 Poster: A snowHead
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Hurtle, seasonnaires and punters talk about skiing all of the time. The rest of us have other topics of conversation as well.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Lizzard, yeah, the only person with whom I had regular, interesting conversations (and the only time I ever spoke French - in Verbier!) was my bus-driver, on the journeys to and from the airport!
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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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| 2000overdrive wrote: |
DB, easiski, If you don't mind me asking, what do you plan to do as you get older and get towards retirement age? Do you have a contingency plan, will you come back to the UK or stick it out in Austria and France respectively?
Is it right to assume that what can be difficult now would become almost impossible as you reach old age. |
I'm married to an Austrian woman, have two kids (one speaks German but understands English the other speaks ga ga), work for an Austrian company and will receive an Austrian pension. At this moment in time the plan is to retire to somewhere like Sud Tirol (South Tirol). The Mrs gets to enjoy the Italian wine and food where I hopefully will still be functioning physically (with or without viagra) and will mountain bike / ski. Between then and now anything could happen.
I'd say there are four main 'normal' ways to spend months in the alps (that I can think of at this moment in time) ....
a) Take a year out and do a season. Expect to play and work hard. Probably only really works for singles without dependants.
b) Get a job/transfer with a company to a city in the alps (e.g. Zurich, Geneva etc)
c) Have a job that enables you to take months off at a time. If possible gain a qualification that enables you to work while out here (e.g. ski instructor) or work seasons (e.g. half UK or summer season, half winter alps).
d) Save up your pennies and buy a place over here to retire to or use as a second home.
Being honest none of the options b) to d) are easy to set up, some are very difficult to maintain long term esp. a) but having local language skills will help with all options.
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e) get a job locally (requires you to speak the language)
f) work remotely via the internet
g) run your own business
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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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I'm working on
h) win millions on the lottery and move to the alps and not have to worry about working
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Boris, Why not just marry an heiress?
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| Steilhang wrote: |
| Boris, Why not just marry an heiress? |
He'd get into trouble with Mrs Boris.
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Boris, 'ere you, get yer paws off our pension plan! 
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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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2000overdrive, i'm same as you, its a case of taking it step by step and a lot of research as the "grass is always greener" and not worth being gung ho about it as have decent earnings here at the mo.
Now if my numbers came up... thats ideal 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I'd say the more you have back in the UK the more difficult it is to give up (material possesions and family / friends). Option C enables you to ski many resorts across the world, I haven't skied outside Austria for years. Of course being far away from certain relatives while living in the alps is another bonus 
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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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easiski said
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| DB, I haven't skied at neighboring resorts for ages! |
About time you came over then 
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You know it makes sense.
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Helen Beaumont,
Thanks that's very nice of you, get the kettle on I'm on the way
PS some chocy biscuits would be nice as well.
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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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We haven't moved to the alps but we did move from the South East to the "middle of nowhere" Cornwall. I would imagine there are some generic things you need to consider, regardless of where you move, but which remote locations tend to exagerate.
1. Earning a living/making it affordable. We aimed to reduce our outgoings so that when we moved we needed less money. We recognised that our income would be reduced moving away from the South East. Therefore we looked to buy a property with a lower motgage and also looked at ways of spending less day to day.
2. There were few employment opportunities here so before we moved, having applied for a few jobs, we realised that the only way we could earn an income was by running our own business. So we put our plans on hold. Eventually we set up the business and then once it was up and running we were able to revisit our plans and re-consider if it was viable. Once we felt we were able to move the business and ourselves we started looking for places to live.
3. Sometimes I miss my friends and family - I miss being able to just pop round to see someone. Therefore I need to make an effort to remain in touch. The internet and the phone help! I have found it harder to make new friends here as everyone comes from very different "walks of life" - this makes it interesting too, but fundamentally you are somewhat a fish out of water.
4. I am happy with my own company and my immediate family (wife and children). That makes things easier - if you need your mates down the pub on a Friday night or your large than life in your social circuit moving to somewhere new/remote may not be for you.
5. Things can be frustrating in rural communities - there is a lack of choice of either people or people who provide services. So sometimes things just don't get done very quickly - have been waiting almost a year for some minor drainage work to be done on our drive!
6. Things happen in the cities (like new films, plays, exhibitions) and they don't really happen in remote parts of the country. If you like to see "the latest . . . " you'll probably find that aspect of your life a bit empty.
7. Travel - it takes ages to get anywhere. If we need a flight our nearest decent airport is over 2 hours away. Our nearest Ikea is also over 2 hours away - so sometimes, when you need something, you need to take a day to go get it.
8. We live in a holiday destination but we are not on holiday. Day to day life is still about getting food, getting the children to school, paying the bills etc.
9. Friends who visit us and stay with us often are on holiday and they sometimes forget that we aren't! It's not a problem as such but it's hard if you have a lot of people come to stay and you are still trying to run your business.
10. We go to the beach more than we would if we lived where we did before but still not that much. The key is it's no big deal to go.
These are just the things I've experienced. I think they're pretty universal things regardless of where you go. I'd love to move to the mountains, but I think the key would be how to earn a living and integrate into the community. It's challenging even when you speak the language and "know the country" to move to a new country would no doubt bring additional worries.
Just my thoughts.
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Poster: A snowHead
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johnnyh, wot you said. Moving to the Alps is just the same but with the added complication of a foreign language.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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..... and you need winter tyres . Cornish is a foreign language isn't it?
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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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DB, it is, but no-one actually speaks it so it doesn't matter.
(Cue outraged Cornish mafia)
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Lizzard wrote: |
DB, it is, but no-one actually speaks it so it doesn't matter.
(Cue outraged Cornish mafia) |
Jesus Christ, Lizzard, have you ever met anyone from Cornwall. They're worse than the Welsh when it comes to their poor dead language.
Be afraid.
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
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paulio, I worked two summers in Cornwall. Mind you, that was in Newquay, which is an absolute hole and full of people too drunk to get any sort of language out in a recognisable fashion.
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Ah Newquay. The Ibiza of England.
Sorry, not England. Cornwall.
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paulio, it was thoroughly nasty and I see no reason to go there ever again. Everywhere else I went was great.
Boredsurfing, interesting website. But why is 99% of it in English?
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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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| Lizzard wrote: |
DB, it is, but no-one actually speaks it so it doesn't matter.
(Cue outraged Cornish mafia) |
Aw a spoase it be, but I'll tell 'ee you is brave I'd never have a-done that.
So is the answer that anybody thinking of moving to the Alps should first move to Cornwall?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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DB, what I would say is that once you have done a big/different move to one place you can at least have a level headed-ish view of what it would be like to go elsewhere. Before we moved down here I didn't think it was possible to live anywhere other than in or near to London. Since we moved I feel much more liberated and able to at least realistically consider a move to pretty much any where. We do, however, have school age children so practically speaking it would be unlikely that we'd undertake a huge move which would seriously disrupt their learning.
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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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johnnyh,
Agreed. I'd moved around a bit in the UK inc a couple of small villages with local shops for local people. What made it easier was that my last place of residence in the UK was Ipswich. Ipswich wasn't quite the end of the world but you could see it from there.
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Resurrecting a slightly old thread...
I don't know about you but one way or another I'd love to live somewhere healthier... expanding the variables a bit to include stuff happening generally... any idea where that might be?
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You know it makes sense.
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I hope to do it in the next 10-15 years. My plan is simple. Pay off UK mortgage so I can sell up and afford to buy a small property in the Alps (would prefer to be in a proper town rather than a ski resort). Then with the hopefully much reduced outgoings I hope to be able to work for myself remotely for UK clients, although I do speak French, German and a bit of Italian so working for local clients would also be possible.
I can't do it until I'm in a financial position to buy a property outright as I wouldn't be able to earn enough working for myself to pay a mortgage.
It's nice to have a long term plan!
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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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I've heard that it's a really easy thing to do, apparently.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Spent some time living in Munich - not quite the Alps, but very close..... money terrible (came back here and took an instant 50% pay increase - and I'm a teacher!), tax extortionate, qualtiy of life superb. If you want your expensive toys and consumer temples, forget it (unless you can get to Switzerland - is a bit diferrent there). If you are 3-parts Buddist and have given up almost all posessions - love it. Would go back instantly.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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austin7, don't agree about the money part! Maybe teaching is different, and mybe my engineering career has not been 'standard' but I've certainly done OK for myself! Munich is hard to leave once you've got here! My original plan was to come here for two years to do some skiing and then move on, maybe to Nice or Antibes. That was in 1985
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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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Steilhang, if I could have stayed, I would have done - but there are only 2international schools in the area and due to the one I was at losing all its clients at the same time as it massively overspent on an extension project, I suddenly became too expensive. That and the actions of a complete lady's front bottom by the name of Eif Philips who weilded the knife on many in order to protect his own shortcomings meant I had to come back here....... would be no exaggeration to say leaving was the worst - being there was the best time I've had by miles.
As for the money - the tax rate and low pay combination absolutely killed....... I took a 50% increase on net on return and had turned it into 70-80 % with a year........ I was on the highest tax-rate but one (that was for a second job) in Munich, courtesy of being single white European male with no dependants. The others at work - yanks, ozzies and the like were all on huge amounts more than us - pay was the same but they could claim all the tax back ! Being European, we couldnt - the school appeared to be using this as part of its incentive to recruit - and as an excuse to pay a lot less in terms of hard cash - they just didnt tell us this when we went for interviews ! lol ! Apparently there were ways round it but the school had refused point blank to entertain them, or so i was told........ I believe they have very few UK migrants working long-term for them now.... just cant afford it.....
Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Wed 6-01-10 10:54; edited 1 time in total
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Presumably with all the snow, all the schools are closed in the Alps from about Nov to April. I bet the kids would love it there!
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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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jonm, I used to drive to work along a road the edge of which could only be seen due to the orange and white posts stuck in the snow ! We never shut !
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| jonm wrote: |
| Presumably with all the snow, all the schools are closed in the Alps from about Nov to April. I bet the kids would love it there! |
The schools only close if the roof collapses due to all the snow! Other than that it's business as usual!
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Steilhang, yes, joke.
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| jonm wrote: |
| Presumably with all the snow, all the schools are closed in the Alps from about Nov to April. I bet the kids would love it there! |
actually Grenoble was in chaos with 15cm of fresh snow on Monday (but it normally is, the Grenoblois don't believe in snow tires), this made both the local paper and the national news with much hand wringing about how the French had forgotten what snow is with the bus service and trains not running and roads not even cleared. I must say in the little town where I live the main roads were cleared by 8am although we didn't see the snowplough until 3pm.
The French national news were holding up Britain as an example of the plucky Dunkirk spirit with an interview with a very fetching lady Doctor in black lycra who had used her touring skis to get to work. Anyone see this this interview on British TV?
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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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FAQ
I don't know about Austria, but the value of my apartment wouldn't buy me a coal shed in most of the UK anyway.
