The little-known reasons why Spain might NOT be for you

A lovely image of Spanish life... but would YOU feel comfortable sat at that table?

There’s a brilliant article on the Guardian titled: ‘Want to move to Australia? Be warned – it’s not hot Britain’, which outlines the reasons why hundreds of Brits every year are disappointed with their move Down Under.

Which got me thinking. Our industry spends pretty much every waking hour working on ways to make Spain your dream destination. We write about its brilliant weather, its wonderful lifestyle, its array of affordable properties and the many opportunities it offers for a fun and fulfilling family life.

But sometimes, even when all the pieces are in place, Spain just won’t work out for you. Now, while I can feel my editor breathing down my neck as I write this, bear with me – Spain might not be for you after all…

There, I said it. While thousands make a happy move to Spain every year, a fair few don’t quite settle in. And while we’re ecstatic when things go right, we also want to know when – and why – things go wrong. And things do go wrong.

So in a break from the usual routine, here are five reasons why that dream life in Spain might not be all it’s cracked up to be…

There’s a lot of work involved

And we don’t mean work in the traditional sense (although if you do get a job in Spain, don’t believe the old adage that they’re all workshy layabouts – they’re not). We mean in a social sense. Even if the idea of shutting yourself away from the rest of the world in a sun-drenched villa sounds blissful, you will still have to integrate a little.

What about haircuts? Paying bills? Cleaning? Buying – and running – a car? Dealing with tax, property and insurance? These are all daily realities, and dealing with them requires a different approach in Spain than in the UK. There’s the language, for a start. Then there are different practices, cultures and characteristics. You will have to learn, often the hard way, how to get by – even if you’re blessed with a healthy nest egg.

And if you’re thinking that you will just mingle with fellow expats, then that brings its own pressures and stresses. By and large, moving to Spain should be the best decision you will ever make, but if you’re a reserved, introverted person, the move might take you a little too far out of your comfort zone for your liking.

The weather might surprise you

And in many ways, too. Think you like the sun and heat? Well, say that after your first July-August sweatathon. I love the incessant heat of summer, but many a friend has fallen at this first hurdle, yearning for chills, or at least some spills, from the sky. Can you handle the heat?

Conversely, you might be expecting that the south of Spain is a year-round utopia of non-stop sunshine and blue skies. It almost is. But there’s a fair bit of volatility in the winter months, and take it from me, you haven’t experienced a rainy thunderstorm until you’ve sat in your car in Marbella and been unable to see the vehicle in front of you.

It shouldn’t be enough to put you off, but it’s worth knowing…

A history lesson

There is plenty of history in Andalucía. Despite the Costa del Sol’s glitzy modernity, there is plenty to keep history buffs entertained for years. But it’s – and this will sound dumbly obvious – Spanish history. If you’re a Brit, you have no connection to it. Some will find it endlessly fascinating, and will feel an instant connection to the place.

But others might be left feeling cold, or disconnected. Like music, film and fashion, historical tales are subjective. While one person might devour everything connected to WWII, the other might be more interested in the Korean War, for example. It probably doesn’t sound important, but if you cannot shake the feeling that you are an alien in a foreign land – and have no inclination to rectify that by finding out why Granada has a Moorish palace or the streets of Marbella’s Old Town are so narrow – then you might never feel like you belong.

It’s a long shot, but worth bearing in mind before you pack your bags.

Popular culture

Think about what you do on a Saturday afternoon. Maybe you watch football or rugby. Maybe you potter in the garden, visit family, go shopping in town, drive to a garden centre, walk the dog in the park or simply watch TV. You can do all of these things in Spain, sure, but it’s all different.

In Marbella and Puerto Banús you can get your fill of the English Premier League and the rugby, and La Cañada has some British fashion stores. After that, there’s the beautiful weather isn’t there? You can hit the beach, snooze around the pool or head to the mountains. It’s brilliant… but it’s not for everybody. Think long and hard about what you are giving up – rain aside – and ask yourself: could you do without it?

Spaniards

There’s no guarantee that you will like Spaniards. It’s unlikely, but not unheard of. Spaniards have different cultural values, for a start. The polite, meaningless pleasantries that dot daily life in the UK – a please here, a thank you there, a ‘no you go first’ or door held open – they’re not so common in Spain.

The trick is to know that Spaniards aren’t being rude, or obtuse – they’re just being themselves. The payoff is that they are far more tactile, and you are likely to have much more physical contact (the kiss on both cheeks when greeting somebody being the most obvious) than you are used to. Well, get used to it. Most people do, and they love it. But some personalities – normally of the more stiff-upper-lip, old school British type – feel uncomfortable in such situations. Could you be one of them?

So there you have it. Nothing too major, and certainly no showstoppers. But if we’re being honest, not every Brit is going to love living in Spain, even those who have had their head turned after numerous enjoyable holidays.

There’s nothing wrong with that, but it’s a fair sight cheaper to figure it out before you buy a place in Spain… and that just leaves more room for the millions of Brits who absolutely adore the place – like me!