Expat Life Spain http://expatlifespain.com A Female View On The Expat Life Thu, 03 May 2012 14:07:33 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 How to Travel Overseas with Your Car http://expatlifespain.com/how-to-travel-overseas-with-your-car http://expatlifespain.com/how-to-travel-overseas-with-your-car#comments Thu, 03 May 2012 14:07:33 +0000 Expat Life http://expatlifespain.com/?p=3925

If you’re planning on taking your car with you overseas, there are a few things you need to know. Maybe you’re planning on moving abroad and want to take your car with you, or maybe you’re planning an extended vacation, complete with a roadtrip portion, and you think it would be less expensive to take your own car rather than getting a rental. Whatever your reason for wanting to travel overseas with your car, the following guidelines will help ensure that you encounter as few hassles as possible.

Contact an Auto Shipper

Auto shippers vary, but you’ll want to contact one that specializes in transporting vehicles overseas. Using an auto shipper will cost some money, but it’s well worth it. Auto shippers are experts at knowing how to manage the customs regulations and paperwork that comes with transporting your vehicle to another country. With their help, shipping your car overseas will be much less stressful than if you tried to do it on your own.

Get Quotes and Compare Rates

Contact more than one auto shipper so you can get quotes from them and compare their rates. It’s also a good idea to ask them what’s included in the price they quote you. Some auto shippers offer a flat rate for everything, while others will charge you extra depending on how difficult the process ends up being when they’re dealing with customs officials in another country.

Also, expect to have to pay more if you don’t live near a port. For example, if you live in Des Moines, it will cost more to ship your car to Europe than if you lived in Miami, where there is a port. Another thing to take into consideration is that most auto shippers will charge more for shipping a larger vehicle as opposed to a smaller one. Regardless of the quotes you get, make sure you know what you’re paying for so you don’t end up surprised.

Contact Your Insurance Company

Before you ship your vehicle overseas, contact your insurance company and ask them if your vehicle is covered. You’ll want to know if your car is specifically covered during the shipping process overseas, as well as whether your current policy covers driving in a foreign country.

Prepare Your Car for Overseas Travel

Once you’ve chosen an auto shipper, there are a variety of documents that they will need from you in order to ship your car overseas. These documents include two copies of a notarized title, a Declaration of Dangerous Goods, a Shipper Export Declaration, a letter from the lien holder if there’s a lien on the vehicle, and possibly other documents, depending on the auto shipper and the country where you’re shipping your vehicle.

You’ll also want to have a mechanic give your car a thorough check up, including changing your oil and making sure everything on your vehicle works properly. The last thing you want to do is pick up your car in a foreign country that you’re unfamiliar with and have to immediately find a mechanic. Save yourself the trouble and do all of that before shipping your car overseas.

John is an expat and content contributor for SellMart.

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]]> http://expatlifespain.com/how-to-travel-overseas-with-your-car/feed 0 The Big Cities on a Budget http://expatlifespain.com/the-big-cities-on-a-budget http://expatlifespain.com/the-big-cities-on-a-budget#comments Wed, 11 Apr 2012 09:41:05 +0000 Expat Life http://expatlifespain.com/?p=3920

When people think of Spain and travelling around this wonderful country, it doesn’t take long for big cities to come to mind; Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia, Seville etc. They are often high on the list of places to see for anyone spending an extended period of time in Spain. There is no doubt the famous Spanish coastline, the beautiful Balearic and Canary Islands and the stunning Sierra Nevada mountain ranges will amaze any visitor, but for a true taste of Spain’s history, combined with the cosmopolitan feel of modern European cities then you must explore the likes of Madrid and Barcelona.

As with many of Europe’s mega cities today, prices on almost everything are likely to be inflated, trying to explore the capital of Spain on a budget can be difficult…but it’s not impossible. If you want to head to Madrid and explore world famous sights such Palacio de Cibeles and experience the unique atmosphere and lifestyle then you do not have to break the bank to do so. Hostels Madrid mean that accommodation does not have to be a major concern, with numerous rooms available around the city, often getting cheaper the further away from central Madrid you look. The main tip to making the most of Madrid without blowing your budget would be to stick to free activities, things such as The Reina Sofia gallery (Madrid’s famous modern art gallery), Madrid’s Royal Palace (Free on Wednesdays), take a stroll through the cities grand park and enjoy the glorious Spanish weather.

Barcelona also offers a lot for the budget traveller. With some of the finest architecture in the world, bustling nightlife, and fascinating people, Barcelona is Spain’s most cosmopolitan city. The city has been influenced over the decades by the world’s finest architects and artists who have all left their mark in one way or another. One thing is for sure, you will not tire of exploring Barcelona, heading down Las Ramblas and exploring the bars and restaurants in Born. And despite the exaggerated reports of crime, you will find the locals and other likeminded tourists welcoming and friendly in the majority of areas. Close to Las Ramblas is a great place to stay and again there are a number of Hostels Barcelona catering for those on a budget.

Do not be put off the larger cities of Spain through fear of extortionate prices on accommodation, food, drink and activities, as long as you plan your stay efficiently and know which places to avoid then money should not be an issue. And the likes of Barcelona, Madrid and Valencia will be places you will never forget.

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]]> http://expatlifespain.com/the-big-cities-on-a-budget/feed 0 Housewives over 40 who have ‘never worked’ now seeking their first jobs http://expatlifespain.com/housewives-over-40-who-have-never-worked-now-seeking-their-first-jobs http://expatlifespain.com/housewives-over-40-who-have-never-worked-now-seeking-their-first-jobs#comments Tue, 03 Apr 2012 12:48:00 +0000 Girls in Spain http://expatlifespain.com/?p=3915

Really interesting statistic that here in Spain 10% of those looking for their first ever job are woman aged 40 and over.

Out of the 443,200 people who have never worked and are now looking for jobs, 247,000 are women and 40,300 are over the age of 40, having spent their young adult years raising a family.

And nearly 5.5 per cent of these women – 2,200 in total – are aged between 60 and 65, who would normally be looking forward to their retirement but with their partners out of work and often adult children to support, due to these being unable to find work, are now forced to look for jobs for the first time in their lives.

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]]> http://expatlifespain.com/housewives-over-40-who-have-never-worked-now-seeking-their-first-jobs/feed 0 Too Much Embutido bad For Your Health http://expatlifespain.com/too-much-embutido-bad-for-your-health http://expatlifespain.com/too-much-embutido-bad-for-your-health#comments Tue, 03 Apr 2012 12:45:03 +0000 Girls in Spain http://expatlifespain.com/?p=3912

Bad news for Chorizo (embutidos) lovers in Spain as researches are claiming that more then 20 grams could suffer because of the nitrates which are added a preserbatives, with extreme cases causing a chronic obstruction to the lungs, known as Epoc.

The warning comes from CREAL, the Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology, who have published their study in the European Respiratory Journal.

Epoc claims 18,000 lives a year.

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]]> http://expatlifespain.com/too-much-embutido-bad-for-your-health/feed 0 Spain announces plans to tighten abortion laws http://expatlifespain.com/spain-announces-plans-to-tighten-abortion-laws http://expatlifespain.com/spain-announces-plans-to-tighten-abortion-laws#comments Tue, 03 Apr 2012 12:40:18 +0000 Girls in Spain http://expatlifespain.com/?p=3909

A lot of woman here in Spain are angry with the Justice Minister, Alberto Ruiz-Gallardon, who has blamed” structural gender violence” for pressurising women into seeking terminations.

Many see it as the strongest sign yet that the government is poised to reverse a liberalisation of the abortion law introduced under socialist Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero in 2010.

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]]> http://expatlifespain.com/spain-announces-plans-to-tighten-abortion-laws/feed 0 Five Most Dangerous Cities To Drive In http://expatlifespain.com/five-most-dangerous-cities-to-drive-in http://expatlifespain.com/five-most-dangerous-cities-to-drive-in#comments Thu, 29 Mar 2012 18:24:42 +0000 Expat Life http://expatlifespain.com/?p=3905

Driving is often dangerous in any town. However, a notorious few are considered the most dangerous cities to drive in. The top five include:

Salt Lake City, UT

In addition to their many quirks, Mormon drivers have plenty of trouble on Utah’s roadways. Part of the problem is the eternal construction that clogs Salt Lake City’s freeways. Also, if you were driving with 15 children in a Suburban, then you’d drive crazy too. Watch your speed when driving behind minivans as they tend to be in a hurry, and you may not have the child excuse that they do to avoid a ticket. However, finding your destination is simple, and the locals are friendly out of their automobiles.

Washington D.C.

Perhaps, if the traffic situation became better in our country’s capital, then our legislators would have the patience to work with each other. However, Washington D.C. is filled with an abundance of tourists, who have trouble finding their way around even with their GPS devices. Moreover, the downtown roadways feature merciless traffic circles, bizarre speed traps and confusing street direction shifts. As a D.C. driver, you’ll face numerous potholes, heartless parking prosecution and red light cameras that stand ready to give you a fine. Save yourself the driving hassle and find a seat on the Metro. Our legislators should do the same.

Dallas, TX

With traffic clogged for up to two hours, Dallas drivers are understandably frustrated. Furthermore, 12 counties are in the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington area, which contribute to a population of 6.3 million. The growing city is adding to the city’s traffic congestion while the I-20, I-30 and the I-45 increase driver confusion.

Orlando, FL

The minivan loads of tourists are annoying on the roadways in Orlando, even with the cute mouse ear hats. Moreover, Florida drivers should avoid downtown along with the major tourist attractions on Friday and Saturday. With Orlando ranking eighth in the country for extreme traffic congestion, drivers face a daily challenge. Also, be careful on the city streets due to a large number of aggressive local drivers as their patience is long gone.

New York City, NY

Despite the fact that it is a cliché to reemphasize New York City’s driving issues, it remains one of the worst cities to navigate. The shrewd advice “don’t drive in New York City” remains relevant with nonexistent parking along with the crowded tourist attractions. Also, when you do find a parking garage, you may have to max out your credit card to cover the fee. The streets are always congested, and those who do drive are scarily aggressive. Basically, don’t drive in New York City.

The next time you find yourself behind the wheel in one of these cities, especially if you drive through it on a daily basis, watch out, and remember that the city you are maneuvering in has a bad reputation.

Alan is careful driver and a freelance writer. He urges you to check out the recent distracted driving statistics before hopping into a car in the future!

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]]> http://expatlifespain.com/five-most-dangerous-cities-to-drive-in/feed 1 Cover for Overseas Travel http://expatlifespain.com/cover-for-overseas-travel http://expatlifespain.com/cover-for-overseas-travel#comments Thu, 22 Mar 2012 16:20:20 +0000 Expat Life http://expatlifespain.com/?p=3900

It wasn’t too many years ago when travel was still at a premium price and was largely reserved for those who have a bit of cash to burn. In today’s world travel to the furthest reaches of the planet is available to anyone who knows how to save and take advantage of a good online deal when they see one.

Whether you’re travelling for business or pleasure leaving out the cost of travel insurance might be considered a ‘top tip’ for shaving off the pounds on any journey, but for lengthy stays you’d be foolish to leave it out. Those taking a long business trip may have much of their costs covered so in which case it will be down to the company covering the fee so they should be using a company that can offer low rates for expat travel insurance if they anticipate regular tips overseas.

If you are planning a long trip backpacking here and there, then it is pretty essential that you take out some kind of insurance being as you are at a far greater risk of catastrophe. Not only are you in danger of the typical concerns that are connected to a few weeks away but there are very serious cases of theft and injury that are more probable on a sustained journey from home in lesser travelled nations.

Another reason for a long stint abroad is education, more and more students are opting to take their studies to foreign shores. The main reasons behind this is because it can be a greater aid to your chosen course, a language perhaps, plus you can find yourself in much more pleasant surroundings than back home. If you are thinking of becoming a foreign exchange student then you will have the same benefits. People studying languages prefer to have the chance to use the skills they use in the classroom in real life situations to help with their learning.

Whatever the reason you are thinking of going abroad for this year, and in the future, then make sure to not pass on insurance as it can be the difference between a bad travel experience becoming a nightmare.

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]]> http://expatlifespain.com/cover-for-overseas-travel/feed 0 A Qualified Traveller http://expatlifespain.com/a-qualified-traveller http://expatlifespain.com/a-qualified-traveller#comments Thu, 22 Mar 2012 16:16:08 +0000 Expat Life http://expatlifespain.com/?p=3894

Travelling is something we’d all be doing if money wasn’t part of the equation or that there weren’t other obvious tie-ups in our lives. However, a job that takes you travelling means that you get to do much of the exploring that you’d like to during your life whilst getting paid.

An education is a powerful thing so why not get one based on a foreign language? Multilingual skills are very highly sought after currently and will be for years to come too. Foreign language lessons are one of the most popular courses studied at university by students in the UK regardless of what industry the career they’re pursuing is in.

There is a keen interested for UK holidaymakers in Spain as the nation has numerous hotspots which all kinds of tourists. If you are considering Spanish as a second language or already have those capabilities then if you teach English Spain has many great places for you to do this. Ever dreamt of working in sumptuous surrounding of Valencia, Barcelona or Madrid? Better still you may prefer the isolation of teaching jobs available in the Balearic or Canary Islands.

If you are thinking that this is the right thing for you, but would require a lengthy turnaround from what you are doing now, then you would be wrong. Online qualifications are certainly something that people of all ages are taking advantage of in order to pursue their dream job. Online TESOL courses allow you to fit a qualification around your life to make things easier for you and once you pass the world is your oyster.

Rather than thinking what could have been, start thinking of where you can be in 12 months time by redirecting your life. If you are only just thinking of a career then this could be the perfect start point for you.

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]]> http://expatlifespain.com/a-qualified-traveller/feed 0 Barcelona – A Place To Study http://expatlifespain.com/barcelona-a-place-to-study http://expatlifespain.com/barcelona-a-place-to-study#comments Wed, 14 Mar 2012 11:59:48 +0000 Expat Life http://expatlifespain.com/?p=3890

When young people today make the decision to spend some time abroad studying, in my eyes Barcelona has to be close to the top of the list of the ideal locations. One of the most famous, cosmopolitan and vibrant cities in the world, Barcelona really offers everything a student should look for.

If you are intending to study Spanish in Spain, Barcelona can provide the perfect base not only for your studies, but also for your life outside of the classroom. The Catalan capital has a diverse mix of residence, you will find a mixture of Spanish and Catalan spoke here and it you will no doubt pick some of the regional dialect too. In terms of life outside of school, Barcelona is a fascinating city, with stunning architecture, beautiful coastline, and the majority of people are friendly and welcoming. As with the rest of this great country, you instantly get a feel for the Spanish way of life, which is relaxed, fun-loving and passionate.

The city is renowned for its nightlife and the unique Catalan culture, and as one of Europe’s mega cities it is very popular with tourists which all adds to the cultural mix. As is the downside with many large cities there is an element of crime, but having spent quite some time in Barcelona I have never came across it. Las Ramblas for example, is said to have a high petty crime rate, but I find it the best and most exciting place to hang out, chill and meet some new people. There is a great atmosphere bubbling with people enjoying great food, drink and company.

With an increasing number of internship Barcelona available more and more students choose this as their destination to study a new language, and with great transport links to many other European destinations, a lovely climate, great people, phenomenal cuisine and plenty to explore, it seems to me that you need not look anywhere else.

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]]> http://expatlifespain.com/barcelona-a-place-to-study/feed 1 Get set for your next camping trip http://expatlifespain.com/get-set-for-your-next-camping-trip http://expatlifespain.com/get-set-for-your-next-camping-trip#comments Tue, 13 Mar 2012 11:51:13 +0000 Expat Life http://expatlifespain.com/?p=3884

Part of the joy of living in Spain is that you get to head off and enjoy the countryside without having to get on a plane from Manchester or Gatwick like the rest of them! All you need to do is have the kit you need, and then as soon as you see a good weather window, or have a few days off at short notice, you can head for the hills … or the beach …or whatever takes your fancy.

Where to go

Whether you like the beaches or the mountains, there is always somewhere in Spain to be explored. Campgrounds can easily be found as there are over a thousand of them in Spain. They range from the very basic to the very luxurious; it depends what kind of atmosphere you like and how much you want to spend. As well as being able to bring your caravan or tent onto a campsite, you can also choose to rent campsite-owned chalets or mobile homes.

Some specialist campsites exist too. There are a number of naturist campsites where you can strip off the entire time you’re there – these can be found via the International Nudist Federation or the Spanish Nudist Federation.

If that’s not your thing, then maybe you’d prefer the idea of camping on a farm. There are plenty of farms that provide camping facilities in Spain.

Getting the right equipment

It is worth getting the right gear though, so that wherever you end up camping, you will be comfortable and warm. Now you might think that there’s no need to be warm – after all most people only camp in the summer and Spain is, for the main part, warm and dry. However, as you’ll know if you’ve ever spent time in the mountains, daytime and night time temperatures can vary dramatically.

One of the most important items is of course a good tent. These have come down in price hugely in the last few years, yet at the same time, they’ve improved in quality. They are lighter, easier to put up and better at providing waterproof protection than ever before. Tents can still be pricey items to buy though, so the smarter shopper will wait for an end of season tent sale to get a bargain price.

You’ll also need sleeping bags. These have also improved a lot in recent years and are generally much lighter and easy to carry, yet provide better warmth that they used to. Look into where and when you might use a sleeping bag and choose an appropriate weight. It’s better to have something that is too efficient rather than one that’s not warm enough when you need it.

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