Life and Mallorca, 2 of ?

in #mallorca3 years ago

A second update on how things are going on the island of Mallorca - Work, the legal stuff, and what's keeping me entertained.

Work on Monday starts with a 12 foot walk to the coffee machine, followed by a shorter walk to the shower, and then about the same distance to the laptop. Commuting is so last decade. I have worked with people with a 3 hour roundtrip to work each day, and even at the time I thought they were bonkers. Hopefully the changing times have allowed them to realise this is a lot of time sat in the car. It's not like they are getting any exercise, but maybe extra hours of peace from the missus is the reason the 'didn't mind'.

Anyway, as you can probably guess, I'm super happy with my current work situation, and have recently received some good feedback from the boss which makes me think they are OK with the setup, as long as I can make it legal.


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Snapped this earlier on the way back from the wine shop


In December I visited Palma with a lot of paperwork which kicked off the long stay visa process. I was told it would be about 8 weeks until I received an update in the post, and also on a webpage, which is shown below. The application is still 'pending', but I have taken the liberty of booking the next appointment on the assumption all will be well - hopefully before the 21st February. It is pushing it a bit fine, but it is so hard to get an appointment at the police station, I took the first one I saw. It will be exactly 8 weeks, and based on friends who have been through the process, 7/8 weeks is usually the turnaround time on the first stage. So, fingers crossed.

image.png

The other things to get organised are taxes and national insurance, or Seguridad Social. I visited solicitors in early December to ask them how to get this moving, and after 5 weeks they told me I

... would need a certificate from your home country, where the company which you are working for is registered, that confirms your right to healthcare. Please apply for it to the competent authorities in England...

Hmm, competent authorities.....

I took a stab at this being the UK Gov and gave them a call to find out that I needed to fill in a webform, to be sent an S1 form. This application has been processed according to the Gov website, presented by a jazzy green progress bar.

image.png

Sometime last week I called them with the intension of asking how long this form would take to arrive, but the answerphone second-guessed me and stated that if I'd not been waiting at list 6 weeks for the form, to put the phone down. I believe, but I'm not 100% sure, that the S1 form means I can get healthcare in Spain, whilst still paying into the UK national insurance/state pension. This is (still thinking) a temporary setup for 'posted workers', and may need to change in the future.

The last item is tax, which I have been assured is 'easy'. There are forms to avoid paying double tax, and I'm sure the solicitors are aware of this process. Wait 'til I mention crypto and attempt to explain Hive 🤣

In summary, no progress at all since last month on 'getting legal' - 4 months left.


January started off a bit chilly and wet but the last 3 weeks or so have been awesome for this time of year. I've made a couple of new friends who are keen to jog, hike, and cycle, and I've gotten back into doing a HIIT workout most days. With little beer being drank and salads still hitting the spot, I think I'm doing alright for 42. I hope that when this latest lockdown is over, I can muster up the courage to ask for some coaching at the local padel/tennis club. Screw tennis though, it's al padel that I'm interested in.

Before Spain, I felt like I was really progressing at learning Spanish, but since I have been here the daytime slot for study has disappeared. I have been practicing on Tinder though....


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Goes well with a glass of tinto

The final thing to mention is that a fair amount of time has been spent refreshing my portfolio screen and fielding questions from family, friends, and work colleagues who a for some reason, suddenly interested in cryptocurrency. Many of these people got involved in January and so everyone is winning, for now 🙂

I think this could be the first week in two years that I get a badge telling me I've posted for 7 days in a row, pretty excited.

Cheers,

Asher

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Pues si necesitas practicar catsellano, puedo escribir solamente así :D Aunque el problema es simpre más hablar que escribir o leer. Bueno. Lo de residencia se espera mucho ahora con el Brexit. Eso, lo que dices antes de 8 semanas más o menos no vas a ver progreso, y obtener cita en policia es un reto. Espero que puedas arreglar pronto.

Seguridad social. A nosotros nos han pedido que demostremos que no tenemos en nuestro país ya derecho para recibir atención médica. Pero las cosas han cambiado, y cómo trabajas para empresa de Inglaterra quizás es distinto.

And now, if you are annoyed by this Spanish, I will continue in English :D

Wait 'til I mention crypto and attempt to explain Hive 🤣

I don't know if there is something fixed about taxes and crypto or not here in Spain. I want to know as well, I have to take a better look at the topic.

Well done for posting every day 😎

Will if it's necessary for you to practice Spanish, I can write in it only here - close enough?!

Although the problem is always more speaking than writing or reading - agreed!

Lo de residencia se espera mucho ahora con el Brexit. Eso, lo que dices antes de 8 semanas más o menos no vas a ver progreso, y obtener cita en policia es un reto.

I had to look up 'reto', but now I know.

Espero que puedas arreglar pronto.

Yo tambien!

Seguridad social. A nosotros nos han pedido que demostremos que no tenemos en nuestro país ya derecho para recibir atención médica. Pero las cosas han cambiado, y cómo trabajas para empresa de Inglaterra quizás es distinto.

Hmm, tough one. You no longer have the right to healthcare?

I actually have private cover, but apparently it is required to be registered 'somewhere' for healthcare.

I don't know if there is something fixed about taxes and crypto or not here in Spain

I have read a bit and think the rules are quite tough - there is no capital gains allowance and tax could be more than the UK. I will let you know when I learn more.

I didn't get to 7 days yet but thank you in advance, hopefully!

Reto - challenge, but now you already know it.

We have the Seguridad Social, as I pay the autónomo, and when we travel (before covid) we used to ask for the European health card, which is free of charge (with S.S)

I will let you know when I learn more.

Yes please 🙏 👌

un reto, got it :)

I hope things become more clear, it seems no-one is quite sure on the new rules. Anyway, I will enjoy myself and see what happens.

Anyway, I will enjoy myself and see what happens.

Right decision :)

Many of these people got involved in January and so everyone is winning, for now 🙂

Oh man, this reminds me of the winning streak where everybody was a crypto analyst and the only way was up. We wouldn't see a crash again and we were all gonna be rich. 1 year later everything was worth peanuts!!

Yes, but I like peanuts so all is not lost :)

On today's news, I suspect more institutions and big business will want a piece and think the party isn't over for the bull just yet. Besides, alt season hasn't began for the only coin I give a shit about!

Well congrats on that 7 day in a row posting, I have a whopping 3 of them in over three years, not an easy task for me to get. Paper work and two governments to work through has to be a nightmare I hope it all works out. I just saw a headline that Tesla buys $1.5 billion in bitcoin, plans to accept it as payment, so that may be part of the more interest in part by some people. Nice to see you are having fun, and enjoying life a bit more again.

Well I'm not there yet, and a quick check on the link below says I've had less than 14 of these since Aug 2016 :)

Yeah apparently Tesla bought in January, but announced today, hmmm. So maybe back down a bit before the next big name piles in.

Cheers :)

I have been practicing on Tinder though....

😂😂😂

That's about all Tinder is good for at present!

Get that love letter writing on point! 😂

Where are you from? Do you want to fuck? 😈

And they say romance is dead❤️

😂

I am getting spamintatored for laughing! No laughing allowed on Hive!

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Feedback from the February 1st Hive Power Up Day

Looks like all is going well so far there, good to know.

We have a lot of Cubans in our new neighborhood here in Paramaribo, and Dutch has now become even less important. We probably need to start studying Spanish again before we lose all of our previous efforts.

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Keeping up your salad diet, that's awesome Asher!

Just being there you will learn. It's a kind of linguistic osmosis. I only stayed six weeks. When I arrived I could barely string words together in a sentence. By the time I left I was chatting with someone at the airport. Many, many years ago when the mind was more receptive :))