Life in the Balearic Islands – in the eye of the girl living on the island.

NaMajorce.pl 🌴

5 years ago

Life in the Balearic Islands.

Life in the Balearic Islands is definitely a paradise. All in all, it’s work combined with holidays. It’s always warm and all in all it’s just fiesta and siesta. After work to the beach. On a break under the palm. A lot of events, insular approach to life. Every day counts and carpe diem. And in case of anything, there is nothing to rush, because it is always tomorrow. Everything can be done tomorrow. And you get hot Spaniards and Spaniards. Goddesses in all installments and amazing lovers. You eat seafood every day and drink it with cold sangria! Next to it plays, sings and dances street music. A paradise on earth.

Life in the Balearic Islands pulsates only in summer.

Work starts in April / May and ends in September / October. Many people think that life on the islands is one big party and sunbathing. Unfortunately this is not the case. By doing even the lightest work on the islands, at the end of the shift you are just tired. The sun bones. Even in an air-conditioned and sheltered room. I thought that I would spend every free moment on the beach, meanwhile I landed in bed, tired and fell asleep in 5 minutes. This is what my siesta looked like. Of course, everyone is different and there will definitely be people who spend time between changes at the beach and party from night to morning. And then they land for 8 hours at work and over and over again.

Living in the Balearic Islands is my dream come true.

I have never dreamed exactly about the Balearic Islands. However, I dreamed of living in a warm country. Young and stupid I thought it was exactly like in the movies. Unfortunately, it’s not. When moving to the Balearic Islands, you have to take into account that at the beginning, in most of the jobs you will get a poor employment contract. To start work at all you need to get a NiE number.

Getting it is not the easiest, but do not stress yourself – it is possible and it is not that bad.

Life on the islands is not strewn with roses. There are scams here too. Here, too, everyone plows himself and tries to save on employees and social services. Spaniards can also be rude and can get under the skin. There are also those who will point you out and willingly explain to you that if you don’t like something, you can always come back to your country.

Here, however, you will not be at home for the rest of your life.

However, it’s up to you how you will be picked up by others. In Majorca I found my place on earth. I loved coming back here from 2015. in 2018 I decided to move here, together with Piotr, who has lived on the island since the age of 9 (with a 3-year break in the UK). Thanks to him I felt at home, remembering that it would never be my 100% home. People infect a smile here. All neighbors are cordial to you. Everyone greets you on the street. If your car breaks down in the middle of the road, then someone will stop. And if you don’t have anything to eat, your neighbor will invite you for dinner!

Balearic Islands is a European paradise.

These are our European tropics. Ibiza is one big party, Menorca is an oasis of peace and beautiful nature, Formentera is a paradise for sunbathers, and Majorca has it all in one. You will find everything here. Mountains, beautiful springs, waterfalls, hidden bays and wide beaches. Palm promenades and pine forests. Natural parks with a hint of history. Beautiful sights and delicious cuisine. Lots of attractions for children and adult events. Whatever you’re not looking for, you’ll find it in Majorca and the rest of the Balearic Islands.

At work, even though you are from abroad, they will treat you well.

At least I have such experiences. Poles are considered very hardworking. Many Spaniards know Polish history and often ask about it. Many Spaniards have been to Poland and consider it a great sightseeing destination. They recognize Poles as funny, crazy and compare us with the Russians. They know beautiful Polish, for example: “fuck” and “fuck you in the ass”. I must admit that they really have a head for languages. Ah, let’s not forget that they associate us with vodka and cold. They think Poland is eternally winter, haha!

Life in the Balearic Islands, and work in the Balearic Islands.

I work at the reception in one of the hotels in Majorca. Luckily I found myself so well that I work in a hotel for English people. And we work with one of the major travel agencies that deals with most formalities. My job couldn’t really be easier. I was lucky, really. I work about 7 months a year. At work I speak Spanish between employees and English / Polish with clients. We operate flights only from Great Britain. At the beginning I got a poor contract, like everyone else. Contract for the season. Normally, after 3 years you get a permanent contract, but it happens, if you are a good employee, that you will get such a contract much faster.

What are the shifts?

If you work in a bar, restaurant or kitchen, this will usually involve a change in PARTIDO. This is a split change. You come to work in the morning, then you have a siesta and come back in the afternoon. Or you start in the afternoon, then you have a siesta and come back in the evening. For example, I had changes from 10:00 to 14:00 and then from 18:00 to 22:00. There are also night shifts. There are also full changes, after 8 hours. Like everywhere, you can have a full-time, part-time, three-quarters full-time contract, and so on. It often happens that a contract is part time and more is done. Will this count as overtime? It depends. The law says one thing, your employer may not care. Like in Poland. Really, everything is very similar here, as in England or Poland!

Partido changes have their pros and cons.

The first downside is that if you commute to work, you waste 2x more time commuting. If you’re close, it’s not too bad yet. If you commute to work by car or bus – this involves costs. Partido changes ruin the routine you create. If you have children, it can be both beneficial and disadvantageous. I liked partido changes only because the time at work passed very quickly. However, contrary to appearances, I didn’t land on the siesta. I came home and usually slept in the heat. Knowing that you need to go to work in a few hours, you do not want to get ready for the beach, bother in the sun and then swear that the sand was not washed out of the ass well. It is better to sleep and then take a refreshing shower before the next shift!

Life in the Balearic Islands – how do others treat you at work?

In my case, I was treated very well by most people. It didn’t bother anyone that I didn’t speak Spanish. Of course I had to communicate with him, even though I only knew the basics. The bosses told me that I would learn faster this way and it was like that. I would recommend! Spaniards are very friendly and open. I think they are patient and they really like to talk, picture and translate a lot.

I always laugh at Piotr that it soaked in.

When he explains something to me, I see him as a Spaniard. At work, I was also interested in the place where I come from and I was asked about Polish words. I greeted Polish with some. There were people who did not suit my presence, but these were individual cases. Of course, there were also unpleasant situations, but no one ever threatened me. Rather, I didn’t feel uncomfortable with others or feel too secluded, even though I didn’t know the language equally.

I would like to write that you are treated well at work – in my opinion.

However, I definitely have to mention what others are saying here. My friends, both Poles and Spaniards, often complain that they work 6 days a week. I worked 5. He complains about irregular working hours. Unfortunately, this is the case in tourism and trade. One day comes for the morning and the other for the afternoon. You also work on weekends and holidays. However, here the (Polish) holidays are approached slightly differently, due to the fact that hardly anyone lives on the islands with the entire Polish family. Many people complain about earnings. LIKE EVERYWHERE.

However, I think that I earn a good living here.

Commuting is a big problem. Often people commute to work from afar. These are additional costs. Breaks usually last 15 minutes, but depending on who you are on the shift – they can last longer. Maids have very hard work. Their work is definitely not well paid for the amount of work they do. Ah, I forgot to add information about a huge plus – working at a hotel, you have food for free. This often costs you food costs!

Life in the Balearic Islands through a Polish woman living in Majorca.

Work, rent of apartments, standard of living – that’s the theme of the river. These topics are distinguished by the fact that everyone has different priorities in life, a different taste, a different view of the world, different needs. For this reason, I will not move them deeper here. You can find these topics on my blog, in other posts. I will provide links to posts below!

For me, life in the Balearic Islands is great.

I have not described it in superlatives above because I know that many people think that the islands are a paradise and money is growing on trees. And it’s a little different. I like to present it in a more real light. I love Majorca. Love her atmosphere, her smell. Its warmth and even moisture, which turns into an enemy in winter. I love this beautiful water color, the sound of the waves. Love to admire palm trees swaying in the wind. I love the Spaniards, their approach to life, their music. Their lifestyle. Their sense of humor and eternal smile. They always reach out a helping hand and are very, very empathic.

Majorca and the whole Balearic Islands have a lot to offer.

Although it may seem to you that the Balearic Islands is a bad idea now, I must admit that this is not the case. Balearic Islands is a great idea. On vacation or for moving house. If you feel that you will find happiness, peace and fulfill your dreams here, then act. However, do it wisely. Don’t risk, because everything can turn against you. Make sure the decision you are making is not emotional. I know that many people just succeeded. They made a decision, got on the plane, everything went well on the spot. However, this does not mean that in your case it will also be so, although I definitely wish it to you!

Majorca has changed me. I‘m more open, radiant and full of life.

I visit a lot, I go out to people a lot more and eat breakfast and drink coffee in restaurants. Often go to the beach and swim in the sea. Discover new, beautiful places and enjoy the beautiful, strong sun. When a family comes to me, I infect them with this positive energy. I capture every day, just like the Spaniards. And I don’t care what will happen tomorrow, because what will happen. I have little influence. However, I try to live my life so that things that I influence never fall apart. The rest can pass away. Majorca taught me that.

Life in the Balearic Islands – what to do in winter?

In the summer we work, we have no way to go on vacation. That’s why most go on holiday in the winter. I must immediately add that if you get an allowance, you must not go abroad for more than 15 days. Many people get lame and leave for longer, but it’s quite risky.

You can incur a fine of several thousand euros.

In Spain, it is possible to obtain a residential discount for a period of 6 months, which allows you to travel within Spain up to 70% cheaper. In winter, I visit the island, discover its hidden corners and devote myself to myself. I visit family in Poland and just enjoy the island. This is a beautiful privilege, but without saving from summer, all winter has the thought of instability in the back of the head, which for some can be hard to get around. There are also many courses in the winter, for example Spanish for adults and many others.

It is also worth mentioning that the Balearic Islands are not so warm in the winter months!

There is high humidity here. A much stronger and colder wind blows. There is no heating in the apartments, and many neighbors return to their homes for the winter. I am thinking of returning to the Spanish continent, which is simply called the mainland here. Or return to the country from which he emigrated. These are the charms of seasonal work. Returning. If the neighbors’ apartments are empty, this means not only peace in the winter, but also cold. Others don’t heat, so it gets colder too. A mushroom appears on the walls, the bathroom cannot be dried up. There are weather disasters. Floods, hurricanes, storms, floods, mini tsunamis and other aerial bombs. You also have to take into account that in winter there is also something to spend money on. For drying and warming the apartment, especially.

Life in the Balearic Islands is definitely not strewn with roses.

However, I think I made a great decision. I have found out once again that nothing is impossible. Earlier I found out about it leaving everything and going to England, where I spent 3 years of my life. There, I overcame many barriers and I had to learn to deal with it myself. There were a lot of bad situations and there were people on my way that I should avoid with a wide margin. However, it is these moments in life that teach us humility and endurance. They show us that we can do more than we think. Life forces hard decisions. In Poland, Majorca, England, Australia and every other corner of the world. If I could turn back time, I’d leave again. However, I would much better plan it and prepare for it financially. I would learn languages better.

Conquer the world.

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