Living abroad tips and hints for money savers

droopsnout

I must say that the ability to speak the host country's language is crucially important for many (most?) people. It's not just a question of the obvious practicalities. Speaking is for many of us an essential function in the expression of our personality. An inability to communicate stifles our character, prevents us from showing others who and what we are, what we believe in, what we enjoy and dislike ... A basic need for human beings.

Those of us who are more of the hermit persuasion get by better than most without such levels of interaction, but there are few of us around, and certainly for some years, both the local Brits and some of the French around here regarded us as rather odd, as we lived our own quiet life. However, in the last year or so, it's begun to pay off, as the locals realise that we really aren't part of the expat dinner circle which shuns so many village events.

The ability to speak with our hosts about things that concern them (and not just us) is now being rewarded with genuine concern and kindness.

S-d-w, your evening sounds lovely. It was beautifully sunny here this afternoon, and we were gardening in t-shirts, but I don't think that we could have sat outside tonight, tempting though it sounds. It's less than 8 degrees as I write.

droopsnout

Mrs_pbradley936 wrote: »

they much prefer the pace of rural France.

Yes, Mrs P, we feel the same. England seemed frantic during our recent trip. Mind you, so does Toulouse when we go there, but somehow in a rather different way.

Mrs_pbradley936 wrote: »

I enjoyed owning a house but now feel it is yet another "been there, done that" episode in my life!

And you're probably a more complete person for the experience. It is true, though, that the money shelled out for a holiday home would pay for many a "normal" holiday. Still, at the end, you have a property to sell, and still have the money for those holidays if you want them.

Right now, we could do with a holiday ourselves, but there's far too much to do around house and garden.

Merrywidow

Lots of wise words in the above posts. Funnily enough Droopsnout - my husband also got on famously with his female employees but had little time for the males. Dutch men in general are not heavy boozers and don't hunt in packs like those who shall remain nameless! They are great home lovers and their life centres around the home rather than the local hostelry. I have to smile when I remember taking DH to Yorkshire to meet my parents and brother in the beginning. At the local my father asked DH what he would like to drink and DH asked for "a half". I thought my brother would choke. "Men" drink pints in Yorkshire etc etc.

Merrywidow

Wise words too from Mrs pbradley936 - there are always those who attempt the language of the country they are in and those that think English is the world language and everyone should speak it. Dutch people have a very large hangup about people coming into their country and not attempting their language because of the simple fact that they have to learn English, French and German before they can even leave their own country, never mind the fact that they cannot trade with other countries until they do. Think about it - who outside Holland speaks Dutch? In my case I was given 6 months to find my bearings and my colleagues started on me! I would get notebooks given to me with the verbs listed. To end on a cheerful note, I learnt the lastest Dutch pop song and sitting behind my desk was happlily singing away what I thought was "Dance the whole night with me" when in fact I was singing "Dance the whole naked with me"!!!!

[Deleted User]

I hope this cheers you all

http://www.citywire.co.uk/personal/-/news/markets-companies-and-funds/content.aspx?ID=332082&re=4886&ea=3040

droopsnout

Thanks, kittie. Not sure I believe it, though.

It's not that I'm a doom merchant, but rather that I see the huge eurozone as better bolstered than a tiny UK, whose "quantitative easing" lowered the value of the pound by over two eurocents yesterday. Basically, there's strength in numbers, and even if Ireland and Spain have particular problems, there are plenty of other countries they can lean on.

I do hope that the euro has some weakness, but if it does, we need to be aware that it would likely fuel inflation.

But what do I know? How can anyone predict these things accurately? If they could, we wouldn't all be in this mess!

droopsnout

The pound is down again this morning:

1 EUR = 0.919244 GBP
1 GBP = 1.08785 EUR

donny-gal

Hi Everyone
Really frustrated with the change of hours for dial up, it is not that I cannot afford more hours, but really miffed by them changing it from 24-7 to 30 hours a month with only 3 days notice, for the same money, so don’t want to give them any more money unless I have to, which means I log on and download mails, MSE pages 3-4 times a day, and then disconnect while I read them, so writing this in Word off line, and will post next time connected.
When we bought our place in Spain, many were critical that we were buying in the main ex-pat belt (mini England with sunshine they called it), in a way they are correct, if you want it to be, but I feel we have the best of both worlds, we are in Spain, we frequent Spanish places as much as possible, but we also have English speakers about if we just fancy a natter, we can walk to numerous bars/restaurants/ pubs, within 15 minutes when we want to, but our area is nice and quiet. The only down side to our place is that we lose our sun, which we have from sunrise at around 4 pm. Much better than the other side of the street who only have it 3-5pm at this time of year, and not at all in January/February. It has been really nice at our level with temps. getting into the mid 20’s on the Patio. We get more and more sun from now on, but still lose it around 6 pm in mid summer, which is quite a relief then. We considered Florida, but on our one trip there about 10 years ago it did not do anything for us, it was too long a flight, and the costs would have been prohibitive of multi-trips annually which we could do here while working. I am not a loner or a hermit of any sort and know this, we like people, many different people whom you can have a natter to when you want. My Spanish is not improving much, but I can be polite in shops and restaurants now, my pronunciation lets me down, and if they respond well no chance usually, but I seem to do better on the local market.
Last Saturday we went to our local restaurant with some friends who have lived here inland in more real Spain for 6 years and had a place for 6 years before that, and they have both made a real effort to learn Spanish, and he was good, so she sat back, but eventually said, hang on I am not going to get any better if you keep speaking for me, so you keep quiet and I will use my Spanish and you can help out if I get stuck, which is what happens now. She ordered a fish platter for me and her to share, and the waitress went away with a big smile saying, “you can speak Spanish!” Not many do.
My DH like myself is Yorkshire, but is not a “man’s man” doesn’t go to the pub, never has, and is more likely to ask for a glass of red wine rather than a “pint” .
I had the opposite trouble at work, couldn’t stand the girl cliques talking about the prior nights soaps and what was going to happen tonight? I used to play devil’s advocate with the guys taking the opposite viewpoint, made for some lively discussions, especially political ones, for if they said black, I said white, even if I agreed with black, they could last hours or days, as you broke off made a comment, then carried on working, and then they would come back with a comment, and so it would continue.
MW – now I know why our Dutch neighbours are so pleased when we say “prost”, or “dooie”(however spelt), must make an effort to learn a few more dutch words. They come from Hoorn.
Less than 3 weeks before we are due to set off back, why did I make it so short!
Sorry to hear of your problems 7DW & DS.
DG

sandy2_2

Donny Gal I'm in Spain with Wanadoo for Dial up 24/7 access, who are you with as I haven't had any notification of changes
Sandy..... now in panic mode as I use the internet loads

Horace

donny-gal wrote: »

MW – now I know why our Dutch neighbours are so pleased when we say “prost”, or “dooie”(however spelt), must make an effort to learn a few more dutch words. They come from Hoorn.
Less than 3 weeks before we are due to set off back, why did I make it so short!
Sorry to hear of your problems 7DW & DS.
DG

Here's a bit of dutch: hoe gaat het met u? pronounced how gaaat (long a) hett met u (pronounced oo) which means how are you?

I know a bit of dutch because I once went to classes to learn it.