I keep an eye on the Lanzarote Holiday Gazette forum (see Links below) and the only topic vexing people there at the moment is whether or not now is the right time to move to the island.
A few new people to the forum have declared that they're either currently in the process of moving over or are moving in the near future. The newbies have asked for advice, naturally enough, about making such a move. And indeed, advice has been very forthcoming from people who have varying points-of-view, both from those who reside on the island and those who holiday here. Work, schools, property prices and crime levels are mostly the topics covered.
Now, I've pontificated on opening up a new business on the island previously, so I won't re-visit that. I'm also going to leave aside whether or not now is the right time to move, save the same advice that applies to any new venture in life: try before you buy. That is, come to Lanzarote for 3 - 6 months, work as you would have to if you were a resident, and then decide what you want to do.
What really fascinates me is the diversity of opinion on proposed new ex-pats in Lanzarote. Some business owners fancy that they're the only ones who know enough to make a living there and potential new ex-pats obviously threaten this belief a little. Others claim that being fluent in Spanish is not a requirement for running a business in Lanzarote, but is a prerequisite for enjoying life on the island. Some advisors try to pull the ropes up after themselves and declare that nobody else should move to Lanzarote now, while some wannabe ex-pats assume they just need to find work here and all else will fall into place.
However, something I have noticed during the discussions is that nobody mentions the sensitive issues of marital break-up and alcoholism (i.e. the seemingly high levels thereof) amongst ex-pats on the island.
Anyway, lunch and a siesta calls. More anon...
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