Tenerife forum

[maxine]

Hi all,
All my plans are going ahead to move over next July once my daughter has finished this term at school, my husband and i have done alot of homework on schools acommodation also with alot of help from you all on this great site.
Obviously we will in time have to look for jobs which i know isnt going to be easy but were not frightened of hard work and have always worked in the uk.
I am feeling a little bit disheartened at the moment because my brother is over in Silencio this week and a couple of English he has spoken too have told him" it is worrying if your thinking of moving out here because it is a very hard country and there isnt much work about so really think carefully about your move , things arnt easy ".
We do know its not going to be easy but what country is.It certainly isnt easy here, its more worrying when your uprouting your children to new school hearing negative comments like that.

please help !!! What are your views on this.

Maxine

[DaveR]

My advice to you would be to ask yourself just how much you want to live here. If you are determined then you will make it work. If you throw your heart and soul into it then you will not fail.

We always wanted to move here. We have not ended up doing what we planned to do here. We are doing something totally different and really love what we do.

The only other thing I will add is that it was easy for us not having any dependants.

I am sure that others with kids who live here will be able to offer you more advice.

[funky]

Don't worry Maxine, thousands of people have gone through exactly the same anxiety about moving here. The fact remains that almost everyone who comes here for the right reasons and is prepared to work hard and make an effort to integrate and learn the language almost invariably succeed. The cost of living and the lack of material possession distractions in the UK mean that you don't need a tremendous income to have a reasonable lifestyle here.

As you'll probably see on dozen's of forum posts, the biggest help is to master the language. Its easy for kids, but I know from experience it takes a lot of work. Do any of your family already speak the lingo?

Always keep your eye on the goal and never get disheartened....

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[maxine]

Thanks Funky and Daverock your comments mean alot, i know what you mean it will work if you really want it to work, which we are both hard workers, but its so frightening when you get worrying comments , i felt we was moving into the third world !! ha ha especially with them saying they would worry for us moving out there.

We dont yet speak the lingo just various words but once christmas is out the way we are seriously going to get stuck into it, because i do know it will be a major bonus to speak the language.

Thanks again Maxine

[funky]

Maxine, there are lots of people who will tell you scare stories, and who will try to put you off. Sadly, they are often the type of people who never have the courage or the foresight to take a risk and try to better themselves or their lives.

In my view, the main reasons for people not settling on the island are a) Money, b) missing UK/Family c) dislike of culture/failure to integrate

For anyone who makes an effort and has a supportive network of family and friends, the only one of any real significance is MONEY. So the goal is to make sure you earn at least enough money to get by. Coming out here without any reserve fund or savings is obviously a risk too as this would leave no safety net. The bottom line is that if you speak English and reasonable Spanish, are presentable, have some basic people skills and can speak without dribbling, then you are going to find some sort of gainful employment here without too many problems. It sounds like the only skill you are short of is the Spanish. And that only applies to you and your husband. I guarantee your daughter will integrate quickly and become fluent in no time if she is of school age. Also remember that the Spanish cannot generally compete with the English work ethic, so if you work even 75% as hard as you do in the UK, you are going to make your Spanish colleagues look very lazy indeed. An english builder friend of mine told me when he started working on site in Costa del Sol. Apparently after one day, the local builders pulled him aside and asked him to slow down his workload as he was making everyone else look bad....

Learning the language is the one thing that I would scare you about, in that unless you are a natural at languages, you need to work extremely hard and study and practice the language in depth several times a week, and not simply open a phrase book once a week. Most middle aged or elderly English that come here will NEVER master Spanish, not because they don't have the ability, but that they simply don't have the drive or the motivation to learn it.

On the subject of your friend in Silencio, how easy does he/she think life is in the UK these days? Wakey wakey Mr Silencio!
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[rob]

Excellent reply Funky, thanks. I'm going to nominate that post as a champers contender for this month.

Maxine, you make it sound as though you are going to another world......you'll only be a four hour flight away from the UK!
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[sunny]

Hi Maxine, agree with Funky's reply entirely. We moved here in June 2005 and have not regretted it one bit, although we were planning the move for a couple of years, so had a lot prepared before we got here. We are semi retired, and we knew it would take a while to get work etc, we work for ourselves, and it has worked out brilliantly. As Daverock said if you are determined it will work.

The one thing that has surprised us is the amount of people who arrive here not being prepared in any way and expect it all to happen, and also the amount of people who are not officially here , ie not being legally registered etc. I am sure if you do your homework as it seems you are you will be fine.

We would rather any day to be working and living here than in the UK.

Good luck and let us know how you are getting on.

[strippersrus]

Maxine......I whole heartedly agree with funky

We came over last year and I have 3 children of different ages. They all go to spanish school. I was very worried when I moved out because I had heard bad things aswell. Yesterday I went to see my childrens their trimester report....My 9 year old daughter is fantastic..according to the school lol....I was told she is doing better than some of the spanish children. My other 2 boys one of 7 and one of 4...are doing excellently aswell.

Life is what you make it. We wanted to move, even when everyone said....OMG are you sure, it will not be easy blah blah blah....

NO it is not easy.....but it is as easy as you like it to be. With time and support you will make your life the one you want it to be. I found that the people that said bad things were just SSOOOOOOOO jealous because they could not make the same move....

People say now...Oh you are so lucky....living here is not luck it is choice....your choice....

there is a bog network of people out here who will be more than happy to help you out in what ever way needed to help you find your life here easy...me included...

Take it easy and don't let the moanies get you down hunnie......
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[ainsie]

Hi is it OK to post a link to another forum as there is a very good post there in regards to moving.

I did not want to be cheeky and post the link.

Tom

[rob]

you can always copy and paste the comments!
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[funky]

Thanks Rob, if I win you can join me in a glass!

There you go Maxine, Everyone seems to be in agreement. The best motivation has to be to look at what awaits you after the hard work (and indeed whilst you're doing it), namely:

Perfect Climate
Cheap beer
Year round sunshine
Cheap Beer
Beaches within a 10 minute drive of almost everywhere
Amazing views
Relaxed lifestyle
Cheap Beer
Great cheap Food
Less stressed, happier, friendlier people.
Outdoor sportier lifestyle (healthier for both you and the kids)
5% V.A.T and petrol at 43p per litre
Council tax at only 25% of the UK bills.
No speed cameras!
Did I mention the cheap beer?

Come on Maxine, you know it makes sense...
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[Estate_girl]

I can’t imagine what your going through to be honest as when I came out here I was only 11 yrs old, I guess my parents had your same fears, I can tell you it from my point of view:

I went straight into Spanish school which i will be honest was hell to start as I was 12 by the time school started and its a very hard age but I gritted my teeth and proved anybody who thought I couldn’t or wouldn’t be able to do it that I could, I am now bilingual and its something that money cant buy.

At the age of 13 I went back home to my Aunt's for Christmas and one evening my Aunt and Uncle went right we are off down the Pub I went to get my shoes and jacket they looked at me as if I was mad "where you going they said? to the pub with you..... but you cant come your to young!! This was very hard for me to understand has here all bars are family orientated and I went everywhere with my parents.

I took my husband back to Scotland for Christmas about 4 years back and he picked up on something else which was the food.... he said...its all chips and casseroles; I miss Spanish food...tortilla española, ensaladilla, tapas in general!!

There are lots of other stories I could tell you but it would never end! ...just take into account don’t believe everything you hear especially from people bad mouthing the Island as if they don’t like it there is a plane home whenever they want to take it.

Good luck with move hope it works for you…. Oh and remember the Tenerife motto Mañana, Mañana,….. get into the slower pace of life!

[Dart180]

My Survival Guide

You have to be careful moving here. Take off your rose tinted glasses NOW!!

Should you make it here, you will have a truly great life, be the envy of nearly all of those in the UK, those who just “wish and dream” but never TRY!

I have seen so many people come and go. I have known people that have come with large amounts of money from the sale of their uk properties and return to England with nothing. I have seen people come and return because they can’t find work. I also know people that are just “surviving here” because they only get work here and there, in bits and bats. I have seen people come and go because they fall into, what I call, The Tenerife Trap. By this I mean the cheap beer and the sunshine. They find themselves drinking all day and have the attitude “ill find a job tomorrow”. Sometimes tomorrow never comes.

However, I also know a lot of people who have made a good life for themselves and their families here.

My guide to Tenerife survival and building a great new life is this, based on my experiences, cockups and the good decisions I made. I have also drawn experiences from watching others.

1. Enroll at a Spanish class. By speaking the language will open up more opportunities for you.

2. If you are coming with your partner, you must have a rock solid relationship in order to get through the transitional period of relocating to a new country. I have seen a few couples arrive, and within a few months etc their relationships start to crumble. They say that the most stressful things in life are divorce and moving house. I have never been divorced but have moved house numerous times and believe me, the stress that the Island can put on you is so much greater. If you are coming here because you are having relationship problems in the UK and you feel that the move will bring you closer together, DON’T DO IT. It won’t work.

3. Be prepared for being homesick. This will only hit you after your “honeymoon” period is over and you face your first problems or frustrations. I have seen so many people who “loose their way” when trying to deal with the way the Island works, getting legal etc. They feel “lost” and “alone”. When this happens, to many, The UK can seem the better place. Work through it, think of what you have here and fight for it!. I question anyone I have spoken to who has said “I have never missed the UK since I have been here”. To be honest, I think that every one, in the first few months at least, does feel a tad homesick. I know I did and consider myself to be a very strong character.

4. Discipline yourself. Get here and start “doing” straight away. Don’t take a “3 month break” etc. Its to easy for the 3 month break to turn into a 4,5,6 month break. Take a break when you have established yourself here.

5. If you come here with a large sum of money with which you intend to buy property, then put it away somewhere safe, somewhere you will not pick at it. Rent a property at first to make sure you like the new lifestyle etc. Give yourself plenty of time to decide about buying here.

6. Get legal as soon as you can. NIE, social etc. This has to be your first priority. You will find it hard to find legal work without it.

7. Only turn to “creditable” people for advice on legal matters etc (NIE social, tax, car ITV’s etc). I used to ask 10 people the same question and get 10 different answers. I have found so many people that are full of crap; claim they know everything but in fact no nothing. I then employed a fiscal to take care of everything and it was such a relief and I knew I was covered properly from every angle.

8. Be who you are and be proud of what you have got. Don’t bull @@@@ people. Like I said the island is full of them. People will be so much more willing to help you if you are genuine. I am always happy to help genuine folk, haven’t got any time for bull @@@@ though.

9. Get out and about as much as you can. Generate contacts, mingle with folk but beware of everyone! Trust no one. There are many people who will be glad to rip you off. I thought I was shrewd and switched on but I got taken for 500 euros off a so called friend within the first 3 months. It took me 3 years to get it back.

10. Take any work you can at first while you are finding your feet. There IS work out there. Don’t cherry pick work as it will pass you by. Once you are earning, then start to look for your dream job. Remember, when you are working you will be building contacts which may come in useful at a later date.

11. Be prepared to earn a pittance here compared with your UK wages. Employers here pay poor money because the demand for jobs is so high. Sad I know but its a fact. A recent post on @@@@@@ suggests that 1000 to 1250 euros per month is a VERY GOOD Tenerife wage.

12. Fight fight fight for your desire to live here. If times are hard, if people knock you back, let you down then fight back (not literally). Look in the mirror every morning and say “no one is going to get me down today. I am a fighter and I will survive”. You may find that the island at first, draws resources out of you that you didn’t know you had. One can either lie down give up and die or fight and survive.

13. When you have settled in and are enjoying “another day in paradise” purchase a nice bottle of Champaign, walk to the shore one night as the sun sets with your partner etc, crack the bottle open, look across the sea and scream “weve bloody done it”, let your emotions pour out. Then go home and enjoy the rest of your days on this stunning Island and take advantage of what Tenerife can offer that the UK cant.

The very very best of look to you.

[rob]

Another great post, thank you whoever you are and welcome to our forum.

I would add one more thing, ask advice from someone who has been successful here and LISTEN to that advice, especially if it's not what you were hoping to hear. I get told off many times on here for 'putting people down' or 'spoiling their dreams' but I will not give false hopes to anyone.

There are may 'experts' who've been here for some time but who have no idea where the money for the next drink is coming from yet will expound upon what you should and shouldn't do and claim to know all the answers.
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[karlb]

You will not get any better help than this. Dart180 Welcome to our forum and thanks for taking the time to give your advice.

Maxine take your time to absorb this info, its invaluable.

Good luck and keep us posted.
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