Spring in Spain - A new start

---

As much as I have adored living in our little one bedroom apartment in Playa San Juan in Alicante, we both knew the time had come to start looking for somewhere bigger to live, especially now as we have increased in numbers by an extra 1. I must admit I've been dreading the process because last time we had to do it it took us nearly 8 weeks, and we kept getting rejected for every flat we went to see, leaving us rather deflated (it was so bad I even wrote a full blog entry about it). At least this time we are in a bit more of a stable position with the fact we can at least show we have already been renting here for a year. And we are both working too but that doesn't count for much when you are getting paid underneath the table! But we feel a bit more positive and this time won't need to travel back and forth to Alicante for an hour each way which is at least something.



At the last minute we make a random decision to move to Santa Pola, which wasn't even somewhere we had considered living before and knew even less about. The deciding factor was simply that I had a friend who was an estate agent for that area and I figured she could help us find a nice house there rather than a flat. We both realised in our hearts we were really looking for more of a house than a flat because we need more outdoor space for the dog, and it just simply isn't affordable for that type of accomodation in Alicante. Plus Santa Pola is much nearer to our other house in Playa Flamenca and where Greg plays football, so it makes sense from that point of view. We hit an initial stumbling block when we realised most rentals in Santa Pola are only short term summer holiday rentals, but then we went to see a 3 floor townhouse that we really liked the look of and is, surprisingly, in our price bracket. It all seems to good to be true though. It's only one block back from the beach, it has 3 bedrooms and balconies, a garage parking space, and is just exactly what we are looking for. I don't want to get my hopes up but I really like it. The only sticking point is the non-refundable deposit which is one months rent, and Greg in particular is reluctant to pay it. Plus it's a lot of money for us at this moment when our wages are down to the bare minimum. But I chip away at him for a few weeks until he finally agrees. It's just as well as when we phone the estate agents, they inform us the house was just about to go up as a summer holiday rental. We are almost there but then at the last moment are once again confronted with the problem about not having wage slips. The estate agent states it is necessary we have them, so we throw every bank statement we can at them along with a written agreement of my wages from my work and a reference and copy of our previous year's rental agreement. A week before we are due to move in we still haven't found out if the landlords will accept all of this, until 2 days before we find out that they will, yippee!!!



Our lovely cousin Nicola and her partner Steven along with the beautiful little Stephanie, help us move our boxes from Alicante down to our new house. It's a great help as otherwise we'd have to make a few trips up and down which would have been pretty tiring, especially as we only had one day off in between shifts to get it done. I think they are as impressed as we are with the house, and Nacho loves it too. And Stephanie loves Nacho! It doesn't take us long to put all our little knick nacks up and truly make it feel like our home. Once more we are one step closer to being fully settled here! (and dare I say it, a proper adult??)



To add to the excitement and all things new, Greg finally started his job at the airport which I can't lie I am pretty jealous about. A few days before we move from Alicante, we are out walking the dog and Nacho starts playing with another dog as usual. We have a little chat with the owner and just as we are about to leave, she says she is a psychic and says something about if we haven't got a new job, one will be offered in 8 days or on the 8^th day. It's a bit random but then we realise that Greg is due to start his new job in 8 days! But even weirder than that, I then get a call offering me a position at the airport too and then I notice that it is the 8^th of April! Sometimes things work in mysterious ways.



So yes, I do indeed get offered a position working at the airport alongside Greg. I can't believe how lucky we both are to have secured jobs with such a huge, successful company, and everything is above board and legal. We will have proper contracts, paid holidays and all the security we were looking for since moving here. I must admit though that I am rather sad to be leaving my old work. It's been a year since I started working there, and although it's been tough at times and of course there is less job security, I did enjoy working there and loved some of the regular customers we had. The owner was also amazing to me and looked after me when I really did need the job and the money. I cannot fault him for that and am ever so grateful for everything they did. So much so at one point I almost contemplate turning down the job at the airport! But then I have to shake myself and remember that i'd be mad to pass up the opportunity. Plus working nights at my age is getting increasingly difficult, coupled with the fact Greg is working mostly mornings. And don't get me started about those 10/11 hour shifts on a Sunday….



With the beginning of our new jobs, it means we are now able to apply for our residencia and medical cards, to show we live here permanently and can get all the benefits available to locals. Yet one more tick on the list of priorities here, and one step closer to feeling a proper part of the Spanish community here. And just as well after the shocking Brexit decision!

---