My husband and I dreamed of an early retirement in Spain. When we both suddenly lost our jobs, we decided to turn the dream into reality.

Thousands of foreigners move to Spain every year. What is the feel and texture of day in, day out living for these people? We searched for books on what it was like for ordinary, middleclass foreigners to live in Spain. We found books for tourists, books on how to buy a property, how to restore an old farmhouse and finding a holiday home, We found nothing about making a permanent move. Our search for information was in vain but we blindly made the move anyway.

This book is a diary of our first two years in Spain. The people are real and the events are true. The first years in a new country are always transitional years. Ours were fraught with excitement, frustration, delight, culture shock and exasperation!

If you are planning a new life in Spain, I hope this book is helpful. I wish you luck and happiness on your adventure.