Hola!
I would love to move out to Gran Canaria. I have visited here many times over the last 10 years and as a result of some life changing decisions recently I have the opportunity to move away from England.
I am 36, recently single, no children and have decent equity in a house in the UK.
I am a qualified accountant, but I don't work in accounts, I am a Commercial & Planning Manager in a large UK retailer dealing with the delivery of products to our customers. I currently to not speak Spanish other than ordering food in a restaurant! I believe this will make it very difficult for me to get a professional job in Gran Canaria. Is this assumption correct?
I am also on a 3 months notice period in my job, which will add to my difficulties of getting a job out in GC as I don’t think anyone will wait that long, so I may have to hand in my notice here before securing a job out there. Generally notice periods out there seem to be 2 weeks!
I am planning to learn Spanish to increase my chances of getting a professional job in GC but this will take some time.
Having said all this, I have also recently embarked on working towards a new career in Fitness and Wellbeing. I have improved my health and fitness immensely over the last 2 years and I am now a qualified Fitness Instructor and Zumba Instructor, working towards becoming a Personal Trainer too! This is the work I want to do, it is my passion, but I think it would be extremely difficult to start this up as a freelance business out in GC without speaking the language or having the networks or contacts out there yet.
Does anyone have any advice or experience of either of these two professions out in Gran Canaria or generally in Spain?
I have been looking into the cost of renting and living out in GC, I think I would need to earn an absolute minimum of 1,000 euros to live in very basic accommodation, pay for living expenses and fund a car. I have not found any information on how much fitness instructors/PTs can earn on the island. I suspect it to be very low if working in a gym or for a hotel, which is why I want to do freelance fitness work, working for myself. Are there any particular issues or pitfalls I need to be aware of working freelance in Spain?
Any advice on these topics or general advice for Brits living in GC would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you!
Rach