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View Full Version : Relocation ready for another wanna move? ...... its long!!!



tinker88
23-06-2013, 16:48
Hi,

as usual .... we love tenerife..... and i hope this is not the usual .... WE WANT TO MOVE thread.??


My husband, stepson (15yrs) and I are planning on moving in August, but all the horror stories scare you.

Im wondering if some people can help, or be blunt if needed ..... but before you are blunt please read our story, and realise that we understand the "job" issues in tenerife, and everywhere in the world is struggling financially, etc etc.

we have been learning spanish for a few years now and when we visit tenerife we practice like mad, we are doing ok, but even in 2 weeks in tenerife we are so much better just by listening and trying to get the accents , i feel that bit is holding us back. We are not your usual "holiday makers' we explore, go to spanish towns, and avoid being a tourist so we know the island better than some of our friends thats lived there years!

We will have enough to pay for private school upfront for 1 year, and have 5-6 months rent upfront, along with enough to purchase 2 cars, furnish a home if needed, and some 'spare'

and we will rent our home out in the UK - fully insured and have mortgage protection .

I am hoping and please dont shoot me down here to get a job in sales (club la costa, silverpoint etc. i have friends who are in these circles and im good at sales so im confident with it all) i also have several other qualifications, and experience but until my spanish is upto scratch i wouldnt apply for these just yet.

My husband for now will get any job (this would be tough taking whats available but it cant hurt for now right?), but hes run his own business for years and also does aircon/bar cooler/refridge repairs. So once settled im sure he will be able to build a successful business, or hopefully when his spanish in these areas are improved be employed. He worked in for a brewery company for 22 years fixing coolers, plumbing soft drinks, repairing etc. Hes also a qualified welding, electrician, and self taught mechanic, and we are in the process of selling our uk business that we have kept running for 9 years in a tough recession.

The 'job' market is something we do need to explore more so any advice welcome - i know there is mass unemployment in tenerife etc, but when we visit there seems to be enough people working, maybe not enough genuine people, or too many 'day dreamers' (which im hoping after my post we are not!!) i assume once you are settled, people know you and your not a one hit wonder on the island, and spanish our spanish is better we should be able to try and find a job we want , not whats just available and pays a wage??

Im worried about everyone saying do not trust anyone? surely thou you have to make friends? and you want to trust friends?

we have researched most things i can think about, and costs etc, and have close friends who have lived and worked in tenerife for 25yrs. What they dont know isnt worth knowing, and they know everyone! so hopefully this will help with contacts etc.

we also plan to bring our 2 dogs, they have passports ready and done.

Im selling my horses but may keep one and have him shipped out in a year or so if things work ok. We know the costs of horse livery, have visited yards, and have a rough cost for shipping him over.

We would plan on buying a car and van both spanish plated and driving over with dogs and personal items, my dads drove over before and we know the route and ferries.

My parents own property in tenerife and have also been visiting, and have loads of snow bird friends over there, as well as friends thats lived there for ever.

Over the last few years we have seen people in tenerife come and go, and also seen people make it.

Also our reasons for moving to me seem right, we are not wanting a party, sun, sea and wine lifestyle - now dont get me wrong it is the weather that is the main pull, but we are outdoor people, i currently battle through 6 months of terrible weather to do my hobby (horses and my dogs), and look forward to summer (what summer) we work hard to basically have plans ruined do to rain, snow, ice, etc. Its horrible!! I'm willing to lower my life expectances, to enjoy my weekend, evenings etc. To cook fresh food and eat outside, to enjoy bodyboarding on a sunday, have a lazy walk to el medano, even down to the things like its more traditional in tenerife we are traditional people, we prefer the older way of doing things like going to meet an employer not emailing a cv to then have 3 interviews and be asked where you see yourself in 5 years..... you know what im getting at? (gosh i sound like an old woman - im late 20's BTW)

We dont hate our life in the UK, but its not what i want, im not the person whos happy because i own my house, have a car and go on holiday - thats not me!!!! and the same for my husband...... so our thoughts are why not try it..... give it a go, and id prefer to come back and say ive done it, than sit here for another 7 years and go 'one day' ill move, after all is it ever the right time ?? and we are young enough to make a mistake and try and get back where we left off. We were supposed to be moving to Australia last year but i decided against it (other issues) and tenerife is only 4 hours away! not otherside of the world!

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please feel free to say stop dreaming, or any advice, tips, suggestions!!

we plan another reccie trip next month!

TenerifeTeddy
23-06-2013, 19:07
Hi, and welcome to the forum :)
Excellent post, you have obviously thought things through, and have realistic expectations. :)
The biggest problem for most people is finding work, or having enough money behind you to give yourselves time to get established, and you appear to have that covered.

The trust issue is a biggie, we have always tended to trust people and have been caught out a couple of times by unscrupulous individuals. We are less trusting now, which is a shame, but unfortunately there are those here whose only method of surviving out here is to rip others off. The best way round this is to use people recommended by others that you know or trust. This forum is a good way of getting unbiased opinions of who it is best to contact for all manner of services.

One area you didn't mention was health cover. This could be done by getting a work contract which will give you access to the Canarian health system for you family, paying Autonomo (self employed) or buying private health insurance, one of these is essential to ensure you have health cover for the family.

You have the right attitude, when you arrive here settle in quickly, get stuck in and work hard. I wish you all the best with your move.

tinker88
23-06-2013, 19:51
Thank you for your kind post.

We have just spoke my parents and we be able to live rent free just pay community, bills etx at a friends apartment that's free will be a bit cramped for now but will help us also.

Totally forgot to mention the whole health care,

Cheers

DonnaFranka
24-06-2013, 01:02
Hi There. Just want to encourage you, it is a great life here and it is really great that you speak Spanish as you will get so much out of it.

We have private health care with Mapfre and for a family of two adults and two teenagers it is 170 per month.

Good luck

slodgedad
24-06-2013, 01:09
Thank you for your kind post.

We have just spoke my parents and we be able to live rent free just pay community, bills etx at a friends apartment that's free will be a bit cramped for now but will help us also.

Totally forgot to mention the whole health care,

Cheers

A lot of people do. They assume it is free and available to all as in the UK.

The Social system is superb, once you are in it but if not can be ultra expensive.

To me it is one of the most important things to sort out. God forbid anything happens but one medical emergency, without cover, could wipe out your nest egg.

tinker88
24-06-2013, 01:20
Thank you , I've read the odd post here and there re; health care etc but I must admit its the part we are not clued up on

Taylor
24-06-2013, 06:05
Thank you , I've read the odd post here and there re; health care etc but I must admit its the part we are not clued up on

PM TIS on the Forum he is sorting me out with Private Insurance nice guy and clued up....Oh and best of luck I'm sure you will love the lifestyle.

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Thank you , I've read the odd post here and there re; health care etc but I must admit its the part we are not clued up on

PM TIS on the Forum he is sorting me out with Private Insurance nice guy and clued up....Oh and best of luck I'm sure you will love the lifestyle.

megsdad
24-06-2013, 11:49
go for it, you sound far more clued up than i was, and i´m now celebrating my 20th year here!!!!!

Belinda
24-06-2013, 17:40
For health insurance, you could always try Caser and DKV.
We used to be with DKV when we first moved to the Canaries, but in an effort to save some money, moved over to Caser and onto a cheaper plan.
The plan we are on now is for people who are generally in good health (let's keep hoping!) but with cover for major things such as hospitalization. However, we do pay for smaller things such as visits to the doctor or well-person checks.
If taking out private health insurance you would need to make sure that there is a doctor or medical centre near you that accepts that company so don't pick some weird and way out company just because it's got really cheap cover because it could be that very people accept it.

jonesey
24-06-2013, 17:43
Interesting we too have made three trips out there lto Silencio and have fallen in love with El Medano area, but we have the advantage of doing the same Tenerife or Australia - carn't stop thinking though of complications of Schools for children and jobs which are in short demand at the moment. But like you say 4 hours away is not the other side of the world.

Belinda
24-06-2013, 18:07
If you have any family in the UK, that can be the hardest part about living in a different country. But at least if you are in the Canaries, you really are far more accessible than Australia. We did think about Australia but I am so glad we didn't go - doubtless we'd have had a good time but not seeing your family can be hard.
Another advantage is that if you are bringing young children, they learn to speak Spanish - and with the two languages of Spanish and English, that really does cover a lot of the globe.
I've just started up a website recently - very much still being built - but the blog posts might be of a slight amount of interest to you: Relocate Canaries (http://www.relocatecanaries.wordpress.com/) (working title by the way)

bonitatime
25-06-2013, 07:57
Sorry to be down but you are planning to bring a 15 year old put him into a English School for a year and hope you make enough for his next two years? Or after a year are you planning to let him leave. His UK qualifications will not easily get him into the Spanish system even if he speaks the language.
Please think about this. I have seen so many teens lives ruined by this thinking.