Expat interview – Jim Tickner

We got chatting to Jim Tickner this week and thought it would be great for our readers to learn more about him too. Happy reading!

To buy Jim’s book on Amazon, click one of the following links.

• Patch, His Pack, and Dear Old Reg – Amazon.com
• Patch, His Pack, and Dear Old Reg – Amazon.co.uk

If you would like to be a featured expat… scroll down and click the interview link. Thanks everyone!

When did you move to Spain, and where from?
January 2013; first to Pilas, then to Bollullos par del condado, and now to El Garrobo. We moved from Waterlooville, a satellite town of Portsmouth.

Who came with you?
My wife Chris moved out in January, and our family geriatric Border Collie, Patch accompanied me a month later in the car (taking up most of the front seats).

Where in Spain do you live now?
El Garrobo. A really charming village of only 800 inhabitants (but 7 bars) north of Sevilla, on the edge of the mountains.

Do you work? As what?
I am now a writer (currently on book #3), and my wife Chris is a primary teacher at a bilingual school in Bollullos de la Mitacion. I previously
worked in IT for 25 years.

How are you with speaking Spanish?
Unfortunately, and much to my disgust, not very good at all (yet). Chris is doing quite well, but I always find something gets in the way. No excuse really, but I do speak fluent Dutch (as though that’s of any use)! I’m not sure I’ll ever master the high volume levels required, though.

If you could change one thing about Spain… what would that be?
Dodgy internet. Houses could really be built to cope with winter too (we are living in the 21st century, after all!). Has anyone passed a driving test in Pilas? Health and Safety (just for a laugh!). Introduce mains gas (bombonnas are a real pain) and mains drainage (so are septic tanks that don’t work). Basically, bring Spain at least into the 20th century! I don’t know, maybe that’s part of the allure! Too much to say here, but it’s all in my book.

What is the best thing about living in Spain?
Everything else. The space first and foremost. The huge sky, the food (once you know what you’re eating!) and wine, the weather, the laissez-faire attitude of the locals (both human and other).

What is your favourite Spanish dish?
Don’t get me started! Langoustines on the BBQ, espinaca y garbanzos, fabada, tapas (especially fish ones), Gazpacho, (of course, paella Valenciana), solomillo (with any variation of sauce), the most incredibly tender and flavoursome (bull) steaks, swordfish, and anything with whisky sauce.

What is the predominant nationality of your friends in Spain?
We have an equal number of Spanish and English, although we don’t really socialise too much, and so our circle of friends currently in Spain is
pretty limited. Of course, once we have both mastered Spanish, we will hopefully integrate more with the locals.

If you won the Euromilliones – would you still live where you currently are?
Yes. We would buy our rental house, build a huge front porch, plant olive trees and vines, give it a good lick of paint all round, and fit under-floor heating for the winter. We absolutely love it here: overlooking hills and mountains, with only horses and goats for neighbours!

If a movie was made about your life – who would play you?
Martin Shaw (that’s my wife’s answer; mine would be Brad Pitt!). He is a “real gentleman” so I’m told, who appeals to “women of a certain age”!

If you had to describe yourself as a sandwich filling… what would you be?
Sobrasada. It’s really something else, a feast for the senses, and absolutely not what you expect!

Right – now is the chance to tell us all about your business/website/blog if you have one (or more of course). Go for your life!
When we moved to Spain, I was in the middle of setting up an art company, but it was getting nowhere and costing an arm and a leg to put in place. I tried to get “real” work once I’d arrived in Spain but without success. As we seemed to encounter bizarre and interesting experiences almost daily, I thought I should capture those moments in a book. So “Patch, His Pack, and Dear Old Reg” was born. Since then I’ve penned a second book, something along totally different lines, and am currently working on the sequel to “Patch, His Pack, and Dear Old Reg”. That’s where we are at the moment. If all goes well with the writing, I plan to continue with it, and have a host of ideas just waiting to be put to paper. Watch this space! www.jimtickner.org

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.