Under the Sun

Girl from Paraguay looking for work

 Living in the sunshine is a wonderful thing, but like all worlds there is lots going on under the surface.

The Beatles sang 'here comes the sun it's been a long cold lonely winter' the winters are short in Spain and shorter in the south-east, Alicante, Murcia but for many it is still cold and lonely.


Many British and Irish come to live in Spain; buying a house on a 'urbanization' a housing estate. places where the Spanish only come during August if at all, but the ex-pat community live all year round rather like on a caravan park out of season.

Integration is minimal, the Spanish are very friendly but if you can't understand what they are telling you the common reaction from a mostly middle-aged new residences, is fear.
I have heard stories of people paying for food at a market always with a 20 Euro note as they can't cope with the numerical response.

Many others suffer depression they are away from most of the family and friends and it takes time and to make new ones. However the limiting factor is the language barrier. I have been teaching English for the last six years all over the country and this is my first experience living near the coast. The Spanish do speak a better level of English than those inland, many Spanish spend a lot of time and money improving and perfecting their English but it's not them that need to learn it's the ex-pats.

All over the country you will see construction sites abandoned, tower-blocks, golf complexes. About the only building that is still continuing is state roads and highways.
Most of the workers in this industry are south American so the language barrier is less of a problem. However like immigration in all countries it has opposition.

Spain today has a very mixed culture, from Brits, Germans, Chinese, Russians, Moroccans, with a myriad of South Americans and that is more or less the pecking order. A Spanish friend asked me if I felt like I had integrated. Because my Spanish is strong enough for me to speak, read and write the answer is yes. I don't limit myself to only English speaking, bars and friends. The two languages can compliment each other we have mutual respect for our cultures so speaking both languages opens up many possibilities, of friendships. 

unfinished

for sale or rent

The economic situation here is tricky like in all European countries those that have money will always have it. The antithesis is seen daily: beggars and the homeless are in abundance. The job market is tough, many companies have closed their doors, or are in a balancing act. Some small business can't close up as there is no dole money for closing your own business but at the same time there is no profit.

The government has started to cut civil service jobs and wages. Many sub-contracts have been stopped. The increase in unemployment means people are trying to get back into education but places are limited. So those without an education try any means they can. Scrap metal prices have increased so the number of bin divers are on the increase. for example I saw a bed mattress left outside; the next day it had been cut and dissected to extract the metal springs. rather ingenious.

Of course their are new business and opportunities, for example I know of an Dance school near Marbella that is doing well and seems to be crossing language barriers too.

We are lucky to have the sunshine but in addition to this we need a job and friends. So before you pack up your bags have a good think about what you are giving up and how long it will take you to build your new life in the sun.

Education Cuts, school wall

The reality for many unemployed is ducking and diving at CashCoverters where security keep an eye out for undesirables