We are attracted here by the weather, the short and relatively cheap flights and the lower cost of living. Despite the
popular image of ex- pat Brits, few of us come
for the booze and cigarettes. But it is joy to be able to eat out without blanching at the
bill and, although property prices have shot up in recent years, you can still buy or rent
attractive homes for much less than you would pay in most of Britain.
Andalucia, where I have my home, is
extraordinarily beautiful and this year, thanks to an unusually wet winter, the spring
flowers were a miracle.
So what do all we ex-pats do to occupy
ourselves ?
 The British are renowned for their inability to master foreign
languages, but most of us have a stab at Spanish classes and some become quite fluent. It
is really vital if you live in a village where very few Spaniards speak English. Golf, bridge, tennis, walking, yoga, tai chi,
boules, painting, are all popular pastimes. I attended recently a packed Vivaldi concert
in our cultural centre. Those who own homes here spend time on DIY and gardening. Some take up voluntary work, and it is entirely due
to the hard work and inspiration of a British woman that a cancer hospice has been opened
on the Costa del Sol. There are innumerable
clubs catering for different nationalities and varying interests.
Most Snowbirds are retired and share
a common loathing of cold weather and grey skies. They are on the whole a friendly and
lively lot. They represent a variety of trades, professions and nationalities.
Why Spain?
Unlike England, Spain is not an
ageist society. It is also less violent and feels much safer than many northern European
towns, although busy tourist areas do attract burglars and handbag snatchers. Most of us
share a high regard for the Spaniards, and I hear many stories of how Spanish neighbours
have shown exceptional kindness, looking after somebody’s pool, watering
someone’s fruit trees, and refusing to take any money for their labours. Our plumber charged us considerably less than his
estimate for one job. When we queried this he shrugged, “It
did not take me as long as I thought it would.” No minimum call out fees here.
Last year we were walking along the
main street of our village when we heard someone hissing at us from behind. We turned and faced an elderly, black-dressed woman
whom neither of us recognised at first. We wondered if we had done something wrong. She waved us to her and pressed 200 pesetas into my
husband’s hand, explaining that when he had bought some meat from her that morning he
had forgotten his change.
It is a friendly society. I am
constantly being kissed by neighbours and acquaintances as well as friends. I like it.
When we walk in the village or the countryside total strangers greet us warmly with “Hola,buenos dias.”
The fiestas and the processions are
enjoyed by all ages, from babies, who are passed from hand to hand and cooed over by both
men and women, to the very old. And nobody gets drunk and behaves badly – apart from
some loutish foreigners. One of my treasured memories is of dancing in a village square
with septo and octogenerians wiggling their hips and bawling in a rising crescendo,
“Oh,oh.oh,oh,oh sexy!”
Practical matters
Of course if you are going to be away
for several months arrangements have to be made to look after your home in your absence. Some people decide to let out their property while
they are away. Post has to be taken care of.
There is a reciprocal arrangement
between Britain and Spain’s health services and Spain’s is said to be better
than the NHS. If you are of retirement age, medical treatment is free of charge, but
younger people who are here for more than six months must take out medical
insurance.
 Missing one’s family is a drawback, but at least we know
that we will see them when we are back in the summer. There
can also be difficulties between husbands and wives when one partner is much keener than
the other on being abroad for a long period.
It
takes time to adjust. I suffer from periods of melancholy when I return to London
and find myself longing for Andalucia’s open spaces,
mountains and blue skies.
But there’s no doubt in my mind
that this is the best way to enjoy retirement. Seeing
so many other Third Agers enjoying themselves makes you appreciate that this is the time
of life to have enormous fun. And in a sunny
outdoor climate, you bypass the annual cold and flu epidemics, not to mention winter aches
and pains.
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