Welcome to one of the most active flamenco sites on the Internet. Guests can read most posts but if you want to participate click here to register.
This site is dedicated to the memory of Paco de Lucía, Ron Mitchell, Guy Williams, Linda Elvira, Philip John Lee, Craig Eros, Ben Woods, David Serva and Tom Blackshear who went ahead of us.
We receive 12,200 visitors a month from 200 countries and 1.7 million page impressions a year. To advertise on this site please contact us.
Posts: 6444
Joined: Jul. 6 2003
From: England, living in Italy
All things must pass - going home
After 3 years living in Andalucía, I am returning to the UK next week for another adventure.
I got an offer from Microsoft I could not refuse. Apparently they missed me so, I am going home, pretty much into the job I left but for more money Just couldn't turn that one down - money and work are very tight down here and I am too young to retire.
My girlfriend (Baby Carrot) will be moving over from Mexico to join me and I really can't wait for that. We will probably be based in Bath.
Ahhh.... phoning for a pizza, DVD rental, Indian food, going for a Chinese, bookshops, walking to more than one bar and restaurant, Sunday papers delivered, sausage and mash, cheddar cheese, pork pies, crumpets, film school weekends, other Mustang owners...
And then there is the rain, long dark winters, cost of living, Euro 2008 football, Gordon Brown - hang on a minute???
Posts: 6444
Joined: Jul. 6 2003
From: England, living in Italy
RE: All things must pass - going home (in reply to Estevan)
quote:
and zoider, m'dear. In a while you'll be playing wurzel-flamenco fusion.
That is zomerset m'beauty - where the zider apples grow. Home of my fathers And they have cider in Asturias anyway. I had it on Xmas day in Mexico of all places!
Gotta find those old keys to my combine 'arvester now. The one with wine-down windals
Oh yes, The Wurzels were from Bridgwater, where my Dad lived and I was a grave-digger for a while, jejeje.
Posts: 6444
Joined: Jul. 6 2003
From: England, living in Italy
RE: All things must pass - going home (in reply to henrym3483)
quote:
good plan, then retire again for another few years and take "gardening pay"
Funny you should mention that. There is a "Gardening Leave" clause in my contract that says that if I am crap they can sack me, send me home but they have to carry on paying me. Never saw that before. Ummmmmmm, I wonder?
RE: All things must pass - going home (in reply to Escribano)
A lot of good luck Simon. You will be missed. We are loosing one down here. Dont sell the house yet. Its a bad time. Wait a couple of years if you can.
And. Play that very very nice and sweet guitar I made you.
RE: All things must pass - going home (in reply to Escribano)
Simon, I would trade pizza and Chinese food anyday for a good Spanish cooks tapas or paella dish. Sad that money has to rule our lives, but it does. I was planning to go spend time around Granada when I retired, but I retired early due to seriuous nerve damage and now I can't fly or change altitudes over 500 feet. I think you got it right ... go to Spain to live first, then leave to work for more money later. At least you did it. Best wishes on your move....
Posts: 6444
Joined: Jul. 6 2003
From: England, living in Italy
RE: All things must pass - going home (in reply to Anders Eliasson)
quote:
Play that very very nice and sweet guitar I made you.
Yes, it is a very sweet, very special guitar. She goes home with me in the passenger seat. One day, in the middle of a dark English afternoon... I will tune it up and I will probably choke up
But let's not get too sentimental. Anders, you clearly make some of the best flamenco guitars in the world, because that is what you do. You feel flamenco - a forum cannot even begin to discuss it. You know what I mean.
You will understand this.... down here is a test. One which you do not fail, only learn from.
RE: All things must pass - going home (in reply to Escribano)
quote:
You will understand this.... down here is a test. One which you do not fail, only learn from.
I sure understand. After 7 years its still a test for me. And if it wasnt for Sole, my wonderfull spanish girlfriend, I´m not to sure I would be here.
Amongst foreigners not living here, incl. some or many forum members, there´s this idea that living in Spain is Soooo nice and that the spaniards are such nice people. When you live here you find out other things. Its a VERY egoistic society and noone helps you. You stand there in front of the desk of this grumpy person with your papers and you best intentions and they just send you somewhere else where you dont know what to do either. Another thing is money.. Spain is expensive now, but its almost impossible to earn more than 1000,- euros a month if you dont know someone who knows someone, and you dont!!! Your world, the Computer world, is still on level with the stoneage here. There´s absolutely nothing to come for there.
Being a foreigner wanting to live here, the best is to bring your job and/or your money. Then I can imagine its great. The Spanish leave you in peace, the sun is shining, the paella is nice and the wine is even better. But even so..... My mother lives in Almuñecar now. She´s retired and she´s struggling with things.
So, when back, pick up that guitar and you´ll feel good about it because as Samato said, you did it and you know. And if Microsoft gives you some vacation, you´ll be able to enjoy Spain a lot more. And you wont need to listen to the neighbours shouting out loud the whole day right in front of your door.
Its not the place that matters, but the life you live.
Enjoy life and make Microsoft smile and donate some more money to poor guitarbuilders.
Posts: 1827
Joined: Jul. 8 2003
From: Living in Granada, Andalucía
RE: All things must pass - going home (in reply to Anders Eliasson)
quote:
ORIGINAL: Anders Eliasson there´s this idea that living in Spain is Soooo nice and that the spaniards are such nice people. When you live here you find out other things.
Ah Anders, I take it your girlfriend is one of the nice ones :) See there are some lovely people here. I have some amazing kind and generous friends. And yes I've met some ****s as well, same goes for all over.
Simon I think that Carrot is going to enjoy the UK very much and you can always come back whenever you want to soak up some sunshine and listen to the neighbours loudly discuss their oranges. You'll get the best of both worlds. Bath is a lovely place .
When do you leave ? If you get into Granada before you go call us and we'll have a drink. Not Adios but hasta luego.
Posts: 2792
Joined: Jan. 30 2007
From: London (the South of it), England
RE: All things must pass - going home (in reply to Kate)
Good luck man, was it an easy decision??
quote:
Ahhh.... phoning for a pizza, DVD rental, Indian food, going for a Chinese, bookshops, walking to more than one bar and restaurant, Sunday papers delivered, sausage and mash, cheddar cheese, pork pies, crumpets, film school weekends, other Mustang owners...
And then there is the rain, long dark winters, cost of living, Euro 2008 football, Gordon Brown - hang on a minute???
You picked out some nice some nice little snipets of english life there, made me feel a little nostalgic, I'd have to add "A Nice cup of English Breakfast Tea" to the list
As for the Long dark winters. the Summers are now was pretty long and dark, and Wet!! Hopefully this year will be different otherwise ill be heading in the opposite direction!!
Im not sure how much fun Euro 2008 will be with out england?!
RE: All things must pass - going home (in reply to Anders Eliasson)
quote:
Dont sell the house yet. Its a bad time. Wait a couple of years if you can.
Yeah Simon...it's also a bit of a tricky time to buy in the UK too, with mortgage rates rising and house prices falling. Some of the pessimist financial commentators are saying it could even be up to 40% over time, but I think this is a bit drastic. The more moderates are saying maybe up to 15%, and the cheerier ones saying about 5%. So it's a case of getting the timing right and maybe renting or something until the volatility calms down a bit. (Would be brilliant to slam a casher down right at the bottom of the market! )
RE: All things must pass - going home (in reply to Escribano)
quote:
Ahhh.... phoning for a pizza, DVD rental, Indian food, going for a Chinese, bookshops, walking to more than one bar and restaurant, Sunday papers delivered, sausage and mash, cheddar cheese, pork pies, crumpets, film school weekends, other Mustang owners...
And then there is the rain, long dark winters, cost of living, Euro 2008 football, Gordon Brown
Damn Simon, I had my heart set on movie to Andalucia someday. Now, I think I'm moving to Bath.
RE: All things must pass - going home (in reply to Escribano)
quote:
That is my cunning plan
Heard today on the radio that a few underpriced properties are available here and there..like the £300,000 house offered for a quick sale at £250,000 due to client "pressure".
Only that it's just a "Marketing Hype" dreamt up by the Estate Agents, 'cos they were only hoping for about £240,000 in the first place!
It's an ill wind and all that....
Don't you just love 'em..!
cheers,
Ron
(Edit....In case it wasn't clear in my story, the house was never ever evaluated at £300,000 in the first place. It was just "A Marketing Strategy" as confessed by someone in the profession. Mind you, there are professional criminals... )
RE: All things must pass - going home (in reply to Anders Eliasson)
quote:
Amongst foreigners not living here, incl. some or many forum members, there´s this idea that living in Spain is Soooo nice and that the spaniards are such nice people. When you live here you find out other things. Its a VERY egoistic society and noone helps you. You stand there in front of the desk of this grumpy person with your papers and you best intentions and they just send you somewhere else where you dont know what to do either.
This agrees with everything I have heard since my original interest in Spain in 1971. No different than where I live ... no one cares about you unless they have something to gain by helping you ... money talks BS walks! At least in Spain there is flamenco and food I like. Just a dream for me anyway....
RE: All things must pass - going home (in reply to Stu)
quote:
Im not sure how much fun Euro 2008 will be with out england?!
Less painful and embarassing than usual? Just chanced upon this odd item - apparently it's been suggested that English (and other UK) fans should now support Spain, home of sun, sand, bullfights, rioja, and....maracas??? Reino Unido apoyará a España en la Eurocopa