A MOTHER who ditched life in the UK for sunny Spain has opened up on the “reality” of moving abroad.
After feeling fed up with working just to cover the bills, mum-of-two Becky packed up her life and moved to Alicante alongside her partner and two sons.
A mother has revealed that she left the UK and moved to Spain with her partner and two boys[/caption]
But while Becky thought she’d be living a “dream,” she has now opened up on the “reality” of emigrating[/caption]
But now, the mother got candid on her “fresh start” in the port city on Spain’s southeastern Costa Blanca and claimed that emigrating “isn’t always sunshine.”
In a short clip uploaded to social media, the content creator filmed her view driving around Spain.
Alongside the clip, she said: “We packed up our UK life and moved to sunny Spain, living the dream…but no one warned us about the reality.”
Becky claimed that since moving abroad, there have been “no guarantees” and “no easy days.”
Instead, it’s been “grit, love, and a slow build toward something new.”
She added: “We didn’t just move, we bulldozed our whole life – no jobs, no friends, no safety net.
“We’re rebuilding brick by brick – some days we ask, ‘did we do the right thing?’”
Not only has Becky struggled to get on board with popular meal times in Spain, as she claimed that the “eating schedules make no sense,” but she’s also had to adjust to seeing the local police at the school gates helping control traffic too.
Eager to set the record straight on leaving the UK and starting a new life abroad, the mother continued: “It’s not the dream we imagined.
“If you’re thinking of moving abroad, know this: You’re not just changing countries, you’re starting again.”
Becky’s TikTok clip, which was posted under the username @bex_from_rain_to_spain, has clearly left many open-mouthed, as it has quickly racked up 49,700 views, 1,312 likes and 375 comments.
One person said: “Always think moving abroad is not hard but needs a lot more effort put into everything.”
How easy is it to move abroad?
Brexit means British citizens now have to apply for visas to move to countries within the EU. While some countries residency restrictions are easier than others, here’s what you need to do at home before moving:
- Notify HMRC about your upcoming move.
- Let your local authority know and provide a forwarding address.
- Contact your mortgage and utility providers and bank before leaving.
- If you have paid enough UK national insurance contributions, you can qualify for a state pension abroad – contact the International Pension Centre.
- You can sign up to the Royal Mail’s redirection service.
- If you have outstanding student loans, contact the Student Loans Centre.
- If you have children, give due notice to childcares and schools.
Another added: “Good for you, I’m looking at Italy for us.”
A third commented: “Go for it and if you don’t like it go somewhere else.
We didn’t just move, we bulldozed our whole life – no jobs, no friends, no safety net
Becky
“You only get one life, so make the most of it and don’t waste a moment as we never know what’s around the corner.”
Meanwhile, someone else chimed in and explained: “I moved to Spain in the 80s, I’m in Portugal now but moving back to Spain. The trick is not moving to a tourist zone.
“Choose a small village, get air con and remember that wherever you go, you always take YOURSELF with you. Good luck, enjoy!”
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