Just an update!
I finally got what I was waiting for! I'm going next week to pick up my paperwork and I'm off to Spain (shooting for Sept!)

MM I will see you there! Looks like I will be going first! Let me know how your plans are coming along! We'll have to meet at el Brillante for a bocadillo!

CONGRATULATIONS, Espe3!! FINALLY! And while you're not getting there by your original plan at least you're going. Good for you. We'll definitely get together when I'm in Madrid next (if you in fact stay in Madrid or maybe you'll go where the job offers take you). Hopefully you'll also be able to attend the next "Party With MadridMan in Madrid" too.

I'm so happy for you, Espe3. I really, really am.

Happy/Envious for those able to move to Spain to live, MadridMan

MM- this is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much BETTER than the original plan! And more simple!

Don't worry, I'll keep a Mahou cold for you!

No matter where the job might be, I'll always go back to Madrid (can't live in Spain and NOT see the family! ) But I think I have pretty good chances of staying in Madrid. We'll see!

New update:
I got the official paper in the mail! Just a couple more days to get the passport! I'm crossing my fingers that it'll get done SOON! I need to buy my ticket! :p

MM what's going on with you?! How's it going?! How about an official MM Madrid correspondant?! :p I'm gearing up for the next party!

Passport: Check!

Airplane ticket: Still searching

Job: jejej! currently there is none and apparently SOME people (not mentioning names or relation to me) don't think I'll be able to get one!

So once again, I'm left to my own resourcefulness and determination to make things happen. Oh well... things could be much worse- I think I can live on Fanta Limon and Calamares for a time... :p

Espe3, there was an article on Monday, I think, in El País newspaper about MANY MANY companies, big and small, cutting their staff drastically. That doesn't make your (or my) job search any easier, does it. Hmph! Thank goodness you have family support (right?) while you're getting started. I'm curious - would you care to tell us your age? The younger you are the better off you'll be, of course. I was talking to my Greek coworker today about the lack of age/sexual discrimination laws with regards to employment in Greece and Spain. Hmph.

Best of luck to you and please do keep us posted.

Saludos, MadridMan

Hola Espe3,
Just from following your determined efforts in getting your Spanish Citizenship, I think that if anyone can make it in a tough job market, you can, Espe3. I am not speaking from the air, either, determination and resourcefulness pays off. As you said earlier in another post, if you are willing to move around you will find a job!

I wish you the very best!

MM- I'll be 27 in September! :o (so I'm getting old!)

Thank you both MM and Booklady. I'm more than willing to do part- time work while I'm looking- and I realize MM- like the article says that things are rough- but they are here in the US also. And living where I do in Florida isn't the most job friendly market unless you're entry level(with little to no hope of moving up)- so you get what you can- and if I've done that here, well I'm not going to stick my nose up in the air once I get there!

Family support- well erm- touchy subject right now. But no, they're not going to let me go hungry!

And NO ONE can be a Pain in the @$$ like I can- someone will have to hire me just to get me to leave them alone! :p (I'll eventually wear them down!)

All the more reason for me to go soon and start my search already from here!

I just purcased my ticket! Let the countdown begin!

If anyone is looking I got a really good one-way price from airfare.com (aka side-step)

Happy travels everyone!!!!!!!

hey everybody

thats very great esperanza!
as they say,everybody has the right to be happy.
i just wish i could go to.sniff sniff.

Thanks Mike!
You'll be there before you know it!
Aren't you going in the fall?

hey everybody

thank you very much.
well you almost got it.
im going this winter.
but not going there to live though.
just to visit and thats ok.
where did you get the idea im going in fall?
youre the one who is going in fall.

hey everybody

thank you very much.
well you almost got it.
im going this winter.
but not going there to live though.
just to visit and thats ok.
where did you get the idea im going in fall?
youre the one who is going in fall.

hey everybody

thank you very much.
well you almost got it.
im going this winter.
but not going there to live though.
just to visit and thats ok.
where did you get the idea im going in fall?
youre the one who is going in fall.

Hey Espe3 - Congratulations! I've been away from the board so long I don't know the circumstances of what changes you made to stuff you posted 6 months ago (gleaned from MM's comments about said changes) but - FINALLY you are making the move - and doing it legally - which I know was one of the goals you had set. You'll find a job - I think you are a graphic artist (?) so you should always be able to pick up some free lance work. Know that isn't the hoped for job but it might help to pay a few bills while you are hunting for the real job. With all the friends you've made on the board - there's a number that lie in Madrid - and I'm sure that they will be a support system and full of helpful suggestions and possibly contacts for you.
Again - CONGRATULATIONS!

Thank you Puna! :)And welcome back! We've missed you! I've got my ticket and the coundown is on ! (Sep 20!!!!!!!!!!!) What changed was that my paperwork was FINALLY processed! Once it got started it only took a total of 3 months- would have been less but since I was born in the EU- well, I can't make anything simple! :p So I'm all set and preparing my leave-

Thank you so much for the job support- I dabbled in Graphic Design- but I don't think I'm proficient enough to try it again without some more training- my experience is predominantly in Marketing and PR. And I'm hoping... but I'll be signing up at every Temp agency and Agencia de Azafatas I can until I secure something permanent. So at least to have SOME type of income so I'm not completely draining my savings! Hopefully I'll be able to get something more permanent by Christmas!

Espe3 - check your email - am sending private message re marketing and pr ----

Puna-
Did you send to my hotmail or to my MM mail? I didn't get a message in either. If you send to my hotmail please put MadridMan in the subject- that way I'll know where its from :p
Thanks!

Puna! Where have you disappeared to again!

Sorry about that - can't remember which address I used - and I can't find it in my files - thou I do remember the content. Will try again

Just sent to hotmail address - with MadridMan / Puna heading

Thanks Puna!

Just gave my 2 weeks! Only 3 to go!

Good luck Espe. After eight weeks of roaming around the U.S., I leave for Madrid tomorrow, spending four years!

Espe , congratulations , I hope to have a Mahu
in a sunny Sunday in Madrid and give you same
information of works.

Good 4u Espe3!

Little bit jeaulous though, but I'm going to Tarifa! Lots of madrileños outhere aswell!

Have fun, disfruta!

Thanks all Still counting down! :p Just tying up those last odds and ends before I leave!

Bocadillo de calamares, fanta limon here I come!

hey everybody

hey espe

its september
lucky you

im still counting for my december trip.
from your experience i can tell december will come and sooner or later i will be in your position.

its great to be in spain,isnt it?

I thought you were going in October!

In any event, time will go faster than you think.

I'm not there yet Mike! A couple more weeks. I leave the 19th!

hey everybody

yeah two weeks then
i will be there too in DECEMBER not october

in other matters in 2 weeks youre there.

great for you espe3 congratulations.
but dont worry i have good patience for waiting for my day.

Espe:

If I can do anything to help you get settled, or whatever, just let me know, ok? You can contact me at martin@*THIS IS A SPAMBUSTING SECTION*1stclasspinups.com. (Leave out the words in caps, it is to prevent address harvester robots from getting my address). Please put something like MADRIDMAN BOARD MEMBER in CAPS so I can see it over the spam (sent to me by the aforementioned bots).

Before you know it you will be waking up at 4 in the morning to singing in the streets, and saying to yourself, "Ahhh. At last I am in MADRID!" Or better yet you will be out at 4am SINGING IN THE STREETS and waking people like me up. . . (and I will say to myself. . ."Arrrgh. ¡Maldito jovenes!" (Then, I'll chill out and tell myself, "Yeah, but you LIVE in Spain, so its ok!")

¡Bienvenidos!

Martin-
Thank you for your generous offer.

Don't worry about the 4amers- I usually swear at them too! And when I am out until 4 am (or later ) I keep my singing inside as I respect everyones right to sleep But that doesn't mean you won't see me DANCING in the streets!!!!!!!

Only one more week from tomorrow!!!! :o

I'm just frothing at the mouth in excitement for you, Espe3. Really. You have me shaking my head in disbelief and envy. hehehe.. I honestly hope we won't lose you from the message board after you move to Madrid.

One week to go. Wow. Good for you, Espe3. Good for you.

Saludos, MadridMan

MM-
I'm just going there ahead of you to keep some Mahou's cold

I won't have as much access to the internet over there (not at first) but I will make it a point to keep tabs and add or investigate for people and give info.

Hope your plans are still continuing along.

I can't believe how much I still have left to do before I go! :o

Ok, so unless Hurricaine Isabel changes her path, I may not be leaving next friday after all! :o

Cross your fingers everybody please!

Well, the day has come! I just checked in with the airline and looks like Hurricaine Isabel has moved over enough for me to fly up the east coast and catch the flight to Madrid!

Nervous, and excited, I'm looking forward to my first fanta limon in 9 months and tapas, tapas and more tapas!
Woo hoo!

I´m here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hello everybody! I just wanted to drop a line... so far so good. I´m still working a paperwork etc. and the job hunt begins tomorrow! MM we´re waiting for you here!

(although I'm not there to do it let me be the first one on the message board to....) WELCOME TO MADRID!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's nice to know that "we have another friend in Madrid". Best of luck with the job search. I'm sure I speak for everyone in that we'd all like to know how THAT goes as well.. You know, IN CASE WE'RE THINKING OF DOING THE SAME OURSELVES... hint hint.. nudge nudge.. wink wink.. say no more..

Happy for Espe3, MadridMan

wow! I am so jealous Espe3...good luck with the job junting and all the paper work.

Enjoy the fall in Madrid...it is the best time!

Saludos de la otra Esperanza

MM! Roger that! Will keep you posted! Still muddling through some paperwork- but getting everything done, so far, in a timely manner! Make sure you let me know when your next, ahem, trip is!

Esperanza, thank you and I will! I know I´m lucky and turst me, am taking in everything I can it feels good to be home.

Glad to see you made it. I've been here four weeks now and still trying to work everything out. Lucky for me I don't have to do much of it for myself, but we're still trying to get our permanent apartment and I'm still waiting on paperwork (from the USG, not GOS) about my work. I hope some of this may be resolved this week, or at least that I'll have a clue as to when things will be resolved.

Yes Iam moveing to San Fernando Cadiz, Spain in Feb 04. ive been getting ready for the move, about a year now but iam ready.If anybody goona be in the area just drop a line. Thanks