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Go Back   Pollensa Forum > LIVING & WORKING IN POLLENSA > Living & Working in the Pollensa Area

Living & Working in the Pollensa Area This forum is for any comments, questions and advice about living (permanently or temporarily) and working in the Pollensa area. Aimed at ex-pats, property owners etc.

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  #1  
Old 22-12-2006, 07:00
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Default Mallorcaboy flies home

Well, on Feb 22nd, wifey and I fly back to UK for good, leaving our beloved PP behind. We have loved living here, but at the end of the day, we just missed the family too much (can I hear the "told you so's" from here?).
We looked forward for many years to moving here, and told ourselves that seeing the family every 6 to 8 weeks would be OK, but in reality, it just wasn't enough.
We've made so many friends here and it's going to be very hard to leave them. Many people, including our great neighbour Frito, have made it a joy to live in this wonderful place, and we will have to come back as often as possible to see them. (No hardship there!!).
I'm going to keep logging on after we move, and keep posting too, so you won't be getting rid of me, (shame, I hear you cry).
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  #2  
Old 22-12-2006, 07:26
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Mallorcaboy,

At least you tried it!

Best wishes for Christmas and a very happy 2007.

pp76
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  #3  
Old 22-12-2006, 07:38
robjay
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Hi MB,
It was so sad to read this post, all I can say is ignore the "I told you so's" and listen to the many many people who understand your reasons. Atleast you both had the guts to give it a try how many are afraid to give it a go and live their lives out wishing they had?
I understand and take my hat off to both of you.
I'm looking forward to your posts and hope you'll write a book about this.

Take care.

Robjay

PS Now people are moving countries to avoid meeting me for a drink! Pollensa man I'm watching and waiting!
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  #4  
Old 22-12-2006, 08:32
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Mallorcaboy...

Having had the good fortune to meet you and your lovely wife three times in PP, I would never say "I told you so". As others have said - at least you lived the dream rather than think about it yet do nothing.

In a way I'm secretly pleased as I've noticed that your posts have been rather few and far between since moving to Paradise...8)

Maybe now, you'll return to your previous top form and give me a run for my money!

May I wish you and your family a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Jane
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  #5  
Old 22-12-2006, 10:20
pops
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Default mallorcaboy flies home

Mallorcaboy,

You've had the experience of living in PP. Something many people can only dream about.

I can't think of any better reason than to want to be with your family, and anyone who would even think about 'the I told you so's' ain't worth knowing!!!

You may get comments like that but only from narrow minded people who would never take the risk but resent others for doing so. So ignore them !!!

Good luck to you both, now you can look forward to visiting friends in PP and see your family when you want.

Will you be returning to North London?

Feliz Navidad.


Pops
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  #6  
Old 22-12-2006, 17:44
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Default Re: mallorcaboy flies home

Mallorcaboy, as someone who is actively planning to move out to PP, I would love to hear your opinions on what you loved (and hated) about the move. I doubt if it'll change my mind but it helps to be aware of the pitfalls. It remains to be said that you're a very brave man and congratulations for not only living your dream but having the courage to move on when you realised it wasn't for you.
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  #7  
Old 22-12-2006, 19:57
smiddy
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Default Mallorcaboy flies home.

I told you so

No seriously well done, i take it nothing changes with the apartment and PP will still be seeing plenty of you and Lorraine.

Look forward to seeing you both when we come over at the end of Jan.
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  #8  
Old 22-12-2006, 20:21
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Default Re: Mallorcaboy flies home.

Hi MB and L
I am also sorry to see a permenant member off PP depart , but I bet you will be back often.
Please let me know when you are next in PP for a meal at Balaixa.
Very best of luck to you both.
Keith and Pauline
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  #9  
Old 22-12-2006, 20:22
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Default Re: Mallorcaboy flies home.

Have to agree with those who say "well done - what an experience!" Family ties are so strong - I wont even move 30 miles away! You are so much richer for the experience and now have the best of both worlds.
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  #10  
Old 23-12-2006, 05:59
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Default Re Mallorcaboy flies home

Thanks so much to everyone for their very kind remarks, we both appreciate the support.
Sandy, I can't honestly say that there is anything that is "not for me", but the obvious things that do need to be dealt with positively are, the language, work/income, health care etc.
Although I don't by any means think I speak good Spanish, I can struggle by, and it is very important to try to learn the language. You will find life is limited if you can't (or don't have a permanent companion who does.)
Contrary to popular myth, Mallorca is not a cheap place to live, especially as you tend to spend a great deal more time outside in the day and evening than you might in UK and consequently tend to spend a bit more money day to day than you would normally. An important question prospective migrants need to ask is do I have a sensible and practical plan to bring in an income, or am I drawing an adequate a pension of some kind?
As a member of EU, you can use the Spanish National Health system, but you have to fit certain criteria if you don't want to pay into the system. If you are over 60/65 and receiving the old age pension, you don't have to pay. If younger, you may have some credit from your contributions in UK which will allow you to have a period of unpaid benefit from the Spanish system. (We had two years credit).
Other than this you will either have to pay into the system (240 euros a month) plus any income tax, or you will have to pay into a private health insurance system (Axa, Mapfre or one of the others).
These are a few of the things we discovered as we went along, and although sometimes a bit of a surprise, they were things that were overcome one by one. If a little effort is required, remember that anything worth having is worth working for.
All in all, we had a great time, but the pull of family, especially the tiny ones, was too strong.
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  #11  
Old 23-12-2006, 06:54
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Default Re: Re Mallorcaboy flies home

Mallorcaboy

I just wanted to add my "all the bests " to everything that has been said . I agree wholeheartedly with the comments about you being brave enough to give it a go and about you also having the guts to recognose it wasn;t for you and to do the best for yourselves and your family

So so pleased you will keep posting .......... I've embarrased you before telling you that you were the person who sparked my interest in this website, for at least 18months I logged in daily to ready what my "Mallorcaboy hero" had to say before I ever plucked up the courage to post myself.

Have a great Christmas and New year and many happy holidays in PP
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  #12  
Old 23-12-2006, 08:35
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Default Re: Re Mallorcaboy flies home

Thanks cd, you clearly have great taste in men!!
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  #13  
Old 24-12-2006, 00:31
y parc
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Default Re: Re Mallorcaboy flies home

Well at least you will have the excitemant of going back for a holiday, have you sold your apartment?.
Well a Merry Xmas to you both and everyone on the site
XX Dot
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  #14  
Old 28-12-2006, 18:19
ChrisLox
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Hi Mallorcaboy,
Sorry to hear that you are going back to the Uk, but for all the reasons you stated, I fully understand.

You should consider yourself proud to have tried it and satisfied your curiosity of living the dream. My partner’s parents relocated here and only managed six weeks. A combination of everything you said plus the fact that her dad had only just retired from a 25 year stint in the same job proved just too much for them. However, they are now back in Coventry still wondering if they have done the right thing!

Like you said, Mallorca is not a cheap place to live. Unless you have a shed load of cash, a cast iron business, are good at ripping off the system or were born here it is always going to be tough. The fact that you are missing the family back home is probably the straw.

Summer seems a long way off. Today is the third consecutive day that the sun has come out and it is mild enough to walk about in a T-Shirt, however the last two or so weeks before have been terrible. Wind, rain, hail, thunder and lightening have all been battering this small northern town and causing much damage. There are trees uprooted, massive chunks of the beach missing, part of the pine walk caved in, and the ‘torrents’ can actually boast water! It is times like this that you find it the hardest. If it weren’t for Sky TV our large collection of DVD’s and a full larder of food courtesy of Carrefour, I think we may have gone back to the UK too. The apartments here with all their white painted walls, hard tiled floors single glazing and lack (for the majority) of central heating are designed to keep you cool. In winter here you don’t need to keep cool, at night quite the opposite, so at the moment another thing we miss here are radiators and carpets!

Christmas (or Navidad as it is known here) came and went. However, thanks once again to TV from the UK with all the Two Ronnies and Morecambe and Wise specials it will remain and be drawn out into the New Year. Caprabo will keep up its end by playing festive songs over the PA well into February!

After Christmas was always a tough time for myself. The last stains of lager had been Vaxed from the carpet, the barren looking ‘twig’ that was once proudly adorned with tinsel was looking forlorn on the compost heap and I fretted at all the weight I’d put on after being ‘forced’ all those crisps cake and chocolate. It was this time I put aside my dread of returning to work after the winter break; that tortuous drive to work in the dark, the grind and the unappreciation of my over paid boss, and thoughts turned to booking my summer holidays instead. It was the only thing that kept me going. Now I am here, on permanent holiday more or less in Puerto Pollensa and looking forward to vacationing elsewhere for a couple of weeks just for a change.

Yesterday I took the dog to our favourite place, Cala Sant Vicenç. The beaches were full of wood and plastic crap, the sea was cold and white breakers were lashing the headland. There were hardly any people about, but the air was clean the sky was bright and clear and I barely needed a jumper. The spring is only three months away and I should be in the sea by the end of April. This is why I love Mallorca. And you have to love it to live with it.


To anyone who has followed Mallorcaboys’ progress and considering the move here take heed. It’s not easy to move here stay or go back. My advice would be to do your research and then research some more. You can’t foresee every eventuality and a little luck goes a long way. Make contacts, hear their stories. Come out of season, come here at Christmas! Learn Spanish.
Mallorca is a fabulous place for some some of the time, and for others it’s a home all of the time. But, despite all the crap, so can the UK!
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  #15  
Old 23-02-2007, 06:17
star81
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Default Mallorcaboy flies home

Just wanted to say i hope you had a safe journey back to the UK and enjoy spending more time with your family. Now your holiday countdowns can re-commence !
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