Hey, Everyone!
I have followed the posts on this website for the last few months, (while doing "moving to Spain" research,) but just signed up and got all official tonight-- even 'legal,' you might say; hehe... don't think I didn't catch THAT whole shebang!

Ready for the part where I sound like about 500 other posts? Here goes: I've been a bilingual teacher here in the States for 3 years and am looking to move to Madrid some time around August. I LOVE Spain-- majored in Spanish in college, visited there, (as well as lots of other fun places), several times, and feel up to a great adventure via moving there for a year or two. I am single, no kids, nothing to really tie me down as of yet, so I feel like it's the best time to do this thing.

The problem is (cue pitiful sounding violin music) that I have become THOROUGHLY frustrated, confused, and scared the more research that I do. I have countless job websites that I search daily, I've sent my resume to anyone who even mentions the words "English teacher in Spain," and I have honest to God nightmares about what the heck I'm doing with myself! Little has come out of my job searches, which I find unbelievable being as I am both bilingual and experienced, (although not a EU citizen :p )!

My family and some friends are really discouraging about the whole prospect of me moving to Madrid. Their main concern is safety, but also that I will be incredibly bored over there.....which I hadn't worried about too much until I read 'Monito's' NUMEROUS horror postings.

So.......instead of rambling on and on, my research-numbed mind has feebly comprised a few questions I have for any of you knowledgable folks out there. Feel free to answer any or all of them, (or none if you're a heartless S.O.B...hehe):

1. To those of you who have comprised a similarly harebrained scheme and actually had the huevos to go through with it--Is it worth it? (of course this is subjective, but just in your opinion)

2. Would it be worthwhile to head to Madrid for a job/apartment search before actually moving there, or should I just go there? (I have $ saved).

3. Is being an American a big safety concern? The last time I was there this summer it was not a great problem, but sadly, things have happened since then.

That's all I can think of for now... Sorry, MadridMan, if I broke any posting ethic thingies with this book.. I'm just at the end of my rope tonight, with millions of questions floating around in my mind.

Muchisimas gracias a todos!!

- GueritaLes

Hi GuerlitaLes ---

A not so brief answer to your question.

First, I moved to Spain three years ago and haven´t looked back since. Granted, my reasons were different, we had just gotten married and my husband is Spanish. However, to move to a new country, leaving everything behind takes "huevos" as my friends both Stateside and here in Spain say... regardless of your reasons for moving. My parents were concerned as I was a newlywed (we moved the day after the wedding) and thought that so many adjustments could be difficult (we remain happily married, I might add ). My friends and family are thrilled to have a vacation home in Spain.

1. Saftey. Honestly, I have not felt any degree of insecurity at all living here. I live here and am completely integrated. My neighbors know I am American and I lived in a very mixed neighborhood (Muslims, Catholic, etc... africans, latin americans, Spanish...). Saftey should be the least of your family´s worries. I have a consulting office and it has a sign that clearly states English on it.

2. Employment. Many native English speakers (British, Americans, Australians, etc) move here and teach English for short periods of time. It´s a way to earn a living although the hours can be rough. There is a lot of sketchiness in the industry. Good folks mixed with bad folks all around (both teachers AND employers).

3. Boredom. I don´t know how anyone could be bored living here. There is so much to do! Culturally, nature, road trips, great restaurants, etc! Everyday is like a new discovery for me. I have learned to take delight in the little less obvious things as well as the in-your-face, hard-to-miss things to do. I find that I just don´t have enough time to do it all!

Should you do it? It´s really a personal choice. No one can make that decision for you, not your family, not your friends. It has to be you because you are going to live with the outcome.

Just thought I´d share my view on this since I have "been there" and "done that".

GueritaLes, welcome to our little Spain-loving message board!

Chica is probably the best person here to answer your questions so I really should live it at that but feel compelled to make a couple of comment. Mind you, these are comments from someone NOT living/working in Spain.

Before getting to your numbered questions, one really can't choose a month on the calendar and expect to move to a different country on that month. There are all kinds of visa issues you must consider. Also, I cannot recommend that you overstay your visitor's visa and live/work ILLEGALLY in Spain. Just don't do it. If caught, you'll be banned from the country for 10 years. It's just not worth it. There are many threads on this topic already. Plus, you're subject to low-wages and being at the mercy of any employer willing to hire illegals. Well, being in Texas you probably know all about the pitfalls of being employed illegally and the risks of employing illegals.

It's good that you have money saved. YOU'LL NEED IT. Whatever you earn teaching English will not be enough to allow you to "live" in Madrid. You'll most likely have to share an apartment with 1 or 2 others. Is that okay with you? If you're trying to save money, whatever apartment you'll get won't likely have air conditioning. Imagine living in Dallas, for example (or El Paso, Texas) , WITHOUT air conditioning... IN AUGUST!! I imagine it's similar - maybe HOTTER in Madrid. The city's an absolute oven.

1) Don't go with the intention of living/working illegally. Just don't do it. If you have some contacts before arriving and think there's a possibility you CAN obtain a work visa, that's great, but remember that this "golden" (and probably unobtainable) work visa can be used by employers as a way to pay you low wages and possibly with poor working conditions. IF you find a reputable company willing to give you a work visa (rare in the English-teaching working community) you'll still have to leave (i.e. "go home") for some months while the visa is being prepared AND THEN you'll have to enter the country with said work visa in order to live/work legally.

2) Yes on both counts. Try to make as many job contacts as possible. You can also get a good idea of your situation (teaching English in Spain) on the Expatriate Cafe site @ http://www.expatriatecafe.com . It's specifically geared towards Americans hoping to teach English in Spain. LOTS of information there. Regarding apartment search, you won't be able to do this very effectively online but it's a good way to get an idea of what's available at given prices. The vast majority of apartments are NOT listed online.

3) Safety in more of a non-issue just because you're a United Statesen. However, safety in general is always an issue when considering living in a city with 3-million other people. Use the same cautions as you would anywhere else but Madrid in generally a safe city. Being an American won't make you any more of a "target" than being Asian, African, English, Australian, or Native American Indian. Contrary to what most United Statesens think, we don't have an near-invisible USA flag permanently embossed on our foreheads. Thieves don't discriminate. However, once known that you're a United Statesen you may be engaged in conversations on topics of politics, movies, TV shows, and your experience with New York City and other well-known US cities. I'd doubt that being a United Statesen is any less-safe now than 2 or 20 years ago.

Finally, really, don't go with the idea to work illegally. Please just go with the hope to find legal work, seeking to obtain a legal work visa. But again, once obtained, you'll have to leave the country and return with the new visa and new status in order to be legal.

Best of luck to you.

Saludos,

MadridMan in Columbus, Ohio: Still working towards living/working in Madrid, Spain legally (after almost 7 years )

Being a spaniard myself, I can't help you in many of your questions. However, I may answer some of your concerns:

As Chica and MM have said: Being a United Statesen (hey MM, I love that term! I'd never heard it before!) is no more dangerous than being from any other nationality, and it is only a little bit more dangerous than being spaniard (because pickpockets prefer to steal tourists, who are easier targets). Violence is not a concern here.

In the last 6 months we have had 25 murderings in Madrid (a city of 4,5 million people in working hours), and that is considered a extremely high rate (I don't know how it is in other countries by the way).

I doubt noone would be rush to you for being United Statesen. I really doubt it.

As for being bored I guess it depends on what you are used to. Your joy options are broad. We have lots of museums, possibly as many discos and pubs as all european capitals all together, thousands of restaurants, tens of thousands shops, hundreds of cinemas, lots of sport resorts, more than ten universities, an incredible landscape, all Spain to make short trips and what is more important: People who really know how to enjoy their lifes.

Yesterday my sister came back home at 4 o´clock in the morning after a night in a restaurant and in a pub with friends, just to get upt at 8 o'clock to go to work. That is not frequent, but it is not unusual.

Fernando