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View Full Version : Relocation What are the reasons why people leave Tenerife within a year?



Nina Hess
22-07-2014, 11:57
Dear all!

I have read CIM's Tenerife survival guide and it answered a lot of questions. But the thread says that a lot of people leave Tenerife in a short time even though they'd planned to stay indefinitely. I'd like relocate to Tenerife and avoid making the same mistakes as others.

Do you know people who have had to leave and what the reasons were? And do you know what these people could have done differently? From CIM's survival guide I could tell that I've got most of the stuff covered, like a permanent job (will be employed in Denmark working online as a translator), have a lot of savings and own a flat in Copenhagen which I could sublet, have a solid relationship with my boyfriend who'd be moving with me.

So, what should I worry about and what precautions should I take?

Kind regards Nina.

bonitatime
22-07-2014, 13:45
The two biggest complications I see are work which you have covered and not adapting to living here
It is very easy to get into a holiday/party lifestyle which physically takes it's toll
Good luck

Nina Hess
22-07-2014, 13:53
Thanks for your answer :)
We're moving there to get a more quiet life and for be near the beach and nature so the partying won't be a problem either.

Tom & Sharon
22-07-2014, 15:53
Thanks for your answer :)
We're moving there to get a more quiet life and for be near the beach and nature so the partying won't be a problem either.

You can get fed up of that as well!

Everybody's different, but what seems idyllic at the time, may have paled 5 years down the line.

Somebody said to me the other day "Tenerife has a shelf life."

I think that just about sums it up.

primrose
22-07-2014, 16:35
You can get fed up of that as well!

Everybody's different, but what seems idyllic at the time, may have paled 5 years down the line.

Somebody said to me the other day "Tenerife has a shelf life."

I think that just about sums it up.

That is one of the best things I have read on here, I couldn't put into words how I felt but you have just done it for me.

bonitatime
22-07-2014, 17:20
You can get fed up of that as well!

Everybody's different, but what seems idyllic at the time, may have paled 5 years down the line.

Somebody said to me the other day "Tenerife has a shelf life."

I think that just about sums it up.

How long do you reckon this Shelf life is? I have been here 30 years this summer

YOUNG GOLFER
22-07-2014, 17:39
And I have been here for over 25yrs.....and I am happy being left on the shelf no matter how long it is.:)

DJ Dangerous
22-07-2014, 18:26
I think that everywhere has a shelf-life... wherever we immigrants have come from has obviously expired for us!

The only people that I can think of off-hand who left the island were friends who partied too hard for too long, or didn't learn the language, or tried living in isolated colonies without integrating, or suffered a family tragedy and had a duty to be elsewhere.

The first three reasons for friends departing all kind of come under one umbrella - living a lie.

Nina Hess
22-07-2014, 18:49
Thanks guys.

I know sometimes you get fed up with where ever you're living because no place is perfect. What I would like to know is why some people have to leave even though they don't really want to.

kathml
22-07-2014, 20:51
Although many don't admit it lack of money is the root of many leaving

warbey
22-07-2014, 21:08
I believe Those who stay, may have needed to move House before getting comfortable.

If You don't like Parties, does the Neighbour etc..?


Your qualities mean You must have a good chance to survive,
as long as You live in the right Surroundings for You personally.......

Tom & Sharon
23-07-2014, 10:37
How long do you reckon this Shelf life is? I have been here 30 years this summer


And I have been here for over 25yrs.....and I am happy being left on the shelf no matter how long it is.:)

There are 2 kinds of people who leave Tenerife.

Many, many people leave in that first 1 to 2 year window, simply due to money. They have an unrealistic idea when they arrive of getting jobs, and earning enough to live some kind of dream life on the sun. One which basically you normally only glimpse from the comfort of a 2 week package holiday. They go back home, and think "I could have a bit of that". Twelve months later, they've sold their house, the car and the family dog, given their notice in at work, been to a dozen Spanish classes at evening school and arrive on Tenerife with 20k in their pockets, and a lot of dreams. They rent an apartment and for the first 3 months live like they're on an extended holiday. They start to look for work, and that's when the reality kicks in. Low pay, poor conditions, appalling employers, no security. They can't really afford the rent on that nice apartment, but they've still got a bit of cash left to prop them up. A few months down the line, that cash is gone. They're working for peanuts, and never really get to see the sun, it's really hard work anyway and they never get a day off. They can't pay the rent, and those lovely restaurants they used to go to all the time are out of the question. They need a holiday................

So, they pack up and go. That's the first category.

The second category are people who leave because they just get fed up of it. It's got nothing to do with money, probably older people with a pension, or like the OP, someone with a remote income. These are the people who leave because the "shelf life" has expired.

There's no doubt that Tenerife is an island of great natural beauty, but it is not paradise on earth by a long chalk. When you first arrive, you love the change of life. The beaches, the sound of the ocean, different foods, relaxed way of life, eating al fresco, nice glass of wine in the sunshine in December.

But, the old adage "familiarity breeds contempt" is true. After a while, it loses it's sparkle. You've been up Teide a hundred times. The beach? Well that's just sand! It's only a small island, you've been everywhere. Then the bureaucracy and the paperwork starts to get on your nerves. You notice things you didn't notice before. It might be an island of natural beauty, but quite honestly, there are large areas which are dirty, scruffy and unkempt. The heat gets you down in the summer, the flies, the Mosquitos. All things that at first are fine, but after a few years, they get on your nerves. You find yourself saying "well in England (or wherever) we have this"............"in England we do this"..........That's when you leave.

I've spoken to a couple of people this week, who've been in Tenerife 12 years and 5 years. Both were fed up of it. Neither need to leave for money reasons. It has simply expired it's purpose for them. This is from who I heard the "Tenerife has a shelf life" comment from. Another simple thing one of them said as well, things you just don't think about. She loves walking, and thought when she came to Tenerife she would walk all the time. But she said, when you walk in England all the time, even if you walk in the same place, that place is different in spring/summer/autumn/winter. In Tenerife, it's always the same. A very small thing, one which you'd never think of, but true.

Even the waiter in our local Indian restaurant said to us, that people retire and come to Tenerife. They see them all the time for a few years, and then they are gone.

YG and Bonitatime, I know you have been on the island all those years, and that's great. But you are in the minority, and the OP did ask why people leave, so I'm just answering that question to the best of my knowledge.

SuzyQ
23-07-2014, 11:32
You can get fed up of that as well!

Everybody's different, but what seems idyllic at the time, may have paled 5 years down the line.

Somebody said to me the other day "Tenerife has a shelf life."

I think that just about sums it up.

I wouldn't agree with that either. After almost 18 years I can say that the longer I stay away from the UK the less I want to go back. Each to their own I guess.

Tom & Sharon
23-07-2014, 12:55
How long do you reckon this Shelf life is? I have been here 30 years this summer


And I have been here for over 25yrs.....and I am happy being left on the shelf no matter how long it is.:)


I wouldn't agree with that either. After almost 18 years I can say that the longer I stay away from the UK the less I want to go back. Each to their own I guess.

Yes, everybody is different.

The OP is asking why people leave though, not why they stay!

bonitatime
23-07-2014, 13:33
Looking at those who have stayed i think it has more to do with integration than anything else
You talk about the Beach And Teide

But no mention of the cinema, theatre concert centre the great exhibitions
Cheap flights to the mainland if you need a weekend away
All the sports and cultural activities going on in each town hall.
But you need to speak Spanish which many don't
Perhaps the greatest factor is not the two I mentioned above but learning or not learning Spanish

dede
23-07-2014, 13:45
I've left Tenerife after 10 years and it wasn't for money reasons either. I totally agree with you Sharon you are spot on with everything you say, especially the walks in the countryside, the uk is second to none regarding scenery and countryside, and the different seasons, it's beautiful and I've only appreciated it since I've returned to the uk. I have no regrets to having lived in Tenerife for ten years as we had a lovely life there but that is a really good saying that it has a shelf life and so very true, I've known loads get to ten years there and returned to the uk, but for us we are so happy to be home and would never move from the uk again.

Tom & Sharon
23-07-2014, 13:52
Looking at those who have stayed i think it has more to do with integration than anything else
You talk about the Beach And Teide

But no mention of the cinema, theatre concert centre the great exhibitions
Cheap flights to the mainland if you need a weekend away
All the sports and cultural activities going on in each town hall.
But you need to speak Spanish which many don't
Perhaps the greatest factor is not the two I mentioned above but learning or not learning Spanish

I didn't mention them no, but be honest, who moves to Tenerife for the theatre and concerts? And if we did go down that road, Tenerife has nothing to compare to the UK in terms of concerts, cinema, culture, art etc. when was the last time you were in London?

I know you're "fully integrated" as you call it, and that's great, I'm glad you're happy. It's not only to do with speaking Spanish though. I'm not fluent by any means, but I'm not bad, and I can get by in any situation. Speaking Spanish is not the answer to everything. The OP wants to know why people leave, and I'm trying to answer her question.

CIM wrote the survival guide. His missus is Spanish, and she thinks all the Brits who want to live in Spain/Tenerife are completely puddled, with all that the UK has to offer!

YOUNG GOLFER
23-07-2014, 14:11
CIM did not write the survival guide another member did on the old forum Treble99 wrote it.

Don't' think his other half would be happy either calling her Spanish she takes great pride in being or telling people she is from Venezuela:)

Tom & Sharon
23-07-2014, 14:26
CIM did not write the survival guide another member did on the old forum Treble99 wrote it.

Don't' think his other half would be happy either calling her Spanish she takes great pride in being or telling people she is from Venezuela:)

Oh yes sorry, you're right.

Haha, re: you know who! Sometimes she admits to being Spanish, depends where she is. The point is though, she's a fluent Spanish speaker.

Just another thought........

I was just thinking it's a bit like a pyramid:-

The bottom level are the first group, who arrive in droves and leave fairly quickly. The second group make it further up, but there are fewer of them, and most still leave. At the top you've got the 3rd group, the long stayers, but there aren't that many of them.

Consider yourself the top of the tree............ ;) ;) ;)

SuzyQ
23-07-2014, 14:36
Yes, everybody is different.

The OP is asking why people leave though, not why they stay!

Surely it is relevant ;)

Ecky Thump
23-07-2014, 14:41
Surely it is relevant ;)

I agree, it's just as important and helpful to know/how/why people stay as leave their chosen or considered place to live.:)

primrose
23-07-2014, 14:43
I agree, it's just as important and helpful to know/how/why people stay as leave their chosen place to live.:)

But SuzyQ and YG have not given a reason why they stay just how long they have been here.

Tenner
23-07-2014, 14:56
As long as you have your online translator job I don't see any reason for leaving Tenerife

Good luck

Ecky Thump
23-07-2014, 14:58
But SuzyQ and YG have not given a reason why they stay just how long they have been here.

I thought that SuzyQ stated that the longer she has lived in Tenerife the more she wants to stay...it's a valid reason. I see it as, that she has become accustomed to living there and has no reason to return.

Maybe it will now open up the thread to more positives and less negatives.:)

primrose
23-07-2014, 15:17
I thought that SuzyQ stated that the longer she has lived in Tenerife the more she wants to stay...it's a valid reason. I see it as, that she has become accustomed to living there and has no reason to return.

Maybe it will now open up the thread to more positives and less negatives.:)

There are no negatives, the OP asked why people left and they have been given the reasons why, and for somebody as respected as dede to come on and give her reasons why do you think that is being negative she was just being honest. As for SuzyQ posting a valid reason then yes I suppose it is but it isn't giving the OP any idea why she wants to stay. There are not many positive reasons why people leave Tenerife.

Ecky Thump
23-07-2014, 15:22
There are no negatives,

I must have been reading another thread!???

Hepa
23-07-2014, 15:29
Somewhat off topic perhaps, I live on the island of El Hierro, when we first settled here there were 15 or 20 U.K. people living here, now there are four English residents and perhaps a Scot. Quite a few left because they could not integrate, one left because his wife died, one went to live in Germany and another Lady went to live in the Cape Verde Isles. Me I will leave when I die, this is now our home...

primrose
23-07-2014, 15:36
I must have been reading another thread!???

Perhaps you don't understand the question, this it what was asked- [I know sometimes you get fed up with where ever you're living because no place is perfect. What I would like to know is why some people have to leave even though they don't really want to] so you really aren't going to get many positives, but Tom & Sharon and dede and Kathlm have answered the question and the reasons given were the truth about why people leave and if you think they were negative then so be it but you aren't going to get many positives from people who have had to leave even if they don't want to.

- - - - - - - - - - merged double post - - - - - - - - - -


Somewhat off topic perhaps, I live on the island of El Hierro, when we first settled here there were 15 or 20 U.K. people living here, now there are four English residents and perhaps a Scot. Quite a few left because they could not integrate, one left because his wife died, one went to live in Germany and another Lady went to live in the Cape Verde Isles. Me I will leave when I die, this is now our home...

Hepa why do you put perhaps a Scot:whistle::lol:

Hepa
23-07-2014, 15:44
Hepa why do you put perhaps a Scot:whistle::lol:[/QUOTE]

Never sure if he is here, then you will see him in the middle of town playing a flute

Skeggy
23-07-2014, 15:50
I didn't mention them no, but be honest, who moves to Tenerife for the theatre and concerts? And if we did go down that road, Tenerife has nothing to compare to the UK in terms of concerts, cinema, culture, art etc. when was the last time you were in London? . said Sharon..

Tenerife has an abundance of music and culture and of course would be hard pressed to compare to London. But how many expats or visitors are aware or even interested to know of the Tenerife Symphony Orchestra who play in the magnificent Santa Cruz auditorium equal or perhaps better than anything similar in the UK regions. I recently spent a week attending the Fimucite festival of film music in which several American and International composers conducted their own film and TV scores absolutely superbly. I have rarely seen anything about culture events on this forum except Kirsty Jay mentioning that she was to take her daughter to a performance of the magic flute.

Sorry about going off topic, But if one has read this forum for some time they will find many incidences and reasons for people leaving the island and some strange situations in their personal life, there was one lady a regular contributor whose husband worked in the Uk, she has now returned to the UK divorced, people who could not survive financally but still return for holidays on a regular basis. Sharon your recent involvement and dissatisfaction with your community could be a similar reason that others left for, Living in a community could never suit all.

Nina Hess
23-07-2014, 16:01
Skeggy, I'm really glad to hear what you're saying about the culture on Tenerife. One of my worries about moving from Copenhagen to Tenerife was that I would miss going to the theater, opera, concerts and that sort of thing.

primrose
23-07-2014, 16:12
I didn't mention them no, but be honest, who moves to Tenerife for the theatre and concerts? And if we did go down that road, Tenerife has nothing to compare to the UK in terms of concerts, cinema, culture, art etc. when was the last time you were in London? . said Sharon..

Tenerife has an abundance of music and culture and of course would be hard pressed to compare to London. But how many expats or visitors are aware or even interested to know of the Tenerife Symphony Orchestra who play in the magnificent Santa Cruz auditorium equal or perhaps better than anything similar in the UK regions. I recently spent a week attending the Fimucite festival of film music in which several American and International composers conducted their own film and TV scores absolutely superbly. I have rarely seen anything about culture events on this forum except Kirsty Jay mentioning that she was to take her daughter to a performance of the magic flute.

Sorry about going off topic, But if one has read this forum for some time they will find many incidences and reasons for people leaving the island and some strange situations in their personal life, there was one lady a regular contributor whose husband worked in the Uk, she has now returned to the UK divorced, people who could not survive financally but still return for holidays on a regular basis. Sharon your recent involvement and dissatisfaction with your community could be a similar reason that others left for, Living in a community could never suit all.

Some of us are aware of the Tenerife Symphony Orchestra, I was one of the few English who went up to Santa Cruz on Christmas day to the annual Christmas Day Concert which was fantastic and the great fireworks display after and I am sure many more would have enjoyed it but there is very little publicity about a lot of the cultural events that are on in Santa Cruz in the South.

You probably won't read about people leaving Tenerife on this Forum who is going to admit on here that they have failed, lost all their money and are going back.

Hepa
23-07-2014, 16:52
Its not Just Tenerife though. Some people are not destined to live in a different country from that of their birth, I remember, years ago working on P&O ships, carrying Ten Pound emigrants to Australia, you could tell the ones that wouldn't settle after they had been on board for just a few days.

YOUNG GOLFER
23-07-2014, 16:53
But SuzyQ and YG have not given a reason why they stay just how long they have been here.

This my home and don't think about it as staying primrose, all my adult life I have been here and as much as people like Tenerife for a 2 week holiday, that works the same for me when it comes to England, 2 weeks is enough for me.
England is not really the same England I remember when I was a child.
And everyday I talk to people from the UK in my office who have not got a good word to say about the UK and can't wait to move out. I hear more people from England being negative about England than people here being negative about here.

Tom & Sharon
23-07-2014, 17:02
It's just necessary to remember that Tenerife is not Utopia. Nowhere is!

People do leave, mostly because of money, but not necessarily. The ones that don't leave because of money, leave because they miss things from their home country that Tenerife cannot offer them. These will be different things for different people.

At first, when you are away from your home country, you don't miss things so much. You relish in a different way of life. But after a while, you do miss them. For me, it's the shops, the restaurants, the food. And to be quite honest, civilisation. The buzz of life which Tenerife doesn't have. And things start to become annoying. Just little things, like having to go to 3 shops before I can find a cauliflower, and then when I do, it's still rubbish!

The OP just needs to bear in mind, that this can happen.

We've just been in Tenerife for 2 weeks, and came home yesterday. I was glad to leave. Our apartment is gorgeous (even if I say so myself!) but Tenerife in July? No thanks! The heat is awful, you can't sleep, the Mosquitos, the flies, hiding from the sun. And not a single decent piece of veg in the farmers market lol!

It's still hot today in England. I've just been out in the car and it said 30 deg on the dashboard. The air is fresher though, and Tesco is brimming with fresh produce.

It's horses for courses as always. But Tenerife is not everyone's cup of tea for permanent living. We could live there permanently tomorrow, but we don't choose to. There was a time when we thought we would, but it's not for us as a permanent home. It simply doesn't offer enough.

dede
23-07-2014, 17:36
To be honest I get asked this question on a regular basis "OMG what made you come back here " as people think you live your life like you do on a 2 week holiday, when in fact both me and my husband worked very hard while we were there and for money that you would be insulted with in the UK. But you do what you can to "live the dream". My life is so much more comfortable now and doing a job what means a lot to me for good money. Oh and the feeling you get when you can actually go a buy something that you want (like a car) without all the bureaucracy that goes with it like in Tenerife. Anyone who says that they don't love paperwork in Tenerife will tell you anything.......and that's just another little thing that becomes very tedious after a few years.

cheery
23-07-2014, 18:17
This has been a very thought provoking thread. There were the usual negative comments but for all the best intentions. There were also some who should work for the Tourist Board. The Chancellor in his last budget did me a good favour in the last budget. My intention is to buy a boat for a few years and sail the Med while I am relatively able. After that we intend to fly South permanently. My assets and pensions should see us comfortable but not rich.

We will do all the things mentioned above, walks (hills and sea front), beach, theatre etc. Learning the language is a must, for me anyway as I think you miss out on so much if you can't speak the language and also I don't want to be a typical Brit. We certainly won't be OAPs behaving badly. if that's your bag fine but it's not for us.

Over the years I have been a member on here (and the other site) there has been lots of valuable advice posted and that continues to this day. I will not be doing this blindly and hopefully won't fall into some of the traps others have.

delderek
23-07-2014, 19:40
England is not really the same England I remember when I was a child.
And everyday I talk to people from the UK in my office who have not got a good word to say about the UK and can't wait to move out. I hear more people from England being negative about England than people here being negative about here.

That's a pretty general statement, Where I live has not really changed in decades, expanded yes, immigrants, no, maybe 1%. Small local shops, cricket on the green, a lot more cars, maybe 8 waiting at the only traffic lights
used to be be 4. Tenerife is a lovely place, but perhaps not so nice as you get old. Crippling inheritance tax, care homes almost non existent, Not much social help if you need it. So their is a time to leave, as you get older. The trick is, knowing the right time. But of course if you are no longer entitled to UK services, you won't have a choice. But I think I know where I would rather be, if I need help in later life.

9PLUS
23-07-2014, 20:58
Looking at those who have stayed i think it has more to do with integration than anything else
You talk about the Beach And Teide

But no mention of the cinema, theatre concert centre the great exhibitions
Cheap flights to the mainland if you need a weekend away
All the sports and cultural activities going on in each town hall.
But you need to speak Spanish which many don't
Perhaps the greatest factor is not the two I mentioned above but learning or not learning Spanish


i LIKE THAT

warbey
23-07-2014, 21:29
Interesting Thread, especially reading between the Lines.

I, being somewhat Senior would not choose to live 24/7 in Tenerife.

As a Holidaymaker I Love the Place in it's Entirety and really wish I could live there with a Home in the U.K. as well

I would be inclined to spend more than Half of the Time There because the U.K. is not the Place it was supposed to be, Years ago
when We fought to survive as a Nation.

What HASN'T been said yet is how Friendly the People are in general, and how They who Speak Spanish appreciate Us Ingles who try to!

Ive only ever seen this mentioned, rarely, but Personal Experience is that I'm not sure if I have more Friends there than here. I think so.

That cannot be bought, so it will tie in with Bonitatime's view.

Years ago i used to holiday near Barcelona where few English visited. You integrated or left.?
Things cahange, but I believe in joining rather than standing back whinging...........................

9PLUS
23-07-2014, 22:40
Some people leave because they can't get very good meth


x

Bazz
23-07-2014, 23:02
Some people leave because they can't get very good meth


x

They need Walter White!

TenerifeTeddy
23-07-2014, 23:14
We have been out here 9 years now, and we still really enjoy being here, although the bureaucracy of running or trying to expand a business drives us mad at times.

We have seen many people come and go. Reasons have varied from, being completely unprepared, family breakups, lack of work, financial problems, illness and deaths in the family, and in one recent case disenchantment, where a highly qualified professional person in their own country, found the only job they could get here was being a waiter in a restaurant.

DJ Dangerous
23-07-2014, 23:57
Some of the fundamentals of life here are very different, or I found them to be, at least.

From an employment point of view, there are too many two-bit con-artists playing business-person in the sun. Combine that with boat-loads of refugees arriving from Ireland and the UK every summer, and your labour is suddenly under-valued. The language is the key to crawling out of that barrel.

Aesthetically, I found the lack of purely residential areas strange to get used-to at first. Every apartment building (or almost every one) has its bottom floor filled with commercial units. There is no clear distinction between residential and commercial. It seems normal now, though.

Healthcare here is amazing. I have never in my life experienced such good health care. You don't feel right, you phone 012 and make an appointment with your medico de cabezero, and (s)he consults with you, recommends specialists, urgent visits, blood tests etc. before I moved here, "cholesterol" was a word that old people used when they saw me eat, holding no meaning at all. Now, I know exactly what levels of each cholesterol I have, what they should be, and if I need to take any steps. And, it's all completely free!

Paperwork here is daunting at times, but the more you do it, the less unusual it seems. Getting a Spanish driving licence was easy and fast, and carrying it negates the legal requirement to carry un-folded Residencia and passport etc. Gestoria's are great for when it gets too heavy, and those based in the north seem to charge prices around half that of those in the south.

People in general seem so much more open, or helpful, or just more willing to talk, than they did back in Dublin. Only yesterday, I took a trip to a desguace with a list of parts that I wanted. they said that they'd phone me this morning, and sure enough, I received a call at half ten this morning, telling me that they had tracked down half the stuff, and would call me if they got hold of the rest. Another call from them at half three to confirm that they'd found the rest, and by half six, they'd delivered the lot to my mechanic. Breakers were a nightmare to deal with before moving here.

The scenery here is beautiful. I will admit that there is some amazing terrain around Connemara, and the west coast is beautiful, but I find the contrasts here even more amazing. You want sun, you can have it, you want cloud, you can have it, you want green, you can have it, you want grey, you can have it, you want forest, you can have it.

I guess it's horses for courses, and as mentioned earlier, there is probably an invisible pyramid demonstrating the longevity of the refugees arriving here.

I imagine the bottom tier to be made up of people unsure of what they want, maybe looking for change or adventure, or just looking to experience a few months of warmth and beauty.
Up a level to those who come with the intent of staying longer, but can't learn the language, live outside their means, are in unstable relationships and can't survive alone, don't want to muck in, or are simply not able to find work for one reason or anther.
Above that, you probably have those who holiday here, fall in love with the place, and buy an existing business on their credit card - and yes, I have seen this. Through inexperience, bad luck, poor planning, shysters or a combination of those factors, the business goes belly-up and they lose everything.
then maybe another level is those who leave after a family emergency or a duty of care requires their presence in their homeland.
Than at the top, you have the fighters who consider this "Home", not "Tenerife", people like YG, Andy0210, SuzyQ etc.

At the end of the day, even if somebody has moved here and found it not to be what they thought it would, they can at least say on their deathbed that they tried, instead of spending the remainder of their life wondering.

Lastly, the Meth must be great to keep trolls like 9PLUS clinging on...

kathml
24-07-2014, 00:14
I'm very lucky I can now split my time almost equally between uk and Tenerife and at the moment have the income to behave as a holiday maker all the time although I've found I don't do that all the time anymore

I still maintain that money is what sends most people of working age home also many pensioners don't all ow for exchange rate fluctuations

timmylish
24-07-2014, 03:08
You can teach a monkey to speak Spanish (well we know that,s a load of bull) but that monkey probably does not have the accumen to integrate. Walking along the street and saying hello to 95% of the passing crowds and hearing a reply (!). Being stopped and asked where I originate from and similarly asking the same of others. Not condoning but understanding why a large number of Islanders are unkind to dogs (and other animals) and having the balls to suggest to those why it may be better to change. Simplistic? Yes of course but I,m trying to show why a large number of Brits who live on these Islands, tho' conversant with Spanish cannot, will not, try not to blame themselves, in other words not treating this place as HOME. I am 66 with serious health issues and agree that Tenerife is desperately short of public care for the elderly but this brings me to advanced knowledge of these problems years before they arise, if they are indeed a problem! I have no desire to live in England (in particular) and the UK (in general) and again this continued reference to ENGLAND, ENGLAND, ENGLAND tells me again that a number of people say that they have fitted in here when in fact they are lying, if not to me then to themselves. I don,t go to the theatre or other cultural events I do other things like visit neighbours/friends. I do not sit in pubs 'cause its less depressing drinking Coke at home. We shop in Mercadona, Lidl and Iceland (mainly for my tasties) and argue with guys who are parked up locking my car in Car Park! I have noticed the dramatic decreasing of love of this Island with a number of members so I,m not entirely surprised by the stand they are taking. Well that,s up to them but I just wish they had been honest with themselves earlier. Sorry if I ruffle a few feathers but that,s why I,m employed on here after all!

9PLUS
24-07-2014, 09:48
Lastly, the Meth must be great to keep trolls like 9PLUS clinging on...



Blimey pal you're comfy in ya little green hat & coat

Nina Hess
24-07-2014, 11:14
Okay, guys, you mentioned the bureaucracy. I've lived in Russia for a semester so I'm no stranger to meaningless paperwork and officials who are very difficult to deal with so I'm no stranger to the frustrations of meaningless bureaucracy.

When I move to Tenerife I am first going to rent a flat and then probably buy a house when we've lived there for a couple of years. I am never going to buy a car or get a driver's license, I don't want kids so schools won't be a problem. Obviously there is healthcare to worry about and I'll be working online in a Danish company. Should I get health insurance and does that involve a lot of bureaucracy? I'll be bringing my dog but as far as I can see Spain is part of the Pet Travel Scheme which means the dog will only need a passport and proof of vaccinations and that it is not sick or anything. Is it possible to get health insurance for the dog? And what else involves frustrating bureaucracy which some of you mention as one of the reasons - combined with other things - why people leave?

primrose
24-07-2014, 11:26
Okay, guys, you mentioned the bureaucracy. I've lived in Russia for a semester so I'm no stranger to meaningless paperwork and officials who are very difficult to deal with so I'm no stranger to the frustrations of meaningless bureaucracy.

When I move to Tenerife I am first going to rent a flat and then probably buy a house when we've lived there for a couple of years. I am never going to buy a car or get a driver's license, I don't want kids so schools won't be a problem. Obviously there is healthcare to worry about and I'll be working online in a Danish company. Should I get health insurance and does that involve a lot of bureaucracy? I'll be bringing my dog but as far as I can see Spain is part of the Pet Travel Scheme which means the dog will only need a passport and proof of vaccinations and that it is not sick or anything. Is it possible to get health insurance for the dog? And what else involves frustrating bureaucracy which some of you mention as one of the reasons - combined with other things - why people leave?

You will definitely need Private Health Insurance but will need to see which is the best for you as not every Doctor or Hospital uses the same one, so best to wait while you arrive to see which one suits your needs the best.most Insurances include Dental Treatment but it can still be quite expensive even with private insurance. You will only need a pet passport and proof of vaccinations for your dog but I don't think there is health Insurance for animals here.Watch this and you will understand what people are talking about.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wtbQUaC9mE

Nina Hess
24-07-2014, 11:39
Ha ha ha, thanks, Primrose, just got a flashback to my time in Russia. The girl is so much cooler than I was!

timmylish
24-07-2014, 11:57
Okay, guys, you mentioned the bureaucracy. I've lived in Russia for a semester so I'm no stranger to meaningless paperwork and officials who are very difficult to deal with so I'm no stranger to the frustrations of meaningless bureaucracy.

When I move to Tenerife I am first going to rent a flat and then probably buy a house when we've lived there for a couple of years. I am never going to buy a car or get a driver's license, I don't want kids so schools won't be a problem. Obviously there is healthcare to worry about and I'll be working online in a Danish company. Should I get health insurance and does that involve a lot of bureaucracy? I'll be bringing my dog but as far as I can see Spain is part of the Pet Travel Scheme which means the dog will only need a passport and proof of vaccinations and that it is not sick or anything. Is it possible to get health insurance for the dog? And what else involves frustrating bureaucracy which some of you mention as one of the reasons - combined with other things - why people leave?


Having lived in Russia myself (not on my own!) the beaurocracy here is of a different nature. Most of it is not 'meaninglesss' at all just slow or a little complicated when its not needed. You don,t have 5' small, fat and dumpy wee ladies sitting behind every desk trying to intimidate you, like in Russia. Its usually pleasant, sometimes very attractive ladies who do try to help. As DJ says (amongst much) the healthcare here is fantastic, in my opinion, but then we,ve had this discussion many a time on here.
I think you are correct re; your dog! Best of luck.

Nina Hess
24-07-2014, 12:02
Great, timmylish, that sounds a lot more like Danish bureaucracy than Russian. Thanks :)

primrose
24-07-2014, 13:08
.









.
Perhaps this will help to understand why people leave the Island, not just immigrants but also Canarians.I know this does not apply to you as you have a job but no matter how much you plan things can go wrong through no fault of your own and will also give you an idea how bad things can be for people living here.


From NEWS IN THE SUN July 3rd.

Almost half of those registered as unemployed in the Canary Islands are not eligible for any kind of unemployment benefit.

According to information for May published yesterday, Wednesday, 52,315 unemployed are entitled to contributory benefit, 67,399 get a non contributory subsidy and 22,264 receive something under the active insertion scheme.

But that still leaves 132,434 people, 48.26 per cent, with absolutely no kind of income at all.

According to the latest available data, the average income in the Canary Islands is the second lowest in Spain, at 742.90 per month, 71.30 euros less than the national average of 814.40 euros per month.

Nina Hess
24-07-2014, 16:42
Thanks Primrose, and thank God for my Danish job! Those salaries are literally illegal in Denmark :/

kiwiphil
24-07-2014, 17:59
Having lived in Russia myself (not on my own!) the beaurocracy here is of a different nature. Most of it is not 'meaninglesss' at all just slow or a little complicated when its not needed. You don,t have 5' small, fat and dumpy wee ladies sitting behind every desk trying to intimidate you, like in Russia. Its usually pleasant, sometimes very attractive ladies who do try to help. As DJ says (amongst much) the healthcare here is fantastic, in my opinion, but then we,ve had this discussion many a time on here.
I think you are correct re; your dog! Best of luck.

I honestly do not think that the bureaucracy is much worse in Spain than it is in the UK. Has anyone ever tried to get a parking permit for a house they have just moved in to in London? Or gone through the process of work permits and naturalisation/ residency?

I still can't get my head around the UK way of "Leasehold" properties on 100 year leases. Just plain odd :)

Its mostly just that what you are used to seems a lot more normal where you have grown up and in your native language.

Normal is just what you are used to.


Dogs love it here, though they won't be allowed on any beaches.

golf birdie
24-07-2014, 18:25
Recent figures show the number of Spaniards registering for a National Insurance number in the UK shot up from just over 30,000 in 2011-12 to more than 45,500 last year – a jump of 50 per cent


Read more: http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/VE-SWAPPED-SPANISH-SUN-SOUTHVILLE/story-20109545-detail/story.html#ixzz38PKnH7iQ

Just as many Brits think Tenerife is the answer, a lot of Spanish can't wait to replace them in the UK.

LUCKY
24-07-2014, 22:58
Dear all!

I have read CIM's Tenerife survival guide and it answered a lot of questions. But the thread says that a lot of people leave Tenerife in a short time even though they'd planned to stay indefinitely. I'd like relocate to Tenerife and avoid making the same mistakes as others.

Do you know people who have had to leave and what the reasons were? And do you know what these people could have done differently? From CIM's survival guide I could tell that I've got most of the stuff covered, like a permanent job (will be employed in Denmark working online as a translator), have a lot of savings and own a flat in Copenhagen which I could sublet, have a solid relationship with my boyfriend who'd be moving with me.

So, what should I worry about and what precautions should I take?

Kind regards Nina.

Cheap airfare out of school holidays.................

DJ Dangerous
24-07-2014, 23:59
Blimey pal you're comfy in ya little green hat & coat


Pfft.

Cheers.

X

golf birdie
25-07-2014, 16:28
also I really can't go with health care being great over here when the south hospital is still under constuction 20 years after it was first planned. You'd think it was being built in a 3rd world country.

Hepa
25-07-2014, 17:46
also I really can't go with health care being great over here when the south hospital is still under constuction 20 years after it was first planned. You'd think it was being built in a 3rd world country.

In England I needed a scan, I had to wait 18 months. Here I needed a scan at our local hospital, I had to wait 15 minutes and was told the results of the scan there and then. Last September in England I needed urgent eye examination, treatment on the N.H.S. was refused. Private treatment was the only solution. The health system for us is far better here in the Canary Isles

golf birdie
25-07-2014, 17:54
In England I needed a scan, I had to wait 18 months. Here I needed a scan at our local hospital, I had to wait 15 minutes and was told the results of the scan there and then. Last September in England I needed urgent eye examination, treatment on the N.H.S. was refused. Private treatment was the only solution. The health system for us is far better here in the Canary Isles

why would you go to the UK for treatment when you live in the Canaries ?

Hepa
25-07-2014, 18:08
why would you go to the UK for treatment when you live in the Canaries ?

I didn't go there for for treatment, I was there on private business, when the problem occurred.

golf birdie
25-07-2014, 18:13
I didn't go there for for treatment, I was there on private business, when the problem occurred.

well whenever I leave this island I take travel insurance as I know I am not entitled to treatment in the UK as I do not live there. Why would anyone expect free treatment in a country they do not live in?

primrose
25-07-2014, 18:29
In England I needed a scan, I had to wait 18 months. Here I needed a scan at our local hospital, I had to wait 15 minutes and was told the results of the scan there and then. Last September in England I needed urgent eye examination, treatment on the N.H.S. was refused. Private treatment was the only solution. The health system for us is far better here in the Canary Isles

On my dining room table is my HO's Brain Scan which I picked up from Hospiten Sur this week, great was done pretty quick in Los Cris, we just have to wait for him to see the Neurologist for the results, which is at the end of November and was told that was the earliest appointment but to pop in to El Mojon ocassionally in case anybody on the waiting list had died and there was an earlier appointment available.

Hepa
25-07-2014, 18:30
well whenever I leave this island I take travel insurance as I know I am not entitled to treatment in the UK as I do not live there. Why would anyone expect free treatment in a country they do not live in?

Did not expect free treatment, I knew that paying in to the Nat Ins, for 50 years, and still paying taxes to the U.K. coffers would not entitle me to N.H.S. treatment, thankfully the problem was addressed in a most satisfactory and professional manner when I returned.

timmylish
26-07-2014, 18:03
also I really can't go with health care being great over here when the south hospital is still under constuction 20 years after it was first planned. You'd think it was being built in a 3rd world country.

Health Care and construction of a hospital are entirely seperate issues and should never be confused!
Health care is excellent.

primrose
26-07-2014, 18:07
Health Care and construction of a hospital are entirely seperate issues and should never be confused!
Health care is excellent.

Do you think waiting four and a half months for the result of a Brain Scan is acceptable.

golf birdie
26-07-2014, 19:14
Health Care and construction of a hospital are entirely seperate issues and should never be confused!
Health care is excellent.

I beg to differ. If they believe there is a need to build a hospital it must be because they need it to offer the correct level of health care required.

It is now many years since this plan was passed and I would say the number of people living in the south has increased by many 1000's so without it there must be a knock on effect.

As I said, you would think it was being built in a 3rd world country.

kathml
26-07-2014, 19:32
Talking to friends who live in Tenerife and seem to be bogged down with doctors hospital appointments I'm horrified at how bad the system is having to wait for everything And they think the system is good like appointments at Mahon where you can wait all day and still not be seen to cataract ops that may happen some time in the future Their treatment seems to consist of never ending blood tests Am sorry prefer Scotland where anytime I've needed treatment I get it ASAP

essexeddie
26-07-2014, 21:32
We have never had any problems with the NHS in the UK, always first class treatment.
Getting back to the topic. Everybody has different views on Tenerife, Just don't expect too much.
I have seen big changes in Tenerife as we have had our own apartment for 30 years now. There are a lot of things I like and don't like. For instance dog poo every where, that you don't get in the UK. its not acceptable. I like the free and easy way of life. The main part is the weather, without that Tenerife is nothing. Retired now and spend five months in Tenerife each year and could if we wished stay but choose not to. We like coming and going. I would get bored in the same place however nice it is.

Tom & Sharon
26-07-2014, 21:38
We have never had any problems with the NHS in the UK, always first class treatment.
Getting back to the topic. Everybody has different views on Tenerife, Just don't expect too much.
I have seen big changes in Tenerife as we have had our own apartment for 30 years now. There are a lot of things I like and don't like. For instance dog poo every where, that you don't get in the UK. its not acceptable. I like the free and easy way of life. The main part is the weather, without that Tenerife is nothing. Retired now and spend five months in Tenerife each year and could if we wished stay but choose not to. We like coming and going. I would get bored in the same place however nice it is.

And there you have it, in a nutshell.

And once you get fed up of the heat, what do you do? Go home!

Question answered.

essexeddie
26-07-2014, 21:48
I admit, not everyone is in our position to do as we do. But we do choose not to stay.

Tom & Sharon
26-07-2014, 23:02
I admit, not everyone is in our position to do as we do. But we do choose not to stay.

Same here!

DJ Dangerous
27-07-2014, 02:04
Do you think waiting four and a half months for the result of a Brain Scan is acceptable.

You guys must be spoiled with your super-fast and free-of-charge British NHS, 'cause that sort of stuff can take up to two years in Ireland - and isn't free like Spain - so for us potato eaters, the health system here is AMAZING.


Talking to friends who live in Tenerife and seem to be bogged down with doctors hospital appointments I'm horrified at how bad the system is having to wait for everything And they think the system is good like appointments at Mahon where you can wait all day and still not be seen to cataract ops that may happen some time in the future Their treatment seems to consist of never ending blood tests Am sorry prefer Scotland where anytime I've needed treatment I get it ASAP

I've spent the bulk of the past three years in and out of the hospitals here, probably visiting between once and thrice a month on average, be it Urgencias, CAE Arona / El Mohon, La Candelaria, Hospiten, the local health centre, wherever, and I am amazed at the efficiency and accuracy.

Making appointments is so easy and fast, you rarely have to wait unless (obviously) there are A&E cases which slow things down.

I have never once spent a day waiting, only to be NOT seen to. In fact, I've found the medical staff very accommodating, even if you are late for an appointment or go to the wrong place.

Your friends must all be incredibly unlucky people.


I beg to differ. If they believe there is a need to build a hospital it must be because they need it to offer the correct level of health care required.

It is now many years since this plan was passed and I would say the number of people living in the south has increased by many 1000's so without it there must be a knock on effect.

As I said, you would think it was being built in a 3rd world country.

Or else they want to improve the health care system and make it better, as the forty five minute drive to La Candelaria for many southerners seems to be too difficult.


The main part is the weather, without that Tenerife is nothing.

I find that the longer I have lived here, the less-important the weather has become. This is home for me.

Bournemouth is warmer - I am informed of this several times a day by Vortex Wake on Facebook. The weather was part of the original hook, but quickly lost its importance.

timmylish
27-07-2014, 02:24
Some 23 years ago I got fed up with the weather and found other things to do rather than lie on a beach. Home, home, home therein lies my main arguement. People like myself and DJ refer to our house as home, HOME. Silly? not! Read any postings on here and if you are trying to work out if the writer is gonna make it here then just find out where he/she calls home. No matter how long he/she has stayed here unless this place is home then there is no hope for him/her.

Tom & Sharon
27-07-2014, 10:18
Some 23 years ago I got fed up with the weather and found other things to do rather than lie on a beach. Home, home, home therein lies my main arguement. People like myself and DJ refer to our house as home, HOME. Silly? not! Read any postings on here and if you are trying to work out if the writer is gonna make it here then just find out where he/she calls home. No matter how long he/she has stayed here unless this place is home then there is no hope for him/her.

Timmy, the OP doesn't live in Tenerife yet, she's considering the move, so asking why people leave. She's doing her research.

You're one of the long stayers, so can't see why people leave, which is what she's asking. Your case is different I think, because your wife is Russian, therefore you have no country in common. Tenerife is obviously the place that suits you both. You say you lived in Russia, but you didn't stay there. Why not? If you think of the reasons you left Russia, maybe you could apply those same reasons to why people leave Tenerife?

One of the main reasons we can't settle in Tenerife on a permanent basis, is Tom's hobbies, which are motor racing and shooting. Neither of these are available in Tenerife, and without them he would be lost. If your hobbies are say walking and golf, then you're sorted!

The OP says she has a boyfriend. That means they both have to settle, and what's on offer in Tenerife has to suit them both. If it doesn't, then they'll never make it home.

As far as the health care's concerned, which seems to have taken over this thread, the OP is Danish, and therefore used to high quality, free health care. I don't think she's likely to be bowled over by the Spanish system. I've had experience of the Spanish system when I broke my leg. It's OK, not perfect, like the NHS isn't either. It's certainly not more advanced than the UK, that's a ridiculous suggestion. Also health care isn't just about reactive treatment when you're sick, there's more to it than that. Our goddaughter was born in Tenerife, and I attended lots of hospital appointments and scans with her Spanish mummy, and experienced the whole ante/post natal system of care. This is extremely poor, quite shocking actually. The information during pregnancy is very limited, and the scanners are like something from the ark! The birth process is quite barbaric! In the UK, everyone attends ante natal classes. You are educated how to care for your baby, and what will happen during the birth, all the different options that are available to you. You are assigned a health visitor who is responsible for the care of you and your child till they are 5. When you leave hospital with your newborn, you are visited at home on a regular basis. It's not just about the health of you and your child either, there is support. Someone to call when you have concerns, who can advise you through all stages of your child's development until they reach school age. All health and development of your child is closely monitored. Nothing like this exists in Tenerife, something I personally find appalling. The OP sounds youngish, maybe a baby might be something on her agenda? Something else for her to consider, because if I was pregnant in Tenerife (not possible I know ;) ) I'd be hot footing it "home" as quickly as I could!

golf birdie
27-07-2014, 11:02
home may be where the heart is but my home is, and always will be the UK, I just happen to live and work in Spain. I am British by birth and hold a British passport. How many of the knockers of the UK would give up their passport and right to return there? I would guess not many. As someone once said 'to be born British and have a right to a British passport is being born with a silver spoon in your mouth'

I know a lad who moved to the US 26 years ago and has always swore he would never return. Whenever he was home on a family visit he would run down Britain saying how good it was to live away from the 's***hole of a country. He returned to live in the UK 2 years ago and when asked why, he said something just clicked and he missed the UK life. He is as happy as Larry and says he can't believe how good life feels.

primrose
27-07-2014, 12:48
If the Health System is so good here why do so many Ex-Pats not tell the UK they are leaving and give an address of a relative as their main residence so they can nip back to England when they need any treatment or Hospital Visit, I don't blame them the worse thing you can do is cut all ties with the UK.

Hepa
27-07-2014, 13:14
I don't live on the island of Tenerife, however I live in the Province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, on El Hierro. In the early years we had to have a house in the U.K., We used to travel here in the winter when the last of the leaves had fallen and return to the U.K. when the lawns needed cutting. However the house in the U.K. became a financial burden and a worry, especially in the winter months. So we sold, house, car, children, grandchildren, hired a container and shipped everything here. Here is where we live, here is home, our home, and here is where I will probably die.

Shops, health centre, hospital, tax office, town hall, watering holes, are all within walking distance.

I have been visiting the Canary Isles since 1962, we have been residents here over ten years, we now feel to be part of the local community, we have also applied for Spanish nationality.

I cannot envisage circumstances where we would leave this island on a permanent basis, and if we were forced to move, La Palma is only 40 miles to the north of us.

primrose
27-07-2014, 13:21
What are the advantages of getting Spanish Nationality, serious question. But on a lighter note did you really need to sell your children and grandchildren when you moved here:wink2:

Nina Hess
27-07-2014, 13:29
Sharon, thank you so much for your advise. I'm 29 and my boyfriend is 30 but we don't intend to have children ever. If one of us got sick we would move back to Denmark, at least temporarily, because the healthcare system is, as you say, very good and free.

Hepa
27-07-2014, 13:30
What are the advantages of getting Spanish Nationality, serious question. But on a lighter note did you really need to sell your children and grandchildren when you moved here:wink2:

The advantages are that if in the unlikely event that U.K. or Spain cease to be members of the E.U. we will be Spanish nationals and our position will be secure, plus my passport will soon need renewing at a cost of over 150 pounds. a Spanish one will cost me €23,50 and will be for life. We will also be able to vote in all elections.

Yes had to sell the offspring, can always sire a few more here…………...:D

Tom & Sharon
27-07-2014, 13:39
Sharon, thank you so much for your advise. I'm 29 and my boyfriend is 30 but we don't intend to have children ever. If one of us got sick we would move back to Denmark, at least temporarily, because the healthcare system is, as you say, very good and free.

Just be careful not to cut all your ties with Denmark Nina. Keep a foot in each camp ;)

Nina Hess
27-07-2014, 13:47
That's definitely what I intend to do. We'll keep the flat in Copenhagen a couple of years and my job will just as easy to do in Denmark as on Tenerife :)

primrose
27-07-2014, 13:59
That's definitely what I intend to do. We'll keep the flat in Copenhagen a couple of years and my job will just as easy to do in Denmark as on Tenerife :)

Well done to you for doing your homework before you come, I honestly think if you have good private health i

nsurance then you will be fine, if you don't settle then you have everything in Denmark to return to.

Just one thing does your boyfriend have a job to come to?

essexeddie
27-07-2014, 16:25
my passport will soon need renewing at a cost of over 150 pounds. a Spanish one will cost me €23,50 …………...:D



£150 ?? How come, just renewed mine for nothing.




.

primrose
27-07-2014, 16:52
The advantages are that if in the unlikely event that U.K. or Spain cease to be members of the E.U. we will be Spanish nationals and our position will be secure, plus my passport will soon need renewing at a cost of over 150 pounds. a Spanish one will cost me €23,50 and will be for life. We will also be able to vote in all elections.

Yes had to sell the offspring, can always sire a few more here…………...:D

The price has dropped now for renewing--Adult standard 32-page passport £83.00 Pounds for Passport 19 Pounds 86 for Courier.

melm
27-07-2014, 17:03
Is this not an age related perk? essexeddie

No charge if you are over a certain age

primrose
27-07-2014, 17:09
Is this not an age related perk? essexeddie

No charge if you are over a certain age

Yes have to be born before 1929.

essexeddie
27-07-2014, 17:41
Yes have to be born before 1929.



Yoiks!! I'm not that old, but yes you are right and I thought that was what 'Hepa' was on about. Why else would you renew a passport? Do you have to renew if you are moving? I don't know.


.

Nina Hess
27-07-2014, 18:15
Thanks primrose :)
Would definitely get top health insurance as soon as I get there.

My boyfriend isn't sure what he'd do in Tenerife. He works with business intelligence in Denmark which is a computer thing but it wouldn't be possible to do it online and those kinds of jobs don't exactly grow on trees in Tenerife, as far as I can gather. He makes quite a lot of money at his job in Denmark and his living expenses are only £400-500 a month. He has about £60.000, some in cash, some in stocks and some in the apartment. But his job is definitely the biggest challenge. If anyone has thoughts or suggestions about that I'd love to hear it!

primrose
27-07-2014, 18:26
Thanks primrose :)
Would definitely get top health insurance as soon as I get there.

My boyfriend isn't sure what he'd do in Tenerife. He works with business intelligence in Denmark which is a computer thing but it wouldn't be possible to do it online and those kinds of jobs don't exactly grow on trees in Tenerife, as far as I can gather. He makes quite a lot of money at his job in Denmark and his living expenses are only £400-500 a month. He has about £60.000, some in cash, some in stocks and some in the apartment. But his job is definitely the biggest challenge. If anyone has thoughts or suggestions about that I'd love to hear it!

The best thing to do is take anything while you get established but he will have to be prepared to work for a very little money.

essexeddie
27-07-2014, 18:34
I wouldn't have thought that anybody would know what business intelligence was about in Tenerife.

Nina Hess
27-07-2014, 19:17
No one in Denmark knows what business intelligence is either :P Only people who actually do it themselves.

He doesn't speak Spanish and is very introverted so he wouldn't be able to get a job in Tenerife. Maybe he'll save up more money, buy a flat for us and I'll pay rent and he'll live off that rent. We'd both prefer that he was at least freelance or worked a two-three months in Denmark each year (salary around £3500 a month - 40 % taxes so he could save up quite a lot). Most of all he'd like to retire completely but £60.000 doesn't really cut it for that :)

essexeddie
27-07-2014, 19:32
Retire at 30. its a bit young.

warbey
27-07-2014, 20:08
No one in Denmark knows what business intelligence is either :P Only people who actually do it themselves.

He doesn't speak Spanish and is very introverted so he wouldn't be able to get a job in Tenerife. Maybe he'll save up more money, buy a flat for us and I'll pay rent and he'll live off that rent. We'd both prefer that he was at least freelance or worked a two-three months in Denmark each year (salary around £3500 a month - 40 % taxes so he could save up quite a lot). Most of all he'd like to retire completely but £60.000 doesn't really cut it for that :)


I get the Impression that this relocation is Your ambition with Your Partner going along with it.

If He IS Introverted and earns good Money in Denmark and can't speak Spanish, I would think long and hard of the effects of a Move.

Some months in, no Job and having to be careful with Money, could affect any Relationship. I for one, would perhaps resent the

drop in Living standards especially if You were earning reasonable Money..

Would You really want to stay if He left and returned Home.?

Best of luck.

Tom & Sharon
27-07-2014, 21:18
Thanks primrose :)
Would definitely get top health insurance as soon as I get there.

My boyfriend isn't sure what he'd do in Tenerife. He works with business intelligence in Denmark which is a computer thing but it wouldn't be possible to do it online and those kinds of jobs don't exactly grow on trees in Tenerife, as far as I can gather. He makes quite a lot of money at his job in Denmark and his living expenses are only £400-500 a month. He has about £60.000, some in cash, some in stocks and some in the apartment. But his job is definitely the biggest challenge. If anyone has thoughts or suggestions about that I'd love to hear it!


No one in Denmark knows what business intelligence is either :P Only people who actually do it themselves.

He doesn't speak Spanish and is very introverted so he wouldn't be able to get a job in Tenerife. Maybe he'll save up more money, buy a flat for us and I'll pay rent and he'll live off that rent. We'd both prefer that he was at least freelance or worked a two-three months in Denmark each year (salary around £3500 a month - 40 % taxes so he could save up quite a lot). Most of all he'd like to retire completely but £60.000 doesn't really cut it for that :)

Nina, this rings every alarm bell in the book.

In all seriousness, your boyfriend has no chance at all of finding a job in his field. He might not need to work at all, but what on earth will he do all day?

He is very young at 30. We're only 51, and could afford to live in Tenerife tomorrow, but even at 21 years older than your boyfriend, Tom would be suicidal! Think about it long and hard. What is he going to do?

Everybody needs a reason to get up,in the morning. For the first 3 months he might just be OK, but after that? Do you really want him to get up every day to nothing? Maybe go to the supermarket for some groceries? That could lead to depression in a very short time.

You might think he'd take a job "beneath him". But would he? Would he go from being a business analyst to working in a bar, or wiping tables? Really? Only you (and him) know the answer.

I think the pair of you might need a lot more thinking. I mean that in the best possible way too. Don't ruin your lives and relationship, for the chance of a life in Tenerife. It's so not worth it!

timmylish
28-07-2014, 01:37
You're one of the long stayers, so can't see why people leave, which is what she's asking. Your case is different I think, because your wife is Russian, therefore you have no country in common. Tenerife is obviously the place that suits you both. You say you lived in Russia, but you didn't stay there. Why not? If you think of the reasons you left Russia, maybe you could apply those same reasons to why people leave Tenerife?



I went to Russia on a specific time frame exactly the same as I had when I went to South Africa (although admitedly I thoroughly disliked the people of SA).

Nina Hess
28-07-2014, 08:41
Warbey and Sharon, we have the same concerns as you do because Tenerife is definitely my idea. None of us want him to take a job that's beneath him or that he would hate. I want to move there so we can be happy TOGETHER, both of us. It's hard to explain to most people, but even before I started talking about living abroad his dream was to save up as much money as possible so he wouldn't have to work (this is why he has saved up so much money even though he's only 30 and certainly not born rich). His ideal life would be to be able to read books, philosophy, listen to online lectures, surf the web and be with me all day which is what he does in Denmark when he's not at work. I would get really bored by such a life, as I think most people would, but he is very different. Basically, apart from his job, anything he does in Denmark, he can do just as easily in Tenerife. He's not close to anyone in Denmark or anywhere else except me so he's not gonna miss going out or hanging out with someone other than myself. We've lived in Russia for a semester when I studied there a few years ago, he didn't speak the language and just took classes online and (apart from him not liking Russia) it was fine.

I'm glad to hear your comments because obviously the money/work thing is make or break for relocating. He has sometimes talked about wanting to quit his job in Denmark due to other things. We've discussed that if he did want to quit his job anyway we could use that opportunity to move to Tenerife for a period of three months. He would qualify for unemployment funds for two years, £1000 a month after taxes. You can move abroad while unemployed and still receive these funds for three months while looking for a job there. This way we could find out if we'd like to pursue living in Tenerife permanently without burning any bridges in Denmark or missing a paycheck. I could bring my work with me since I'll be working online anyway and my boyfriend wouldn't have a hard time finding work in Denmark again if it didn't work out. Would that be an idea to start with?

Tom & Sharon
28-07-2014, 09:17
Warbey and Sharon, we have the same concerns as you do because Tenerife is definitely my idea. None of us want him to take a job that's beneath him or that he would hate. I want to move there so we can be happy TOGETHER, both of us. It's hard to explain to most people, but even before I started talking about living abroad his dream was to save up as much money as possible so he wouldn't have to work (this is why he has saved up so much money even though he's only 30 and certainly not born rich). His ideal life would be to be able to read books, philosophy, listen to online lectures, surf the web and be with me all day which is what he does in Denmark when he's not at work. I would get really bored by such a life, as I think most people would, but he is very different. Basically, apart from his job, anything he does in Denmark, he can do just as easily in Tenerife. He's not close to anyone in Denmark or anywhere else except me so he's not gonna miss going out or hanging out with someone other than myself. We've lived in Russia for a semester when I studied there a few years ago, he didn't speak the language and just took classes online and (apart from him not liking Russia) it was fine.

I'm glad to hear your comments because obviously the money/work thing is make or break for relocating. He has sometimes talked about wanting to quit his job in Denmark due to other things. We've discussed that if he did want to quit his job anyway we could use that opportunity to move to Tenerife for a period of three months. He would qualify for unemployment funds for two years, £1000 a month after taxes. You can move abroad while unemployed and still receive these funds for three months while looking for a job there. This way we could find out if we'd like to pursue living in Tenerife permanently without burning any bridges in Denmark or missing a paycheck. I could bring my work with me since I'll be working online anyway and my boyfriend wouldn't have a hard time finding work in Denmark again if it didn't work out. Would that be an idea to start with?

That would be a brilliant idea Nina. You're very lucky to have the opportunity to try it that way. Just view it as a trial, and importantly as you say, don't burn any bridges.

golf birdie
28-07-2014, 10:13
If I had no work here to fill my days I would die of boredom. The thought of getting up 7 days a week with nothing to fill the days would have me on the 1st plane out.

kathml
28-07-2014, 14:45
For forty years I worked solidly with very few breaks or holidays we had our apartment here for two maybe three weeks each year
Then ten years ago dementia struck so now all I can do is pay the nursing home fees and sit in the sun and think on what we never got round to doing
So all sensible people should think of work as a necessity and stop as early as possible
If nina and her boyfriend think they can be happy with him doing very little they should do it they're young if it doesn't work they try another way
So do it don't put off who knows what tomorrow may bring

Ecky Thump
28-07-2014, 15:19
If I had no work here to fill my days I would die of boredom. The thought of getting up 7 days a week with nothing to fill the days would have me on the 1st plane out.

That's what us OAP's do most of the time, but Tenerife is a better place to do it!:D

But then we are not OAP's behaving badly.....no boredom for them, just cirrhosis of the liver.:devil2:

Hepa
28-07-2014, 15:28
That's what us OAP's do most of the time, but Tenerife is a better place to do it!:D

But then we are not OAP's behaving badly.....no boredom for them, just cirrhosis of the liver.:devil2:

I haven't got a liver:D

essexeddie
28-07-2014, 16:44
Well that's two way to look at it. You never know what around the corner.
I'd hate to work hard all my life then drop dead:wow:

Nina Hess
28-07-2014, 16:46
Nursing homes as well as healthcare are completely free in Denmark, no fees at all - so I'm very happy to have been born in Denmark (though the taxes are the highest in the world) and would never give up my citizenship.

My boyfriend would like to work about four hours a day for four days a week but those jobs are very difficult to come by, especially online.

- - - - - - - - - - merged double post - - - - - - - - - -

Essexeddie, you read my mind! I work to live, I don't live to work.

ddoyle
28-07-2014, 16:55
Have not posted for a while but find this thread very interesting, we will have been here three years come October and most of the time I have been ill with one thing on another, 18 mths, ago I suffer a very bad brain haemmorage which really knocked me back, but thanks to the medical staff in Candalaria hospital I have made a very good recovery.I have been left with some permanent side effects but I can live with them. Lately I have been giving some thought to our future here and have come to the conclusion that we will probably move back to Ireland some time in the not too distant future due to different circumstances not least missing our sons even though they are grown men. I think the ideal situation for us would be spending half the year here and the remainder in Ireland, anyway good thread and very thought provoking on different levels.

DJ Dangerous
28-07-2014, 20:35
If the Health System is so good here why do so many Ex-Pats not tell the UK they are leaving and give an address of a relative as their main residence so they can nip back to England when they need any treatment or Hospital Visit, I don't blame them the worse thing you can do is cut all ties with the UK.

Maybe for them, Tenerife just isn't home.

Maybe it feels that little bit alien, and they, for whatever personal reasons they have, like clinging to that sort of escape-route.

I have to admit that I myself don't know anybody who has done that, conning the NHS into believing that they reside in Britain or wherever.

I guess most of the people that I know are either Canarios or wannabe chicharreros.

:)

primrose
28-07-2014, 20:42
Maybe for them, Tenerife just isn't home.

Maybe it feels that little bit alien, and they, for whatever personal reasons they have, like clinging to that sort of escape-route.

I have to admit that I myself don't know anybody who has done that, conning the NHS into believing that they reside in Britain or wherever.

I guess most of the people that I know are either Canarios or wannabe chicharreros.

:)

Oh come on, there are hundreds of them and it's nothing to do with feeling alien, it's because they think they can get better treatment in the UK than here.

DJ Dangerous
28-07-2014, 20:47
Oh come on, there are hundreds of them and it's nothing to do with feeling alien, it's because they think they can get better treatment in the UK than here.

Well, I must be living in a little bubble not to talk to them!

I know of one person who went to Ireland for treatment because they simply couldn't communicate with the doctors here, but that's it.

primrose
28-07-2014, 20:50
Well, I must be living in a little bubble not to talk to them!

I know of one person who went to Ireland for treatment because they simply couldn't communicate with the doctors here, but that's it.

Obviously you must be.

DJ Dangerous
28-07-2014, 20:53
Obviously you must be.

Definitely. :)

Sundowner
01-08-2014, 14:23
Because they can't find a cauliflower:cry:

princessmonika
01-08-2014, 14:29
6 month in tenerife and 6 month in ireland-- thats the best of both worlds--

Lissalyon
15-09-2014, 21:52
For forty years I worked solidly with very few breaks or holidays we had our apartment here for two maybe three weeks each year
Then ten years ago dementia struck so now all I can do is pay the nursing home fees and sit in the sun and think on what we never got round to doing
So all sensible people should think of work as a necessity and stop as early as possible
If nina and her boyfriend think they can be happy with him doing very little they should do it they're young if it doesn't work they try another way
So do it don't put off who knows what tomorrow may bring

Who has dementia

kathml
15-09-2014, 22:57
My other half