 Poster: A snowHead
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@klang180, like you I didn't want to be in a city and I wanted to see mountain views close by from my windows. So I balance this by living in a mountain town and working in the nearest city 75km away. It's a longish commute by some standards, but probably a lot less than people who commute into London every day for example, with the bonus that it's pretty much free here, plus I only work 4 days a week. It's also a year round town, with shops and amenities, winter and summer tourism, but luckily never a ghost town. I equally didn't want somewhere that purely exists for tourism but is dead outside of tourist seasons.
I have to work, I have no savings to speak of and I do actually enjoy my career. Language skills are a must as I quickly found out when facing job interviews in German a few days after I arrived! Yes you can get away with English in the tourist areas, but when it comes to day-to-day life there is a need to communicate and understand what's going on around you.
I know many expats who own tourist accommodation and they do OK, but often have to balance this work with subsidiary income, plus it's a lot more work than it looks and income from the tourist seasons has to last all year. Definitely not for the faint-hearted.
So your first decisions are really where, and then what. And soon! Good luck!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Klang180,
One area to consider is administration and bidding EU Projects in the environmental area. I work for an electrical utility in Ireland and I am always amazed by the number of EU Projects that we could be involved in around environment, EV's, renewable energy, etc. Often big companies or local authorities don't have the resources to bid for them or run them so there may be an angle around consulting in this area.
Otherwise you could start a small bike business maybe do ski/board hire/servicing in winter. Small bike rental shop and do guided tours also. Might be worth looking online to see if there are any businesses for sale.
Your plan sounds amazing. You should plan a few weeks driving around the alps with your partner to see if there is an area you like. A friend of a friend lived in Innsbruck years ago and loved it. Loads of skiing close to the city but maybe not the alpine lifestyle.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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We used to live in the alps, resort life is not all people think it is. We moved to Keswick, uk but bought an apt in the alps, now we live the best of both. Busy, hectic, but I love it. We live in the mountains and holiday in the mountains.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Orange200 wrote: |
I foresee some kind of environmental project management, for example helping an area (town, ski resort) apply for and win a grant, possibly from an international organisation as you might not help much with local languages, to assist it towards a more sustainable tourism model. Green energy etc.
I completely made that up but your skills point to it and I can imagine there is demand for it. |
| donie75 wrote: |
Klang180,
One area to consider is administration and bidding EU Projects in the environmental area. I work for an electrical utility in Ireland and I am always amazed by the number of EU Projects that we could be involved in around environment, EV's, renewable energy, etc. Often big companies or local authorities don't have the resources to bid for them or run them so there may be an angle around consulting in this area.
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Wow. From dream to reality in less than three hours. Why can't I do that with my own life?
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| DB wrote: |
@klang180,
Have you narrowed down where you would like to be e.g. France, Austria, Italy, Spain etc? Do you have any language skills that would help?
Quite a few ski resorts are mountain bike areas in the summer, as others have said maybe a multi-activity tourist resort (Skiing, mountainbiking, climbing etc) would be good for you.
If you live in the heart of a tourist skiing resort it's normally expensive and it doesn't take long before the tourists get on your nerves. Within a few months (approx 4 to 5) they are gone but what's left behind can be a ghost town for up to 8 months of the year. This could be great for you or resemble Stephen Kings "the Shinning". Can understand you not wanting to live in a city if you are going for the full alpine feel but just out of town away from the tourists might be better - best to check transport connections if you are not planning to have your own car. |
Good question. At the moment I do not have any specific language skills but it is something I am trying to change as we speak and my partner is better at French than she lets on.
Having said that, I have always liked Austria over France for boarding holidays but equally after finally getting to the alps in the last twos summers I absolutely loved the French alps so really anything is possible. It feels as though I would prefer a Austrian/Swiss place more than France or anywhere else but part of the reason I am asking you knowledgeable people is that it is one thing to go on holiday to a resort and quite another thing to live there. For example, I don't love the french mega resorts but can understand why people are drawn to say Morzine as it already has a community of English speakers and it is perhaps easier to settle. If it sounds like we are totally aimless it shouldn't, it just is a reflection of being open minded and the possibility that we don't really know a place or what the culture is really like. I tend to be "too honest" and come across as unsure but in reality I am just very open to information that might make me think differently and appreciate my ignorance.
Great point about the tourists and something I felt even when we lived in Oxford (the summer was a nightmare for actually getting around) and almost felt a bit as a seasonaire in Whistler, although I had no right to do so obviously. Totally open to living a bit further away from the resort and contrary to my earlier post I don't mind a small drive or bus ride, just not hours. Multi-activity resort is exactly what I was starting to think about as I love mountain biking (just not great at it) and know a thing or two about them. I know people who set themselves up as instructors in both ski/boarding as well as biking and whilst I couldn't do the latter I could probably do the former after some training and I could certainly work on bikes.
Thanks, food for thought.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| queenie pretty please wrote: |
@klang180, like you I didn't want to be in a city and I wanted to see mountain views close by from my windows. So I balance this by living in a mountain town and working in the nearest city 75km away. It's a longish commute by some standards, but probably a lot less than people who commute into London every day for example, with the bonus that it's pretty much free here, plus I only work 4 days a week. It's also a year round town, with shops and amenities, winter and summer tourism, but luckily never a ghost town. I equally didn't want somewhere that purely exists for tourism but is dead outside of tourist seasons.
I have to work, I have no savings to speak of and I do actually enjoy my career. Language skills are a must as I quickly found out when facing job interviews in German a few days after I arrived! Yes you can get away with English in the tourist areas, but when it comes to day-to-day life there is a need to communicate and understand what's going on around you.
I know many expats who own tourist accommodation and they do OK, but often have to balance this work with subsidiary income, plus it's a lot more work than it looks and income from the tourist seasons has to last all year. Definitely not for the faint-hearted.
So your first decisions are really where, and then what. And soon! Good luck! |
Thanks Queenie all sage advice. I am glad you are able to make it work for you by commuting to the city, that is great and even better that you enjoy your career too, keep going you're already way ahead of me and most people I meet/know!
Totally get it and didn't mean to give the impression that a. i was all about the boarding and b. wanted to live in a resort, especially not a mega French resort but that it was just the feel of the mountains that drives this. I have always had it and I think I always will, I can't explain it, just feels right to me.
I wanted people's opinions on the whole chalet business thing but realise this is just what people immediately gravitate towards but without any appreciation of the sheer hard work and I don;t think I'd find it either rewarding enough or a good work/life balance either, so I think it is not for me.
As you say though, time is of the essence!
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| donie75 wrote: |
Klang180,
One area to consider is administration and bidding EU Projects in the environmental area. I work for an electrical utility in Ireland and I am always amazed by the number of EU Projects that we could be involved in around environment, EV's, renewable energy, etc. Often big companies or local authorities don't have the resources to bid for them or run them so there may be an angle around consulting in this area.
Otherwise you could start a small bike business maybe do ski/board hire/servicing in winter. Small bike rental shop and do guided tours also. Might be worth looking online to see if there are any businesses for sale.
Your plan sounds amazing. You should plan a few weeks driving around the alps with your partner to see if there is an area you like. A friend of a friend lived in Innsbruck years ago and loved it. Loads of skiing close to the city but maybe not the alpine lifestyle. |
Hey Donie, very interesting take and not something I had considered given by time "out of the game" but it is well worth exploring, thanks so much.
I also like the small bike business slash board/ski maintenance as I am handy and do know my way around tech, the only issue that I found from doing it on a small scale is I am such a damn perfectionist I found it hard to limit my time on a job and thus make it worthwhile on an hourly basis, I guess that comes with time though. It is clear through this whole thread that I need to work on my confidence and self promotion!
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| Orange200 wrote: |
| Orange200 wrote: |
I foresee some kind of environmental project management, for example helping an area (town, ski resort) apply for and win a grant, possibly from an international organisation as you might not help much with local languages, to assist it towards a more sustainable tourism model. Green energy etc.
I completely made that up but your skills point to it and I can imagine there is demand for it. |
| donie75 wrote: |
Klang180,
One area to consider is administration and bidding EU Projects in the environmental area. I work for an electrical utility in Ireland and I am always amazed by the number of EU Projects that we could be involved in around environment, EV's, renewable energy, etc. Often big companies or local authorities don't have the resources to bid for them or run them so there may be an angle around consulting in this area.
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Wow. From dream to reality in less than three hours. Why can't I do that with my own life? |
Haha you're almost psychic as that is exactly the sort of thing you envisaged not moments before!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Extremophile wrote: |
| We used to live in the alps, resort life is not all people think it is. We moved to Keswick, uk but bought an apt in the alps, now we live the best of both. Busy, hectic, but I love it. We live in the mountains and holiday in the mountains. |
A fair point but one person's heaven is another person's hell and so I probably need to live it for myself to really know for sure. Glad it worked out for you though, sounds like an awesome life.
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@klang180, learning a language at the beginning is generally pretty crap. Put some time into it, and you will soon find there is so much pleasure and enjoyment in doing it. Learning French is maybe the most fulfilling thing I have ever done (OK, I am only 21 years old). It can also be done quite quickly: I got to B2 level in less than a year. Do a little bit everyday, and try and integrate it into your life (podcasts, tv, etc.) Also, as an obsessed skier, it opens up a huge amount of materiel unavailable to you before to consume (Bon Appetit ski web series for example).
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| JackSkier wrote: |
| @klang180, learning a language at the beginning is generally pretty crap. Put some time into it, and you will soon find there is so much pleasure and enjoyment in doing it. Learning French is maybe the most fulfilling thing I have ever done (OK, I am only 21 years old). It can also be done quite quickly: I got to B2 level in less than a year. Do a little bit everyday, and try and integrate it into your life (podcasts, tv, etc.) Also, as an obsessed skier, it opens up a huge amount of materiel unavailable to you before to consume (Bon Appetit ski web series for example). |
Thanks JackSkier, I now forgive you for hijacking my post 
I am working with duolingo at the moment and have tried Michel Thomas but is there any one resource you recommend? There is barely a day that goes by that I don't wish i could speak other languages for the shear hell of it but now there is even more impetus!
Oh and to answer your question, speaking as someone 16 years older than you but with plenty of regret I think you'd do well to do the Working abroad Experience in Canada or just go to the Alps and just get immersed in the life of the town. We did that for Whistler and even though we just felt it was a step too far to stay there for us I could see how much easier it would have been once we were there and met so many English people who had done exactly that. I know given it was my post that started this you probably won't have much faith in my advice but trust me you're 21 and if you start now you will find a way and if you don't you will have built way more memories than working 9-5 in London or some English town/city.
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Thanks Munich, appreciate it.
We hadn't considered Spain previously i.e. Pyrenees but it is increasingly appealing!
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You know it makes sense.
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On Brexit, it seems that the issue would be that whereas as an EU member it would be easy to rent our place out here and then rent a place there now it would seem there is a requirement to buy out there (wherever that is) in order to secure EU rights? I am not sure this is even true though as I would imagine this is a bit of a loophole that they would be keen to close. So with all the talk of speed before December I am still not sure how one can do it and retain a presence here? Guess that is not the point of my original thread though.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| Klamm Franzer wrote: |
| How much are people paying for apartment cleaning these days? I suspect that there is a decent living in turning a few flats over on a Saturday, with a few bonus long weekend or midweek changeovers. Especially if you tap up the ex-pat marketplace. Become a trusted face, have a few tradesmen on speed-dial for emergency repairs etc. you could become a handy one-man property management company.... |
I like this idea as it satisfies my preference for more practical work but also could build into something more meaningful i.e. my own business. I am a handy person and although cleaning isn't a skilled job the potential to move into other areas is intriguing especially as I can turn my hand to most practical applications and enjoy doing so too! I know it isn't a fully fledged idea but thanks for the suggestion.
The point of mentioning financials was to show that I wouldn't need an enormous income myself at least to begin with and so this might work.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| klang180 wrote: |
| I have always liked Austria over France for boarding holidays but equally after finally getting to the alps in the last twos summers I absolutely loved the French alps so really anything is possible. It feels as though I would prefer a Austrian/Swiss place more than France or anywhere else but part of the reason I am asking you knowledgeable people is that it is one thing to go on holiday to a resort and quite another thing to live there. For example, I don't love the french mega resorts but can understand why people are drawn to say Morzine as it already has a community of English speakers and it is perhaps easier to settle. |
Definitely something to consider. Most of my ski holidays have been in France and Italy, but I never really felt like I wanted to move to France (Italy has always been a maybe and was somewhere we considered). We'd only spent one week in Austria, in Ischgl, before our reccie visits here, and Ischgl isn't particularly typical. Making friends and finding people to go skiing with can be difficult, but that's quite a personal thing too. It can be really hard to get into cliquey groups of established 'locals', and if you end up somewhere with a big age gap (around here, students) then it's even harder. English is a pretty well established second language though, so you may find it more widely spoken than you expect among other foreigners.
The tourist point is a good one too. In the UK, we lived in a model village which was frequented by bus loads of tourists. When we moved, we didn't want to be living among hotels and ski hire shops, so we picked an area where Austrians live permanently. We need to drive/bus to ski areas, but we are only 5 min from the motorway so getting out is pretty easy. This also means that our local amenities are of use to us – big supermarkets, DIY store, furniture shops, farmers' markets etc. rather than tourist stuff.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Completely off-topic, but:
| Quote: |
| Under the withdrawal agreement British nationals can settle in another EU member state right up to 31 December and claim lifetime rights as EU citizens. [...] Not all rights are guaranteed and the campaign group British in Europe has urged Brussels and London to secure those that have yet to be negotiated, which include freedom of movement and the right to return to the UK with an EU family member after Brexit. But the rights to study, work and retire remain for those moving before 2021." |
Does anyone know if those rights to study, work and retire for settled British nationals apply to the whole of the EU area, or only in the specific country in which the person has settled?
Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Wed 29-01-20 19:31; edited 1 time in total
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| klang180 wrote: |
| On Brexit, it seems that the issue would be that whereas as an EU member it would be easy to rent our place out here and then rent a place there now it would seem there is a requirement to buy out there (wherever that is) in order to secure EU rights? I am not sure this is even true though as I would imagine this is a bit of a loophole that they would be keen to close. So with all the talk of speed before December I am still not sure how one can do it and retain a presence here? Guess that is not the point of my original thread though. |
Nope, no buying required. You don't need to own your address, a rental agreement is sufficient (expected, even). In Austria, you register with the local Gemeinde (council office in every village) within 3 days of arrival (this applies to everyone moving house, even if you are Austrian. They like to know who lives in the village) with your passport and rental agreement. Then 3-4 months later, you go again (or maybe to a bigger regional office) with your income info as well. I think it is similar in Germany and Switzerland, but you need to check the process locally. You need to do the registrations in person, but in the bit in between the two, your movements are not being tracked 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@Pyremaniac, Settled country only. This is currently the cause of much debate and petitioning in the hope it gets negotiated in the future.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| klang180 wrote: |
| JackSkier wrote: |
| @klang180, learning a language at the beginning is generally pretty crap. Put some time into it, and you will soon find there is so much pleasure and enjoyment in doing it. Learning French is maybe the most fulfilling thing I have ever done (OK, I am only 21 years old). It can also be done quite quickly: I got to B2 level in less than a year. Do a little bit everyday, and try and integrate it into your life (podcasts, tv, etc.) Also, as an obsessed skier, it opens up a huge amount of materiel unavailable to you before to consume (Bon Appetit ski web series for example). |
Thanks JackSkier, I now forgive you for hijacking my post
I am working with duolingo at the moment and have tried Michel Thomas but is there any one resource you recommend? There is barely a day that goes by that I don't wish i could speak other languages for the shear hell of it but now there is even more impetus!
Oh and to answer your question, speaking as someone 16 years older than you but with plenty of regret I think you'd do well to do the Working abroad Experience in Canada or just go to the Alps and just get immersed in the life of the town. We did that for Whistler and even though we just felt it was a step too far to stay there for us I could see how much easier it would have been once we were there and met so many English people who had done exactly that. I know given it was my post that started this you probably won't have much faith in my advice but trust me you're 21 and if you start now you will find a way and if you don't you will have built way more memories than working 9-5 in London or some English town/city. |
Honestly, there's no single resource that will make you fluent. The reason I say that the start sucks is because you are stuck with resources made for learning rather than materiel made for natives that is actually interesting. After you have put in the work in the early stages, its far easier to immerse yourself in the language. I just watch TV and listen to podcasts now.
I used Duolingo for a while, but you need to work all 4 areas (listening, reading, writing, speaking ideally). Try coffee break french podcast as well. Memrise is good for noting vocab and periodically refreshing it.
And thanks for the advice. I'm not commited to chasing money, rather experiences and a good life. Hopefully I will stay true to myself in that as I know a lot of people my age have ambitions like mine and then get caught up in everyday life.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| klang180 wrote: |
| but trust me you're 37 and if you start now you will find a way and if you don't you will have built way more memories than working 9-5 in London or some English town/city. |
FIFY!
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| Nadenoodlee wrote: |
| @swskier, mountain Mavericks are looking for an accountant in Morzine. |
Thanks @Nadenoodlee, i've been in touch with them about that already. They came back yesterday to figure out the best way to chat as i'm not in Morzine. Feel like the need for an immediate start will hinder me there, but pursuing that. Thanks again
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[quote="klang180"]
| DB wrote: |
@klang180,
Having said that, I have always liked Austria over France for boarding holidays but equally after finally getting to the alps in the last twos summers I absolutely loved the French alps so really anything is possible. It feels as though I would prefer a Austrian/Swiss place more than France or anywhere else but part of the reason I am asking you knowledgeable people is that it is one thing to go on holiday to a resort and quite another thing to live there. For example, I don't love the french mega resorts but can understand why people are drawn to say Morzine as it already has a community of English speakers and it is perhaps easier to settle. If it sounds like we are totally aimless it shouldn't, it just is a reflection of being open minded and the possibility that we don't really know a place or what the culture is really like. I tend to be "too honest" and come across as unsure but in reality I am just very open to information that might make me think differently and appreciate my ignorance. |
You mention Morzine, and there's been talk of teaching English. I saw a job yesterday teaching English one day a week, Wednesdays, in Thonon les Bains, for around €450 a month. Something you could add some other work to and get a wage together.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@swskier, English teachers are in surplus in that area. Unless they’re very experienced and/or established then put it on the back burner.
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| Tom Doc wrote: |
| klang180 wrote: |
| but trust me you're 37 and if you start now you will find a way and if you don't you will have built way more memories than working 9-5 in London or some English town/city. |
FIFY! |
haha you had me going back to my original post to check I didn't do that as a typo but alas point well made!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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[quote="swskier"]
| klang180 wrote: |
| DB wrote: |
@klang180,
Having said that, I have always liked Austria over France for boarding holidays but equally after finally getting to the alps in the last twos summers I absolutely loved the French alps so really anything is possible. It feels as though I would prefer a Austrian/Swiss place more than France or anywhere else but part of the reason I am asking you knowledgeable people is that it is one thing to go on holiday to a resort and quite another thing to live there. For example, I don't love the french mega resorts but can understand why people are drawn to say Morzine as it already has a community of English speakers and it is perhaps easier to settle. If it sounds like we are totally aimless it shouldn't, it just is a reflection of being open minded and the possibility that we don't really know a place or what the culture is really like. I tend to be "too honest" and come across as unsure but in reality I am just very open to information that might make me think differently and appreciate my ignorance. |
You mention Morzine, and there's been talk of teaching English. I saw a job yesterday teaching English one day a week, Wednesdays, in Thonon les Bains, for around €450 a month. Something you could add some other work to and get a wage together. |
Thanks very much but it seems that has already been contextualised by Nadenoodlee but still worth noting. I would have thought that in areas with an established english community the supply would almost always outstrip demand, but I could be wrong.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| klang180 wrote: |
A few of you mentioned living in a city near(ish) to the mountains and Clarky you also mentioned that living "in resort" is actually not all that great. We currently live in Exeter, which is a small to medium sized city and we find it ok but I think the fact of getting in a car for an hour or two to get to things is a big downside. I also want to stress my previous point in that it is as much about living in an alpine environment as anything else and so moving to a similar situation with boarding in the vicinity probably wouldn't cut it for either of us. However it is a valid point and I will run it past my partner in case I am being too reactionary. |
Don't get me wrong living in resort is really fun, especially in the winter! For me at least, there was a time limit on that though. For reference I spent one winter in St Anton, and almost 2 years living in Schruns. During those 2 years I ended up driving back to Innsbruck most weekends, and was very thankful that the company I worked for there moved to Bali for a 2 month 'offsite office' in the summer. I was younger then though and newly single for the first 6 months. Being there now as a couple would probably be different.
In many of the bigger resorts summers can still be pretty busy, but the shoulder seasons before and after the summer holidays can be pretty dead. For me I found I missed the buzz of normal life going on, and people doing things other than just ski or sell skiing.
I understand your point about cities too - it's all a balance. I can see 3 ski resorts from my bedroom window, and another 3 from the balcony on the other side of my flat, all reachable within 10 minutes (without car, the closest) or 30 with car. Summers are great: again mountains and rivers super close for hiking, biking, kayaking, etc (+ swimming lakes), but equally evenings in beer gardens, restaurants, events, etc. It definitely doesn't feel like living 'up in the mountains'.
Living in resort is something you should definitely experience if you have a chance. I just say the above to bear in mind later *if* that honeymoon period wears off (I hadn't even considered it and thought I wanted to live in resort for ever ).
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| JackSkier wrote: |
Without wanting to hijack this thread, how would your advice change for someone younger?
I am 21, on track for a good degree from a good uni, albeit in a non-technical subject (history). I have taught myself to speak French to an advanced level. I similarly want to make a life in the mountains, my overwhelming goal is to become a mountain guide, but that is far in the future as a long process. I would like to find something more fulfilling than working in a bar.
Luckily, I should be able to get German citizenship, so brexit is less of a worry. |
I was similar, other than I was 22 when I moved full time (having been instructing before/during uni), had a mediocre degree, my non-technical subject was geography, and I knew I was too scared of heights to ever manage the guiding exams (even though it was a job I dreamed about).
As per my first post in this thread, a local gf helps if possible!
Otherwise, I think the main consideration if you really want to become a guide is you need work that will leave you with large amounts of free time to dedicate to climbing and courses. I have friends who slave all summer as raft guides (can be surprisingly well paid, and you don't really need any whitewater experience to start) and can afford to take months at a time off in winter, spring or Autumn. I suppose that's slightly more fulfilling than bar work?
Another fairly established route seems to be offshore oil work - can do rope-access stuff to cross-train some skills, with the shift patterns you get lots of time off in chunks to devote to climbing/skiing in the Alps or Scotland or Norway or wherever), and normally well enough paid to build up a decent rainy day (or course fees) fund.
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You know it makes sense.
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| clarky999 wrote: |
| klang180 wrote: |
A few of you mentioned living in a city near(ish) to the mountains and Clarky you also mentioned that living "in resort" is actually not all that great. We currently live in Exeter, which is a small to medium sized city and we find it ok but I think the fact of getting in a car for an hour or two to get to things is a big downside. I also want to stress my previous point in that it is as much about living in an alpine environment as anything else and so moving to a similar situation with boarding in the vicinity probably wouldn't cut it for either of us. However it is a valid point and I will run it past my partner in case I am being too reactionary. |
Don't get me wrong living in resort is really fun, especially in the winter! For me at least, there was a time limit on that though. For reference I spent one winter in St Anton, and almost 2 years living in Schruns. During those 2 years I ended up driving back to Innsbruck most weekends, and was very thankful that the company I worked for there moved to Bali for a 2 month 'offsite office' in the summer. I was younger then though and newly single for the first 6 months. Being there now as a couple would probably be different.
In many of the bigger resorts summers can still be pretty busy, but the shoulder seasons before and after the summer holidays can be pretty dead. For me I found I missed the buzz of normal life going on, and people doing things other than just ski or sell skiing.
I understand your point about cities too - it's all a balance. I can see 3 ski resorts from my bedroom window, and another 3 from the balcony on the other side of my flat, all reachable within 10 minutes (without car, the closest) or 30 with car. Summers are great: again mountains and rivers super close for hiking, biking, kayaking, etc (+ swimming lakes), but equally evenings in beer gardens, restaurants, events, etc. It definitely doesn't feel like living 'up in the mountains'.
Living in resort is something you should definitely experience if you have a chance. I just say the above to bear in mind later *if* that honeymoon period wears off (I hadn't even considered it and thought I wanted to live in resort for ever ). |
Thanks Clarky, very much appreciate the benefit of your experience and can completely understand that. I guess what we have in our heads and what it is like in reality are two very different things but only experience can actually discern teh difference between those two, which is more or less what you are saying!
I must admit I hadn't considered Innsbruck as and option and hadn't considered that it would be an outdoorsy type of place (stupid really) as that could satisfy more than one area of life. I will look into it and maybe put it back on the agenda, who knows it might be I end up doing what you did and move there after a bit of resort time 
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Scarlet wrote: |
| klang180 wrote: |
| On Brexit, it seems that the issue would be that whereas as an EU member it would be easy to rent our place out here and then rent a place there now it would seem there is a requirement to buy out there (wherever that is) in order to secure EU rights? I am not sure this is even true though as I would imagine this is a bit of a loophole that they would be keen to close. So with all the talk of speed before December I am still not sure how one can do it and retain a presence here? Guess that is not the point of my original thread though. |
Nope, no buying required. You don't need to own your address, a rental agreement is sufficient (expected, even). In Austria, you register with the local Gemeinde (council office in every village) within 3 days of arrival (this applies to everyone moving house, even if you are Austrian. They like to know who lives in the village) with your passport and rental agreement. Then 3-4 months later, you go again (or maybe to a bigger regional office) with your income info as well. I think it is similar in Germany and Switzerland, but you need to check the process locally. You need to do the registrations in person, but in the bit in between the two, your movements are not being tracked |
Thanks Scarlet that is interesting info. Can I whether that is just the viewpoint from Austria of whether it would apply to France, Italy, Spain etc? Also, and not to doubt you, but what is your source for this information as the government is about as useful as a chocolate teapot and about as trustworthy too!
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@klang180, My source? I did it myself less than two years ago and systems around here are bureaucratic and not subject to change on a whim. UK Gov website has some info, but they aren't great at keeping it up to date so you may get better results from the gov of the country you are interested in. Posted British Embassy officials are pretty clued up though, so you can always ask them. France, Italy and Spain will have their own systems which I have no experience with.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| klang180 wrote: |
| Extremophile wrote: |
| We used to live in the alps, resort life is not all people think it is. We moved to Keswick, uk but bought an apt in the alps, now we live the best of both. Busy, hectic, but I love it. We live in the mountains and holiday in the mountains. |
A fair point but one person's heaven is another person's hell and so I probably need to live it for myself to really know for sure. Glad it worked out for you though, sounds like an awesome life. |
Living in resort is not like being on holiday, the amount of English speaking people does limit what friendships you can make and if you pick the wrong place you kind of feel like you're trying to crack in to the clique version of a walnut, not all the time, but sometimes you may not choose to friends with certain people if you happened to live in the same place in the U.K. If that makes sense. Especially if you launch a competing business, where competition is limited and the market pool could drive down prices... just trying to be realistic here. Not trying to be a Doomsdayer . we had this problem, people were very two faced and it became quite an unpleasant environment.
now though we're in a part of the country where there is more than enough business to go round and we all offer something slightly different so we're all happy, my neighbours are great friends and we all get together when schedules allow.
I'm aware I sound quite negative about living in the alps, I'm not trying to but it is important to consider all points, good and bad.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Orange200, or simply get a job where the language is not English! That has worked wonders for me.
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Again, I struggle with the definition of 'resort'. I would argue that in my region at least the only 'resorts' are places like Obertauern and Zauchensee which exist purely due to tourism and have very few permanent residents. There are many other ski areas adjacent to towns and villages, which exist alongside tourism, and are less busy but certainly not dead during the non-tourist seasons. I wouldn't call any of them resorts. They are great places to live because they combine the activity potential of skiing, hiking, climbing, cycling, etc. with being a normal town with shops, businesses, permanent residents, year-round economies.
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@queenie pretty please, sure but I suspect you need a certain level of the language already to do that, and the OP.... oh hang on, perhaps he's underselling himself again...
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Extremophile wrote: |
| We used to live in the alps, resort life is not all people think it is. We moved to Keswick, uk but bought an apt in the alps, now we live the best of both. |
I visited Keswick last summer. It's a resort 
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@klang180, the registring thing varies from country to country. In Germany you have (I think, it is a good number of years since I did it) a month to register and all you have to do as a EU citizen is show your passport and proof of medical insurance, no second visit with pay slips etc as in Austria. The Germans are more relaxed than the Austrians about registering where you live though you do have to do so, every interaction with the state, taxes, driving licence etc flows from the registration at the local town hall. The concept of an "official address" does not really exist in the UK. It can be a pain as a non German to prove where you live as all Germans have their address on their ID document whereas non Germans just have a passport with no address. Other places eg Italy will involve more bureaucracy. In general it is no big thing though clearly that is subject to change for the brits.
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FAQ
