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**Request for Help**

Posted: Sat Sep 7, 2019 12:13pm
15 replies1293 views14 members subscribed
JohnA1972

Posts: 6

1 helpful points

Location: Benidorm

Joined: 7 Sep 2019

**Please Help**

Hello Community,

My Name is John and I am 47 Years old.

I have not been on Facebook very long (just about a week now) but I have joined and specifically this group to ask for help.

Let me try and make a long story short…….

I have been living abroad now for a good part of 20 Years. This started as I was was in the Army and had my first posting to Germany in 1990, upon returning from the Gulf war in 1992 I met my wife and had been happy ever since. The last place we lived in was Toronto Canada, where in my Wife was diagnosed with Huntington Disease. It was not a nice few years up until she died last year, we did try every type of treatment including moving to Germany so that she could take part in a therapy in Hamburg. 

The result of the years of massive medical bills and living in Germany for 11 Months on the rest of our savings, is that (yes I could spend the last year or so with my Wife) but in the process I have utilized my life savings. I could not receive any benefits in Germany so I made my way back to the UK where I have spent the last 6 Months trying to get back on my feet.

I had rented a small flat which I had a budget of 5 Months to find a job but within the first 2 weeks there was a fire and I lost all of my possessions with the exception of what I had on that day.

Since then I have been Homeless…. I have purchased a Tent and some basic camping gear to make sure that my life on the streets is as comfortable as possible but it was, or is getting colder in the UK and it is seemingly dangerous on the streets.

I have no entitlement to benefits or housing as I have (according to the UK Government) spent too much time outside of the country.

So I came up with a new Plan, if I am going to be homeless for a while then I need to keep Warm so I have made my way to Spain with the hope that I can have a new chapter in life and start over.

If anyone can Help me in any way please contact me…

Priorities for me are:-

Job

Somewhere to live

Learn Spanish (I am fluent in German but that will not help me here….)

I don’t know what to do… I am hoping on the power of the Internet and the there is still Humanity in this world.

Thanks

John


Loulou21

Posted: Sun Sep 8, 2019 10:07am

Loulou21

Helpful member

Posts: 233

111 helpful points

Location: Santa Pola

Joined: 9 Jan 2017

Posted: Sun Sep 8, 2019 10:07am

There are loads of jobs on the job sites on Facebook for bi-lingual people.

Go on Idealista for accommodation.

Good luck

Ash123

Posted: Sun Sep 8, 2019 11:34am

Posts: 8

1 helpful points

Location: Benidorm

Joined: 4 Sep 2019

Posted: Sun Sep 8, 2019 11:34am

Best of luck John hope you finds your feet !! I’m moving to Benidorm in November ,May see you around ! And try and help you out !! I’ll be on the forum 

Take care ash x 

JohnA1972

Posted: Sun Sep 8, 2019 12:15pm

JohnA1972

Original Poster

Posts: 6

1 helpful points

Location: Benidorm

Joined: 7 Sep 2019

Posted: Sun Sep 8, 2019 12:15pm

Thank you 

Gilly09

Posted: Mon Sep 9, 2019 3:05am

Gilly09

Helpful member

Posts: 385

376 helpful points

Location: Rojales

Joined: 23 Jan 2017

Posted: Mon Sep 9, 2019 3:05am

Spain will get colder from end of September so you are not going to be that warm here. Between 12.00 and 15.30 it could be warmer but just to give some reality.

I don't think humanity is dead but it is difficult to understand. You have no money but can get internet on some form of device. You say all savings gone but you can purchase camping equipment and get boat or flight to Spain. Assuming there was no death insurance whilst you were married? Did the Army not pay into a pension scheme? 

I hope you understand that this is not lack of empathy but many scams happen and we all have to be vigilant and sensible.

What you need I guess is a job with accommodation. Spain has the worst unemployment and you are coming at the end of the holiday season where bar work kitchen work etc was available. From now things get quieter.

Happy to discuss further as we all need help at some point in this life but there are a lot of questions that need to be answered first.

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JohnA1972

Posted: Mon Sep 9, 2019 9:31am

JohnA1972

Original Poster

Posts: 6

1 helpful points

Location: Benidorm

Joined: 7 Sep 2019

Posted: Mon Sep 9, 2019 9:31am

Hello Gilly,

I can completely understand that you are skeptical believe me I would be too.

Yes the Army did pay into a pension for me but I am not eligible until the age of 65.

I hitchhiked here over a 12 day period, at that time i had something to “work on” getting here. But now that I have arrived reality has hit in and I have come to realize that every thing went to plan but the plan was S&%t....

I understand that the unemployment situation here in Spain is probably one of the worst in Europe at the moment.

I did get some money from death insurance which I used for the funeral arrangements and to at least set me up for to be able to survive for a few months, the last of that money I used to purchase a tent, sleeping bag and a backpack.

I do still have my Phone and I am using free wifi at a campsite. I will have to sell the phone at some point but at the moment it is my only way of searching online for Job opportunities and trying to contact the Royal British Legion for help and I am also posting in the Facebook groups in Benidorm looking for work.

I would be happy to answer any other questions you have. To be honest it is nice just to be able to chat to someone.

Thank You

John

Karin

Posted: Mon Sep 9, 2019 3:48pm

Posts: 15

3 helpful points

Location: Alicante City

Joined: 21 Nov 2017

Posted: Mon Sep 9, 2019 3:48pm

Maybe you can have a look at the site https://www.workaway.info/en/hostlist/europe/es.info Not really paying jobs, but room and board in exchange for a couple of hours work per day. Maybe a solution until you get back on your feet? 

Karin

Posted: Mon Sep 9, 2019 3:48pm

Posts: 15

3 helpful points

Location: Alicante City

Joined: 21 Nov 2017

Posted: Mon Sep 9, 2019 3:48pm

I just found this on here; 

JohnA1972

Posted: Mon Sep 9, 2019 5:47pm

JohnA1972

Original Poster

Posts: 6

1 helpful points

Location: Benidorm

Joined: 7 Sep 2019

Posted: Mon Sep 9, 2019 5:47pm

Thank you Karin, i think the link is missing from your post

John

Karin

Posted: Mon Sep 9, 2019 6:21pm

Posts: 15

3 helpful points

Location: Alicante City

Joined: 21 Nov 2017

Posted: Mon Sep 9, 2019 6:21pm

I think it’s because it contained contact details. If you look in the ‘animals and pets’ section, there’s a call for volunteers to help in an animal shelter. In ‘Pino’ something...

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