H
Hannah
Guest
I received a private message from a forum member asking me lots of questions about living in Ibiza. I thought I'd copy my reply into a new thread just in case anyone else wanted to know the answers...
Hi *****,
Gosh...right, I'll go through your questions one at a time to make sure I don't miss any...
I moved to Ibiza three years ago and I felt settled after about three months. At first it feels very strange and all you can think about is 'Oh god, what have I done!'. I missed my old house and my lodgers/friends/family and it wasn't until I felt I'd made my mark on the social life that I started to live in the present.
I have no regrets moving here. England is a land of worriers....worrying about the state of the country, the calapse of family values, the immigrantion situation, poor weather, job insecurity, poor diet, badly behaved kids.... It's not good for your health to worry so much. The news is full of depressing stories...all doom and gloom.
Here in Ibiza, people hardly ever go on about politics, social problems, the weather, etc. People talk about what is actually happening in their lives at that time. They live in the present. I know no-one who worries about the things people in the UK worry about. This is a problem when my parents come over as they always have to talk about the same old problems with the UK. It makes me realise how accustomed I have become to not hearing it as it irritates me. I suppose it's what they are used to. I just like to talk about my baby, what I did that day, what the neighbours are up to, the progress of the shop, what we can do for fun..... It's very hard to try to make them realise that they talk about these things because of habit and because that is what it's like in the UK. I suppose, living here makes you a bit insular but a lot more chilled out about 'the state of everything'. My parents are hoping to move here this year as my dad has cancer and has always wanted to live abroad. I'm hoping that, for once in their lives, they can just live and not worry.
The day you arrive in Ibiza to live is very different from when you arrive to visit. When you visit you are extremely excited. When you come to live, you have a much calmer feeling. It's a strange feeling which I wasn't expecting at all. I don't know, maybe it was because I'd had a long journey. It just felt normal. The feeling of excitement has never returned apart from when I go out. I think it might be your mind's way of making you adjust otherwise you'd have a heart attack with all the adrenaline!
I came on three holidays here before making the decision to move. I also felt like I'd come home. I think it is because the island makes everyone feel like a child again. You feel relaxed, happy, excited, energetic, brave, spontaneous, daring, sociable, silly and free to be who you are at your best with no feelings of insecurity or embarassment. Most people haven't felt like that since they were children. People come out of their shell in Ibiza as though they have shed all the veneers from adulthood and trying to fit in.
The cost of living as a holiday maker requires an income of £100k a year. If you live here and you have free fruit and veg to eat, make your own food, don't go out too often (and maybe get into a club or two free), drive a cheap run-about, don't follow every fickle fashion fad, don't use your mobile too often and don't have sky TV or rent DVDs...it's a lot cheaper than in the UK. My rent is €460 a month and all bills, apart from gas, are included. I have no council tax to pay but if I did it would be about 1/5 of the cost in the UK. Food is very expensive in the tourist supermarkets but if you shop at Syp or the cash and carry called Cash Lotto, it's a lot cheaper than the UK...especially booze...some wine is 1/4 the price of UK prices...Vodka is 1/3. Petrol is cheaper too.
I came here with a Spanish reportoir of 'hola', 'gracias' and 'adios'. Now, after three years, I am about a fifth of the way there. I can have conversations but there are bits I get stuck on. If you spend time with the locals and listen to tapes....Michel Thomas is excellent....then you will pick it up. It's probably important to speak Spanish if you want a job working in the tourist industry or for a Spanish company. If you are going to work for yourself within the expat community it isn't important.
I hope I've been of help. Let me know if you ever make the move or if you need any more advice.
Finances can be turned around....you've just got to be frugal and really work hard at getting it sorted.
Good luck with everything,
Hannah.
Hi *****,
Gosh...right, I'll go through your questions one at a time to make sure I don't miss any...
I moved to Ibiza three years ago and I felt settled after about three months. At first it feels very strange and all you can think about is 'Oh god, what have I done!'. I missed my old house and my lodgers/friends/family and it wasn't until I felt I'd made my mark on the social life that I started to live in the present.
I have no regrets moving here. England is a land of worriers....worrying about the state of the country, the calapse of family values, the immigrantion situation, poor weather, job insecurity, poor diet, badly behaved kids.... It's not good for your health to worry so much. The news is full of depressing stories...all doom and gloom.
Here in Ibiza, people hardly ever go on about politics, social problems, the weather, etc. People talk about what is actually happening in their lives at that time. They live in the present. I know no-one who worries about the things people in the UK worry about. This is a problem when my parents come over as they always have to talk about the same old problems with the UK. It makes me realise how accustomed I have become to not hearing it as it irritates me. I suppose it's what they are used to. I just like to talk about my baby, what I did that day, what the neighbours are up to, the progress of the shop, what we can do for fun..... It's very hard to try to make them realise that they talk about these things because of habit and because that is what it's like in the UK. I suppose, living here makes you a bit insular but a lot more chilled out about 'the state of everything'. My parents are hoping to move here this year as my dad has cancer and has always wanted to live abroad. I'm hoping that, for once in their lives, they can just live and not worry.
The day you arrive in Ibiza to live is very different from when you arrive to visit. When you visit you are extremely excited. When you come to live, you have a much calmer feeling. It's a strange feeling which I wasn't expecting at all. I don't know, maybe it was because I'd had a long journey. It just felt normal. The feeling of excitement has never returned apart from when I go out. I think it might be your mind's way of making you adjust otherwise you'd have a heart attack with all the adrenaline!
I came on three holidays here before making the decision to move. I also felt like I'd come home. I think it is because the island makes everyone feel like a child again. You feel relaxed, happy, excited, energetic, brave, spontaneous, daring, sociable, silly and free to be who you are at your best with no feelings of insecurity or embarassment. Most people haven't felt like that since they were children. People come out of their shell in Ibiza as though they have shed all the veneers from adulthood and trying to fit in.
The cost of living as a holiday maker requires an income of £100k a year. If you live here and you have free fruit and veg to eat, make your own food, don't go out too often (and maybe get into a club or two free), drive a cheap run-about, don't follow every fickle fashion fad, don't use your mobile too often and don't have sky TV or rent DVDs...it's a lot cheaper than in the UK. My rent is €460 a month and all bills, apart from gas, are included. I have no council tax to pay but if I did it would be about 1/5 of the cost in the UK. Food is very expensive in the tourist supermarkets but if you shop at Syp or the cash and carry called Cash Lotto, it's a lot cheaper than the UK...especially booze...some wine is 1/4 the price of UK prices...Vodka is 1/3. Petrol is cheaper too.
I came here with a Spanish reportoir of 'hola', 'gracias' and 'adios'. Now, after three years, I am about a fifth of the way there. I can have conversations but there are bits I get stuck on. If you spend time with the locals and listen to tapes....Michel Thomas is excellent....then you will pick it up. It's probably important to speak Spanish if you want a job working in the tourist industry or for a Spanish company. If you are going to work for yourself within the expat community it isn't important.
I hope I've been of help. Let me know if you ever make the move or if you need any more advice.
Finances can be turned around....you've just got to be frugal and really work hard at getting it sorted.
Good luck with everything,
Hannah.
