TW
0
By Jason Moore THE sudden growth in the British expatriate population in the Balearics (up by almost 15 percent over the last 12 months) has left me wondering; is it because more Britons are registering with their council or is it because more people just want to get out of Blair's Britain. An opinion poll last week in Britain suggested that many young couples are moving away in search of a better climate and greater quality of life. The fact that Spain has more public holidays tban anywhere else in Europe is an obvious plus point, according to the survey. The downside was that wages are higher in Britain than in most parts of Europe, especially Spain. If more Britons are settling in the Balearics and Spain it's a clear sign that they have realised what we discovered much earlier; life is better in the sun. But I also want to sound a note of caution especially to people who are planning to move to Spain to work and may have young families. It is vital that you have some knowledge of the language, both Castillian and Majorcan, and understand how Spain functions. We may have the sun but as we all know the Balearics are no longer cheap and work opportunities are not extensive. Schooling is different also. I would say that it is probably more difficult to settle here now than it was before. Majorca has developed dramatically and there are plenty of local skills. Spain is a modern European Country and doesn't have too much to learn from northern Europe any longer. Of course more British residents and more British holiday home owners will mean more jobs for their fellow countrymen. But a word of advice to anyone planning a move to Spain. Do your homework first and get a feel for the country. Spain's most famous expatriate David Beckham, with more money than most of us, is only now starting to shine. His initial 18 months in Spain proved a real nightmare.