Expat Pilgrims

[HBS60]

Not sure exactly where to post this as it’s probably off-topic, but here it goes!

As I’ve mentioned, I decided to move to Spain. Over the last month I’ve been gathering/requesting documents, submitting them to Bureaucracy.es, following their guidance, also been trying to look up apartments, trying to figure out what would work for me, as well as trying to decide what to do about my house (and my pianos) here in the US.

Well, things are starting to line up, as I got my insurance certificate and my apostilled background check. I still have a couple of docs I need to obtain but I’m starting to get there.

I still don’t know exactly where I’ll live other than Southern Spain, with the main contenders being Malaga, Granada, and Valencia. Something that might help me decide is to know where can I find expat pilgrims as they might be a community I would be better able to relate. The expat stereotype of older retirees playing golf, eating tapas, etc doesn’t really resonate with me all that much (not that there’s anything wrong with that). One more angle to all of this is that I’m not anglo, and while I’ve adapted very well to life in the US, I’m also curious about Spanish pilgrims, as they welcomed me so warmly because we are “family”. Essentially, I’m trying to figure out where I will find a community where I can relate and help me through the transition period.

While I have lots of good reasons to move to Spain, I will be alone (I have no family of my own, just my two older sisters with their husbands and families) and a few friends, that’s about it. I’ll be leaving behind my comfortable (but stagnant) life to start a new chapter in my life, so I’m hoping that I’ll find a new place where I can feel at home. I certainly will look for musicians, but I think finding local pilgrims might also be helpful. During my Camino, I managed to meet several great people so that gives me hope that I’ll be able to adapt successfully. I hope I can make new, meaningful connections leading to a new life on the other side of the pond.

I’m also aware that this move need not be permanent, as I can always change my mind and come back, and since I’m not getting any younger, I makes sense for me to do this now and not wait until I’m too old to do this (I’m turning 65 this month).

So, any thoughts on how I can connect with other pilgrims that have settled in Spain? I might need some help in learning how things are done locally, and I hope that the learning curve when it comes to things like navigating the red tape is not too steep.

Thanks for any thoughts or suggestions!

 

[HBS60]

Do you speak Spanish?

Yes, I’m Puerto Rican, grew up speaking our version of Spanish, at age 25 I moved to the mainland, so I can speak both English and Spanish fluently, although the latter is a bit rusty, but still there. That being said, the culture is a bit different so I’ll need to adapt as well.

 

[domigee]

Oh that's brilliant then! You'll be fine, you'll soon make friends. I can't help you with meeting pilgrims who have settled in Spain but I have met a lot of Spanish people who have walked the 'Camino'. (By that they invariably mean Sarria to Santiago. )
How about going to the local pilgrims association - once you've decided where to live?

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I enjoy smaller, laid back cities in general and that is why walking village to village on the Camino draws me back. Based on your top three, their populations are:
Valencia- 789,000
Malaga- 586,000
Granada- 120,000

If you happen to live in a large city in Florida, such as the Miami area you may feel more at home in a larger urban city near the water, and there are probably more opportunities for cultural attractions.

 

[TravellingMan22]

Not sure exactly where to post this as it’s probably off-topic, but here it goes!

As I’ve mentioned, I decided to move to Spain. Over the last month I’ve been gathering/requesting documents, submitting them to Bureaucracy.es, following their guidance, also been trying to look up apartments, trying to figure out what would work for me, as well as trying to decide what to do about my house (and my pianos) here in the US.

Well, things are starting to line up, as I got my insurance certificate and my apostilled background check. I still have a couple of docs I need to obtain but I’m starting to get there.

I still don’t know exactly where I’ll live other than Southern Spain, with the main contenders being Malaga, Granada, and Valencia. Something that might help me decide is to know where can I find expat pilgrims as they might be a community I would be better able to relate. The expat stereotype of older retirees playing golf, eating tapas, etc doesn’t really resonate with me all that much (not that there’s anything wrong with that). One more angle to all of this is that I’m not anglo, and while I’ve adapted very well to life in the US, I’m also curious about Spanish pilgrims, as they welcomed me so warmly because we are “family”. Essentially, I’m trying to figure out where I will find a community where I can relate and help me through the transition period.

While I have lots of good reasons to move to Spain, I will be alone (I have no family of my own, just my two older sisters with their husbands and families) and a few friends, that’s about it. I’ll be leaving behind my comfortable (but stagnant) life to start a new chapter in my life, so I’m hoping that I’ll find a new place where I can feel at home. I certainly will look for musicians, but I think finding local pilgrims might also be helpful. During my Camino, I managed to meet several great people so that gives me hope that I’ll be able to adapt successfully. I hope I can make new, meaningful connections leading to a new life on the other side of the pond.

I’m also aware that this move need not be permanent, as I can always change my mind and come back, and since I’m not getting any younger, I makes sense for me to do this now and not wait until I’m too old to do this (I’m turning 65 this month).

So, any thoughts on how I can connect with other pilgrims that have settled in Spain? I might need some help in learning how things are done locally, and I hope that the learning curve when it comes to things like navigating the red tape is not too steep.

Thanks for any thoughts or suggestions!

Hi there. I was actually going to message you at some point when you settled on a destination…but anyway…

I spent a few months in Valencia a couple of years back and got to know a group of expats there who met up on a regular basis to discuss all things moving/living in Spain. Mainly USA /Canadians but also Europeans. Nearly all on NLVs. From memory we all went for a walk through the big park (Turia) every Friday and then coffee afterwards but there were lots of gatherings on a schedule meet up and/or informal basis. Gripping conversations such as ‘best time to do your laundry based on water costs’ were discussed. It was strangely quite interesting. It was mainly your age (and my age) people. All walks of life. I met one USA couple who had never been to Spain before (in fact who had never been to Europe before), but they had adapted brilliantly. If I remember correctly they had chose Valencia based on liking the look of Turia Park based on YouTube views so it was a broad group. No link to the Camino to be clear so not pilgrims, but good old ‘our age’ folks. And it was in addition to fitting in and making local friends.

It would not be hard to track the group down and I still have some contacts. Similar groups will exist in all areas.

Feel free to to PM me at any time!

 

[SYates]

The south of Spain gets horribly hot in summer, have you considered Santiago itself? Plenty of pilgrims here, including resident ones ;-)
BC SY

 

[HBS60]

I enjoy smaller, laid back cities in general and that is why walking village to village on the Camino draws me back. Based on your top three, their populations are:
Valencia- 789,000
Malaga- 586,000
Granada- 120,000

If you happen to live in a large city in Florida, such as the Miami area you may feel more at home in a larger urban city near the water, and there are probably more opportunities for cultural attractions.

I live in Orlando, not as huge/overwhelming like Miami, but it certainly has grown in the 24 years I’ve lived here. I’m not sure I want to be on an isolated small village, but Granada seems to be big enough and small enough, plus the music/arts aspect is a strong draw, but knowing there are pilgrim groups there will make it better. At my Camino, I met this cool guy from Valencia, a lady from Seville, a Canarian guy that lives in Madrid, a vivacious girl from Murcia, so at least I already know some people, so I hope to be able to contact them, maybe visit.
ETA: Orlando’s official population is around 320,000 according to a quick Google search.

 

[trecile]

I know from your LIVE thread that you use Facebook - I'm sure that there are groups there for expats living in Spain that might give you ideas for which area to settle in. However, it's probably a good idea to spend an extended period of time in each place that you are thinking of before signing a long term lease.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

James Blick, a New Zealander who has lived in Spain for 12 years and the creator of the Spain Revealed YouTube channel, has developed a course for expats. That is pretty much all I know about it though.

First Steps to Spain - Join The Course

Starting a new life in Spain is an exciting adventure, but the process can be complex and overwhelming. In this short course, I’ll simplify your journey by providing essential information and guidance, helping you gain clarity and confidence about your potential move.

www.spainrevealed.com

 

[ParisOslo]

Renting provide you with a lot of flexibility and give you time to find the ideal location.

Living in a toaster may not be the best of solution for half of the year. There are also the climate change that push the envelope.

Perhaps a Northern location would be a better choice.

In Spain the locals are saying the tourists are in the south and the locals are in the north!

Up to you

 

[domigee]

Renting provide you with a lot of flexibility and give you time to find the ideal location.

Living in a toaster may not be the best of solution for half of the year. There are also the climate change that push the envelope.

Perhaps a Northern location would be a better choice.

In Spain the locals are saying the tourists are in the south and the locals are in the north!

Up to you

Err... lots of locals in the South as well lol

 

[TravellingMan22]

I know from your LIVE thread that you use Facebook - I'm sure that there are groups there for expats living in Spain that might give you ideas for which area to settle in. However, it's probably a good idea to spend an extended period of time in each place that you are thinking of before signing a long term lease.

I think spending time in a few places is imperative. I have been going through the same evaluation as you over the last couple of years! Going there as a tourist is one thing, living there is another. The tourist stuff often depends on what attracts you tangibly (the buildings, views, etc) but living there is about the ‘feel’.

I guess I have spent about 1 month (not enough but helpful) in about 7 cities/towns in that time going thru this evaluation! It also helps you think about whether you want to leave where you are now which a key part of the evaluation. After all my ‘work’ (admittedly not too tough!) staying in the UK is back on the table.

I netted out at Cordoba, not because it’s beautiful, but I made friends there so easily and felt part of it, not least because I stayed across the road from a fantastic cafe which was packed and became part of that community. Unexpected as it was mainly >75 year old women, and I am a 58 year old man, or maybe it was because I am a 58 year old man!

I tried Valencia, Alicante, Villajoyosa, Coruna, Malaga, Cadiz, Granada,

Love Andalucia! Careful of property laws if you buy in that area.

 

[ShoshTrvls]

I have been planning a 90/180 day retirement in Spain for a few years now (I have financial and property complications that make living there more than 182 days/year a bureaucratic nightmare), with a focus on Valencia, which I've now visited a number of times. For me, it is the perfect place -- completely walkable, on the water, lots of cultural events and activities, easy to get to and from and, specific to your question, a very large and diverse ex-pat community. Most importantly, an ex-pat community that is not so insular that you could be anywhere in the world, but instead one that really loves and thrives in Valencia and Spain. I think @TravellingMan22 describes it pretty accurately.

 

[TravellingMan22]

I have been planning a 90/180 day retirement in Spain for a few years now (I have financial and property complications that make living there more than 182 days/year a bureaucratic nightmare), with a focus on Valencia, which I've now visited a number of times. For me, it is the perfect place -- completely walkable, on the water, lots of cultural events and activities, easy to get to and from and, specific to your question, a very large and diverse ex-pat community. Most importantly, an ex-pat community that is not so insular that you could be anywhere in the world, but instead one that really loves and thrives in Valencia and Spain. I think @TravellingMan22 describes it pretty accurately.

Yes agree with all that. The mix of the park and the arts there is best in Spain in my view. Esp. in the summer. There is obv. more in BCN and MAD but they don’t quite match the intimacy of Valencia.

 

[VNwalking]

You might contact @JLWV, who communicates news to us here from the Levante amigos in Valencia. The Lana also starts there, and the Sagunto a bit to the North, so it might be a good place to find kindred spirits.

 

[La Rubia]

Very excited for you - my husband and I made the move from the US to Portugal almost 4 years ago and couldn't be happier.

While I have no specific advice on Spain, I can tell you that we've met peregrinos here - it's almost an organic thing. I belong to a couple of walking groups, and met people, and they introduced me to people (and then there are the people who spot my Camino tattoos and start a conversation, but that's a different story). I can't imagine you'll have any trouble meeting your tribe once you land.

As we say here, 'Boa sorte!'