible problems with the Spanish authorities.
The author provides services to both foreign companies and individuals in Spain helping them get the appropriate legal, business and accounting assistance they require. To find out more click on the link - Lawyers Spain; Accountants Spain; Immigration Spain.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Thomas_Leacy
The Law on Rental Deposits in Spain
Many people moving to Spain are sometimes quite confused regarding the need to pay an initial deposit to secure a rental or letting agreement. Over the years, the actual amount corresponding to a number of months rental has varied also depending on the type of rental agreement. The legislation that specifically governs rental or letting deposits can be found in the law for urban rentals ('LAU') 1994 under article 36. The following are some of the main points to be borne in mind.
When you are signing a rental or letting contract for a house, flat or office, it is important to remember that in Spain you are required to pay a deposit at the beginning of the term which acts as a guarantee of payment of any outstanding bills on finalising the contract as well as a safeguard that the property will be returned to the owner in the same state as before the effective occupation of the property. It is also a safeguard that the tenant will abide by the general conditions of the rental contract signed. The deposit then is a monetary payment which will be equivalent to one month's rent for housing and two months' for offices and business premises although the landlord can request a higher payment (i.e. these are minimum legal amounts).
This money must be lodged by the owner in a non-interest bearing account with the local authority, for the first 5 years will not require a revision to bring it in line with increases in the actual amount paid in rent. Thereafter, rental increases will require the necessary and corresponding increase in the deposit. At the end of the rental contract, and on ensuring that there are no outstanding debts and that the property is in a good state of repair, the deposit must be returned to the tenant, accruing interest after one month of the finalization of the contract.
You should also be aware that in Spain landlords are also permitted to request further guarantees if they see fit. These guarantees can be in the form of bank guarantees, personal guarantees by a property owner, personal references.
A last thing to note is that although landlords are required to return the deposit on finalization of the contract and on establishing that everything is in order, unfortunately in Spain some of them can be quite reticent to do so and indeed some of them can invent cost in order to have to pay the money back. For this reason, in practice though not strictly speaking legal, a lot of tenants who have paid the one month deposit on handing in notice simply do not pay the last month's rent.
The author provides services to both foreign companies and individuals in Spain helping them get the appropriate legal, business and accounting assistance they require. To find out more click on the link - Lawyers Spain; Accountants Spain.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Thomas_Leacy
When you are signing a rental or letting contract for a house, flat or office, it is important to remember that in Spain you are required to pay a deposit at the beginning of the term which acts as a guarantee of payment of any outstanding bills on finalising the contract as well as a safeguard that the property will be returned to the owner in the same state as before the effective occupation of the property. It is also a safeguard that the tenant will abide by the general conditions of the rental contract signed. The deposit then is a monetary payment which will be equivalent to one month's rent for housing and two months' for offices and business premises although the landlord can request a higher payment (i.e. these are minimum legal amounts).
This money must be lodged by the owner in a non-interest bearing account with the local authority, for the first 5 years will not require a revision to bring it in line with increases in the actual amount paid in rent. Thereafter, rental increases will require the necessary and corresponding increase in the deposit. At the end of the rental contract, and on ensuring that there are no outstanding debts and that the property is in a good state of repair, the deposit must be returned to the tenant, accruing interest after one month of the finalization of the contract.
You should also be aware that in Spain landlords are also permitted to request further guarantees if they see fit. These guarantees can be in the form of bank guarantees, personal guarantees by a property owner, personal references.
A last thing to note is that although landlords are required to return the deposit on finalization of the contract and on establishing that everything is in order, unfortunately in Spain some of them can be quite reticent to do so and indeed some of them can invent cost in order to have to pay the money back. For this reason, in practice though not strictly speaking legal, a lot of tenants who have paid the one month deposit on handing in notice simply do not pay the last month's rent.
The author provides services to both foreign companies and individuals in Spain helping them get the appropriate legal, business and accounting assistance they require. To find out more click on the link - Lawyers Spain; Accountants Spain.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Thomas_Leacy
Buying Property in Spain - Understanding the Legal Documents
Congratulations on your decision to buy property in Spain and we hope you love and enjoy every moment of your purchase and stay in the Spanish coast, however, we are here to help you with some information, which is legal.
Just because you now have the services of a reputed lawyer doesn't mean the task is done, it is important that you understand the laws and the legal documents to the core, since we are talking huge financial transactions here and you wouldn't want to juggle around with such a large investment.
Please read on and keep the following terms and clauses in mind when understanding the legal documents in Spain.
The plan parcial is what the Spaniards call as the piece of land and the location where you plan to buy your property. This needs to be registered by the TOWN HALL and this means that you would know if any future urbanization projects would or wouldn't affect your property at large.
Next you would hear of the Registro del La Propiedad, especially if you are buying real estate near Costa del Sol or anywhere else in Spain. This has to be registered with the registry that registers properties and is the last paper which needs this act. It would include property details, the title owners information, the notary responsible for the escritoire and mortgage details.
Even though the property you intend on buying may have been built to perfection, one needs to check small alterations if any, permissions by the authorities need to be taken for any small or big alteration and this would reflect in the solicitud de licencia de obras which comes at a small fee.
Check for reservation contracts as well, which would have the purchaser private information, the agents private information, property type and the plot of the property, the price of the property in question(Euros only), payment method and the formula that derives it and finally, the signature and date of the buyer and seller.
The nota simple would be another legal term which means simple note. The land registry office gives it out for a small fee and would entail the registration details of the property for you to check and keep an eye on.
The all important contract would be the most needed document when you buy a house in Spain. It entails the house plan, the simple note, the contract, the signatures and the mortgage and financial dealings details.
There would also be a term called community charges on the legal papers, which entails, common facility maintenances and usage charges by all who reside where you have bought the property.
The Certificado Final de La Direccion de Obra or the Certificate of the Termination of the Building is when the document comes from the architect who completes building the house. This would be important for The Licencia de Primera Ocupacion which is responsible for occupation and the tax payments of the house in future.
Finally we hear of insurance for the house which needs no explanation and we all know why it is so important and the ESCRITURA which is the house deed, that has the name of the owner on it.
Angela Rafferty is an employee of Owners Direct Spain - an online resource for buying and selling property in Spain.
Click the following link for articles, guides, resources and recommended reading Blog
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Angela_Rafferty
Just because you now have the services of a reputed lawyer doesn't mean the task is done, it is important that you understand the laws and the legal documents to the core, since we are talking huge financial transactions here and you wouldn't want to juggle around with such a large investment.
Please read on and keep the following terms and clauses in mind when understanding the legal documents in Spain.
The plan parcial is what the Spaniards call as the piece of land and the location where you plan to buy your property. This needs to be registered by the TOWN HALL and this means that you would know if any future urbanization projects would or wouldn't affect your property at large.
Next you would hear of the Registro del La Propiedad, especially if you are buying real estate near Costa del Sol or anywhere else in Spain. This has to be registered with the registry that registers properties and is the last paper which needs this act. It would include property details, the title owners information, the notary responsible for the escritoire and mortgage details.
Even though the property you intend on buying may have been built to perfection, one needs to check small alterations if any, permissions by the authorities need to be taken for any small or big alteration and this would reflect in the solicitud de licencia de obras which comes at a small fee.
Check for reservation contracts as well, which would have the purchaser private information, the agents private information, property type and the plot of the property, the price of the property in question(Euros only), payment method and the formula that derives it and finally, the signature and date of the buyer and seller.
The nota simple would be another legal term which means simple note. The land registry office gives it out for a small fee and would entail the registration details of the property for you to check and keep an eye on.
The all important contract would be the most needed document when you buy a house in Spain. It entails the house plan, the simple note, the contract, the signatures and the mortgage and financial dealings details.
There would also be a term called community charges on the legal papers, which entails, common facility maintenances and usage charges by all who reside where you have bought the property.
The Certificado Final de La Direccion de Obra or the Certificate of the Termination of the Building is when the document comes from the architect who completes building the house. This would be important for The Licencia de Primera Ocupacion which is responsible for occupation and the tax payments of the house in future.
Finally we hear of insurance for the house which needs no explanation and we all know why it is so important and the ESCRITURA which is the house deed, that has the name of the owner on it.
Angela Rafferty is an employee of Owners Direct Spain - an online resource for buying and selling property in Spain.
Click the following link for articles, guides, resources and recommended reading Blog
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Angela_Rafferty
Spain 2011, To Buy or Not to Buy? That Is the Question!
I am going to leave Statistics to the Statisticians and concentrate on what the statistics don´t tell you about the Spanish Property Market for 2011.
To be reading this you must have at least a passing interest in Spain and Spanish property. Why wouldn't you, it is a beautiful country steeped in history, art and culture. The food is great and the people are warm and hospitable. You can find it all. The country has everything from large cosmopolitan cities to sandy beaches and high mountain ski resorts. Yes, I am a Fan! I am going to look at whether to buy a property in Spain from the perspective of a British property buyer, basically because I am one myself.
Buying with a Mortgage
Well I think that this covers a large number of us when we look to buy a property.
In Spain right now you can obtain up to a 100% mortgage for the purchase of new build Spanish Property direct from major Spanish Banks and lending institutions. You won´t find that in the U.K., if you can let me know where! This might at first glance seem like Lunacy, on behalf of the Spanish Banks and on the part of you the potential buyer!! Surely careless lending and high loan to value mortgages were part of the cause and effect that led to the worldwide property and financial crisis!?
Yes all that is true but, and it is a big but, What needs to be observed is that:
* The Spanish Property Market has undergone a significant downward adjustment in prices and is in my opinion Property Prices are bottoming out, certainly for the better properties.
* Availability of Mortgage Finance up to 100% as the Spanish Banks look to sell their New Build Property Stocks. So what appears to be Lunacy and a lack of short term memory is in fact a pragmatic approach to the Spanish Banks problem of having to take possession from Spanish Property Developers of large numbers of developments and in turn sell them. So with UK mortgages requiring ever bigger deposits someone looking for a property investment you can enjoy for years to come Spain is a compelling proposition.
* The maxim of Location, Location, Location is to be paired with Timing, Timing, Timing! The best properties will sell first so waiting to the last minute will leave you with what is NOT WANTED
You need to consider that even if in the short term prices fell a few percentage points the opportunity that exists for you to secure that Spanish Home is at hand because as any British property buyer will tell you 100% mortgages do not exist and certainly not on new build properties. Combine this with record low interest rates and low prices a smart new Spanish home has become a realistic affordable option for you!
Buying with Cash
Cash as ever is King so no need to drum on about that, what is good to know is that if you are buying with cash you have a window of opportunity to extract a further price reduction, perhaps not the headline grabbing kind of 2010 but Banks are willing to enter sensible negotiations for serious cash buyers.
If "That" is the question What is the Answer
Spain is a definite buy for me with all it offers combined with up to 100% mortgage finance available and properties from city apartments, beach, mountain and country homes. I have been looking at coastal properties with pools and near beaches for as little as €65,000 I don´t think opportunities like these will be around forever and judging by the rate Spanish buyers are purchasing I sense the best buys will continue to sell well in 2011.
British buyers who like property as a medium to long term investment and are fed up with the British Banks and Mortgage Companies inflexibility regarding lending should take a serious look at Spain where there are many second home opportunities and rental investments. I also feel that savvy first time buyers who are saving for deposits could look to make an investment in Span taking advantage of the ability to borrow and use a Spanish property to form part of their plan to build a deposit over a 3 to 5 year period and have all the enjoyment of owning a home in Spain with easy access via low cost airlines. Renting the property out during the periods it is not in use should in my opinion contribute to the cost of the mortgage.
In conclusion 2011 is a year of opportunity for Spanish Property Buyers, I certainly will be looking to take advantage of these favourable conditions for buyers.
Written by Robert Evans, Manager Basico Homes UK a Division of Basico Homes Gestion SL Spain
Robert Evans
http://www.basicohomes.co.uk
robert.evans@basicohomes.com
http://blog.basicohomes.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robert_S_Evans
To be reading this you must have at least a passing interest in Spain and Spanish property. Why wouldn't you, it is a beautiful country steeped in history, art and culture. The food is great and the people are warm and hospitable. You can find it all. The country has everything from large cosmopolitan cities to sandy beaches and high mountain ski resorts. Yes, I am a Fan! I am going to look at whether to buy a property in Spain from the perspective of a British property buyer, basically because I am one myself.
Buying with a Mortgage
Well I think that this covers a large number of us when we look to buy a property.
In Spain right now you can obtain up to a 100% mortgage for the purchase of new build Spanish Property direct from major Spanish Banks and lending institutions. You won´t find that in the U.K., if you can let me know where! This might at first glance seem like Lunacy, on behalf of the Spanish Banks and on the part of you the potential buyer!! Surely careless lending and high loan to value mortgages were part of the cause and effect that led to the worldwide property and financial crisis!?
Yes all that is true but, and it is a big but, What needs to be observed is that:
* The Spanish Property Market has undergone a significant downward adjustment in prices and is in my opinion Property Prices are bottoming out, certainly for the better properties.
* Availability of Mortgage Finance up to 100% as the Spanish Banks look to sell their New Build Property Stocks. So what appears to be Lunacy and a lack of short term memory is in fact a pragmatic approach to the Spanish Banks problem of having to take possession from Spanish Property Developers of large numbers of developments and in turn sell them. So with UK mortgages requiring ever bigger deposits someone looking for a property investment you can enjoy for years to come Spain is a compelling proposition.
* The maxim of Location, Location, Location is to be paired with Timing, Timing, Timing! The best properties will sell first so waiting to the last minute will leave you with what is NOT WANTED
You need to consider that even if in the short term prices fell a few percentage points the opportunity that exists for you to secure that Spanish Home is at hand because as any British property buyer will tell you 100% mortgages do not exist and certainly not on new build properties. Combine this with record low interest rates and low prices a smart new Spanish home has become a realistic affordable option for you!
Buying with Cash
Cash as ever is King so no need to drum on about that, what is good to know is that if you are buying with cash you have a window of opportunity to extract a further price reduction, perhaps not the headline grabbing kind of 2010 but Banks are willing to enter sensible negotiations for serious cash buyers.
If "That" is the question What is the Answer
Spain is a definite buy for me with all it offers combined with up to 100% mortgage finance available and properties from city apartments, beach, mountain and country homes. I have been looking at coastal properties with pools and near beaches for as little as €65,000 I don´t think opportunities like these will be around forever and judging by the rate Spanish buyers are purchasing I sense the best buys will continue to sell well in 2011.
British buyers who like property as a medium to long term investment and are fed up with the British Banks and Mortgage Companies inflexibility regarding lending should take a serious look at Spain where there are many second home opportunities and rental investments. I also feel that savvy first time buyers who are saving for deposits could look to make an investment in Span taking advantage of the ability to borrow and use a Spanish property to form part of their plan to build a deposit over a 3 to 5 year period and have all the enjoyment of owning a home in Spain with easy access via low cost airlines. Renting the property out during the periods it is not in use should in my opinion contribute to the cost of the mortgage.
In conclusion 2011 is a year of opportunity for Spanish Property Buyers, I certainly will be looking to take advantage of these favourable conditions for buyers.
Written by Robert Evans, Manager Basico Homes UK a Division of Basico Homes Gestion SL Spain
Robert Evans
http://www.basicohomes.co.uk
robert.evans@basicohomes.com
http://blog.basicohomes.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robert_S_Evans
Tuesday, 12 October 2010
Spanish Culture - Daily Life in Spain
I am frequently asked by people thinking of moving to Spain what life in Spain is really like. This is not such a suprising question, really, as the only experience of Spanish culture that most people have is during their brief two week holidays in Spain. These, almost by definition, are usually spent in tourist destinations that have no more relevance to real life in Spain than the front at Blackpool does to normal life in the UK.
Of course, everyone's experience of permanent living in Spain is different and, to some extent it is almost impossible to adequately encapsulate the way of life in any all-encompassing way. This may seem odd but the truth is that there is little real connection between daily life in Spain lived within a rural, inland village and that encountered by those living on a high class, high density foreigner estate on the coast. The former tend to involve a 'full-on' integration into Spanish life whilst the latter can mean that no real integration is necessary or, indeed, ever really takes place.
Certainly, it not for me to make a qualitative judgment about the merits of the two extremes (rural life or foreigner coastal estate) as everything depends upon what you - the person moving to Spain - wants. In a way, I think that one of the great strengths of Spain is that foreigners can move to Spain and live in specific areas that are extremely user-friendly. This is certainly true of the Costa del Sol and the Costa Blanca where there are many estates largely composed of foreigners - some of which are overwhelmingly populated by German, Dutch or British people. Calpe (on the Costa Blanca), for example, evidently has more British people living there than Spaniards!
In effect, you can move to Spain and into an area that has an existing way of life that has little to do, in reality, with Spanish culture. Most of your neighbours may be British (or at least English speaking) and the local infrastructure will have developed to service foreigners. 'English' shops selling English goods (run by Britons) may be present and complemented by English speaking dentists, lawyers, bar owners, doctors and tradesman. Even the local native Spanish will probably speak sufficient English to service your needs. Needless to say, often a well developed English speaking social network will have developed providing a range of activities and clubs.
Meanwhile, these coastal estates have usually matured well and have all the services that you would expect in the UK. ADSL is normally available together with drinkable mains water (aqua potable), mains sewage, electricity and telephone landlines.
So, daily life in Spain in some coastal areas can, in many ways, be superficially similar to the UK - including the fact that you do not need to speak Spanish to live quite happily, long term, within this environment. Indeed, to all intents and purposes you can avoid Spanish culture in any meaningful sense - whilst enjoying a stunning climate, an al fresco life and one where the living costs are lower than that of the UK. The day to day life may be somewhat 'artificial' but it is one which is easily accessible if you do not want to be unduly challenged by moving into a linguistically different culture.
Of course, matters are different inland. Most foreigners who move to Spain, understandably, move to the coast. Accordingly, the 'infrastructure' for foreigners moving inland is far less well developed. An English speaking infrastructure is often barely present and the way of life markedly different. Certainly, learning Spanish is almost a pre-requisite together with a willingness to embrace Spanish culture wholeheartedly.
It is also true to say that in rural areas (outside of villages and towns) some of the basic services present everywhere in the UK can be distinctly lacking. Some rural properties can lack mains electricity, mains water and even landline telephone connections - let alone ADSL. Unfortunately, some of these places, for the forseeable furture, will also not receive an upgrade should they be missing these services.
Certainly, I am not, for one moment, suggesting that if you are thinking of moving to Spain that you should avoid inland areas. That would be absurd - but recognise that the move is likely to be far more committing than if you were moving onto a coastal estate. That said, any difficulties can be more than off-set by the rewards inherent in integrating properly into Spanish day to day life within a tight, nuclear culture that is fundamentally different (and arguably better) than that of the UK.
Of course, the decision of where to move to Spain is yours. However, recognise that exactly where you move - will define your daily life far more than it would in the UK. Move to a coastal estate and, by definition, your daily life will probably have little to do with Spain and the realities (for both good and bad) of Spanish culture. The demographics and lifestyle on most coastal estates quite simply have little, if anything, to do with 'normal' Spanish life. However, the reverse is true of inland areas. In terms of sheer life experience, the latter are likely to be more interesting (and fun!) albeit that that they can present greater challenges - day to day!
Nick Snelling lives permanently in Spain with his family and is a journalist and author of four books including 'How to Move Safely to Spain' (www.movetospain-safely.com). For more information about his books and articles see http://www.nicholassnelling.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nick_Snelling
Of course, everyone's experience of permanent living in Spain is different and, to some extent it is almost impossible to adequately encapsulate the way of life in any all-encompassing way. This may seem odd but the truth is that there is little real connection between daily life in Spain lived within a rural, inland village and that encountered by those living on a high class, high density foreigner estate on the coast. The former tend to involve a 'full-on' integration into Spanish life whilst the latter can mean that no real integration is necessary or, indeed, ever really takes place.
Certainly, it not for me to make a qualitative judgment about the merits of the two extremes (rural life or foreigner coastal estate) as everything depends upon what you - the person moving to Spain - wants. In a way, I think that one of the great strengths of Spain is that foreigners can move to Spain and live in specific areas that are extremely user-friendly. This is certainly true of the Costa del Sol and the Costa Blanca where there are many estates largely composed of foreigners - some of which are overwhelmingly populated by German, Dutch or British people. Calpe (on the Costa Blanca), for example, evidently has more British people living there than Spaniards!
In effect, you can move to Spain and into an area that has an existing way of life that has little to do, in reality, with Spanish culture. Most of your neighbours may be British (or at least English speaking) and the local infrastructure will have developed to service foreigners. 'English' shops selling English goods (run by Britons) may be present and complemented by English speaking dentists, lawyers, bar owners, doctors and tradesman. Even the local native Spanish will probably speak sufficient English to service your needs. Needless to say, often a well developed English speaking social network will have developed providing a range of activities and clubs.
Meanwhile, these coastal estates have usually matured well and have all the services that you would expect in the UK. ADSL is normally available together with drinkable mains water (aqua potable), mains sewage, electricity and telephone landlines.
So, daily life in Spain in some coastal areas can, in many ways, be superficially similar to the UK - including the fact that you do not need to speak Spanish to live quite happily, long term, within this environment. Indeed, to all intents and purposes you can avoid Spanish culture in any meaningful sense - whilst enjoying a stunning climate, an al fresco life and one where the living costs are lower than that of the UK. The day to day life may be somewhat 'artificial' but it is one which is easily accessible if you do not want to be unduly challenged by moving into a linguistically different culture.
Of course, matters are different inland. Most foreigners who move to Spain, understandably, move to the coast. Accordingly, the 'infrastructure' for foreigners moving inland is far less well developed. An English speaking infrastructure is often barely present and the way of life markedly different. Certainly, learning Spanish is almost a pre-requisite together with a willingness to embrace Spanish culture wholeheartedly.
It is also true to say that in rural areas (outside of villages and towns) some of the basic services present everywhere in the UK can be distinctly lacking. Some rural properties can lack mains electricity, mains water and even landline telephone connections - let alone ADSL. Unfortunately, some of these places, for the forseeable furture, will also not receive an upgrade should they be missing these services.
Certainly, I am not, for one moment, suggesting that if you are thinking of moving to Spain that you should avoid inland areas. That would be absurd - but recognise that the move is likely to be far more committing than if you were moving onto a coastal estate. That said, any difficulties can be more than off-set by the rewards inherent in integrating properly into Spanish day to day life within a tight, nuclear culture that is fundamentally different (and arguably better) than that of the UK.
Of course, the decision of where to move to Spain is yours. However, recognise that exactly where you move - will define your daily life far more than it would in the UK. Move to a coastal estate and, by definition, your daily life will probably have little to do with Spain and the realities (for both good and bad) of Spanish culture. The demographics and lifestyle on most coastal estates quite simply have little, if anything, to do with 'normal' Spanish life. However, the reverse is true of inland areas. In terms of sheer life experience, the latter are likely to be more interesting (and fun!) albeit that that they can present greater challenges - day to day!
Nick Snelling lives permanently in Spain with his family and is a journalist and author of four books including 'How to Move Safely to Spain' (www.movetospain-safely.com). For more information about his books and articles see http://www.nicholassnelling.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nick_Snelling
Sunday, 27 June 2010
Just Another 10 Reasons to Learn Spanish
10. Learning Spanish is a great way to keep up with current trends.
Learning Spanish will allow you to keep up with the pace of Hispanic influence on culture which is extremely popular and becoming more and more popular. For example, can you recall the Taco Bell advertisement that had that little dog? Did you realise that his motto, "Yo quiero Taco Bell" is in fact a clever play on words? In Spanish, "yo quiero" has two meanings they are: "I want" and "I love." So, the lovely little dog was in fact pulling your chain as he said both: "I want Taco Bell" and "I love Taco Bell."
9. Learning Spanish has medical/health advantages!
Research shows that understanding and using two different languages reduces the chance of developing dementia, and also Alzheimer's Disease. A group of medical professional who studied this were fascinated by earlier studies that proved that bilingualism enhances mental ability in both young children and the elderly. Other research showed that learning a second language will increase your memory and slow the age-related decline in mental ability. By learning another language, it also makes you smarter! Your crucial thinking skills will be enhanced as you learn to see things through a different viewpoint. Studying another language actually stimulates your creativity!
8. Learning Spanish is quickly becoming a business must.
Spanish has fast become more and more important in relation to business. Learning Spanish enables yourself to better communicate and understand your Spanish speaking employees and work mates. How nice would it be to be able to offer your products and services to over 360 million people whose first language is Spanish? In North America, Hispanic buyers are the most rapidly growing market sectors. As far as job opportunities go, it definately would not hurt to have Spanish on your resume. In the United States alone, speaking and understanding Spanish can be extremely helpful if you work in medicine or education. More over, the building trade is hiring more and more Spanish speaking trades people. One thing is for certain, if you speak a second language, you will become more employable and have more career chances than your monolingual counterparts. Globalization, with it's accompanying free trade agreements is rapidly reducing the business world, and for those that understand more than one language will well and truly have an advantage.
7. Spanish is almost everywhere!
With just about over 35 million Spanish speaking people in the United States, and over 40% of the population growth set to be among the Hispanic people, the stage is ready for a huge increase in Spanish speakers in the United States alone. This has created much interest amongst US citizens, a group not particularly well known for their multilingualism. This interest is set to increase as the Hispanic population of the US quickly reaches 50 million by 2015. But it is not just in the US where Spanish is so popular. In Europe, Spanish is the second most studied second language, just after English. With roughly 400 million speakers worldwide, Spanish is the fourth most common language on the planet. Only Mandarin (Chinese), English and Hindi have more people speaking it. If you count only native speakers though, Spanish far outranks English. Spanish is an official language on four continents and is the first language in 21 countries. With the sheer number of Spanish speakers across the world and their rate of growth makes learning Spanish a very clever choice.
6. Learning Spanish will definitely increase your world.
According to a famous philosopher "the limits of one language are the only limits to ones universe." It is without a doubt that studying Spanish will increase your own personal universe. As the Hispanic population quickly grows at a disproportionate rate and speed, it has become more and more likely that you may well marry into a Spanish speaking family, or have Spanish speaking neighbours or just come across Spanish speaking people in your daily life. No longer are the Spanish speaking people in the US restricted to the bordering states and bigger cities. Today, almost every area has some sort of Hispanic population. Wouldn't it be great to say hello and talk with your fellow paisanos (countrymen)?
5. Learning Spanish will well and truly enhance your travel experience.
Even though it is certainly possible to travel to a Spanish speaking nation not understanding a word of Spanish, your holiday will in no way compare with the amazing experience that awaits the traveller who speaks or at least knows a little Spanish. If you only ever speak English, you will be forced to limit yourself to the popular tourist spots where almost everyone speaks at least some English. But if you're wanting to venture out and explore the local area and get to know some of the locals, you really need to know some Spanish. Even simple little things, like reading a sign or menus, asking for directions or letting the taxi driver know where you want to go requires at least some understanding and knowledge of the language. Hispanic people are incredibly hospitable and generous, and if you speak at least some Spanish you will find yourself welcomed in a way that would not happen if you spoke only English. Put plainly, when you travel abroad to a Spanish speaking nation, understanding the language it will let you to move more freely from being an observer to that of an active participant.
4. Understanding Spanish will allow you to help other people.
Should you be the kind of person that enjoys helping others, learning Spanish will put you in a commanding position where you are able help both Spanish speakers who speak little or no English and English speakers who speak little or no Spanish. Now that is what we call a "win-win" situation. Unfortunately, the standard of living in a lot of Spanish speaking nations is rather poor by many Western standards. Sometimes, it is shockingly bad. Without stereotyping Latin America as a poverty stricken continent (in a lot of cases that definitely is not the case) there are never the less a lot of people in a dire situation. Learning Spanish can help to prepare you for taking the next step, --- actually heading there and making the difference!
3. Learn just for the sake of learning.
It cannot be denied that by learning Spanish you will without a doubt get a better knowledge of English. Spanish is what is known as one of the "Romance" languages, which basically means that it originated from Latin, a language from the ancient Roman Empire. So many English words too are Latin origin, and so, when one learns vocabulary in Spanish you will actually simultaneously be increasing your English vocabulary too. You may also find that your knowledge of the deep rooted meaning of these Latin based English words is largely increased. And, as you learn the grammar of Spanish, you will see how it is very close to English, as well as how it is also very different. This will increase your awareness of the grammar of your own spoken language. Because Spanish is nearly phonetically perfect, you can take a look at almost every word and straight away know exactly how to pronounce it. This characteristic makes Spanish one of the most simple languages to learn. And, when it comes to studying a third language, for example French or Italian, having already known Spanish will be a massive advantage because these languages also, are the Romance Languages.
2. Learning Spanish will let you appreciate Hispanic culture and history.
For most people, developing a deeper knowledge of Hispanic culture is becoming more and more necessary. There is no more better way to get this insight than start to speak Spanish. Read Latin American or Spanish newspapers and literature and it will open a door into the Hispanic mindset. Understanding the language will ready you to better know some of the fantastic Hispanic modern and classic historical contributions. From Miguel Cervantes to Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Hispanic literary contributions abound. From the royal paintings of Goya to the surreal depictions of Picasso, Spanish influence on the arts has been a major one. And let's not go past the gastronomy! Learning Spanish can be the ideal excuse for sampling the cuisine of Spanish speaking people. Burritos, tamales, paella, papusas, arroz con frijoles, ceviche, --- the list just keeps on going, and is a tasty indication of the huge range of Hispanic culture. Is it any surprise then, that more and more people look to take part in these cultural delights?
1. Spanish is fun and easy!
Learning Spanish will open up a lot of opportunities to have a lot more enjoyment. Who else enjoys reading through a good book or watching a great movie? Music? For sure! Food? Oh Wow! The sense of achievement? It's there just waiting for you to take hold of it! For all of the points mentioned before, and a bunch more that haven't even been mentioned, learning Spanish will be one of the most enjoyable and fun activities that you can do. It doesn't matter if your motivations are practical, intellectual or sentimental, studying Spanish is something that will benefit you throughout your life!
A little about me: Peter J May, lives in Brisbane Australia with my Colombian girlfriend. I went from not speaking a word of Spanish to being able to hold a decent conversation with her family by using a simple fun and easy course. Start with a FREE 6 day Spanish course at http://www.learnspanish-lessons.com and start learning now.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_J_May
Learning Spanish will allow you to keep up with the pace of Hispanic influence on culture which is extremely popular and becoming more and more popular. For example, can you recall the Taco Bell advertisement that had that little dog? Did you realise that his motto, "Yo quiero Taco Bell" is in fact a clever play on words? In Spanish, "yo quiero" has two meanings they are: "I want" and "I love." So, the lovely little dog was in fact pulling your chain as he said both: "I want Taco Bell" and "I love Taco Bell."
9. Learning Spanish has medical/health advantages!
Research shows that understanding and using two different languages reduces the chance of developing dementia, and also Alzheimer's Disease. A group of medical professional who studied this were fascinated by earlier studies that proved that bilingualism enhances mental ability in both young children and the elderly. Other research showed that learning a second language will increase your memory and slow the age-related decline in mental ability. By learning another language, it also makes you smarter! Your crucial thinking skills will be enhanced as you learn to see things through a different viewpoint. Studying another language actually stimulates your creativity!
8. Learning Spanish is quickly becoming a business must.
Spanish has fast become more and more important in relation to business. Learning Spanish enables yourself to better communicate and understand your Spanish speaking employees and work mates. How nice would it be to be able to offer your products and services to over 360 million people whose first language is Spanish? In North America, Hispanic buyers are the most rapidly growing market sectors. As far as job opportunities go, it definately would not hurt to have Spanish on your resume. In the United States alone, speaking and understanding Spanish can be extremely helpful if you work in medicine or education. More over, the building trade is hiring more and more Spanish speaking trades people. One thing is for certain, if you speak a second language, you will become more employable and have more career chances than your monolingual counterparts. Globalization, with it's accompanying free trade agreements is rapidly reducing the business world, and for those that understand more than one language will well and truly have an advantage.
7. Spanish is almost everywhere!
With just about over 35 million Spanish speaking people in the United States, and over 40% of the population growth set to be among the Hispanic people, the stage is ready for a huge increase in Spanish speakers in the United States alone. This has created much interest amongst US citizens, a group not particularly well known for their multilingualism. This interest is set to increase as the Hispanic population of the US quickly reaches 50 million by 2015. But it is not just in the US where Spanish is so popular. In Europe, Spanish is the second most studied second language, just after English. With roughly 400 million speakers worldwide, Spanish is the fourth most common language on the planet. Only Mandarin (Chinese), English and Hindi have more people speaking it. If you count only native speakers though, Spanish far outranks English. Spanish is an official language on four continents and is the first language in 21 countries. With the sheer number of Spanish speakers across the world and their rate of growth makes learning Spanish a very clever choice.
6. Learning Spanish will definitely increase your world.
According to a famous philosopher "the limits of one language are the only limits to ones universe." It is without a doubt that studying Spanish will increase your own personal universe. As the Hispanic population quickly grows at a disproportionate rate and speed, it has become more and more likely that you may well marry into a Spanish speaking family, or have Spanish speaking neighbours or just come across Spanish speaking people in your daily life. No longer are the Spanish speaking people in the US restricted to the bordering states and bigger cities. Today, almost every area has some sort of Hispanic population. Wouldn't it be great to say hello and talk with your fellow paisanos (countrymen)?
5. Learning Spanish will well and truly enhance your travel experience.
Even though it is certainly possible to travel to a Spanish speaking nation not understanding a word of Spanish, your holiday will in no way compare with the amazing experience that awaits the traveller who speaks or at least knows a little Spanish. If you only ever speak English, you will be forced to limit yourself to the popular tourist spots where almost everyone speaks at least some English. But if you're wanting to venture out and explore the local area and get to know some of the locals, you really need to know some Spanish. Even simple little things, like reading a sign or menus, asking for directions or letting the taxi driver know where you want to go requires at least some understanding and knowledge of the language. Hispanic people are incredibly hospitable and generous, and if you speak at least some Spanish you will find yourself welcomed in a way that would not happen if you spoke only English. Put plainly, when you travel abroad to a Spanish speaking nation, understanding the language it will let you to move more freely from being an observer to that of an active participant.
4. Understanding Spanish will allow you to help other people.
Should you be the kind of person that enjoys helping others, learning Spanish will put you in a commanding position where you are able help both Spanish speakers who speak little or no English and English speakers who speak little or no Spanish. Now that is what we call a "win-win" situation. Unfortunately, the standard of living in a lot of Spanish speaking nations is rather poor by many Western standards. Sometimes, it is shockingly bad. Without stereotyping Latin America as a poverty stricken continent (in a lot of cases that definitely is not the case) there are never the less a lot of people in a dire situation. Learning Spanish can help to prepare you for taking the next step, --- actually heading there and making the difference!
3. Learn just for the sake of learning.
It cannot be denied that by learning Spanish you will without a doubt get a better knowledge of English. Spanish is what is known as one of the "Romance" languages, which basically means that it originated from Latin, a language from the ancient Roman Empire. So many English words too are Latin origin, and so, when one learns vocabulary in Spanish you will actually simultaneously be increasing your English vocabulary too. You may also find that your knowledge of the deep rooted meaning of these Latin based English words is largely increased. And, as you learn the grammar of Spanish, you will see how it is very close to English, as well as how it is also very different. This will increase your awareness of the grammar of your own spoken language. Because Spanish is nearly phonetically perfect, you can take a look at almost every word and straight away know exactly how to pronounce it. This characteristic makes Spanish one of the most simple languages to learn. And, when it comes to studying a third language, for example French or Italian, having already known Spanish will be a massive advantage because these languages also, are the Romance Languages.
2. Learning Spanish will let you appreciate Hispanic culture and history.
For most people, developing a deeper knowledge of Hispanic culture is becoming more and more necessary. There is no more better way to get this insight than start to speak Spanish. Read Latin American or Spanish newspapers and literature and it will open a door into the Hispanic mindset. Understanding the language will ready you to better know some of the fantastic Hispanic modern and classic historical contributions. From Miguel Cervantes to Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Hispanic literary contributions abound. From the royal paintings of Goya to the surreal depictions of Picasso, Spanish influence on the arts has been a major one. And let's not go past the gastronomy! Learning Spanish can be the ideal excuse for sampling the cuisine of Spanish speaking people. Burritos, tamales, paella, papusas, arroz con frijoles, ceviche, --- the list just keeps on going, and is a tasty indication of the huge range of Hispanic culture. Is it any surprise then, that more and more people look to take part in these cultural delights?
1. Spanish is fun and easy!
Learning Spanish will open up a lot of opportunities to have a lot more enjoyment. Who else enjoys reading through a good book or watching a great movie? Music? For sure! Food? Oh Wow! The sense of achievement? It's there just waiting for you to take hold of it! For all of the points mentioned before, and a bunch more that haven't even been mentioned, learning Spanish will be one of the most enjoyable and fun activities that you can do. It doesn't matter if your motivations are practical, intellectual or sentimental, studying Spanish is something that will benefit you throughout your life!
A little about me: Peter J May, lives in Brisbane Australia with my Colombian girlfriend. I went from not speaking a word of Spanish to being able to hold a decent conversation with her family by using a simple fun and easy course. Start with a FREE 6 day Spanish course at http://www.learnspanish-lessons.com and start learning now.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_J_May
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