Hi Nic, your idea about working for an "American" company (would this "American" Company be in Chile, Peru, Mexico, USA, Cuba, or Canada? They're all part of America, aren't they?? ) and getting a transfer to Madrid where they might hold an international office is a common one.

Unfortunately, I've looked into this at some depth and it seems certain that only those people in those companies which have "tenure" or in some upper management positions would be considered for such a temporary transfer and not the newbies who are at the bottom of the corporate ladder and just starting.

c_robinson, all "my people" have been on this continent for a couple hundred years I think so your plan wouldn't work for me. IF ONLY I could get a nice, pretty madrileña to marry me and take me into her home.... BUT, it seems certain that's NOT going to happen at all.

I'm OPEN to any and all other suggestions though. However, I think they've all been exhausted. Sad. Very sad.

Saludos, MadridMan

wow this went really into detail, i was just stating that 200,000 pts is plenty of money to live off of for a single person, and i was refering to madridman cause i thought he was a single man. wow there has been alot of debates and points, but it´s not as complicated as many people have been putting it. i feel so exausted reading all those posts and anybody considering moving out here must be incredibly discouraged. i feel so out of place cause i make very little money but am so very happy. i live the ultimate spanish life in a beautiful pueblo with the most beautiful views, enjoy all the pleasures spain has to offer, go out on the weekends, work my little jobs and live peacefully and happily. sure i don´t spend much money, but i never have, i´ve always been tight on money all my life so i´m okay with watching my pesetas, but other than that i´m fine. it´s really not that hard and complicated if you are a SINGLE, UNMARRIED, AND HAVE NO CHILDREN. I think anything at the beginning is going to be hard. I think starting a new life anywhere will be difficult, you just have to stick it out and make it happen. i have been here for 7 months and i am barely getting a float, but after i get afloat, i´ll be living in spain for as long as i want, but it has and will take time. i just don´t see it as impossible as many people see it, or as expensive, i don´t know where all this "expensive" stuff is coming from. i didn´t come here with hardly any money and i made it happen, i don´t know maybe people just have different living standards than i do. i am just happy enough to live here and be alive, i dont´have much furniture, i don´t hav a car, i don´t have many material things, but why do i need those, if i wnated those things i would have stayed home in l.a. where i had all those things. in time i will have the same here in time............

Hi MadridMan,

I'm an American who came out to Madrid a year or so ago to do some consulting and ended up staying after I met a wonderful Spanish woman who has become my wife. I work as a computer programmer here now and when my clients ask me if I know of anyone else I'll pass on your name and website. Usually they ask me for programmers, but we'll see what happens (I've already mentioned you to some people at Terra). Where's your online resume? Is it in Spanish?

I have a couple of opinions also:

1)As you've read above, definitely forget about the money side of things. I'm earning less than 1/5th of what I was in the U.S. However, the quality of life here is worth the loss in earnings, and the cost of living is pretty comensurate. I've got some new family who are able to make ends meet and go on vacation, etc. for about 3 million ptas a year ($15.5k). They don't have a car or have new DVD players or whatever, but they seem quite happy. And me? Well... I'm adjusting.

2) Forget about being "perfectly legal" in working here. I didn't have a visa for more than a year and worked here without problems (though I was paid from a U.S. company which indeed made it easier if not possible). I kept thinking that when I left Spain for vacation, someone was going nail me since I had been in the country like 200+ days without a visa but no one cared. Caveat: maybe others might have problems, but I didn't on several occasions.

The point is that I sort of fell into working and living here and so it seems easy to me, but even so I think if you really want to live/work here you can do it regardless of visas and salaries. There are so many times I'm just amazed by living here. I mean it's August now and it seems that everyone is going on vacation. It's great. The streets are quiet, people are tanned and relaxed. It's worth whatever sacrifices you need to make to live here.

August will be impossible for job hunting, but in September everyone will start hiring again. Have you tried infojobs.es? or the job site at EresMas.com? I must admit that finding jobs are tough, but it's possible with time and effort - even if you're an extrajero. I think your presence here would help a lot.

Thanks for having the MadridMan site, it was quite invaluable when I first got here. Obviously after a year or so here in Madrid I still use check it out from time to time...

-Russ

Isnt Rosa in Madrid? And Isnt she your media naranja still ?????
Then what R U waiting 4 ???????

Jano B

Jano B, my ladyfriend (100% madrileña) IS still in Madrid and yes, she is mi media naranja (my orange half), but, as most people here know, she doesn't believe in marriage and this is a big obstacle.

Could you please explain what "My Orange Half" means? I've never heard that expresion before.

It's spanish. Means that you and your friend aretwo halves that fit perfectly well together to form a whole ---> an orange.

It means she is the woman of your life.

Hi MadridMan,

I just read a story about you in Madridiario, "website Un yanki enamorado de Madrid". (Read the article in Spanish HERE )

I just got back from a 5 week vacation in Spain and had a incredible time. We travelled all over. My parents were born there and emigrated when they were young, so Spain has a special place in my heart.

About living there, I think depending on what type of person you are you could love it or hate it.

It has nothing to do with money. Can you accept the challenge and the change to move to a totally different country and are you willing to give yourself the time to adjust to your new place.

I really enjoy your web-site and use it a fair bit before going to spain and found it extremely helpful.

Loli

[ 08-02-2001: Message edited by: MadridMan ]

MM,

Ok, maybe I am being a little naive here, but when I read the story in Madridiario it was killing me when I found out that you have a girlfriend of so many years that is from Madrid. FOR GOD's SAKE MARRY THE WOMAN! And I read the above post about her not believing in marraige - Even easier! Since she doesn't believe in the institution of marriage, she will have no problem with you exploiting it to get yourself some spanish citizenship! Then you can live happily ever after in Madrid - with or without your new bride.

That is unless the immigration authorities read this web site!

LCQ

Madrid Man,

I think you should go for it. I am in the same boat as you right now. I am worried about the salary there too. I am taking a two-pronged approach: First, I am trying to get a job directly in Spain, either in Madrid, Barcelona or Zaragoza. Second, I am applying for financial positions (not a good time that right now) at big firms here in New York that have a presence in Madrid in the hopes that I may get transferred. While that would alleviate the "homeless" status, it could take working another year in Manhattan and then there still would only be a slight chance at being transferred. This whole affair is making me crazy. But I think I am just gonna jump. Good luck to you, and I hope that if you do go, you continue your web site.

Robert