Brits Abroad By Kirstie Andrews

A life in the sun: But it takes hard work to relax

Six years ago this summer, my parents sold the family home, packed all their worldly goods - and the family dog - into a car and literally drove off into the sunset in search of a new life in Spain.

It was a much-scrutinised decision, pondered over many years, and their chosen destination was the Spanish Balearic island of Mallorca.

Their goal was not unlike thousands of other Britons who are increasingly departing the UK for the promise of a better life abroad, but can the realities of life in Spain live up to the dream?

Well, my parents would probably answer with a cautionary yes - but with several crucial provisos.

Firstly, preparation is everything. Although you may think you've carried out a successful reccee of your new home, there is no substitute for actually being immersed in day-to-day living. Learning the language is crucial - especially if you plan on being in business.

In Mallorca for example, residents speak both Catalan (in the local dialect called Mallorquin) and Spanish - which can be particularly confusing if you have small children.

Madeleine Manning moved to the island in 2000 when her daughter was four-years-old. Despite being told she could find a school that taught in Spanish, she found it was predominantly Mallorquin, which meant having to get to grips with not one but two languages in order to help with her daughter's homework.

Taxes and stress

As my parents found, the tax system can also be very confusing to navigate, as can the realisation that money can be taken directly from your bank account, which makes it hard to budget when you first start running a business.

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Culturally, business etiquette in Spain really can be best described by the 'manana' maxim.

Six years on, my mum still finds it frustrating trying to get anything done as business colleagues regularly disappear for extended lunches or shut up shop for the afternoon.

Of course, the up-side to this is that after a while you tend to relax too.

Although healthcare provision is very good in Mallorca, the confusion surrounding health entitlements in an emergency situation made for quite a harrowing ordeal.

My brother suffered a sudden fit at a water-park and staff there called the ambulance.

Unfortunately the nearest hospital was private and on arrival we were told my brother wasn't covered, which resulted in a nerve-wracking hour-long journey across the island.

On arrival at the state hospital we had another agonising wait as our explanation that we were residents fell on deaf ears without his residency card - which had been left at home as we were on a swimming trip.

Situations like these really reinforce the reality that you are in a foreign country and even with proper planning, unforeseen circumstances will always come along to unfoot you.

Competition - not relaxation

Life in Spain obviously differs greatly if you are retired or of you have moved to work.

What some of the Spanish say about the Brits...

Competition for jobs can be fierce amongst the burgeoning British community in Mallorca, especially in a market which largely relies on seasonal trade.

Some new arrivals, who think the move will be an extension of the annual summer holiday, have departed before the close of the season, as the realities of running a business in the aggressive market are realised.

Integrating with the local Spanish community is becoming increasingly essential.

A recent poll showed that 60% of Mallorcans believe there are too many foreigners on the island, with immigration being the second most important concern to residents behind housing.

"You get racism every single day of the week," says Madeleine. "If there's a prize draw going, the locals will get a ticket, but you won't. But that's life.

"I am in a foreign country not speaking the best Spanish in the world so it's only to be expected. I just hope when my daughter's older she doesn't get the same attitude."

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With rising numbers of Brits moving to the island, it would seem that integration really is the key. And with a bit of common sense and some careful preparation, it is much easier to adapt to the lifestyle.

So too is the realisation that you will need to make real changes in your life to make it work.

After a while, the local traditions definitely rubbed off on my parents. You can take three hours over lunch, people you meet in town will stop and buy you a drink and you are never far away from a picture-postcard sunset.

It may be possible to buy British produce in the local supermarket and get by in English. But the success stories, in my experience, are those who have really embraced the Spanish culture instead of remaining insular.

Kirstie Andrews is a BBC journalist, writing in a personal capacity.