Expat interview – Georgina Shaw

This week Georgina Shaw is under the spotlight. Enjoy reading more about her life in Manilva. If you would like to be featured in future interview, scroll down and click the link in the Bio box.

When did you move to Spain, and where from?

I moved to Marbella on the Costa del Sol from London in October 2007 for a job working with a local marketing agency

Who came with you?

I came alone! I have always been a lone traveller, it’s so much easier when you don’t have to wait around for other people to make decisions, although it can be lonely at times. I was lucky enough to meet a wonderful man the first week I arrived, we have been together ever since and now have a 3 year old little boy, not to mention a business!

Where in Spain do you live now?

After seven years in Marbella, we moved to the small village of Manilva on the Western Costa del Sol last year and are settling in well.

What things (apart from loved ones) do you miss from your country of birth?

I love my life here, but I do miss good English cozy pubs when it’s chilly and warm houses, bars and restaurants during the winter.

Do you work? As what?

We run a Marketing and PR Agency, Shaw Marketing Services, offering high quality communication services for businesses wanting help to promote themselves. We also provide high quality marketing training courses so people can learn how to market themselves and be more successful.

How are you with speaking Spanish?

My Spanish is pretty good, as I lived in Peru for a year and no one spoke English so I had to learn pretty quick and within a year I was pretty much fluent. I have really enjoyed developing my Spanish further here through work and also school for my son and I am always learning and improving!

If you could change one thing about Spain… what would that be?

I don’t like to complain too much about my adopted country, but the work attitude can be frustrating and it does bug me that they can’t seem to plan or tell you about things more than a few days ahead – that caused me lots of sleepless nights before my son started school!

What are the best things about living in Spain?

There are so many great things about living here! When I first got here, I loved the fun lifestyle and my boyfriend and I ate out so much and enjoyed a lot of late nights! Since becoming parents, we’ve appreciated the way that kids are welcomed everywhere and really cherished, so we can still enjoy the lifestyle with our son in tow (although we don’t go out quite as much) and it’s wonderful to be able to bring him up as bi-lingual, with such a fun, free and healthy lifestyle. It’s a great place to have a family!

What are your favourite Spanish dishes?

I love the Spanish food! How to pick a favourite? I would say the jamon serrano and the fish are highlights – cazon en adobo is something really special that lots of people don’t know about.

Ed: Cazon en adobo is Elle’s favourite Spanish dish.

What is the predominant nationality of your friends in Spain?

We have a mix of English and Swedish friends from Marbella and are now getting more Spanish friends in Manilva which is great.

If you won the Euromilliones – would you still live where you currently are? Why? Why not?

It took us a while to adapt to Manilva, but we really love it now, so I think we’d stay here full time but move to a villa with some land and have a crash pad in Marbella and maybe Malaga for a dose of urban lifestyle and some great nights out at the weekends!

If a movie was made about your life – who would play you? Why?

That’s a hard one – I don’t really relate to many hollywood actresses really, I am pretty clutsy so maybe Renee Zellweger as Bridget Zones lol!

If you had to describe yourself as a cocktail… what would you be, and why?

That’s a great Blind Date style question! Well Cilla, I would have to say a Kir Royal – bubbly, sweet at heart yet classy too!

Right – now is the chance to tell us all about your business/website/blog if you have one (or more of course).

As I mentioned earlier, we run a marketing, PR and communication firm called Shaw Marketing Services, helping businesses do everything from branding and design, to websites, social media, events, PR, blogging and copywriting. We pride ourselves on offering intelligent marketing at the right price in English and Spanish!

We also offer quality marketing and business training courses in Marbella and marketing and team building retreats for companies not based here. You can read loads of great articles on our blog and Facebook and download a free Introduction to Marketing Webinar to get you started with the basics of marketing, feel free to ask if you have any questions on how to promote yourself or want us to help you do it! Shaw marketing services – webinar download

Elle Draper

Elle, along with Alan, is the owner of Spain Buddy and the busy web design business – Spain Web Design by Gandy-Draper.
Born a “Norverner”, she then spent most of her life “Dann Saff” before moving to Spain in 2006. Elle’s loves are Alan, the internet, dogs, good food, and dry white wine – although not necessarily in that order.