Recently returned from 12 days in Madrid and have totally fallen in love with Spain. Would love to live and work in Spain. Problem is being able to order "cerveza y cafe" in Spanish isn't going to be enough to get by on. I think I'm much more likely to learn the language if I'm living in Spain. Second problem is I'm a nurse so no real teaching experience and haven't done barwork for many years so what kind of work can I get? Anyone got any advice, info, links etc? Would be very grateful. Have to find a new place to live by the end of September figure I might as well find one in a new country
I wish I was Spanish!
Posts: 1 | Location: Birmingham, England | Registered: 08 July 2001
Hey Mygel, love that attitude, throw caution to the wind and your right, if you must relocate... why not Madrid !
First of all, welcome to the very looooong and even more distinguished list of Spain lovers. You are about to embark on a love affair that will change your life as you know it .
Since you are English, work permission and eventual residency will not be a problem so count your lucky stars.
As for the English teaching market here in Madrid, many schools will be willing to train you and although you may have to take a lower salary, if you are motivated you will not have trouble finding teaching work (either at a school or privately).
I encourage you to check out www.expatriatecafe.com, run by Tracy del Moral (an American gal who seems to be very up on this subject).
Oh I fell in love with Madrid, too. Especially Plaza Mayor. One thing that a friend and I are considering doing in a couple of years is going in on renting an apartment together. Our tour guide told us that on the Plaza apartments are only $100 per month, and we both agree that's where we'd like to stay. ONly, I don't know how to go about finding out about the apartments. I'd love to see inside one too, but I don't have WinZIp on my computer so the pictures on this website don't work for me. :-(
GOod luck on your studies!
Julie
Posts: 2 | Location: Missouri, USA | Registered: 17 August 2001
Hi Julie, jer here. Well... I can come to the rescue on that interior view deal. Just send me an e-mail to jeremy@onspanishtime.com and I will be glad to send them to you unzipped so you can see them. They take up about 400KB so let me know if you want me to send them off.
As for the apartments here costing $100/month, I fear that you were sadly misinformed. The only way of getting one at that price is if you live 7 or 8 people in an apartment together
My girlfriend and I got a great rent deal on our place and we pay $500/month for a 3 bedroom, big kitchen, decent living room, bathroom and on the 3rd floor of the Plaza with 2 balconies. The apt. also cuts right through the Plaza and our kitchen has a balcony overlooking the Mercado de San Miguel on C/ Cava de San Miguel (another great view for a future webcam).
The going rate for our apartment is $1,000/month however so you may have misunderstood the tour guid and heard $100 instead of $1,000
Spain is cheap but not that cheap !
Rentals here also depend on how high up the flat is, 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th (attic) floor since that has a lot to do with the noise you hear. Ours is ideally located on the 3rd floor (the 4th floor has no balconies, just small windows as you can observe from below) and we get very little noise and the best views.
Another thing to keep in mind is that the sun never hits the south face of the Plaza Mayor (not even in the summertime) so that also can make an apartment cheaper on that wall. The "Sun Line" per say cuts off just a few balconies south of mine in the summertime and just at my balcony in winter (due to the sun changing altitude in the sky).
As for finding an apartment, well, I saw about 30 apts. in Madrid before stumbling upon this one in the SEGUNDAMANO NEWSPAPER. Unfortunately, reasonably priced rentals here free up very rarely. The last one that I saw available was on the north face and was a 4 bedroom with 6 balconies overlooking the Plaza (just to the west of the Town Hall) but they were asking 425,000 pesetas/monht (about $2,250) OUCH !
Saludos and "buena suerte" (good luck) jer... (your friendly Plaza Realtor)
$100 is definately low. I am in a furnished plaza mayor apt.,1st floor on south west corner, and a pay a mind boggling $1800. Part of this is becuse I am in MAdrid temororairly, and only could sign a contract for 4 months.
Posts: 7 | Location: Atlanta, USA | Registered: 20 August 2001
Hey targetpk, man, $1,800, that is out of control!
I had no idea you were my neighbor, welcome to the Plaza
I think I know which apt. you are in, don't you have like 4 balconies? Let's go out on our balconies and wave hello ! I am up and to your left on the West face of the Plaza, 3rd floor - 10th and 11th balconies in from the South side. You can get a good idea of where from, the webcam view.
Yeah, 1800 is out of control, but I do like the view . I have 3 doors onto the plaza balcony. Look in the corner, the very last south west 1st floor dorr is not mine. The 3 next to it are. I am always up for some cold cerveza. Jer, do think the local polica would be upset if I tossed water baloons from my balcony at the muscians I didn't like?
Posts: 7 | Location: Atlanta, USA | Registered: 20 August 2001
Hey guys! How absolutely fine to be living over the Plaza Mayor. I have looked looongingly at the webcam videos of the Plaza so many times when I should have been working but I can't say that I feel any remorse. I'll be in the Plaza Mayor on the 10th and the 11th of September. Maybe I can find your apartments and buy you guys a cerveza. Ademas de esto, yo puedo hablar espanol bastante bein, pero yo necesito mucho practica. Hace mucho tiempo que no lo uso. Que bueno seria usarlo alla in Espana.
I just can't wait.
Tanto gusto, amigos...
MikeB
Posts: 1 | Location: Nacogdoches, Texas, USA | Registered: 31 August 2001
Hey Mike, welcome aboard the message board galore.
First, work is overrated so go back to the PlazaCam
Buenooooooooo, I can not speak for targetpk but you are welcome to buy me a beer anyday and we can shoot the shi... "mierda" in Spanish if you like to get you practicing again.
Hope you remeber to bring my tel. # with you when you leave (I e-mailed it to you) on your trip. Call a few days before you are to be in Madrid and we can arrange a time to meet.
Saludos, jer...
p.d. hey targetpk, as for the bad musicians in the Plaza, I find eggs more effective
!
- rent or buy a cell phone from me for your stay in spain, more info at 
- already have a cell phone, get a spanish SIM card for it at 
!
! I am up and to your left on the West face of the Plaza, 3rd floor - 10th and 11th balconies in from the South side. You can get a good idea of where from, the webcam view. 
