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whinge
I just tried to email you, but server refused, so I send this to your comments.
Hi!
At last I’ve got time to catch a breath, and sorry for not having written before now. Just blogging enough to prevent a precipitous and precipitate descent to the nether regions of Blogit. By Gad, it’s hell down there, I tell you!
Okay, the employment, and other situations in Spain ; first of all, I don’t know much about other areas than Andalucia, and the bad news first. Moving here isn’t so bad for pensioners with some sort of income, but for young people it’s a major step, because the unemployment is terrible about 20% or over. Naturally, this depresses wages, and often makes for very bad working conditions.
House prices have rocketed over the last few years, but are now, it seems, stabilising a little. This is only a slightly informed guess, but I think that if you deduct, say, 5% or maybe 10% percent from a UK house price, then that’s about what you’d pay for a Spanish one.
We have a holiday house in another village, which you can see on our website. I think I gave you the site address, but if I didn’t, this is it … www.rentalspain.net
We are thinking of selling it, and we expect to get about €130,000, or maybe a little more, and this will give you some idea of prices.
Okay, that’s most of the bad stuff, now a little taste of the good! I see from you page that you’re in customer relations, and you would probably find a job in a hotel, or one of the estate agents that have sprung up like mushrooms in the last few years. If your husband is a chef, then I guess he’d find a job easily. You would of course find things a thousand % easier if you try and learn at least a working knowledge of Spanish.
You could expect to earn about €800 a month, and your husband €1,000. Now, the cost of living ; rents are cheap, ‘cos there are a lot of holiday and permanent lets available, so ( if you did rent ) your rent wouldn’t be too much of a drain on you funds. Some foodstuffs are actually dearer than in Britain, or about the same ; clothes are very, very cheap and lots of choice.
But the food element in your cost of living is deceptive, because during the season ( which lasts most of the year in fact ) there is a mass of produce available cheaply, or free from friends and neighbours.
The Spanish are the most generous people on earth, and you can bet that hardly a day will go by but one of them will give you eggs, vegetables, olive oil, whatever they have. By bottling, freezing and preserving food you could in fact be completely self sufficient for most, if not all the year. Even a good big freezer full of cheap or free food will see you through for months. The most common form of heating in houses is a wood-burning stove, and wood is very expensive ; but here again, one can scrounge, or be given wood.
Schools ; as far as I can tell, Spanish primary schools are superb, and the one in the village where we have our holiday house is like a large family. Secondary schools seem to be good as well, but of course there are the usual problems with teenagers. One thing that I did notice when first coming here is that teenagers are far more polite and well behaved than in England, and one never, never feels a bit threatened by the presence of a gang of teenage boys.
I can’t really give you a picture of how very different, how marvellously different it is living her. I say that here one lives ; in England on exists. If I can give any more info, please ask, okay?
posted by
ariel70
on January 20, 2007 at 4:56 AM
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Whinge
Thanks for calling in.
It is indeed scary,isn't it?
Visitors are gone now, so I'll write later on, okay? Only passin' thro' right now.
el ( somewhat harrassed ) Tel
posted by
ariel70
on January 20, 2007 at 3:27 AM
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Ariel70, that gave me a rash of goosebumps.
It's difficult to attribute violence or acts of violence to a child, but it depends on how they are raised.
People will roll their eyes in a supermarket when a child throws a tantrum or misbehaves, and tut tut in disapproval, or smile in mock paitience blaming the parent for the child's behaviour. Trivial every day stuff, tolerable and forgettable.
When children are raised to hate & perpetuate violent beliefs the same people will tut, tut, and blame you for pointing it out to them, ignore the obvious, that these children grow up victims of a legacy but also hugely dangerous.
posted by
CringeintheUSA
on January 20, 2007 at 2:01 AM
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CARMELITO
Thanks for calling in.
It is indeed scary!
One of the things that first struck me on moving here to Spain is the lack of hatred among neighbours as a result of their Civil War.
At least it was so, but now that lunatic Zapatero is going all out to stir it up again. And succeeding.
el ( triste ) Tel
posted by
ariel70
on January 20, 2007 at 1:07 AM
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Presley
Thanks for calling in.
It is indeed sad, and a measure of our moral sense lagging so far behind our technology, that hatred is propagated by so many religious and politiccal groups.
Unlike so many unthinking and prejudiced British and Europeans, I do indeed think that you're lucky to live in the US.
posted by
ariel70
on January 20, 2007 at 1:04 AM
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Lovely
Thanks for calling in again.
Do you have a standing order for hearts with your local butcher?? LOL LOL
posted by
ariel70
on January 20, 2007 at 1:02 AM
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Justlife
Thanks for calling in for the first time.
I am an atheist, but I echo your sentiments wholeheartedly.
My guiding principle in life is, and always has been Christs' adjuration to " Love thy neighbour as thyself" ; a sentiment that I am sure I share with you, and most other Christians in here.
Be well, and sure in your faith, my friend.
posted by
ariel70
on January 20, 2007 at 1:00 AM
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richinstore
Thanks for calling in.
Sadly, I agree with you, for this form of hatred is an integral and indispensible part of so many sections of Islam.
posted by
ariel70
on January 20, 2007 at 12:57 AM
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Tony
Thank you.
I do indeed take your point that we mustn't target one particular racial or religious group, and to this end I've had published numerous poems, stories, articles condemning such attitudes and atrocities committed by anyone.
This includes a five part series on the Spanish Inquisition, which I might we repost in future. pieces and poems about Nazi persecution of Jews, and Christians who've risked all to save them.
If any particular example of Christian or other religion inspired hatredcomes to my attention, then of course I shall write about it.
posted by
ariel70
on January 20, 2007 at 12:56 AM
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ariel,
I blame the system.
posted by
richinstore
on January 19, 2007 at 9:37 PM
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WoW...but yeah and wow!!!
Keep your outrage while all the time you and we must keep praying to the only Almighty. We don't use Him as we should which is always and non-stop. He is our all powerful weapon and all we need. So don't let them still your joy! I do feel you and I will take that rage trip with you for a brief moment and then together we must turn around and get on the right road walking with who we know to be our salvation, AMEN!!!
posted by
Justlife
on January 19, 2007 at 9:21 PM
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posted by
lovelyladymonk
on January 19, 2007 at 4:57 PM
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Hi El Tel. Violence is always wrong.
As well as condemning Islamist violence, we also need to condemn Christian and any other violence too. I agree with you, but we must be balanced and recognise that the same distortion and indoctrination is taking place in the west, too. As westerners, we should concentrate our focus on what we in the west are doing wrong, and thereby inspire Muslims to do the same in their areas of hegemony. We need to stick to basic principles and not target one religious or ethnic group. I'm sure you agree with this yourself. Keep up the good work!
posted by
Antonionioni
on January 19, 2007 at 4:47 PM
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Ariel
Just as in American society it's difficult to know to whom or what people are praying to or praying for. Children learn by what they live. It saddens me that the children referenced in the post are exposed to the hatred and violence that exists in their lives on a daily basis. While America has it's own
problems, I'm certainly grateful I live HERE and not there!
posted by
Presley
on January 19, 2007 at 4:37 PM
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POWERFUL WRITING AND SCARY TO THINK ABOUT.
posted by
CARMELITO
on January 19, 2007 at 3:50 PM
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