A British expat who relocated to the Costa del Sol in search of a dream retirement says she now regrets the move because she is ‘bored stiff’.
Joanna Vanbergen (pictured above), 68, left Tunbridge Wells two-and-a-half years ago with husband James, hoping to enjoy their later years in sunny Estepona. But the reality, she says, is far from idyllic.
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‘I wake up each morning and think: ‘What day is it? What shall I do today?’ Sometimes, the highlight is going out to post a letter,’ Joanna told the i paper.
The couple have a long history with the Spanish town, with two members of Joanna’s family – her sister and father – having bought property there.
The couple first purchased a flat before swapping it for a two-bedroom bungalow complete with a garden and pool, where they now live.
They have a home in the UK which they rent out for income, which allowed them to take the plunge and become full-time residents.
However, because they moved on a non-lucrative visa, it means they are not allowed to work.
She explained: ‘I’m not into gardening or home-making, and I’m not really into leisure or going out for coffee mornings and lunch all the time, or that sort of thing. I like to feel like I am achieving something each day…
‘Even though Spain is very pleasant, I am sitting here bored stiff with not enough to fill my days.’
In an update this week, Joanna said she volunteers three days a week in a charity shop and ‘speaks reasonable Spanish’, meaning integrating is not the issue.
But back in the UK, Joanna ran her own vintage resale business, flipping clothing and collectibles.
She explained in a Facebook post: ‘I love my work, it provides education, a social life, profit, and the buzz I need, and I can’t do that here… also I miss the people I’ve grown up with in the UK.’
If the couple wanted to work in Spain, they could become ‘autonomo’, aka self-employed, but the costs involved seldom make it worthwhile.
Joanna said she would have to be making over €1,000 per month just to cover the expenses.
In her latest post, she said: ‘I fully intend to spend the next year half in Spain and half in the UK.’
So basically, she didn’t think it through before settling in Estepona full-time. Living somewhere is not the same as being there on holiday. And let’s face it, as a retiree, much of life is about coffee mornings, lunches and generally not doing much but doing what you choose to do when you want and at your speed. And discovering new hobbies to fill your days. Hardly Estepona’s fault. Easy answer, though, rent out the Estepona property for income, and go back to the UK. It’s not exactly rocket science.