Issue Nº 2

Jan - March 2012

Are you thinking of moving

to Spain?

Would you like advice on which area is best for

you & your family? Find out how to avoid paying

Import Duty if you take your UK car with you ...

You can save a lot of money by talking to the

experts and taking the right steps before you

make your move...

The first step towards a successful relocation

to Spain is to contact ...

www.ccbspain.comTel: (00 34) 952 48 68 06

WOW! Can you believe we are already into 2012.

Time flies when you are having fun .. or so the saying goes!

What plans do you have for this year? Did you make any new Year

Resolutions? Have you broekn any of them yet?

This year we have got lots of exciting projects planned including our

very first Charity Family Fun Day in June (more details to follow).

Once again this issue is jam packed with interesting articles from all

our contributors. Have a look at the Contents below and flick through

and enjoy whatever interests you. Remember that by clicking on any of

the emails or websites in this magazine will take you directly through

to our contributors websites.

Please remember to tell them wher you saw their information.

Contents:Page

Important updates for foreigners in 4

Spain by www.ccbspain.com

Chosing a private school in Madrid 6

by www.moving2madrid.com

Reasons for living in Valencia 8

by www.valencia-property.com

A guide to Sevilla & Tapas 10

by www.azahar-sevilla.com

Mouth watering Recipes 12

by www.larosilla-catering.com

Spanish wines 14

by www.anniebsspanishkitchen.com

The Spanish Tax Advantage 16

by David Rogers.

Currencies Direct 18

The Gratitude Project 20

by www.costawomen.ning

January Clearout by Molly 22

It´s Just ... by www.loadofbull.es 24

Fl ipping the Contract 27

by www.thespanishbrick.com

How can I boost my Spanish Vocabulary

by www.learnspanish4life.com 28

Bilingual Childrens Books with a 30

Difference by www.jajaja-books.com

Book Review by 32

www.books4spain.com

Fifteen years of family fun: Isla Magica

by www.roundaboutspain.com 34

¡Hasta Pronto!Family In Spain

Welcome! ¡Bienvenidos!

Foreigners living in Spain are often uncertain as

to what constitutes being a tax resident in Spain

and whether or not they should change their tax

status.

Following changes to the NIE/ Residencia / Foreigners Registration

Certificate regulations over the past few years, many expats in Spain

have become daunted with the current situation and are unsure about

current regulations.

Spanish fiscal laws and tax treaties state that if your “habitual resi-

dence” is in Spain then you should be registered as a fiscal resident in

Spain.

A person is considered to have their “habitual residence” in Spain if:

- they spend more than 183 days per year in Spain. Sporadic trips out-

side of Spain are counted within this period, unless tax residence in

another country is proven. - the main sources of income originate in

Spain and/or a spouse and/or children reside in Spain.

(Please be aware that in cases of uncertainty, the burden of proof rests

with the individual.)

If you chose to become a Fiscal resident in Spain then you should notify

the tax office in your home country to avoid double taxation.

As a Fiscal Resident of Spain, you are required to complete your annual

tax returns in Spain (Declaracion de la Renta). These tax returns are

submitted in May for the previous tax year.ie. In May 2012, you will

submit your tax return for the period 1st January 2011 to 31st

December 2011. This return must include your worldwide income not

only your income in Spain.

To Be or Not To Be A Tax Resident in Spain is not a decision to be taken

lightly. If in doubt, seek the advice of a professional tax consultant.

Important Update for Foreigners living

in or moving to Spain ...

To Be or Not to Be a

Tax Resident in Spain...

In Andalucia, many foreigners are panicking when they receive this let-

ter from the Agencia Tributaria ...

There is no need to panic. If you

receive this letter from the Agencia

Tributaria, it does not necessarily

mean that you have to pay any taxes.

However, it does mean that you

should seek professional advice.

Subject to your own personal situa-

tion, you may be exempt from paying

these taxes in Spain.

Here is a basic translation of the

contents of the letter …

“From the data held by the tax

agency in Spain (AEAT), it is known

that for any of the years 2007, 2008

or 2009, you were the owner of any

property situated in Spanish

territory, and there is no record of any liquidation statement submit-

ted by income tax on non residents (IRNR). , the income tax of natural

persons (IRPF)or the property tax (only in 2007).

In the event that your situation is that shown in the previous para-

graph, we inform you that, before the AEAT can initiate a verification

procedure , which could result in the imposition of sanctions, you have

the opportunity to regularize your tax situation, proceeding to the

presentation of the statement or omitted statements and payment, if

any, of outstanding fees.”

If you have received this letter and are unsure about your own

personal obligations, do not hesitate to Contact Us via Tel:+34 952 48

68 06 or email info@ccbspain.com

The Spanish authorities are catching up with foreign property

owners in Spain who are not fulfilling their tax obligations...

www.ccbspain.com ... Expat & Relocation Services

Providing essential updates for foreigners living in

or relocating to Spain

Finding the right school for your children is essential for their well-

being in Madrid. Growing up in a foreign country is a unique

opportunity to learn a new language and a new culture. In my opinion,

Madrid is the #1 option in Spain to enable your children, in terms of

education institutions, from nursery schools to world class

universities. The main strength of private schools compared to public

schools in Spain is that the teachers have more time and ressources to

give much more personal attention to the pupil, and the level of English

spoken there will really be bilingual.

The first criteria would then be to see which schools are close to where

you are thinking of living. Most private schools in the suburbs have a

private bus service to take their pupils around Madrid from their home

to their school. These fees can cost from 1,000 to 2,500 a year.

I recommend that you should try to find a school less than 20 minutes

by car or bus from where you live. They are in majority in the North of

Madrid,

Interactive Map of Best Schools for Expat Kids in Madrid"

The second criteria would then be the price. The price tag for one of

these quality private schools would be between 4000 and 20 000 € a

year, depending on the services and reputation of the school. Most

schools do not disclose their prices on their websites. You will have to

contact them to get the price quote for your specific case.

Ask about prices to several schools, including: yearly tuition fees,

"matrícula"/inscription/capital fee, bus fee, and other charges you

might have. Compare final prices since schools usually have many fees

you will need to sum up to be able to compare.

Chosing a Private Scool in Madrid ...

Third criteria: Do you want your child to be only with other expat kids,

or to mingle with local Spanish pupils who want to be bilingual? Most

private bilingual schools have a majority of Spanish pupils, some only

have expats. If you feel your children have to get more support and feel

less lost on his first year, then going for a 100% expat school can be a

solution. If you believe that your children will be able to learn Spa-

nish and make friends in a new environment, then choosing a mixed

Spanish / Expat pupil population is the best choice. It is all about defi-

ning the capacity of your child to adapt to its new environment: does

he need to dive directly into this new world, or does he need a transi-

tion period within an expat environment ? It also depends if you are in

Spain for the long term or only for a short period.

Last but not least, you should be able to assess the quality of the

teaching. This is the hardest part. You should ask for:

- the school curriculum

- the staff credentials,

- references of families from the same country/region with children in

the school

- ask directly "How are you different from X/Y/Z (schools you are

considering)"

If you need help or advice to choose the school in Madrid for your

children, do not hesitate to send me an email at:

pierre@moving2madrid.com

Blog : Moving2Madrid.com

Relocation Services : FlatAwayMadrid.com

Yours Madridly,

Pierre

This is probably the most "salesy" article I

have ever written. Of course as an estate

agent n Valencia I am bound to say that

Valencia is a great place to live but when I

think about it, well, it just is.

So anyway Valencia is the third biggest city

in Spain behind the two obviously well known places of Madrid and

Barcelona. If you are thinking of starting a business in Spain then these

two places are great but the prices of them are a tad too high for my

taste. Valencia offers everything those two cities can plus a good dose

of contrast between modernism and traditional styles at a fraction of

the cost.

I came to live in Valencia sort of by default, my wife was

offered a job in an international school here and in

Madrid and "I" accepted the Valencia one obviously

(Madrid is much too far away from the coast, sorry

Pierre) I also wanted to start a business and it would

not have been possible in Madrid due to the difficulties

of getting about and the size of the city.

I knew Valencia because of the Fallas fiestas and that

was more or less enough. A week of debauchery,

fireworks and drunkenness in the best fiesta in Spain,

bar none, Fallas is a must visit for any family holiday

;-). I knew that Valencia was a place I would like living.

So anyway we came here and to start off, although the general lifestyle

was excellent, family life was a little more difficult. On days when it

was raining, and I will admit there aren't many, there was simply

nothing to do! This has now changed amazingly.

The City of Arts and Sciences has been built, a must visit for anyone

coming to the city and the best and yet least known millennium project

in the World www.cac.es. We now have the Bioparc, one of the best zoos

in the World because of the space afforded to the animals and its

Reasons For Living in Valencia ...

commitment to preservation and

reproduction. The public transport

network around the city is excellent but

it is now complemented by the Valenbisi

system of really cheap bike hire which

works really well in a flat city with

around 320 days of sunshine per year.

And there is plenty to see and do for the

whole family especially in the Turia

riverbed park including the wonderful,

and totally free, Gulliver Park, where the

kids and a lot of adults too, can clamber over Gulliver as if they were

Lilliputians.

Needless to say in a city of a million people there are plenty of things

to do and many of them are free or very cheap. However there are also

many things you pay for to differing degrees, two first division football

clubs means there is a game every weekend during the season and

there are also excellent basketball and handball teams to enjoy.

However the opportunity to actually participate in sport is also

huge in Valencia with every town and village having a fully fledged

sports centre with swimming pools, artificial grass football

pitches and more. Usually these are priced really well too as they

are municipal facilities.

For a family Valencia offers a lot at a price that is a lot less than

the two major Spanish cities. Just don't mention the waiters, they

are shockingly bad!

Reasons For Living in Valencia ...

Graham Hunt is the owner of Valencia Property SL,

www.valencia-property.com and various other busines-

ses in Spain.

He publishes a weekly newsletter “Spain is Different”.

To receive this free Newsletter, sign up HERE:

http://bit.ly/zq5gqy (just click this link)

Graham

For any visitor or new arrival in Spain with even

a passing interest in food, which is to say almost

everyone, the first thing that they want to try are tapas.

What are tapas? Tapas are a variety of small

savoury Spanish dishes, often served as a snack

with drinks, or with other tapas as a meal. To

“tapear”, going from bar to bar for drinks and

tapas, is an essential part of the social culture

of Spain, especially in the south, and is some-

thing that every visitor to Spain should

experience. Because tapas are informal, and the

bars are often busy, they are commonly eaten

standing up at the bar or at small tables or even upturned barrels, and the

atmosphere is convivial and noisy. In most tapas bars you will see

traditional cured hams hanging from the rafters, and many bars in Seville

are decorated with posters for bullfights, Semana Santa (holy week) and

the Feria de Abril (spring fair).

How to order tapas: Newcomers to Spain often make the mistake of orde-

ring a whole whack of tapas as soon as they get their drinks and then have

to jostle for table space when they all arrive at once and attempt to eat

them all before they get cold. If there are just two of you, better to order a

couple of tapas to start off with and, when those arrive, order a couple

more. For larger groups you may prefer to order half or full "raciones"

instead of tapas. These are basically larger servings of the same dishes are

usually better value for money when there are a few people sharing.

History of tapas: There are a number of theories of the origin of the custom

of eating small snacks with drinks. Legend has it that because of illness the

thirteenth century Castilian king Alfonso X (the Wise) had to eat small

snacks with his wine between meals to maintain his strength, and after

recovering passed a law that wine or beer served in taverns had to be

accompanied by food. More probably the origins were practical, with bread

or a small plate of ham or olives being used to keep dust or insects out of

the drink (the literal meaning of “tapa” is “lid”). Tapas in its modern form

is generally believed to have begun in the taverns and bars of Seville and

Andalucia.

Sevilla Tapas www.azahar-sevilla.com

Prices and eating times

Prices vary; you can expect to pay €2-3

for a typical tapa, though they can go as

high as 5€. Kitchens are usually open

between 1.00-4.00 in the afternoon, and

later again from 8.00- 11.30, though

some bars will stay open between 5-8

serving drinks and cold foods. Many bars

also open for breakfast, serving tostadas

(toasted rolls with a variety of toppings), coffee and juices.

The best tapas bars in Sevilla: Sorry to disappoint but it really is impossible

to list the "best bars" as there are so many variables to consider. I'm often

asked which are my favourite tapas bars in Sevilla, which is always a very

difficult question to answer. It depends on whether I want a quick snack

or a full meal, if I'm in the mood for traditional food or something modern

and innovative, whether I fancy seafood or meat dishes, and all kinds of

other considerations. But some of the tapas bars I go to frequently are:

Vineria San Telmo, La Azotea, Las Golondrinas, Modesto and Bodeguita

Romero. All of these places are very different in terms of the food and

atmosphere and all of them are wonderful in their own way.

Sevilla Tapas: With over 3000 tapas bars in Seville people are spoiled for

choice, but visitors are often overwhelmed by having so many options. It's

not even easy to tell if a place is a favourite of locals as many Spanish

people seen there may also be tourists, so there are no hard and fast rules.

In a way this is what inspired my Sevilla Tapas blog, where I have listed

close to a hundred bars and restaurants with the main criteria being

"would I recommend this place to a friend?". You can search for tapas bars

by barrio (neighbourhood), type of cuisine or by name in alphabetical

order.

For a fun and informative introduction to Spanish food and wine try one

of my Sevilla Tapas Tours. These are casual personalised tours where you

can experience some of the best tapas bars in town and sample the house

specialities. The biggest compliment for me is when people tell me their

tour experience was like being out with an old friend and that they would

never have gone into this bar or tried that dish without my help. I

recommend that people take the tour at the beginning of their visit as this

sets them up for going out for tapas on their own during the rest of their

stay.For more details and to book your vey own Sevilla Tapas Tour:

Email azahar.sevilla@gmail.com , www.twitter.com/SevillaTapas

La Rosilla – Lifestyle & Food.Home cooked seasonal dishes served with style.

Personal inland tours of the Axarquia, bringing local food, culture & knowldege together for a true expereince of real family life in Spain.

Private dining, Mountain 'Supperclub' & Event Catering.

www.larosillacatering.comLifestyle & Food

Eating in season is something we should all try and do more often, for-

tunaletly in Spain we are blessed with wonderful fresh & invogorating

produce most of the year. Just when we feel like we need to detox, or

liven up our diets with vibrant tastes, nature provides for us. Our trees

are full of citrus fruits of all types, grapefruits, lemons, limes & oranges

to eat and make jams & marmalades. Avocados are ripening beautifully

full of antioxidants & natural oils. I have included a few recipes with

these health giving ingredients – Enjoy .

Grapefruit Winter Warmer Brew.Freshly squeezed Ruby Red grapefruit juice is sweetened with honey

and infused with the warm flavors of cinnamon and allspice. Enjoy this

tea before bed, to soothe a cold, or serve as an invigorating breakfast

drink.

Ingredients

• 2 Grapefruits squeezed

• 2 to 4 tablespoons honey

• 1 cinnamon stick

• 1/2 teaspoon whole allspice berries

Directions:

1. In a medium pot, combine juice, honey, cinnamon, allspice, and

1/2 cup water. Bring to a boil over high heat; strain and discard solids.

Serve with a grapefruit segment or strip of zest.

Avocado, grapefruit Tortilla nibbles.

Oven-crisped wedges of flour tortilla are topped with mashed avocado

and grapefruit wedges to create a colorful appetizer. Red pepper and

thin rounds of jalapeno add a crisp bite.

Ingredients

• 6 flour tortillas

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

• 3 pink or white grapefruit, peel and pith removed

• 1/2 red pepper, stemmed and seeded

• 2 avocados, peeled and pitted

• Juice of 1 lime

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 2 small jalapeno peppers, sliced into rounds

• Fresh Coriander chopped.

La Rosilla – Lifestyle & Food.Home cooked seasonal dishes served with style.

Personal inland tours of the Axarquia, bringing local food, culture & knowldege together for a true expereince of real family life in Spain.

Private dining, Mountain 'Supperclub' & Event Catering.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush tortillas with butter; cut

each into eight triangles. Arrange on a baking sheet; toast in oven until

golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Set chips aside. Using a paring knife, remove

each grapefruit section; set aside. Cut red pepper lengthwise, and cut

into strips .

2. In a medium bowl, mash avocados with a fork until softened

with some small pieces. Mix in lime juice, and season with salt and pep-

per. Add chopped coriander .Heap about 2 teaspoons avocado mixture

on tortilla chip triangle, place a reserved grapefruit section on top, and

garnish with a red pepper slice and jalapeno slices. serve immediately.

Quick Lemon CurdA lovely quick recipe, when you’re short on time, or when you want to

impress impromptu guests. Perhaps your lemons are just dripping off

the trees, mine are :)

Lovely spread on warm scones, or mix with a little natural yogurt and

put in a ramekin, dusted with brown sugar and bruleed.

Ingredients

• 1 cup white sugar

• 3 eggs

• 1 cup fresh lemon juice

• 3 lemons, zested & juiced.

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

Directions

1. In a microwave-safe bowl, whisk together the sugar and eggs

until smooth. Stir in lemon juice, lemon zest and butter. Cook in the mi-

crowave for one minute intervals, stirring after each minute until the

mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. Remove from

the microwave, and pour into small sterile jars. Store for up to three

weeks in the refrigerator.

If you forget to stir, or over cook slightly, just pass through a fine sieve.

Spanish wine is getting better and better

But how do we know what to buy? What does the

label tell us?

There are so many fab and trendy looking wine labels

winking at us from supermarket shelves these days. Also some wine

lists in restaurants need a guide book to take us though them.

When it comes to selecting red wine, a few useful tips to think about

are Roble or Joven, Crianza, Reserva & Gran

Reserva. These 4 classifications, seen most

often on bottles of red are an indication of

what you’re getting in the bottle.

Don’t be fooled by the fact that the older the

vintage, the better the wine will be. Unless we

know how that wine has been made – we have

no idea if it’s going to be good or bad. Oak gives

red wine its longevity. If red wine has not spent

time in an oak barrel – it’s not going to keep for

any length of time, regardless of the vintage. So

this is what you should bear in mind

The classifications of Roble, Crianza, Reserva

& Gran Reserva , signify the specific length of time/ageing period that

the wine has spent in oak cask and then bottle. These classifications

tell you if a wine is drinkable, past its best or not yet ready to drink.

JOVEN or ROBLE – Young wines of the current year which have not

been aged in oak unless it mentions Roble (oak), which signifies a short

time in oak. These wines are made for immediate drinking and not for

keeping. No point in keeping in your rack for more than a year as it has

been made without the use of oak to preserve it. So in a restaurant, if

you are offered a bottle of Ribera del Duero Roble 2009 – it is probably

beyond the drinking point. Don’t even cook with it!

Check out the latest happenings at Annie B's Spanish Kitchen

www.anniebsspanishkitchen.com

Follow what´s happening at Annie B's Spanish Kitchen Group on

Facebook http://on.fb.me/xUq4fw

Read my blog at http://anniebsspanishkitchen.blogspot.com

CRIANZA Easy drinking wines which by the law of DOC (Denominación

de Origen Calificada) it has to have had a minimum of 12 months in oak

and then 12 in bottle before being released. Crianzas from 2009 are the

current release will keep for a few years only. Great to drink even wi-

thout food.

RESERVA In order to be classified as a DoC Reserva, this red wine must

spend at least 36 months in a cask and bottle, of which at least 12

months should be in oak casks. This wine will be more complex and

need a little while to breath before drinking. Then it will open out and

wow! Best to drink with food.

GRAN RESERVA This signifies a majestic wine which by law of its DoC

has been in an oak barrel for at least 2 years and 3 years in bottle

before being released on the market. Not every vine-

yard declares a Gran Reserva. Depending on the wine-

maker, these wines are made for keeping. You will

probably need to decant before drinking to achieve full

characteristics of the wine. Best to always drink with

food. This wine is for special dinners. It is scare which

should be reflected in the price.

The higher the classification, the more expensive the

wine will be as more cellarage and attention has been

required to bring that bottle to the market. There are

many great wine makers in Spain therefore, if you know

the reputation of the winemaker, the above general

rules may not always apply so please just refer to them

as a guideline.

There are many inconsistencies in the wine market but one this is for

sure – if you drink too much you will eventually fall over !

¡Salud!

Annie B

Tax Efficient Pensions

Many individuals find pensions confusing and the

global recession and so called “credit crunch” has

created a great deal of concern over pension

invested funds. This is only compounded when

you move overseas as you may also be affected by exchange rate

fluctuations.

Well the overseas part shouldn’t worry you, in fact as a result of living

overseas there are significant advantages open to you with regard to

your UK pension arrangements.

In April 2006 and 2011, UK pension legislation changed allowing

persons living outside the UK to transfer their pension assets to an

alternate overseas pension scheme. These have been formally named

Qualified Recognized Overseas Pension Schemes or QROPS for short.

Although not for everyone, these schemes offer significant flexibility

and tax advantages over that as offered by UK sited schemes. By trans-

ferring your existing pension assets to a QROPS you could save up to

55% in tax charges on 1st death succession and further 55% on 2nd

death succession. In short this means that your heirs will truly benefit

from your life time’s work rather than your adopted child the UK

chancellor.

In the majority of cases a transfer to an overseas scheme proves to be

in the policy holder’s best interest as advantages of transferring to a

QROPS include:

• No need to make life long decision now that are locked in

• No requirements to purchase an annuity

• No requirements to pay UK tax charge upon death

• Tax efficiency on Income Drawdown

• Currency hedging (as you could receive your income in the currency

of your resident country)

• Better inheritance provisions

• Far greater freedom of investment choices

However, it’s not for everyone and in certain circumstances a transfer

could prove to be a disadvantage, such as certain defined benefit

The Spanish Tax Advantage (Part 2)...

A Date for your Diary:

Sunday 3rd June 2012

We are very happy to announce our very first

Family Life In Spain Family Fun Charity Day

Traditional sprots day games such as:Three Legged Race, Egg & Spoon, Sack race ...

LIVE entertainment from local goups ,bands & clubsFull bar, BBQ , traditional food stalls & much more!

If you would like to participate please email familylifeinspain@gmail.com

schemes. Also be aware that some companies and individuals claim

that you can 100% commute your pension by transferring to such

jurisdictions as New Zealand.

Whilst this is possible you need to be aware of the possible implica-

tions of such transfers. For example some claim that this can be done

“tax free”. If by “tax free” they mean there are no taxes to pay in New

Zealand, then they are correct. However the tax position in either the

UK or Spain may differ considerably. Indeed the legislation that allowed

this is set to change with reforms to the UK Financial Act planned for

April 2012. These changes will put a stop to this practice which will in

turn provide greater consumer protection.

In short before embarking on an overseas pension transfer ensure that

you are talking to a trusted and regulated company and that you are

made “fully” aware of the implications should you return to the UK and

as such your tax liabilities.

To find out more please contact me on 0034 952 816 443 or 0034 622

345 558 or simply email me at david.rogers@blacktowerfm.com

The information contained in this article does not constitute financial advice and you should seek

advice from a professional tax adviser before embarking on any financial planning activity.

With the recent credit down-grading of a number

of Eurozone countries, including France, are we

about to finally see the start of the Euro break-up?

Well if I had a crystal ball I could give you the answer! As it stands each

piece of negative news is followed by a positive one and vice versa.

What is clear is that the continuing crisis within the Eurozone plays

directly into the hands of the doomongers who continuously talk of

the inevitability of the final euro breakdown. As more and

more details are released concerning the French/German

efforts to stabalise the eurozone, it is becoming increasingly

clear that there plans are flawed.

This in turn places more pressure on the euro, forcing it

down to currently record lows against the US Dollar. Add to

this the news from Greece that they are unlikely to be able

to repay the next loan instalments – a key factor in allowing

further bail-out money to be given to the country - and you begin to

see how constant talk of a breakdown of the Eurozone has increasing

credibility

As I indicated already, each piece of negative news is followed by a

positive one. In this case, as the Euro sinks, so the good old British

Pound rises. As I write this, GBP currently stands against the Euro at

over 1.21 Only a matter of weeks ago we were looking at 1.14, so in

effect, the pound has risen by over 6% in less than six weeks (I

wouldn’t mind that sort of interest rate from my Bank ! ) .

But what about the UK ? Unfortunately the UK media has always pros-

pered on the basis that ‘bad news is good news’. Any positive comments

from the Government are quickly given a negative spin. Only this

Saturday a report predicted the UK in 2012 would avoid recession but

that growth would ‘flatline’.

Then come Monday, the news channels reinterpret this to mean the UK

More Gloom for the Eurozone?

is heading for a further recession (this despite Osbourne’s announce-

ment that the UK has reached an agreement with China, that the City

will become the biggest trading centre for Chinese currency outside of

China itself. In turn, this will create additional jobs and potentially,

billions in terms of increased profit)

So let us look a little more closely at Spain – new austerity measures

have in the main, been received positively by the international

community. However, unemployment continues to rise and I have no

doubt, sooner or later the unions will begin to flex their muscles. What

would be the consequences of Spain pulling out of the Euro?

In the short-term, a return to the peseta would present us with a

20-40% devaluation. This in turn would push up in-

flation and further weaken the housing market. Doom

and Gloom?

Not in the longer turn. A further decrease in property

prices, coupled with a devaluation of the currency, will

inevitably lead to international bargain hunters

returning to our shores in the pursuit of what they

perceive to be low-cost property.

This in turn helps stimulate the markets, assists with expansion within

the construction industry and hey presto, we are back where we

started 5 years ago!

So, after all that, the future of the international money markets remain

as clear as mud!!!

To open a Currencies Direct account, click here: http://bit.ly/Af9zN4

If you would like more infoprmation on how to make your money go

further or on any of the many financial products Currencies Direct

offer, please contact Paul Ellis at Currencies Direct :

+34 952906581 (Office), +34 687417034 (Mobile) or

e-mail at paul.e@currenciesdirect.com

REMEMBER to quote Ref: A06230 (Thank you!)

Time; our most valuable possession The old adage “time waits for no (wo)man” manifests itself every day! As Christmas / Día de los Reyes Magos is finally over and we head into 2012, I hear shouts of “where did 2011 go?” Getting older years, months, days and minutes!

seemingly vanish partly due to the wonderful intervention of the www. Computers, phones, even TV can connect us anywhere and we can be found by anyone (Google Latitude for instance, tracks you with your phone); the roadrunner and his bleep bleep just went into overdrive! As women we are famed for being great at multi-tasking but have we taken it all too far? How many articles do you have bookmarked for later, or emails in a to-read folder? Do you find yourself never quite catching up with your day? So how do we slow down time? The perception that time is moving faster is just that – we still have 24 hours in day, 60 minutes in an hour and 60 seconds to a minute. So why is that when you were younger it seemed that life was moving at a much slower pace.

When did the long hot summer pass us by? Growing up we faced a lot of new events; seeing the sea for the first time, first day at school, big holiday with our parents, first date etc. These were all new, completely alien occasions and created novel events. You couldn’t dip into your memory bank as there was nothing there. The feeling from the world of Physiology is that we take those initial events and then the experiences create more detailed and lasting memories. When an event is repeated over and over, year on year, it creates a much less significant or lasting impression.

Do you remember going somewhere new when the drive there always seemed to take longer than the drive back! Then there is that first look at an amazing building, or remarkable view. I always try to

take a photo the minute I see that vista as it doesn’t take long to become part of the background and almost normal.

So what’s the key to slowing down the time we live in?

MMiicchhaaeell AAllttssuulleerr ""TThhee bbaadd nneewwss iiss tt iimmee ffll iieess;; tthhee ggoooodd nneewwss iiss yyoouu’’rree tthhee ppii lloott..""

LLaaoo TTzzuu wwrroottee,, ""TToo bbeeccoommee lleeaarrnneedd,, eeaacchh ddaayy aadddd ssoommeetthhiinngg.. TToo bbeeccoommee eennll iigghhtteenneedd,, eeaacchh ddaayy ddrroopp ssoommeetthhiinngg..""

We´ve packed up the Christmas decorations and eaten the last mince

pie. After the excesses over the festive period, shiny new toys for the

children, new clothes and gadgets for us we´re back to reality in

January.

I usually start the year with a good clear out of things at home. I find it

best to begin with just one drawer or one shelf in a cupboard. With

each item decide what to do:

· Keep it: put it away, in the correct place in the home

· Throw it away (or recycle if possible)

· Give it away, you no longer need it but it may be useful to someone

To clear out my wardrobe I usually go through all my jeans and trousers

one day, then another time, I´ll check through coats and jackets. This

way it´s less daunting.

Think about anything that you haven’t worn for a while. Is it the wrong

size? A pain to iron? Is it missing a button? Maybe you don´t have any-

thing that goes with that garment.

Once you begin to work on your wardrobe or your home it will

gradually get easier. If you are moving house, it is great to do this well

ahead of your move so that you are only taking useful items along with

you and not decluttering on arrival, saving a lot of money in the moving

costs (or storage fees)

Once you have piles of things that you no longer find useful. Here are a

few ideas of what to do with them:

Books: There are many

different initiatives now to

make use of second hand books.

You make take them to an Inter-

national bookshop and trade in

for other titles you haven’t

read. You may swap them on-

line with www.bookmooch.com

and receive other books. You

need to pay postage so it´s best

to find users in Spain rather

than outside the country to

January Clear out!

keep postage fees low. You can put a

joblot on Freecycle for someone to

collect locally. Also you may release

them into the world using www.book-

crossing.com tracking them online to

see where they are being read.

Clothes & Shoes: There are many diffe-

rent things you can do, you may sell

clothes on ebay.co.uk although the

postage costs in Spain make this

slightly restrictive. Some brands do

particularly well (e.g Karen Millen,

Whistles and designer labels) making it worthwhile. Humana is a

charity that accepts unwanted clothes and accessories, they have 25

shops in Spain. Read more here: http://bit.ly/A6mM3Y Some charities

leave bags or boxes in the apartments for collection at a later date. Also

there are large containers for clothing on most streets. If you donate

shoes, please fasten them together well.

Mobile phones: You can hand in your mobile phone to TELCOR,

addresses in Andalucía are here: http://bit.ly/x0o033 they will give

you a voucher to spend in El Corté Inglés for the scrap value of the

phone. If must be fully charged and with the charger when you hand it

in. If you don’t have a charger or the phone is not working you can ask

at your Spanish post office to send the phone to Red Cross, they have

freepost envelopes and the charity recycles the phones.

Magazines: If you have magazines in English your Spanish friends may

like to read them if they are learning the language. I also take magazi-

nes to the dentist´s or doctors and for the waiting rooms.

Toys: You can donate them to a local nursery or charity. Caritas in

Malaga accept clothes and toys www.caritasmalaga.es in Granada they

receive items at their Caritas HQ on at 3 Dr Azpitarte street on weekday

mornings.

Molly originally from Nottingham, moved to Spain in the

1990´s, initially based in Barcelona, for the past 6 years is

living in Granada, Andalucia.

Working in Technology sector in PR & Communications, she

has also a Postgraduate in Institutional Relations & Protocol

from Granada University.

Find Molly on Twitter: @piccavey

Dave Bull has lived in Spain for twelve years and writes about his

experiences in expat publications and on blogs. You can keep updated

with his schenanigans by checking out his website: www.loadofbull.es

or follow him on twitter @davejbull.

The following is an exerpt from his recently published book :

It Just Is ..

SUNDAY JANUARY 31st 2010

What a January day. The sun is shining, the sky is blue and I’m sitting in

one of Alicante’s trendiest bars in the trendiest area, but just at the

wrong time of day… Effigies of Tin Tin and Snowy and the Thompson

Twins (not the 80’s band) surround me - this is Captain Haddock’s Bar.

On the arm of Alicante port, this place is alive with music, laughter and

life - buzzing with youthful sweat and expectation, but at night. Not, as

usual, while I am here. Still, not a bad place to be; seagulls screeching

and scrounging in the sun and the clink clink of yacht masts while well-

dressed locals amble along looking relaxed and content. The odd Brit

(easy to spot: football shirt, tattoo, shorts in winter, socks and sandals –

and the men are as bad) stumbles along dragging a hot family behind in

search of ‘a bloody pint and some chips.’

I’ve escaped to the port but back on the Urb things are kicking off again,

the personal trainer is back. Having left under a very dark cloud a year

ago the Urb’s very own Mr Motivator is back - minus the wife. Mr M

vehemently denied any ‘improper’ behaviour with one of his attractive,

Swedish, female, curvy clients and went back to the UK – chasing the wife

– and bemoaning those who prejudged. Well that didn’t work out and

luckily Miss Sweden has allowed him to move in with her, and help look

after the little one. Not sure where Miss Sweden’s husband is in all this

but was last heard of sending emails from a North Sea oil rig threatening

to ‘rip out Mr M’s lungs and feed them to the fish...’

While I’m here though I really need to get a front page story finished for

the newspaper about Triads. You see in my role as the editor I don’t get

to face much danger – the worst I get is probably a letter from ‘annoyed

– name and address withheld.’ So when I decided to

write an article about people-trafficking on the Costas

- after receiving bagful’s of letters concerning the

presence of East European prostitutes on just about

every roundabout in Spain, and Chinese DVD sellers

outside of every bar - I thought nothing of it. My boss

Ken, an ex-army major, ironically doesn’t like confron-

tation and was worried that the Triads would be out to

get us if we printed it and made me remove any

reference that might incur the wrath of the ‘Godfathers’

of the orient.

His son Nick, who owns the newspaper, doesn’t help either. He thinks he

knows what he’s doing with computers but has about as much success as

a cow with a Rubik’s cube. Each of our computers has problems with

email. My ‘Inbox’ receives at least five hundred messages per day (of

which about 490 are ‘junk’) so if I have a day or two away from the office

I can return to well over a thousand emails to search through on my

return. Having said that, this week it’s stopped working altogether, which

in a way is a blessing. Couple that with the fact that Ken’s other son,

Derek, has swapped my computer with his – ‘because it’s better than

mine’ – and now I don’t have Microsoft Word, or any other word proces-

sor program. I also can’t print anything because the printer can’t be con-

nected to my computer…according to Nick, and so here I am a journalist

with a PC that can’t print and with no way to read letters, articles or

comments, or even with a means of communicating with anyone electro-

nically – and I’m now writing this at home on a Friday after a week of

working like this.

Still next week things will sort themselves out I’m sure.

I stopped off for a burger on the way home and felt that I should really

congratulate Ronald for making something that tastes exactly like it

sounds, have you tried the McWrap…?

www.familylifeinspain.com

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Let us now spend a few lines on a property practice that is history for the good

of the property business. A widespread practice in Spain during the boom

years that has had many implications for the average buyer and investor: ”dar

el pase”=”To flip the contract.” Nowadays it is impossible to do this given the

prices trend and new regulations.

Buying property off-plan:I remember my friend Anthony asking me in a res-

taurant in London in 2005 why Spaniards always bought properties in new de-

velopments and why those new developments were more expensive than

second-hand properties, a phenomenon that puzzled him, as he had recently

bought a large, brand new apartment in Mallorca.I told him that the primary

reason was because Spaniards often like to flip the contract: “dar el pase”.

Property practice during the boom:This practice was especially prevalent

during the period of credit expansion from 2003 to 2005, and it had a big im-

pact on planned development. Proper developer did not allow this practice,

generally. During a bubble period reflecting fast growth of property prices,

soft credit and the property business cannot be fully monitored by the natio-

nal tax office, thus opening the door to contract flipping.

Flipping the contract… a typical case:Here is a typical case to explain this

lucrative practice: a developer and a buyer sign a contract on a flat that costs

€ 130,000. The agreement states that at the signing of the contract the buyer

is to pay 10% of the total amount (€ 13,000) and an additional 10% in 15

monthly instalments (€ 2,600), whereupon the development will be finished

(15 months).

In the third month after the agreement had been signed, the buyer has spent

€ 13,000 + €2,600 = € 15,600 , but he finds another buyer-speculator who is

interested in the property. Often, the first buyer would transfer his rights and

the deed to the second buyer for an amount higher than what s/he spent, ge-

nerating a profit. For instance, the first buyer could sell his agreement with

the developer to the second buyer for € 30 K, earning a profit of € 14.4 K .

That gives the second buyer 12 months to find a third buyer and repeat the

flip if s/he desires. Because of all of these possible transactions, the final se-

lling price at the completion of the development could easily be increased by

20% from the starting price, as often occurred during the property bubble.

Now, this is history: To add to the hidden nature of this practice, payments

were usually made in cash, making it impossible to track the changes of pos-

session of the contract.

This practice was able to continue because there was not any regulation that

forced developers to register primary contracts (contratos de arras) with their

clients and upfront payments until 1st December 2008. The contracts were

registered only in the name of the f inal buyer, who was in some cases

paying 20% above the original price of the property. . . Now that dodgy

practice is history.

“Flipping the Contract”

To build your Spanish Vocabulary you should read and speak combi-

ning both tasks simultaneously. It is good advice to keep a record of

words that you are learning everyday and of course the translation in

English to help you to have more understanding of both languages.

Learning new vocabulary from sentences or from stories or environ-

ments is a good experience as well as immersing yourself in reading

articles, news, newspapers and include movies too.

This can also give you cultural insights that you don't get from text

books. This will help you realise how much you are learning about the

Spanish language. Learn about it through Topics like in the shops, in

the chemist, in the butcher etc. After translating, hear the word a few

times and speak out loud from your mouth not from your head.

Participate and immerse yourself with Spanish Speaking Communities

or Communities that have the same affinity of Learning Spanish like

you.

The most important thing is practice, speaking in particular, and with

a native speaker even better. Be bold and don't be afraid to make

mistakes and tell your Spanish friends (if you have some) to correct

every one. Talk in Spanish about things that interest you and work on

your weaknesses. Try to make it fun without getting too serious. The

sharing of the learning process makes the whole thing much more fun

and try to do half an hour each day. You will make very rapid progress

this way and your vocabulary will get better.

Learning a new language requires making a big effort on a regular

basis, but it's worth it. Some words they stick better in your head than

others but you need to try to read and speak to memorise. It is not

always easy putting a word into a conversation and you don't always

have the chance to speak to someone in Spanish then share with us and

everything will get even better. Look for words if you can't tell the

meaning by the context. Why not write down new words and carry

them with you. You never know if this will work until you try.

Learn different Topics that will require you to learn different words

and this way you will build your vocabulary. Your vocabulary will

increase if you are in the right environment. Be patient. You, basically,

have to immerse yourself through the memory process until you start

to Speak Spanish enough to get along well.

How Can I Boost My Spanish Vocabulary?

1 - Café – La cafetería

la carta - menu

la sombrilla - umbrella

la máquina de café - coffee machine

(Newsletter)

la terraza - terrace

el bar - bar

el camarero - waiter

los servicios - toilets

2 - Food – La comida

el pan integral - brown bread

la ensalada - salad

el sandwich tostado - toasted sandwich

el helado - ice cream

los aperitivos - starters

el plato del día - menu of the day

3 - Bars – Los bares

el camarero - bartender

el grifo de cerveza - beer tap

el taburete - bar stool

la mesa - table

la caja - tilt

el abrebotellas - bottle opener

el abrelatas - can opener

4 - Bar snacks – Los aperitivos o los

snacks

los cacahuetes - peanuts

las aceitunas - olives

las patatas fritas - chips

las patatas de bolsa - crisps

el queso - cheese

las empanadillas - sauvory pastries

5 - Courses – Los platos

el aperitivo - apéritif

el entrante - starter

el acompañamiento o la guarnición -

side order (Newsletter)

el postre - dessert

el primer plato - first course

el segundo plato - main course

6 - Restaurants – Los restaurantes

la servilleta - napkin

el cubierto - table setting

la bandeja - tray

la barra - bar counter

el posavasos - coaster

la coctelera - cocktail shaker

Eating Out - Salir a Comer Fuera

Learn Spanish 4 Life offer a free weekly email Newsletter about

Spanish Words to increase your knowledge and grammar.

To receive weekly "Word of the Day Newsletter" -

please visit www.learnspanish4life.com

I have always been deeply passionate about learning and teaching

languages and when I decided to jump into the world of writing and

publishing, I was able to combine all my passions at once. I could

encourage children to find language learning fun, through my stories.

They gently lead a child into Spanish by slipping the foreign vocabulary

into an English context, therefore they are so absorbed and engaged in

the story, they don’t even realise they are learning!

I didn’t want to just stop there though so I now take my bilingual

stories, some flash cards, character dolls and a spot of Spanish music

into schools, pre-schools, libraries and children’s centres to get them

involved in my language learning mission!

The children who range from as young as 6 months to 7 years seem to

concentrate really well as they listen to the story and I am not entirely

sure concentration would last as long if the story was entirely bilingual.

They love the fact that they can look after a doll while I read and they

are asked to join in and repeat when I come to a Spanish word. There

are the odd few that don’t join in, but on the whole the majority of them

shout out the words back to me with A LOT of enthusiasm! They also

love to get up and dance at the end, learning some basic flamenco

moves.

This got me thinking about how early we start teaching languages as,

as a rule we Brits do not tend to encourage language learning as much

as you see on the continent. It’s definitely something that is becoming

more popular as people are realising the benefits, but still there is a

slight reluctance.

I wonder if we somehow harp back in our minds to our teenage years,

standing up in French class, wildly blushing, having to recite a verb and

it made me realise what an awful age that is to start learning languages.

Not only is it that much harder but it can be such a painfully awkward

time. The young children I have been reading to, lack all inhibition,

jumping and dancing around and hollering back at me in Spanish. They

don’t look to see what their friend is doing, they don’t blush, or shy

away- they just go for it. They don’t really realise that they are being

taught Spanish; they just suck it all up! It only reinforces to me what a

prime age this is for introducing a second language.

Make learning fun, take away the notion that your child “has” to learn.

Use tools such as character dolls to make up a story, use flash cards

and make them guess the word and count how many they can remem-

ber, take them up the stairs whilst counting your numbers and don’t

forget music and dance is a great way to get children involved. You

never know how much you will learn along with your child!

Genevieve was born in Colchester, Essex in 1978. She studied

at the University of Sussex and has a degree in Linguistics and

Spanish. Writing the books has brought the two of her passions

together. She has been a private Spanish tutor to children for

many years and picked up along the way, what interests children

and what makes them tick!

www.jajaja-books.com

Sample

pages from

Lucy & Lucia

I’m an enthusiastic amateur cook but I like, no make that need, to have a

recipe to follow – at least until I have the hang of a dish and then feel com-

fortable enough to “experiment”. I don’t think I am alone in this and would

never/could never aspire to being a Masterchef contestant!

I also live in Spain and regularly enjoy tapas, whether in a “normal” bar

where they are an accompaniment to a beer or wine; or in bar where the

tapas and not the drink is the main focus or in a formal restaurant where

they are just a part of the menu.

So I like to think I have the relevant experience to make a judgement about

a recipe book whose aim is to provide the reader with a series of tapas re-

cipes. I cannot claim to be expert enough to tell you whether all the dishes

described in A World of Flavours – Tapas are “traditional” tapas or which

traditional tapas dishes have been omitted.

What I can say is that this book is very well organised – presenting first

the “classic”, or traditional, tapas in the first third, followed by tapas orga-

nised by regions, from northern Spain to Andalusia. At the same time,

every recipe, apart from one or two, is presented on one page, accompanied

on the facing page with a photo of the dish. It is a simple but effective la-

yout, aided by easy to follow instructions and ingredient lists. The start of

the book also contains one page summaries of the gastronomy of each

major Spanish region, the key ingredients of the Spanish kitchen and the

techniques and equipment used in Spanish cooking and the culture of

tapas.

In short, it is an attractive, well presented, practical book with a compre-

hensive selection of tapas recipes, including some tapas “desserts”. It is

quite heavily focused on fish and seafood tapas and, the fact it is organised

by regions, means you have use the index (or leaf in a more leisurely man-

ner through the book itself) to find dishes based on ingredients or cooking

methods but this is a minor “complaint” – it is a tapas book worthy of any

self respecting amateur chef with a selection of dishes which do not require

you to be a budding Masterchef but which will provide your guests with

tasty, enjoyable and interesting food ... by Rod Younger.

A World of Flavours Tapas (Hardback)By M.Teresa Segura

Authentic Regional Recipes

RRP £12.99 £8.49 Free Shipping

Book

Review

“A very slick and well written novel, well researched and coherent. I was

impressed.” Kitty Sewell, bestselling author of Ice Trap.

Javier Urquiza, a local businessman has bribed various officials at local

and regional government level to ensure the reclassification of a large

piece of land for a golf course and residential housing project in Los

Cipreses, a picturesque coastal town in southern Spain. However, the

organised crime unit of the National Police (Udyco) have enlisted the

help of Mike Cameron, a long standing ex-pat with an estate agency bu-

siness, to entrap Javier Urquiza.

Mike Cameron dies under mysterious circumstances and Andy Mon-

talvo, an old friend of Mike’s, arrives in Los Cipreses to investigate his

death. This brings him into contact with, Cristina Ibañez, the underco-

ver female special agent who is handling the investigation into Javier

Urquiza’s activities and who had “recruited” Mike.

Between them they begin to uncover details about Mike’s murder and

the property transaction which involves bribery, tax evasion and

money laundering, via the use of offshore companies and bank ac-

counts.

As Andy and Cristina get closer to the truth about Mike’s death and the

property transaction, there are further deaths as certain individuals

attempt to deflect suspicion or double cross each other.

Deadly Secrets (Paperback)By Robert Tenison

A tale of corruption, money laundering and murder

in Southern Spain

RRP £9.99 £7.99 Free Shipping

Book

Review

If you would like to order any of these books or to see the

range of Spain related books available at great prices, just visit

the website by clicking this link www.books4spain.com

RoundaboutSpain is the only online directory listing 'things to do' and 'places to go'

for children and families, living on, or visiting the Costa del Sol.

Web: www.roundaboutspain.com Email: info@roundaboutspain.com

Tel 607680881 / 678 508 505

Find us on Facebook & Twitter @roundaboutspain

FIFTEEN YEARS OF FAMILY FUN

Isla Mágica celebrates its 15th anniversary this

year after originally opening back in 1997 on the

grounds of the former Expo ‘92 World’s Fair site

in Seville.

After 1992 the place was left untouched until the local government

launched a project to build a theme park. In 1995, Port Aventura ope-

ned its doors and the concept was such a huge hit that Isla Mágica was

built. There are eight different themed areas and the park has a similar

layout to Port Aventura although in a scaled-down version.

Isla Mágica is actually the smallest of Spain’s four theme parks – the

others being PortAventura, Terra Mítica and Parque

Warner.

The park's slogan is ‘Diversión sin límites’ (Fun with

no limits) and is based on a 16th century Spanish

colonial theme and centred around a large lake. It is

divided into areas - Puerto de Indias, Mundo Maya,

Puerta de America, Amazonia, Guarida de losPira-

tas, Fuente de la Juventud, El Dorado and Metropolis de España.

It is owned by Parque Isla Magica SA and there are 28 rides and 23

shows. It is remarkably close to the city centre and very easy to find.

The park takes visitors back to the 16th century where Columbus set

sail for the new world.

At the entrance there are a multitude of shops and restaurants and a

theatre where you can watch films or shows that make reference to the

local traditions. But if what you want is pure adrenalin-fuelled emo-

tions, you should go straight to the “Challenge”, a 69 metre high free-

fall drop attraction and the Jaguar rollercoaster. There are river

RoundaboutSpain is the only online directory listing 'things to do' and 'places to go'

for children and families, living on, or visiting the Costa del Sol.

Web: www.roundaboutspain.com Email: info@roundaboutspain.com

Tel 607680881 / 678 508 505

Find us on Facebook & Twitter @roundaboutspain

rides and mines and train rides and the

park is littered with sprinklers for the very

hot summer days. Despite the heat in sum-

mer this is also a good time to visit with

many special offers on accommodation and

entry fees at this time.

Most rides have a height requirement of

95cm and there are only a couple of major rides with the rest catered

for the family with plenty of water rides. The rides don’t last too long

in a bid to avoid long queues.

PLUS POINTS:

Definitely geared towards the families with lots of ride for younger

children (aged 10-16 mostly) and can invariably be done in a day.

NEGATIVE POINTS:

Always check the website before you go as it opens and closes at

various times.

If you’re looking for thrill rides this is not the place as only two

major rollercoaster rides.

OPEN: End of March – December

PRICES: In high season (June-Sept) tickets are as high as €29 for an

adult, €23 for young (13-25) or €20 for a child (5-12). Offers often

available.

HOW TO GET THERE:

It is just 10 minutes from the airport by

car or by bus or train from Seville or via

the ring road SE-30.

CONTACT:

www.islamagica.es

Tel: 902 16 17 16

“Life´s a beach ... you just“Life´s a beach ... you justhave to stroll along ithave to stroll along itfrom time to time to from time to time to appreciate what youappreciate what you

have!”have!”

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