Attn: Kate or other andalucian residents

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Stu

Posts: 2522
Joined: Jan. 30 2007
From: London (the South of it), England

Attn: Kate or other andalucian residents

Hi,
I need to get out of this country, While I love london, I have this overwhelming urge to leave for sunnier horizons. I have been planning to go to Granada/Sevilla fo a long time and have recently been toying with idea of going there to live not just to holiday.

so Kate, I know you are based in Granada and I even remember you having some links somewhere for cheap accomodation.
I dont speak Spanish so I'm a bit worried about where I could find work etc.

Any tips/people you know who need staff etc etc?

Stu

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 9 2007 13:33:25

TANúñez

Posts: 2559
Joined: Jul. 10 2003
From: TEXAS

RE: Help Kate (in reply to Stu)

Hey Stu,

Maybe you should change the title of your topic to Attn: Kate. When I saw 'Help Kate', I got a bit worried thinking Kate was in some sort of trouble

I wish you luck in your quest to move!

_____________________________

Tom Núñez
www.instagram.com/tanunezguitars

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 9 2007 16:10:49

Escribano

Posts: 6415
Joined: Jul. 6 2003
From: England, living in Italy

RE: Help Kate (in reply to Stu)

I am not Kate but my advice is to forget it unless you have a LOT of spare change. there is no work here for a non-fluent (non-native) speaker.

There is a huge "can't be arsed" culture which is contagious and totally non-productive, especially in the Summer. The Granadinos do not like spending money, especially on you.

Great fun, but your burn rate will be high in the first year or two by which time things may have changed and you need even more money for some other adventure or the future starts to nag at you. At least I bought and renovated a big house.

If you are able to put it down to pure experience, go for it, otherwise stay unhappy and safe in London.

Good luck, I was where you are now and looking for my next chapter. PM me for further encouragement

_____________________________

Foro Flamenco founder and Admin

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 9 2007 17:19:30

Stu

Posts: 2522
Joined: Jan. 30 2007
From: London (the South of it), England

RE: Attn: Kate or other andalucian r... (in reply to Stu)

Hey Tom,
lol, You are right. It does actually sound like I'm trying to rally the people to try and get her released from prison or something. You'll notice the topic tilte has changed.

Simon, Thanks for the input. I think part of my urge to run from London springs from the fact that I have almost no spare change at the moment. (its been a long/fun/tough month. **** its only the 9th!!)

I've calmed down a bit now. I'm not at work and I'm thinking more clearly. If I did move to spain it probably wouldn't be permanent thing. More like a year long working holiday, but perhaps this is the stuff of fantasy. We will see though, its not something I could do right away so I'm just trying to get a bit more info before any decicions are made.

Stu

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 9 2007 19:53:22

Adam

Posts: 1156
Joined: Dec. 6 2006
From: Hamilton, ON

RE: Attn: Kate or other andalucian r... (in reply to Stu)

And while you're waiting, start learning Spanish! It's about as easy as you'll get language-wise for a native speaker of English, and the earlier you start, the better off you'll be when it comes time to head to Andalucía. Have you ever been? If not, a week or two trip to Granada, Sevilla, Cádiz, wherever, might be good before deciding to move there. Hostels are pretty cheap there, generally, especially since you've got those strong British pounds and not our pitiful dollars!

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 10 2007 18:19:07

Pimientito

Posts: 2481
Joined: Jul. 30 2007
From: Marbella

RE: Attn: Kate or other andalucian r... (in reply to Stu)

Hey Stu.
I live in Granada too having successfully escaped Englands clutches some years ago. Escribano pretty much summed it up. They say here that to earn a small fortune you have to spend a big one.
Getting a job in Granada usually means working a bar or hotel etc. Average wage is around 1000 euros per month =650 quid to you. You wont get a job as a guitarist in granada!! Starting a business is the way to make money but you need to speak spanish and understand the labyrinthine beaurocratic system they have here. Working on the costa is easier especially in summer. There are lots of tourists and places are looking for kitchen help or waiters but again wages are low, you need some spanish and work ends in october.
Another consideration is the climate. Living in seville in summer is hell. Regularly 50 degrees and doesnt cool down at night. Granada at least has a cool breeze from the mountains in summer and you can go skiing in winter.
The people I have met who have the easist lives here are those who have figured out how to make money outside of spain and still live here eg having an internet based job. If you can rent your English house for say 1000 quid a month and live in spain then you can live the life of Riley.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 15 2007 11:12:10

Tomás Jiménez

Posts: 235
Joined: Feb. 24 2006

[Deleted]

Post has been moved to the Recycle Bin at Mar. 13 2008 23:20:58

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 15 2007 11:35:51

Kate

Posts: 1827
Joined: Jul. 8 2003
From: Living in Granada, Andalucía

RE: Attn: Kate or other andalucian r... (in reply to Stu)

Hi there
Sorry not to have replied earlier but have been on the coast for a week or so and missed this thread.

Learning Spanish is a must for anyone thinking of coming out and even then there is little work here in Granada, you have to create your own or have some special skill that is in demand. We got lucky as Harold is an experienced music producer and gets work with flamenco and rock, jazz, classical and has done live TV and film work, still it is not easy. Renting out your London home will bring you an income and it is cheaper to live out here than in London. Looking at the papers down Malaga way they say that they have the fastest growth for employment in Spain all due to the tourist\service industry so you may find the coast is the place to head for.

At first we rented out a cheap house for 3 years and lived on very little but we had fun, made friends and Harold learnt all his Spanish on the streets without any classes. Agh there goes my theory that you have to speak Spanish but I think he is the exception that proves the rule. I have had a little work translating, organising flamenco tours, working in a shop ( 4 euros an hour !!!) and I speak Spanish.

We eventually bought a place here thanks to a few lucky connections and just recently sold our London place . This is now our permanent home/residence, its not been easy but it has been worth it.

Doing a TEFL course is a good idea but, here, in Granada anyway, there is stiff competition and they expect you to speak Spanish and have at least 2 years general teaching experience and sadly the pay is lousy and the work frequently part time. In Andalucia there is high unemployment, a lot of agricultural labour and lots of immigrants willing to work for very little in lousy conditions. 80 percent of Spanish businesses are family run which means they dont employ outside of the family.

Hope that helps

Kate

_____________________________

Emilio Maya Temple
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000CA6OBC
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/emiliomaya

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 20 2007 16:00:35

Kate

Posts: 1827
Joined: Jul. 8 2003
From: Living in Granada, Andalucía

RE: Attn: Kate or other andalucian r... (in reply to Pimientito)

Hey Pimiento,

We should meet up. Why not come to the Eshavira next Sunday. I think Emilio is playing. If you ask for me at the bar they'll point you in the right direction.

Always nice to meet a fellow foro member.

Kate

_____________________________

Emilio Maya Temple
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000CA6OBC
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/emiliomaya

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 20 2007 16:03:51

stephen hill

Posts: 300
Joined: Feb. 16 2004
From: La Herradura, Granada, Spain

RE: Attn: Kate or other andalucian r... (in reply to Kate)

Hi Kate
stephen hill here from la herradura, we must meet too. I met harold some years back organising Emilio at the lewes guitar festival. We just had Miguel Ochando there too a couple of weeks back...
anyhow, yes, in spain you need a skill, or go hungry, or pretend to the british govenrment you are just here for a holiday while you clain benefits...

_____________________________

stephen hill - granada spain
http://www.spanishguitars.co.uk

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 20 2007 22:08:37

Kate

Posts: 1827
Joined: Jul. 8 2003
From: Living in Granada, Andalucía

RE: Attn: Kate or other andalucian r... (in reply to stephen hill)

Hi Stephen

Oh yes lets meet, any excuse to get down to la Herradura. The kids from Taller de Compás played down there a wee while back but we were busy with a show for Emilio. Harold remembers you from the Lewes gig. I heard from Tony that Miguel Ochando went down very well. Granada is getting a great flamenco reputation these days, Juan Pinilla and Patricia Guerrero just came back from La Union with premios. Lets hope Emilio makes it next year at the Concurso de Cordoba. I'll email you when I know we have a free day to go to the Coast and if you are in Granada do likewise.

saludos
Kate

_____________________________

Emilio Maya Temple
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000CA6OBC
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/emiliomaya

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 21 2007 12:11:42

Pimientito

Posts: 2481
Joined: Jul. 30 2007
From: Marbella

RE: Attn: Kate or other andalucian r... (in reply to Kate)

Hey Kate
Yeah, would be great to meet up too. Was not around for the Emilio gig but there will be others! Going to Ojos de brujo in Frigiliana on friday, Enrique morente at weekend and Tomatito on tuesday. Wont be around much in september with the Bienal de flamenco in malaga. I didnt realise who you were till you mentioned Harold. I actually met you some years ago with Jingle but wasnt sure if you guys were still in Granada.
Got lots to catch up on, reply to my inbox.

Steven - you forgot to put the word alledgedly at the end of your last post

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 22 2007 13:54:38

Stu

Posts: 2522
Joined: Jan. 30 2007
From: London (the South of it), England

RE: Attn: Kate or other andalucian r... (in reply to Stu)

Hey, Thanks for all the input folks. Some good stuff to think about.
Gonna start learning spanish first, then a little holiday to sevilla or granada, then who knows.

Thanks again.

Stu

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 23 2007 12:13:00

Melchor

Posts: 87
Joined: Sep. 1 2003
From: Jeré

RE: Attn: Kate or other andalucian r... (in reply to Stu)

Hi Simon,Kate and everyone. Its been a long time since I visited this website but I still remember the good times we had in the festival in Jerez.

Manzman I am from Jerez and I have been living in London for the last four years.I can tell you it is almost impossible for you to make a living in Andalucia, otherwise I wouldnt be living in England in the first place. I was teaching spanish in an agency for flamenco students and even thought about creating my own as I know some of the flamenco teachers over there. But the money was really bad, didnt have money to start a bussiness and the idea of living with my parents was depressing.But I have an idea that might work for you as it works for me, and you dont even need to speak a word of Spanish.

I am cabin crew and I work for a company called Qantas with base in London. I have four day trips to Asia and then 4 days off after every trip. That means after you arrive from your trip, for instance Singapore arrives at 5 in the morning to Heathrow, you can get the next flight to Madrid, Barcelona Sevilla or wherever you decide to live and then come back to work 4 days later. With airline discount you pay about 55 pounds for a ticket but as you are living in another country you get all the tax back at the end of the year.

Well that is my plan for next year. I had enough of this lousy weather and next year I will be commuting to Madrid. So my advice for you would be to apply for an airline which flyes long haul from Heathrow and enjoy your days off in Spain.

Hope it helps

_____________________________

Carpe Diem y no dejes para mañana lo que puedas hacer hoy

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 24 2007 20:24:38