Dharmachari Bahiya (ordained Buddhist na
@DhBahiya
English expat in Spain
Forum
44 posts
About me
English
Lives in Alaior, Menorca
Speaks Some basic Spanish
Registration: 10 February 2014
Activity
Best season to move to Spain by Priscilla
Hello, Many expats choose to move to Spain at a specific time of the year, and we invite you to share some tips about the best seasons to move to the country. What is the best season/time of the year to move to Spain, and why? How do rent ...
Yes, the Balearic Islands are certainly the most expensive parts of Spain and Menorca in particular. However, it is claimed that Menorca is also one of the safest parts. Read More
Best season to move to Spain by Priscilla
Hello, Many expats choose to move to Spain at a specific time of the year, and we invite you to share some tips about the best seasons to move to the country. What is the best season/time of the year to move to Spain, and why? How do rent ...
Anyone considering moving to Menorca should first of all spend a couple of weeks here in the winter. Menorca is a wonderful island but the winters can be tough. There's seldom any frost and only occasionally a little dusting of snow, but ... Read More
How to deal with stress when moving to Spain by Priscilla
Moving abroad is no easy feat. Everyone has their own ways of dealing with stress, so we invite you to share some insights regarding this topic. What are the main factors that contribute to stress when moving to Spain (cultural adaptation, moving ...
They say that moving house and holidays are the two most stressful things you can do. As an ordained Buddhist I have taught Buddhist meditation practices for almost 30 years and whilst the benefits of meditation go far beyond stress reduction and ... Read More
The best apps for expats in Spain by Priscilla
Hello, We invite you to share information regarding some of the apps that have helped to facilitate your move abroad in Spain. This will help expats-to-be who are making the move as well. Which apps did you use while preparing your move to ...
I forgot to mention the wonderful online parking app they use in our town. You pre-pay whatever you wish. No need to lob in too much as parking is very cheap. When you park the app finds your location on a map and asks you to confirm how long you ... Read More
The best apps for expats in Spain by Priscilla
Hello, We invite you to share information regarding some of the apps that have helped to facilitate your move abroad in Spain. This will help expats-to-be who are making the move as well. Which apps did you use while preparing your move to ...
The only app that I find indispensable is Tranferwise to make secure payments in the UK and transfer funds from sterling to euros. Their rates are competitive and they are remarkable quick, often completing the transfer the same day. Once you have ... Read More
Raising kids in Spain by Priscilla
Hello everyone, How is raising kids in Spain different from raising kids in your home country? What are the activities that your kids seem to enjoy the most in Spain? Do you feel that the country is "family-friendly"? Do you recommend ...
Spain is a big country so I can only comment on the very small part of it that I live in; Menorca. We moved to Menorca when my son was just 11 years old. The advice we were given was to avoid putting him into a state school that had a large group ... Read More
Traffic in Spain by Priscilla
Hello everyone, Which city or area do you live in in Spain, and how do you find the traffic? How long does it take to commute to work or run errands? Is there a rush hour in your city? What times of the day would you recommend people to ...
Although I now live on the small island of Menorca I have driven a fair bit in Spain as I lived in France just an hour from the Spanish boarder for some 10 years. I don't find them any better or worse than drivers in the UK and certainly far ... Read More
Online shopping in Spain by Priscilla
Hello everyone, Shopping online can be far more convenient and offer greater choice than going into shops, be it grocery shopping or retail. Are there options for online shopping in Spain? Which sites or apps do you use most frequently and ...
Lots of good advice from previous subscribers. I usually buy from UK but have now made a number of trouble-free purchases from Spanish stores and my confidence is growing. All the different couriers now know where we are, recognise us and know ... Read More
What to expect when moving to Spain by Priscilla
Hello everyone, Is there anything you wish you had known before moving to Spain? For example, transportation, internet speeds, types of housing, aspects of the culture or social life. In your opinion, what's the most important thing to know ...
The most important thing is not to imagine that Spain is just like the UK only with more sun. Its a vastly different culture which can vary widely depending on which part of Spain you choose to live. The second most important thing is not to be ... Read More
Festivals in Spain by Priscilla
Hello everyone, What are the main festivals in Spain? Are there art, food, music, film, or other festivals expats can attend and participate in? When do the festivals take place? How long does each festival usually last? What activities go ...
Menorca is known for its unique Jalea. Each town has its own fiesta but each one will feature the Jalea where specially bred un-gelded stallions, ridden by Caixers dressed in traditional costumes, ride into the square where they are trained to spin ... Read More
Retiring in Spain by Priscilla
Hello everyone, Why did you choose to retire in Spain? What are the advantages compared with your home country? What were your main considerations when deciding to move? For example, taxes, ease of transferring your pension, etc.. Are there ...
I didn't really retire in the conventional sense, I was more of a economic migrant. Having lived a fairly itinerant life as a younger man and married and divorced more than I should have, I was left with very little other than a UK state ... Read More
The best things to discover in Spain by Priscilla
Hello everyone, What have you discovered in Spain that you would recommend to other expats? Are there any places that you enjoy visiting on the weekends, be it areas of natural beauty or shopping malls? Are there any Spanish dishes that you ...
I can only speak for the island of Menorca where the 'must see' is their unique ‘jalea’. During the fiesta season each town has its own way of celebrating but in every case it will feature the spectacular caixers (male and ... Read More
Mistakes expats make in Spain by Priscilla
Hello everyone, Did you make any mistakes when you first moved to Spain? What were they? How did you address your mistakes? Did you learn anything from them? With hindsight, what would you do differently? Are there any tips you could ...
Our early mistakes were mainly linguistic. Many years ago when we were struggling to learning Spanish, we were invited to visit the home of some new friends. They served some excellent local cheese and my wife asked what it was. They explained it ... Read More
How has your life changed in Spain by Priscilla
Hello everyone, Has your life changed since you moved to Spain? If so, in what way? Tell us more about all the changes in your life regarding your family, job, or friends. What about your frame of mind? How would you define your mood? ...
We could describe ourselves as economic migrants. I was well past retirement age, collecting a state pension and running a part time consultancy to supplement it. However costs were rising too quickly for us to keep up with them and we knew if I ... Read More
Best usages and practices in Spain by Priscilla
Hello everyone, Living in Spain means learning new ways of doing things and incorporating to your daily life unique practices. We invite you to share unique practices, tools or methods that could also make a difference in other countries. Here ...
You have to go with the flow in Spain and the first thing to get used to is shop opening hours. It can be frustrating at times when you realise that you are too late, the shops are shut and you have to wait for them to open again at 5 o'clock. ... Read More