When John and I decided to retire and move to Spain in April 2008, our plan was to rent an apartment in the centre of Jumilla for nine months before moving at the end of the year to our own home at Residencial Santa Ana del Monte, a new golf development a few miles outside town.

There were many reasons why we had originally decided to buy at Santa Ana del Monte: we wanted to live in the “real” Spain, not an exclusively expat community; we preferred being inland rather than on the overcrowded costas; the setting was lovely, as it was surrounded by mountains and vineyards stretched towards the neighbouring town; we liked the lively town of Jumilla, which is renowned for its wine.
Read the rest of this entry »

Photograph by ~izz~ www.flickr.com/d_izatt/

Has your career been decimated by the recession?  Are you sitting tight and waiting for the recession to end, in the hope that everything will return back to normal in a few months?  Could you be waiting in vain?  For those who are prepared to ‘go with it’ and look elsewhere for their new career - what signs would help you stay hopeful?  Could you be reassured by a history lesson?

Read the rest of this entry »

Photo by Aleksei Aaltonen

If you’re facing a scary change, are afraid to let go, or afraid to move forward then this might help… I once abseiled down the side of a 100ft office block for charity.  I was lured into this feat by the prospect of a close encounter with an instructor from the Royal Artillery.  The things you’ll do just to see a man in a uniform…!
Read the rest of this entry »