moved

Living in London for eleven years made me realise the differences between the Spanish and British lifestyle, and this one thing still hits me the hardest – and it’s not the weather.

When I was a teenager, my parents uprooted our lives, trading the sun-drenched streets of Barcelona for the grey drizzle of London —a thousand-mile pivot that changed everything.

The adjustment was brutally challenging. I spent the first few months paralyzed by homesickness, feeling completely out of place. Eleven years later, I’ve grown to love this city, but the learning curve never really ends. Certain London quirks still baffle me, and no, I’m not just talking about the famously bipolar weather.

The one thing I still can’t wrap my head around is the “after-work lifestyle.” Why do Britons — and even us immigrants — accept a schedule that seems to steal our day, leaving no time to enjoy the city we work so hard in? There’s a systemic reason for this, and I think everyone who commutes here will agree it’s the ultimate London tax.

READ MORE: ‘I lost two sisters to sickle cell disease – more awareness could’ve saved their lives’

OPINION

Niamh Kirk

‘After work social? Commuting is long’

The one thing that has shocked me the most over the years has been how long it takes to get from one place to another. For example, commuting to work in central London can take up to an hour, depending on the area you live in. Even worse, the journey back home. During rush hour, it can take up to two hours.

It doesn’t apply to work, but also to making plans with friends or doing errands. A total of three hours of journey, “meet me in the middle”… and can we talk about how expensive public transport has become? It’s a £100 day spent, no joke.

Unless you live in central London or ten minutes away from your workplace, it’s impossible – and those with a Monday to Friday and a 9-5 schedule can relate to this. Getting home, shower, dinner, a little scroll on social media and being in bed by 10 pm is a sport.

READ MORE: ‘I ditched my job and became a millionaire – I only have to work 30 minutes a day’

For more stories like this subscribe to our weekly newsletter, The Weekly Gulp, for a curated roundup of trending stories, poignant interviews, and viral lifestyle picks from The Mirror’s Audience U35 team delivered straight to your inbox.

In the times I’ve had the opportunity to work remotely, I’ve noticed the difference. After work, I’ve been able to meet up with friends, go to a bar for a coffee or a drink, have dinner, and be back home before 9pm. In London, that’s impossible.

Nonetheless, I think it’s still crucial to make some time for yourself and breathe some fresh air, hang out with your work colleagues or friends, instead of getting into the habit of ‘work-home’. I think the trick is finding a balance between socialising with friends, prioritising your mental health and getting enough hours of sleep for your next working day.

Although it might feel draining at times, a laugh with your loved ones whilst catching up can brighten up your hard day at work!

Help us improve our content by completing the survey below. We’d love to hear from you!

FOR 21 years, Jasmine Harman has been finding Brits their dream home abroad on A Place in the Sun, and recently decided to take the plunge herself.

In an even bolder move, Jasmine and her family decided to renovate their own property on the Costa del Sol and documented it all on the Channel 4 show, Jasmine Harman’s Renovation in the Sun.

Talking to Sun Travel, Jasmine has revealed what her new life in Spain is like, and the renovation mishaps she wishes she knew sooner.

Having been advice on property since 2004., it was in October 2023that Jasmine and her family were relocated from the UK to Spain, buying a run-down villa to transform it into their dream home.

It took around one year to transform the casa, and for anyone who wants to do the same, Jasmine has some words of warning.

Jasmine said: “It’s not for the faint hearted. If anyone was considering taking on a renovation project, I’d say be prepared.

ALL EARS

I’ve visited Disney World 50 times: here’s what I thought about Legoland Windsor

SNOW WAY

All the best Xmas days out under £10 including FREE ice skating & Santa’s grotto

“It’s going to be harder and more expensive than you think. There will be things that will come up that you weren’t expecting and you’ll need to leave yourself a financial and time buffer.

“We had rough figures that we were trying to stick to, but I reckon we ended up going over by around 50 per cent.”

Another huge challenge that Jasmine warned people against is living in the house whilst undergoing a renovation – especially during demolition.

Jasmine along with her husband, Jon, and their two children Joy and Albion, transformed the villa which wasn’t without its setbacks – including serious health scares.

The work however started long before the actual renovation when Jasmine and Jon had to choose exactly where to live.

For the family, Jasmine revealed that moving abroad to the Costa del Sol was also the only logical option.

She explained: “The Costa del Sol was a practical decision because we film A Place in the Sun here all year round.

“There would be no point in me moving abroad somewhere to be with my family more, which was the whole idea, and say we moved to Italy.

“When deciding whereabouts on the Costa del Sol, we chose the western side of Malaga. Then Estepona we chose mostly for the schools – I found one I thought my kids would be happy in.”

Now she and her family have been living in Estepona for some time and have really settled in.

Jasmine shared: “I love Estepona because of the vibe in the town. Where we are, the beaches are quiet all year round. It’s a lovely Spanish town – very authentic.

“Although there’s quite a big international community here, it still maintains its Spanish feel.”

As for what she loves most about her move to Spain, like most Brits would find, it’s the good weather.

In the summer season, Estepona has highs of 28C and even during the winter it can still be as mild as 17C.

Jasmine told us: “I know it’s a cliche, but the weather is so much better and more predictable and reliable.

“I had never really understood the pull of why people want to live by the sea, but I get it now. I love being this close to the sea, the mountains, and being able to see the horizon and that big, beautiful blue sky.”

Thanks to her new home being so close to the sea that they can see it from their home, Jasmine makes the most of it by taking regular dips in the ocean.

She and her children sometimes walk across the beach after school.

There are also plenty of spots for day trips from Tarifa where you can spot dolphins and whales, to Malaga City.

It’s not all sun and sand though; Jasmine is also very close to the Sierra Nevada mountains in the Granada province.

Jasmine said: “For the last two years that we’ve lived here, we’ve driven to Sierra Nevada, which is a few hours away, to go for a little skiing weekend.

“We don’t have to fly there, we just chuck everything in the car.”

Jasmine Harman’s Renovation in the Sun continues on Thursday November 13, at 5 PM.

To catch up on previous episodes, head to Channel4.com.

PEATY FEUD TWIST

Adam Peaty’s brother arrested over stag do threats sent to Olympian

CHOC HORROR

‘Disgusting’ price of 750g Quality Street tins are slammed by Tesco shoppers

For more on A Place in the Sun, hear from the experts on the coastline worth buying on NOW where you can ‘still get bargains’.

And A Place In The Sun’s Laura Hamilton’s surprising favourite holiday destination… despite her job travelling abroad.

ZOE Ball has moved a new man into her home – a mystery “lodger” who has “won more awards” than she has.

The Radio 2 presenter hinted at a new romance on her Dig It podcast, two years after her split from construction worker Michael Reed.

Zoe, 53, revealed her new living arrangements to co-host Jo Whiley when discussing Christmas gifts.

She said: “I’ve got this thing that I bought online, which is sort of like you hold the handle and it’s loads and loads of different bits of wood and you whack your legs and your underarms with it.

“It really helps circulation. I think it’s quite good for lymphatic drainage.

“I bought loads of them for people for Christmas …”

STRICTLY REVEAL

Zoe Ball is first big star to throw her name in the hat for Strictly job

‘LEFT BEHIND’

I was TV presenter in 90s… now I feel jealous of women thriving in industry

Zoe continued: “I remember the first time the lodger walked in and saw me doing it, and just sort of turned on his heels.”

When Jo asked if the lodger was “still around,” Zoe replied: “He’s still here at the moment. He’s still lodging.”

Zoe did not reveal the man’s identity, but said he has “won loads of awards.”

Speaking about her own accolades, she said: “I did get a Sony and it was given to me by Marianne Faithfull. I was well chuffed.

“And I think Caner of the Year for something I can’t remember. 

“We won a BAFTA for the last ever Live and Kicking, which was amazing. But I don’t even have a copy of it …

“Yeah, the lodger has won loads of awards…”

The Sun has reached out to Zoe’s reps for clarification on whether the relationship is romantic or platonic.

Zoe’s ex-husband, DJ Norman Cook – better known as Fatboy Slim – recently spoke about their continued close friendship. 

The pair were married for 18 years before splitting in 2016 and share two children, Woody, 24, and Nelly, 15.

The DJ, 62, recently described Zoe as his “soulmate” while promoting his new photo book reflecting on his music career. 

“Zoe is a very kind, thoughtful person and she just had this way of checking my ego, like ‘We are still human beings. 

“We are still nice to people,’” he told The Sun.

He said Zoe helped him navigate fame in the 1990s: “In the 90s, I was having too much fun to think about the next day. 

“It became a whirlwind, but Zoe helped me through it as she knew that level of fame before. 

“It was nice to have a soulmate in there with you.”

Zoe’s last public relationship was with construction worker Michael Reed. 

The pair dated for five years before splitting in 2023. 

At the time, The Sun reported she had asked him to move out of her £2 million Sussex home after the relationship began to break down.

A source said: “Zoe is gutted but she’s better off without Michael. This is a relief to many of her friends, who think she has done the right thing.”

Before Michael, Zoe dated cameraman Billy Yates, who tragically died by suicide in 2017 after a battle with depression.

BALLSY MOVE

Zoe sold her countryside pile and moved closer to her ex Fatboy Slim last year.

The fan-favourite broadcaster previously lived there with her ex Michael yet it appeared she was eager for a fresh start.

Zoe called time on her relationship with the model in May 2023 after five and a half years together – with pals at the time saying they had “run their course”.

A source revealed she then traded in life in her rural Sussex home – complete with a swimming pool and tennis courts – for the more “lively” surroundings of Brighton and Hove.

Zoe sold up after the sad death of her beloved mum.

Also in her podcast with fellow BBC Radio 2 anchor Jo, Zoe revealed the heartbreaking impact of her loss.

She told her pal on the podcast last month: “I couldn’t work.

“I was on the floor in the kitchen. I couldn’t, I couldn’t move

“I had a proper emotional breakdown, you know, I haven’t really talked about it actually.

“But it was, yeah, it was brutal.

“I had an amazing doctor who turned up at my door with coffee and bagels and said, ‘so, we need to get you some help’, and he was wonderful.”

moving fast

MAFS couple PREGNANT days after they get married as strangers on show

WEDDING RIFT

Adam Peaty’s family feud escalates as he BANS mum from wedding to Holly Ramsay

She admitted the process of grief was ongoing.

Zoe told how she struggled particularly on the anniversary of her mum’s death and said there was “a lot of crying and pain” that “still has to come out.”

Rachel Hosie and her husband moved to the Côte d’Azur shortly after getting married, hoping to make a home for themselves in the popular holiday region – but made an irritating discovery

A newlywed couple who relocated to southern France following their wedding discovered that what had initially appeared to be a brilliant decision had transformed into a complete disaster.

Rachel Hosie revealed she and her husband moved to the Côte d’Azur shortly after tying the knot, hoping to establish a home for themselves in the sought-after holiday destination.

Relocating partly due to her husband’s career, Rachel explained that after she resigned from her position and the pair sold their Hampshire property, they embarked on the nearly 1,000-mile drive and began laying the groundwork for their fresh start.

Possessing sufficient French to manage in both verbal and written communication, they anticipated that establishing a home wouldn’t differ greatly from doing so in Britain — but they were mistaken.

Rachel explained that the primary issue with attempting to build a new life in France was the bureaucracy — whether securing accommodation, arranging a broadband provider, or even managing daily bin collections, reports the Express.

All of this, Rachel said, generated a degree of exasperation in their new existence in a region where summer temperatures consistently soar to 40C.

Writing in the Times about their early experiences, she said: “It wasn’t long before we realised how naive that was. Honeymoon destination it may be, but life on the French Riviera isn’t all rosé by the sea.

“My husband and I speak passable French (for the average Brit), but that hasn’t stopped us feeling utterly out of our depth when it comes to bureaucracy and etiquette.”

Rachel revealed that the red tape was so overwhelming that they had resorted to carrying around stacks of paperwork, just in case they were needed.

She explained: “We’ve been told it may take the best part of a year to get our cartes de séjour (residency permits), and then there’s the carte vitale for healthcare, carte grise for our cars, and various other cartes.

“We’ve taken to walking around with thick wads of documents, including our marriage certificate and my husband’s job offer letter, as we’ve been asked for them for everything from registering our car to registering with a doctor.”

Despite the administrative nightmare, Rachel insisted she was still glad they made the move.

She remarked: “So, as I take the recycling out for the umpteenth time, I try to remember that there are worse places to start married life. But the bureaucracy? C’est terrible.”

Rachel isn’t the first British expat to spotlight the potential downsides of relocating to France, with one expat posting on Reddit about their dissatisfaction with life there, reports the Express.

User ‘k0zmina’ argued on the platform: “Here’s the big problem with France: terrible job market, very little diversity, and limited new business creation.

“The country is very centralised, as most jobs and opportunities are in Paris. Then there’s the issue of employers choosing to discriminate against you based on which elite, expensive school you did or did not attend.

“Networking — who you know — is a huge deal! Outside of Paris, it’s true the cost of living is lower, but so are salaries and job opportunities.

“Ultimately, you have cheaper rent and apartments but very expensive groceries, technology, and electric bills, etc., because of taxes and other factors I won’t get into.”