Spain is Spain. It's been like that for thousands of years and that's why god gave the Europeans (and the Spanish) the Pyrenees Mountains. Spain is like GenX: they don't care what others think.
I completely understand you. We made the same move, lived in Vinuela, Malaga and we had a horrible experience. We winded up being miserable there. I'm Spanish, speak the language and we can identify with you; once the honeymoon stage is over, the everyday living, the bureaucracy, the ways the try to get as much money out of your pockets by fees, taxes and other. I could keep going on and on. All I can say is good luck to the people who decide to move to Spain. We returned to Canada also. Good to be home.
I'm a Canadian still in Spain because my wife is Spanish. Spain is a great country for "below-average" people who rely on the support of the system. If you're independent, hardworking, entrepreneurial, and intelligent, the Socialists will find every way they can to steal, rob, and take from your effort to buy votes from the below-average. If all you want to do is drink cheap shitty beer on the beach, it's great. If you want to better yourself, it's best to do so elsewhere.
Appreciate your candidness. Compared to a guy from Morocco in a boat with no possessions you’re considered rich, so your immigration options are different. People just want better lives. Sorry about your daughter’s diagnosis: thinking positive for her.
Kingston is a very pretty city, and has a great hospital! Best wishes for your daughter's speedy recovery. We've been travelling the world for about four years, looking for that perfect spot to maybe live. We haven't quite found it yet, although we have found a few possible places, but still feel the need to keep looking lol. Oh well, it sure is fun to continue to research and travel to new countries. Cheers from Toronto (for now).
This is why it is important to try out different places. Sometimes the place changes or our priorities change and you need to adjust. My career took me to 40 countries and I always planned to retire abroad. But during the pandemic, I started my own business at age 60 and now, 4 years later, it doesn't make sense to give it all up. I'm keeping my home base in the US and will spend 4 months in Asia or Europe. Avoids all those foreign tax and residency visa issues too!
Great video, very informative and also looking forward to future videos about your research. We are close to retirement and looking for a place in europe to spend the winter months, 3 to 5 months per year, not permanent. Needs to be on the coast, but pretty flexible on which country. The best wishes for your daughter and to your entire family, we have 2 boys likely a similar age to your daughter and expect this is a very stressful time for all.
@Luc-ro7qj thanks very much. Spain would be great for a few months a year. We will definitely be returning for holidays. Thanks for the kind words about our daughter, she is only 24, too young for this.
It seems like things worked out for a reason. Spain is a beautiful country, and who knows where life will take you. Lots of people moving from Portugal too I hear, your honesty is appreciated. Good luck.
Hope your daughter gets well soon 🙏🏼 Come to Punta Cana, DR. You'll have some challenges, but you'll feel welcome here, and there's lots to do for us early retirees. Plus, 2 hrs for Miami, or 4 to Toronto/New York, not too far from " home" Good luck with everything else. Cheers!
A Spaniard living in California. I am deeply sorry about the situation of your daughter. Although I totally agree about some of the points that you made about Spain, I am going to change the psychology around. What would I find in Canada coming from Spain that favors in my decision of moving there? In your same terms, I will be expecting for a community that speaks mainly Spanish, with the best tapas and the best Spanish foods (Mediterranean cuisines and 1293 restaurants with Michelin stars), Universal health care, very low prices in everything including rentals, 300 days of sun a year, a history of 2300 years with monuments and architecture reflecting that history, a high end European culture and intellectuality with interesting and deep conversations, bars in every corner and the list is endless. Spain it is what it is and not what you wanted to be and there are a very bad British and North American trends of creating ghettos with many of their members trying to avoid taxes, lying about their populations (A nightmare for trash collectors and utility companies), building of doing extensions of houses illegally and using our country as a base for their criminal operations (In the list of the most wanted criminals of the UK, 7 out of 10 are caught in Spain). Not even in our wildest imagination we ever thought that our country will be visited by 95 million tourists (Double of the Spanish population) like is expected this year and is putting some areas of the country at the brink of collapse. I still appreciate some of the points of your criticism because you are right and the country has to improve a lot in some of those. Many years ago I went to Vancouver and British Columbia and I was treated like royalty (You guys are sweethearts). Best luck with your daughter's health and finding the country best for you.
Thanks for the comment. I never expected people to speak English, I learned Spanish. Nor did I expect every restaurant to be top notch or Michelin star, I was just looking for more variety, the same variety you find in most countries. If I lived in a larger city, the dining scene would most likely been different. I do not hate Spain, I'm actually quite fond of it. I actually almost booked a holiday for November there. I just can't see myself living there for 30 more years. I actually think Spain is a great country, the weather, the safety, the history, the healthcare is some of the best in world. It's just not a great fit for us. For others I can see it being a dream retirement destination. Thanks for commenting!
@@TheEmptyMiddleSeatTravel Spain is not for everyone. That's very understandable. In my case, after living for 35 years in California, can't wait to go back to my country. California now is a shadow of the incredible California that I found 35 years ago.
These are my five cents: yes, taxes are very high and ridiculous rates. But everything else is very good. The grocery prices, the cost of medical insurance that covers everything without co-pay, public transportation and even taxi, rental options compare to USA. We live 3 years in Spain, 2 of them in Malaga. You can enjoy doing a lot of things during the year, including traveling all over Spain and to another countries for pretty cheap prices. It’s all depends on your budget and lifestyle. Yes, renting is pricey if you want to live in expensive areas with a good view, but still affordable in another good places. We pay a lot for our penthouse apartment with amazing view but utilities are cheap, water is 30 euros, electricity 100 euros, and community and parking and storage room includes in renting price. So, it’s all depends what you’re looking for in Spain.
I would agree, Spain is a great place for some people. I will miss the excellent healthcare, safety, amazing weather and everything else Spain has to offer. We just don't see ourselves putting down roots there for the rest of our life.
Sorry to hear about your daughter, but I am sure she will receive excellent care in Canada. It was very interesting to hear how your views on Spain evolved after living there for a year. I had seriously considered applying for the NLV, however the extremely high income taxes, the bureaucracy (getting a drivers license in Spain is a ridiculous and expensive ordeal for North Americans), but what really changed my mind about Spain was the way tourists are being treated, and I am sorry to hear the way you were treated, which is ironic because your previous videos had been so positive about life in Spain. Best wishes to you and your family.
Thanks very much. Our daughter is responding well to treatments. I omitted all the backlash I received online because I viewed it as just online trolls. After seeing what took place this summer in regards to tourists, I feel it's a broader view of some Spanish.
Why move somewhere if you want it to be like "home"? And if you move somewhere for political reasons, you will ALWAYS be disappointed. I wish good luck for your daughter ("Cancer sucks" - I'll send you my button if you want; that attitude and family help got me through).
I did not want Spain to be like Canada. I wanted more variety. I did not move because of political reasons, I just stated that I don't agree with Spain or Canada on mass migration, I have no problem with immigration. I think Spain will be a great fit some others. I just don't think we could see ourselves living there for 30 more years. I will be taking holidays in Spain, especially in Benidorm, I think it's great city...to visit!
Our prayers are with your daughter for a speedy recovery. 🙏 We hope you find your happy place. 🤗 Northern New York has some great spots (Lake George and Lake Placid)!
Housing prices are a tiny bit cheaper than in North America? That's a huge understatement. Canada has one of the most overvalued property markets in the Western world! And if you consider moving to Eastern Europe, you will be surprised that these countries have become more expensive than Spain, including property prices... There is really no perfect country, each has its own problems. But I think you gave up too soon on Spain. It seems to me like a typical case of not wanting to learn their language, customs, etc...I'm afraid that nothing good comes for free...
@@TheEmptyMiddleSeatTravel House prices where you were are still very reasonable. I'm comparing these with UK house prices and also with the prices in countries in Eastern Europe like Bulgaria...
Also, the health system in North America and the UK is probably one of the worst in the developed world. Spain on the other hand offers excellent services. But I'm hoping they take good care of your daughter there. It's so sad that almost everything there has been monetized to the point that they won't leave you to die on the street, but all the rest has to be covered by all kinds of private medical insurance, and that still won't guarantee the bills won't ruin you in the end...
Understandable; especially given the importance of supporting your daughter. She’s young and strong and I’m sure she’ll pull through. She continues to be in our prayers… My wife and I have been living in Alicante area for about a year now. Her views align with yours and I’m totally the opposite; especially after having 2 hear attacks here and being treated both in public and private hospitals. Having lived in Canada for 8 years and in the States for 30 years, we’d definitely say that living in Spain is nothing like what we were used to in North America. I’d be a bit cautious about the Balkan states; especially Serbia. Like I had mentioned before, I lived in Belgrade for over 2 years back when it was still Yugoslavia. The Serbo-Croatian language is super hard (trust me on that as I attended university there) and the people can be super confusing at best as they always find a way to rob you with the nicest smile. Above said, since you’re an outdoor type, Serbia will suit you just fine. You already have my email in case we’ll need to connect. Good luck with everything…
Thank you very much for your comment. Spain's healthcare system is definitely much better than Canada's, it was so easy to use with virtually no wait time. At least the private system was great, I never had a chance to use the public system, but I heard wonderful reviews about it. We are still doing our research on Serbia, it seems promising but more visits will be required. Did work in the former Yugoslavia quite a long time ago, I have always loved the region. Our daughter is responding well to treatments and has just crossed the halfway mark in her program. The future is looking positive for her.
@@TheEmptyMiddleSeatTravel I'm up in Ottawa. I live off and on in Thailand, which has issues also. Even being married I have no real status there. Thats why i've been thinking about portugal for a while. I'm going to scope it out in the spring. Gotta make our minds up one day, our officially accept being nomads
@@stevenobinator2229 I looked at Thailand before but never visited. The silver coast of Portugal seems nice. I'd like to put roots down sooner than later
Not your color, brother I look very similar to you, maybe is what you do Living in a foreign country and analyzing every bit of their culture. I live in Vancouver. Let’s not even get started on what’s going on here.
Love your videos. Can’t believe you got abuse in the street; makes me really sad some people are such jerks (others, like me, would want to shake your hand). Hope your daughter gets better, and that you made it back to Europe and keep doing the great videos (I hope you can focus more on the huge number of likes, and not the odd awful comment from an idiot or two). Best wishes
Location is everything: get that wrong and everything falls out of place. You can research a lot online, but it's not the same as being there. Bizarrely we don't get the negativity from the Spanish, most of ours has been really positive. Hope the daughter is OK amd getting there.
Great content , I understand much of what you are saying as someone who gained residency 4 years ago, lived just up the road from your 1st place 'Fuengirola ' I have seen many changes and not all for the best having known the area for 38 years or so, anyway I can remember you made 2 great vlogs 'at least' ha but the 2 I remember are the one from San Miguel Cemetery and Molino de inca botanical gardens , I visited both are seeing the vlogs , all the very best for you future and of course a fast recovery for your daughter , take care
Sorry you experienced the rudeness that the spanish can give to us. The Canadians are up there with the best/kindest people in the world. I’m from the UK and i’ll never forget how amazing the canadians were to me as a brit travelling canada. What a great way for Canada to be remembered in my mind; the home of the kindest people. Shame the same can’t always be said for other countries. Wishing a speedy recovery for your daughter - all the best. Thank you for your amazing information you’ve provided on Spain whilst you were there.
Sorry to hear about your daughter's diagnosis and wishing her a full recovery. Ironically I just found out last week I have a form of blood cancer so my plan to retire overseas is totally on hold now. I was following some of your videos because I was interested in Spain so your observations are appreciated since I have never been there. I agree with the Spanish tax situation which seems oppressive and more like piracy. You mentioned there are other countries that offer modern housing. I was curious which those were. I know when I looked at France there doesn't appear to be modern homes being built like in Spain.
I'm sorry to hear about your diagnosis. I wish you the best in your recovery. Belgrade, Serbia, Ljubljana, Slovenia and La Paz, Mexico all have great new options for homes. Most of the homes come in 2 or 3 bedroom designs. They are very modern and functional. I'm not sure why Canada is not building these type of homes especially with the housing crisis.
All the best to your daughter and a speedy recovery 🙏🏼! We live in Ottawa, 2 hours from Kingston. If you are going to Hungary, hit me up and I can help you with itinerary and suggestions.
Weird for taxes. We are Canadians living in Mexico. Want to leave for similar reason for your leaving Spain. Aside from the taxes as my husband is a digital nomad and we pay no taxes here. But you say 40 to 50 percent but I thought the digital nomad visa capped at 24%. Guess I will have to confirm that.
Hope your daughter recovers soon anout Spain or any other countries cultural differences will be there Descartes the French philosopher said the fact in France is wrong behind the bernese mountains Wish you the best for future relocation always to see your videos 👍
Hi, i just found this video by accident, i have lived in Spain near Malaga for nearly 10 years, and your 100% correct the terrible racism towards most foreigners in Spain is as i say terrible, and the sad thing is that the younger people learn from their parents as they all still live with their parents for a long time beyond home leaving age. I live in a small village and the head of tourism hates foreigners so there are no foreign tourists here only Spanish. Because of this i now understand why all the foreigners who live in Spain all live near each other like in Fuengirola, Benidorm, Torrevieja, etc, and i am thinking of moving from here and back to the countryside where i was living before i moved into a village for this very reason. I hope your daughter gets well soon and back on track, and you find somewhere else in Europe where they actually enjoy us living in their country other than being a walking ATM for some people 😢
@@TheEmptyMiddleSeatTravel for me its got worse since Brexit as locals were told the reason there was no more money for EU funded projects was because of the UK leaving the EU. The reality is that EU loans were not repaid by Spain 🤦♂️
1- People are not friendly. 2- Food is not good and lack of diversity, 3- winter is cold summer is too hot and houses are not good insulated, 4- Energy price is too expensive. 5- Boring. So for those reasons I would never live in Spain or other European countries especially when u r retired. I am living in Bali and here is great , amazing restaurants cafes bars beach clubs everything's is world class high standards even much better than Thailand and soooo cheap for us westerners and 365 days high season and good weather.
We’re also leaving Spain moving back to uk, we got lucky with our house in Torrevieja and it’s almost doubled in value we are moving back in around 6 months after around 4 years in costa del sol and 1 year in costa blanca
You are leaving Spain and moving back to the UK? Sorry to say that, but that's not a very clever move. UK is now probably the country with the lowest quality of life in Europe, including Eastern Europe. And on top of that you get that gorgeous weather and the NHS...
You were facing a cultural paradigm shift which are always hard to overcome. The language is the other., if you cannot communicate it becomes very difficult.
If you can’t mingle in the community you are living in, since got no work - yes you will start rethinking why am I here. Add to that the attitude towards foreigners, that would be not bareable. In my opinion, Serbia is a good option, but also look into south east asia such as Thailand. South Asian countries don’t normally have racism towards foreigners in particular white and there is plenty of things to go. I have been looking at Spain and housing investment did not make sense to me, numbers wise, especially with prime time being April to September and rest of the year is dull. Good luck and the best to your daughter. Kingston is lovely. If you are heading to Syracuse, NY city is only 7 hrs drive.
Interesting video. Hope your daughter is doing well. Nine years of woke political direction has been more than enough for us in Canada. Keep the interesting content coming!
If you think there is a lack of restaurants in the Costa Blanca and Costa del Sole. I don’t think you will be happy anywhere. I feel like the food in Spain was better than the food in Italy, Poland, UK, Hungary, Germany and many more countries I’ve visited. I’m not a fan of cold weather, so I can’t do Canada.
Your colour is no different to the majority of Spanish people I have been going to spain on holidays for 48 years AND NEVER HAD A PROBLEM IF I HAD THE CHOICE BETWEEN THE UK AND SPAIN I GO TO SPAIN THE UK IS BEGAINING TO LOOK LIKE A SHIT HOLE
![Gunna - HIM ALL ALONG [Official Visualizer]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/HiCxoDeo0hc/mqdefault.jpg)
Thanks for the heads up
Wishing your daughter a speedy recovery!
Thank you so much
Speedy recovery for your daughter 🙌🙌🙌 Thanks for sharing your experience with us. Hopefully you will find your perfect place soon😊
Thank you so much!
Prayers for your daughter and the medical team entrusted with her care. 🙏🙏🙏🙏 Life changes and it’s good to be able to adjust your sails accordingly.
Good luck to your daughter! ❤
Thank you!!
Sorry about your daughter, wishing her speedy recovery.👃
Thanks so much
Spain is Spain. It's been like that for thousands of years and that's why god gave the Europeans (and the Spanish) the Pyrenees Mountains.
Spain is like GenX: they don't care what others think.
Perfectly said
I completely understand you. We made the same move, lived in Vinuela, Malaga and we had a horrible experience. We winded up being miserable there. I'm Spanish, speak the language and we can identify with you; once the honeymoon stage is over, the everyday living, the bureaucracy, the ways the try to get as much money out of your pockets by fees, taxes and other. I could keep going on and on. All I can say is good luck to the people who decide to move to Spain. We returned to Canada also. Good to be home.
Thanks for the comment, sorry to hear it didn'twork for you either.. It's unfortunate it didn't work it out, but I don't regret trying.
I'm a Canadian still in Spain because my wife is Spanish.
Spain is a great country for "below-average" people who rely on the support of the system. If you're independent, hardworking, entrepreneurial, and intelligent, the Socialists will find every way they can to steal, rob, and take from your effort to buy votes from the below-average. If all you want to do is drink cheap shitty beer on the beach, it's great. If you want to better yourself, it's best to do so elsewhere.
Appreciate your candidness. Compared to a guy from Morocco in a boat with no possessions you’re considered rich, so your immigration options are different. People just want better lives. Sorry about your daughter’s diagnosis: thinking positive for her.
Thanks very much
Your channel has been a key source of information re: Spain. My best wishes to your daughter.
Thanks very much
So sorry to hear about your daughter's situation. Wish her the best.
Thank you
Kingston is a very pretty city, and has a great hospital! Best wishes for your daughter's speedy recovery. We've been travelling the world for about four years, looking for that perfect spot to maybe live. We haven't quite found it yet, although we have found a few possible places, but still feel the need to keep looking lol. Oh well, it sure is fun to continue to research and travel to new countries. Cheers from Toronto (for now).
Thanks for the comment. I always love researching and checking out new spots. I hope you find your perfect place someday.
This is why it is important to try out different places. Sometimes the place changes or our priorities change and you need to adjust. My career took me to 40 countries and I always planned to retire abroad. But during the pandemic, I started my own business at age 60 and now, 4 years later, it doesn't make sense to give it all up. I'm keeping my home base in the US and will spend 4 months in Asia or Europe. Avoids all those foreign tax and residency visa issues too!
I agree completely. Thanks for commenting
CRAZY DIDNT SEE THIS COMING
All the best to your daughter! Fight and stay strong!
Thanks very much
Great video, very informative and also looking forward to future videos about your research. We are close to retirement and looking for a place in europe to spend the winter months, 3 to 5 months per year, not permanent. Needs to be on the coast, but pretty flexible on which country. The best wishes for your daughter and to your entire family, we have 2 boys likely a similar age to your daughter and expect this is a very stressful time for all.
@Luc-ro7qj thanks very much. Spain would be great for a few months a year. We will definitely be returning for holidays. Thanks for the kind words about our daughter, she is only 24, too young for this.
Thanks, that was informative. I was contemplating on moving to Canary islands but it might not be a good idea
Glad it was helpful!
It seems like things worked out for a reason. Spain is a beautiful country, and who knows where life will take you. Lots of people moving from Portugal too I hear, your honesty is appreciated. Good luck.
Thanks. Spain is a great country. I will definitely be back for vacations, just wasn't a great fit for living.
Hope your daughter gets well soon 🙏🏼
Come to Punta Cana, DR. You'll have some challenges, but you'll feel welcome here, and there's lots to do for us early retirees. Plus, 2 hrs for Miami, or 4 to Toronto/New York, not too far from " home"
Good luck with everything else. Cheers!
@jupena thanks I appreciate it. I plan on having a look at the DR, a lot of people seem to really like it there.
A Spaniard living in California. I am deeply sorry about the situation of your daughter. Although I totally agree about some of the points that you made about Spain, I am going to change the psychology around. What would I find in Canada coming from Spain that favors in my decision of moving there? In your same terms, I will be expecting for a community that speaks mainly Spanish, with the best tapas and the best Spanish foods (Mediterranean cuisines and 1293 restaurants with Michelin stars), Universal health care, very low prices in everything including rentals, 300 days of sun a year, a history of 2300 years with monuments and architecture reflecting that history, a high end European culture and intellectuality with interesting and deep conversations, bars in every corner and the list is endless. Spain it is what it is and not what you wanted to be and there are a very bad British and North American trends of creating ghettos with many of their members trying to avoid taxes, lying about their populations (A nightmare for trash collectors and utility companies), building of doing extensions of houses illegally and using our country as a base for their criminal operations (In the list of the most wanted criminals of the UK, 7 out of 10 are caught in Spain). Not even in our wildest imagination we ever thought that our country will be visited by 95 million tourists (Double of the Spanish population) like is expected this year and is putting some areas of the country at the brink of collapse. I still appreciate some of the points of your criticism because you are right and the country has to improve a lot in some of those. Many years ago I went to Vancouver and British Columbia and I was treated like royalty (You guys are sweethearts). Best luck with your daughter's health and finding the country best for you.
Thanks for the comment. I never expected people to speak English, I learned Spanish. Nor did I expect every restaurant to be top notch or Michelin star, I was just looking for more variety, the same variety you find in most countries. If I lived in a larger city, the dining scene would most likely been different. I do not hate Spain, I'm actually quite fond of it. I actually almost booked a holiday for November there. I just can't see myself living there for 30 more years. I actually think Spain is a great country, the weather, the safety, the history, the healthcare is some of the best in world. It's just not a great fit for us. For others I can see it being a dream retirement destination. Thanks for commenting!
@@TheEmptyMiddleSeatTravel Spain is not for everyone. That's very understandable. In my case, after living for 35 years in California, can't wait to go back to my country. California now is a shadow of the incredible California that I found 35 years ago.
@louaceveu1925 yes, unfortunately, California has seen better days. I hope you make it back to Spain sooner than later
These are my five cents: yes, taxes are very high and ridiculous rates. But everything else is very good. The grocery prices, the cost of medical insurance that covers everything without co-pay, public transportation and even taxi, rental options compare to USA. We live 3 years in Spain, 2 of them in Malaga. You can enjoy doing a lot of things during the year, including traveling all over Spain and to another countries for pretty cheap prices. It’s all depends on your budget and lifestyle. Yes, renting is pricey if you want to live in expensive areas with a good view, but still affordable in another good places. We pay a lot for our penthouse apartment with amazing view but utilities are cheap, water is 30 euros, electricity 100 euros, and community and parking and storage room includes in renting price. So, it’s all depends what you’re looking for in Spain.
I would agree, Spain is a great place for some people. I will miss the excellent healthcare, safety, amazing weather and everything else Spain has to offer. We just don't see ourselves putting down roots there for the rest of our life.
Sorry to hear about your daughter, but I am sure she will receive excellent care in Canada. It was very interesting to hear how your views on Spain evolved after living there for a year. I had seriously considered applying for the NLV, however the extremely high income taxes, the bureaucracy (getting a drivers license in Spain is a ridiculous and expensive ordeal for North Americans), but what really changed my mind about Spain was the way tourists are being treated, and I am sorry to hear the way you were treated, which is ironic because your previous videos had been so positive about life in Spain. Best wishes to you and your family.
Thanks very much. Our daughter is responding well to treatments. I omitted all the backlash I received online because I viewed it as just online trolls. After seeing what took place this summer in regards to tourists, I feel it's a broader view of some Spanish.
Why move somewhere if you want it to be like "home"? And if you move somewhere for political reasons, you will ALWAYS be disappointed.
I wish good luck for your daughter ("Cancer sucks" - I'll send you my button if you want; that attitude and family help got me through).
I did not want Spain to be like Canada. I wanted more variety. I did not move because of political reasons, I just stated that I don't agree with Spain or Canada on mass migration, I have no problem with immigration. I think Spain will be a great fit some others. I just don't think we could see ourselves living there for 30 more years. I will be taking holidays in Spain, especially in Benidorm, I think it's great city...to visit!
Our prayers are with your daughter for a speedy recovery. 🙏 We hope you find your happy place. 🤗
Northern New York has some great spots (Lake George and Lake Placid)!
Thanks so much. We are looking forward to exploring NY state. We already made a cross border run to Sam's Club!
Housing prices are a tiny bit cheaper than in North America? That's a huge understatement. Canada has one of the most overvalued property markets in the Western world! And if you consider moving to Eastern Europe, you will be surprised that these countries have become more expensive than Spain, including property prices...
There is really no perfect country, each has its own problems. But I think you gave up too soon on Spain. It seems to me like a typical case of not wanting to learn their language, customs, etc...I'm afraid that nothing good comes for free...
It depends where you look in Spain and Canada, not all of Canada is expensive. You are right. There is no perfect country.
@@TheEmptyMiddleSeatTravel House prices where you were are still very reasonable. I'm comparing these with UK house prices and also with the prices in countries in Eastern Europe like Bulgaria...
Also, the health system in North America and the UK is probably one of the worst in the developed world. Spain on the other hand offers excellent services. But I'm hoping they take good care of your daughter there. It's so sad that almost everything there has been monetized to the point that they won't leave you to die on the street, but all the rest has to be covered by all kinds of private medical insurance, and that still won't guarantee the bills won't ruin you in the end...
I would agree, Spain's healthcare system is far superior to Canada.
I haven't looked in Bulgaria, but I have been looking in Serbia, and the new properties on the market are very nice for the price.
Did you consider moving to Valencia to get a better selection of restaurants and things to do?
I did consider it. It most likely would have solved those issues for us.
I hope everything goes well for your daughter.
Understandable; especially given the importance of supporting your daughter. She’s young and strong and I’m sure she’ll pull through. She continues to be in our prayers…
My wife and I have been living in Alicante area for about a year now. Her views align with yours and I’m totally the opposite; especially after having 2 hear attacks here and being treated both in public and private hospitals. Having lived in Canada for 8 years and in the States for 30 years, we’d definitely say that living in Spain is nothing like what we were used to in North America.
I’d be a bit cautious about the Balkan states; especially Serbia. Like I had mentioned before, I lived in Belgrade for over 2 years back when it was still Yugoslavia. The Serbo-Croatian language is super hard (trust me on that as I attended university there) and the people can be super confusing at best as they always find a way to rob you with the nicest smile.
Above said, since you’re an outdoor type, Serbia will suit you just fine.
You already have my email in case we’ll need to connect. Good luck with everything…
Thank you very much for your comment. Spain's healthcare system is definitely much better than Canada's, it was so easy to use with virtually no wait time. At least the private system was great, I never had a chance to use the public system, but I heard wonderful reviews about it. We are still doing our research on Serbia, it seems promising but more visits will be required. Did work in the former Yugoslavia quite a long time ago, I have always loved the region. Our daughter is responding well to treatments and has just crossed the halfway mark in her program. The future is looking positive for her.
Alot of spanyards are white, so going after your color is a bit ridiculous of them
I agree, strange. But Guiri is a racial slur
@@TheEmptyMiddleSeatTravel I'm up in Ottawa. I live off and on in Thailand, which has issues also. Even being married I have no real status there. Thats why i've been thinking about portugal for a while. I'm going to scope it out in the spring. Gotta make our minds up one day, our officially accept being nomads
@@stevenobinator2229 I looked at Thailand before but never visited. The silver coast of Portugal seems nice. I'd like to put roots down sooner than later
Not your color, brother I look very similar to you, maybe is what you do Living in a foreign country and analyzing every bit of their culture. I live in Vancouver. Let’s not even get started on what’s going on here.
Love your videos. Can’t believe you got abuse in the street; makes me really sad some people are such jerks (others, like me, would want to shake your hand). Hope your daughter gets better, and that you made it back to Europe and keep doing the great videos (I hope you can focus more on the huge number of likes, and not the odd awful comment from an idiot or two). Best wishes
Thank you very much, I appreciate it. I figured I would get a bit of hate on a video like this, it comes with the territory.
Location is everything: get that wrong and everything falls out of place. You can research a lot online, but it's not the same as being there. Bizarrely we don't get the negativity from the Spanish, most of ours has been really positive. Hope the daughter is OK amd getting there.
Very true, you never really know what a place is like until you have been there for awhile.
Great content , I understand much of what you are saying as someone who gained residency 4 years ago, lived just up the road from your 1st place 'Fuengirola ' I have seen many changes and not all for the best having known the area for 38 years or so, anyway I can remember you made 2 great vlogs 'at least' ha but the 2 I remember are the one from San Miguel Cemetery and Molino de inca botanical gardens , I visited both are seeing the vlogs , all the very best for you future and of course a fast recovery for your daughter , take care
Thanks very much, I appreciate it
@@TheEmptyMiddleSeatTravel I should have double checked my post I have now edited it and should make more sense.
Sorry you experienced the rudeness that the spanish can give to us. The Canadians are up there with the best/kindest people in the world. I’m from the UK and i’ll never forget how amazing the canadians were to me as a brit travelling canada. What a great way for Canada to be remembered in my mind; the home of the kindest people. Shame the same can’t always be said for other countries. Wishing a speedy recovery for your daughter - all the best. Thank you for your amazing information you’ve provided on Spain whilst you were there.
Thank you very much, I appreciate it
Sorry to hear about your daughter's diagnosis and wishing her a full recovery. Ironically I just found out last week I have a form of blood cancer so my plan to retire overseas is totally on hold now. I was following some of your videos because I was interested in Spain so your observations are appreciated since I have never been there. I agree with the Spanish tax situation which seems oppressive and more like piracy. You mentioned there are other countries that offer modern housing. I was curious which those were. I know when I looked at France there doesn't appear to be modern homes being built like in Spain.
Sorry to hear this. Wishing you strength and positivity in your health.
I'm sorry to hear about your diagnosis. I wish you the best in your recovery. Belgrade, Serbia, Ljubljana, Slovenia and La Paz, Mexico all have great new options for homes. Most of the homes come in 2 or 3 bedroom designs. They are very modern and functional. I'm not sure why Canada is not building these type of homes especially with the housing crisis.
@@shellygaddes8896 Thank you Shelly.
@@TheEmptyMiddleSeatTravel Thanks.
All the best to your daughter and a speedy recovery 🙏🏼! We live in Ottawa, 2 hours from Kingston. If you are going to Hungary, hit me up and I can help you with itinerary and suggestions.
Thanks very much
I am always interested in hearing opinions on why people leave places. So important to rent first!!
Yes very true
Weird for taxes. We are Canadians living in Mexico. Want to leave for similar reason for your leaving Spain. Aside from the taxes as my husband is a digital nomad and we pay no taxes here. But you say 40 to 50 percent but I thought the digital nomad visa capped at 24%. Guess I will have to confirm that.
I was on the NLV so there was no tax break. I believe the first 600000 euros is capped at 24% for the digital nomad visa.
Hope your daughter recovers soon anout Spain or any other countries cultural differences will be there Descartes the French philosopher said the fact in France is wrong behind the bernese mountains
Wish you the best for future relocation always to see your videos 👍
Thank you very much
Hi, i just found this video by accident, i have lived in Spain near Malaga for nearly 10 years, and your 100% correct the terrible racism towards most foreigners in Spain is as i say terrible, and the sad thing is that the younger people learn from their parents as they all still live with their parents for a long time beyond home leaving age.
I live in a small village and the head of tourism hates foreigners so there are no foreign tourists here only Spanish.
Because of this i now understand why all the foreigners who live in Spain all live near each other like in Fuengirola, Benidorm, Torrevieja, etc, and i am thinking of moving from here and back to the countryside where i was living before i moved into a village for this very reason.
I hope your daughter gets well soon and back on track, and you find somewhere else in Europe where they actually enjoy us living in their country other than being a walking ATM for some people 😢
Thanks for the comment. It's unfortunate about some of the attitudes because Spain is a really nice country.
@@TheEmptyMiddleSeatTravel for me its got worse since Brexit as locals were told the reason there was no more money for EU funded projects was because of the UK leaving the EU. The reality is that EU loans were not repaid by Spain 🤦♂️
Spain is not for everyone. May God bless and heal your daughter.
@@TravelAddictGuy thanks very much
1- People are not friendly. 2- Food is not good and lack of diversity, 3- winter is cold summer is too hot and houses are not good insulated, 4- Energy price is too expensive. 5- Boring. So for those reasons I would never live in Spain or other European countries especially when u r retired. I am living in Bali and here is great , amazing restaurants cafes bars beach clubs everything's is world class high standards even much better than Thailand and soooo cheap for us westerners and 365 days high season and good weather.
I've never been to Bali, but it's always been on my list. I might have check it out.
No snow in edmonton yet. I agree downtown is getting really ugly
@mercyph3106 yeah downtown is bad, we were living near Grant mcewan on 104 Ave, it was like the walking dead down there
We’re also leaving Spain moving back to uk, we got lucky with our house in Torrevieja and it’s almost doubled in value we are moving back in around 6 months after around 4 years in costa del sol and 1 year in costa blanca
@sunnybeachwalks4k2022 well at least you made some money on your place before heading back
@@TheEmptyMiddleSeatTravel yeah luckily we have a few properties in London too which are rented out and we’ll be moving back into one
You are leaving Spain and moving back to the UK? Sorry to say that, but that's not a very clever move. UK is now probably the country with the lowest quality of life in Europe, including Eastern Europe. And on top of that you get that gorgeous weather and the NHS...
@SycAamore no I'm in Canada right now. I'll be here for a year or so while my daughter fights cancer. Then I will probably move abroad again
@@SycAamore yes we own properties in London so we are fine thank you very much
The Spanish economy would plummet without immigration. Pretty basic stuff
@@benjibumble I'm not against immigration, I see how valuable it is. I'm not a fan of mass migration.
Vegas would be a better fit for you
If the US had a retirement visa I would have moved to Henderson, Nevada years ago.
You were facing a cultural paradigm shift which are always hard to overcome. The language is the other., if you cannot communicate it becomes very difficult.
If you can’t mingle in the community you are living in, since got no work - yes you will start rethinking why am I here. Add to that the attitude towards foreigners, that would be not bareable. In my opinion, Serbia is a good option, but also look into south east asia such as Thailand. South Asian countries don’t normally have racism towards foreigners in particular white and there is plenty of things to go.
I have been looking at Spain and housing investment did not make sense to me, numbers wise, especially with prime time being April to September and rest of the year is dull.
Good luck and the best to your daughter. Kingston is lovely. If you are heading to Syracuse, NY city is only 7 hrs drive.
Thanks for the comment. I have been hearing a lot of great things about Thailand, I will have to look into it
i like spain
Valencia 👍
Interesting video. Hope your daughter is doing well. Nine years of woke political direction has been more than enough for us in Canada. Keep the interesting content coming!
Thanks I appreciate it. Hopefully we have an election sooner than later. More videos are coming in the future.
It sounds like you have money?
If you think there is a lack of restaurants in the Costa Blanca and Costa del Sole. I don’t think you will be happy anywhere. I feel like the food in Spain was better than the food in Italy, Poland, UK, Hungary, Germany and many more countries I’ve visited. I’m not a fan of cold weather, so I can’t do Canada.
I do understand your position though. Not cool that some people have villainized foreigners. That situation would make anyone uncomfortable.
Crap, just got to the part about your daughter. Wish you guys the best of luck.
Thanks very much
That's funny. I thought the food was better in Poland and the UK
HUNGARY! Not hungry. Stop the ignorance.
You are the type of person who will always find something to complain about wherever you go. Please grow up.
Thanks for watching. Interesting comment as I rarely complain about anything. I was not complaining, just stating why I left.
Your colour is no different to the majority of Spanish people I have been going to spain on holidays for 48 years AND NEVER HAD A PROBLEM IF I HAD THE CHOICE BETWEEN THE UK AND SPAIN I GO TO SPAIN THE UK IS BEGAINING TO LOOK LIKE A SHIT HOLE
@@johnjonisa5022they moved back home to Canada, not the UK, to regroup and help their daughter while she undergoes treatment