Hi All, I've been stalking this forum (quietly) for a week or two and have found boatloads of helpful information here. Thanks for making this available to everyone!

Just wanted to see who will be making the journey from their home to Spain in the next couple of months. Why? What will you be doing in Spain? Where are you coming from? etc. (Hope this is okay Jer)

p.s. I love this forum, I've wasted hours of my no longer significant worktime browsing through the topics trying to figure out the logistics of moving to Spain. Thank you!!!!!!

Oh, I guess I should start the chain....

I'm moving from California to Spain to try my luck at teaching English. I currently work for an educational touring company... so if you see an overwhelming amount of high school students with matching backpacks invading your city, that would be my fault and I apologize.

If anyone has any helpful tips to make the move a success, please advise.

Thanks,
Kristy

Hi Kristy,

I'm also making the move over to Spain pretty soon. While I have yet to make a reservation for my flight, I'll most likely arrive in Madrid on or about the 25th of August. My stay will probably be shorter than yours, however, I'm coming to complete my MA in Spanish through Middlebury College, and will be in Madrid until the end of May 2006.

Best of luck to you! I'm in the middle of packing, getting my condo ready to rent, gathering all the info for my student visa, trying to finish up projects at work, etc. and I know how stressful the move can be. Definitely worth it, though. Hopefully I'll have the opportunity to meet you while I'm there.

Un abrazo~

I am also planning on moving from California to Madrid within next few months.
My plan is to leave towards the end of September. My move is a lot more drastic though - right now I am selling my house and that feels like moving from here for good (I doubt I'd ever be able to afford a house in Cali once I leave). Housing market here is very slow at the moment so its very discouraging and I feel like I will never be free to leave. I want to be done with it NOW!
I don't have a job lined up so currently I am trying to put away enough money to be able to support myself and my family for at least a year without income.
I am an engineer and work in telecom and I think I might be able to find some decent work in this industry in MAD (I believe I should be legal to work in Spain in the beginning of 2006) but I feel I would like to try something new, something on my own. I am tired of working for corporations all my life. This is one of my reasons for leaving US - I'm sick of having 2 weeks vacation each year and I want to be less dependant on my job.
I believe my biggest problem will be very limitted ability to speak Spanish...ok, I'll be honest - practically non-existant. I am planning on spending my first year studying and improving Spanish language skills. I went through this struggle before when I came to US and was trying to learn English but unfortunately this time around I am much older and I am sure it will be whole lot more difficult.
Well, thats my story for now I wish you both best of luck and hope we can exchange experience and advice in these challenging but how exciting times. I am also hoping to meet you once in Madrid!

Hi Kristy,
I completey hear you on the "I've wasted hours of my no longer significant worktime browsing through the topics trying to figure out the logistics of moving to Spain."

That's what I've been doing for quite some time now! I just found this today and have spent a good 3 hours on it already. I went on some other site and no one ever got back to me, but jer was quick and helpful, definitely a chill guy.

My girl and I are headed to Seville in the end of Aug to take a TEFL course and try our luck finding teaching work. I have a feeling we might gravitate to Madrid though.

I'm getting pumped and have officially mentall checked out of my job, 6 weeks baby!!
Andy

quote:

definitely a chill guy.

you don't know the half of it

ok, my deal (although many of you already know it).

i left ny for madrid about... 10 years ago.

man, has it been THAT long!!!

saludos,
jer...

Jer, do you still celebrate the day you arrived in Madrid?

I think I will treat mine as another "birthday" type of personal holiday...

Patsox, I think I saw your post on expatriatecafe! (Like I mentioned before lots of time to kill at work). I'll be teaching English in Spain too. Good luck to you!

Not to make you jealous or anything, but.....
3 more days until I give my two weeks notice! Wahooooooooooo!

hey Ola, wish i could remember the exact day.

when you have been here weeks and months you tend to count and remember that day but when 10 years have gone by, it is harder to keep track.

saludos,
jer...

Yeah, I guess you're right, you just start living everyday life. Come to think of it, I hardly remember the day I landed in US either... although that was 17 years ago already! time flies...

BTW, 3 more months until Madrid for me!