Relocation advice

[craighanvey]

Hi all!

I am new to the group,

I am looking for as much advice as possible in regards to relocating,

I am a 30 year old Scottish guy who needs a complete change of life, I've worked and ran bars/ clubs in Scotland now for just over 10 years but pretty adaptable to anything thrown my way, unfortunately and quite ignorantly I don't know any Spanish. I have no ties or commitments here at home so feel I've nothing to lose by trying a new venture.

if anyone could provide me with any useful information on where to start/ what to do/ pros, cons etc. it would be greatly appreciated :-)

thanks

Craig

[blondie]

Welcome to the forum , I am quite sure sure someone will be along shortly to help you :welcome:

[AndyG]

I understand that unemployment in the Canary Islands is very high, especially amongst the younger generation. I also understand that anyone who does not speak Spanish to a good standard will find it even harder to find stable employment. The Canary Islands have become more popular as a holiday destination due to worldwide events but this has also seen a significant increase in monthly rental prices for long term rentals so if you are looking to rent, this will probably have an impact too.

Tenerife is an amazing place to live but from what I have read, opportunities for people in similar situations are extremely limited. Please do not think I am being negative, I am just passing on information that I have gleaned since I retired out here.

[junglejim]

Irish Bars such as TempleBar/Irish Fiddler/Chieftain owned by same people have a relatively high turnover of transient staff throughout year - you have to be in Tenerife to apply usually but worth a punt .
They employ all nationalities but you'll need to eventually get NIE & SS number .
Getting work in other areas might require a decent level of Spanish & other languages .

[ddoyle]

Hi, you may have a little trouble finding a place to live unless you can live outside the main tourist areas and commute to work, you will probably find casual work with very low pay but you will be employed at the whim of the employer, you will need some financial backup in case of emergency etc, trust no one and I mean no one there are more sharks on dry land in Tenerife than there are in the sea around us. Having said that Tenerife is a completely wonderful place to live, its just about making the right choices.
Also please try and learn some Spanish before you come over once here you can end up in a bubble and never learn or attempt to speak Spanish, We have been here six years and are leaving the Island in the near future for an extended break and may never return, we have no regrets about our time here but have learned some hard lessons so come over and enjoy your time here but remember to have a plan B, just in case.

[Richj]

Hi, I have spoken to a lot of people on this subject and a common theme for ensuring success is, you will have to invest some time to learn Spanish.


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[Richj]

I completely agree with DDoyle post and don't trust anyone unless you really know them very well!


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[ronniecee]

I understand that unemployment in the Canary Islands is very high, especially amongst the younger generation. I also understand that anyone who does not speak Spanish to a good standard will find it even harder to find stable employment. The Canary Islands have become more popular as a holiday destination due to worldwide events but this has also seen a significant increase in monthly rental prices for long term rentals so if you are looking to rent, this will probably have an impact too.

Tenerife is an amazing place to live but from what I have read, opportunities for people in similar situations are extremely limited. Please do not think I am being negative, I am just passing on information that I have gleaned since I retired out here.

You couldn't have put it better AndyG, fortunatley for me, I'll be retireing there very soon so won't be looking for a job but am still fully aware that even I have to learn some Spanish ( like it or not ) to get some of the simpler things on a daily basis done.

[AndyG]

Learning enough to order food in cafés and to understand how much you are paying is fairly easy. We did the very basic learning for free using internet sites but we are now paying for a private one hour lesson once a week. It is going well and hopefully by next spring we will have learned enough to stop having lessons. Luckily, we are learning Spanish because we want to speak a little, not because we need to.
I hope your move goes smoothly. Ours did and we have been very happy here for over 18 months now

[junglejim]

Whilst an increasing number of Canarians speak English , when dealing with certain authorities it is necessaryto speak and understand some Spanish to get things done .
There are free courses on OU Futurelearn site , Duolingo App, Rosetta Stone(which can be pirated ) that will help - locally in Tenerife South are courses at all levels .
Always take several photocopies of all your documents before you come over , they will come in handy !
The ubiquitous video is a decent guide to dealings ! LOL!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKIE3IUkkp8