Costa Women Blogs

HIGH STREET opticians Specsavers Ópticas is committed to ensuring diversity in its workforce and strives to offer flexible working arrangements to encourage women to follow a career in optometry. Out of its nine stores in Spain, four have female store directors, and several have female store managers, with women making up nearly 60% of the overall workforce. For International Women’s Day, the optician is highlighting just a few of its fantastic female team members and celebrating their achievements. Ilona Quadflieg is an optical assistant in the Calpe Store and has worked there for more than seven years. Originally from the Netherlands, she speaks five languages and is passionate about women’s rights including equal pay. She has always supported International Women’s Day and the 25N campaign to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. She says that thanks to strong women through history, so much has already been achieved.   ‘Although there’s still a long way to go, I believe we’re making good progress and will continue to push for equality for myself, my 15-year-old daughter and future generations. I have always attended the 25N events with my daughter since she was born and am proud to now support the initiative as part of my role with Specsavers Ópticas. This year, we collaborated with Calpe Town Hall to show our support for this campaign. As a team where 75% of the staff are women, it’s a cause which is very important to us.’ Fellow optical assistant, Nerea Churiaque Almenara, agrees. ‘Across the world, we must push for equal pay and flexible working conditions for mothers. As a mother of two, I only work 29 hours per week, which enables me to earn an income, while still having time to bring up my children and I work hard to educate and inform my children about equality and set them a good example.’ Sheymae Hansali, optometrist at Specsavers Ópticas Fuengirola feels that optometry is an excellent career choice for working mothers and has definitely seen a positive change in the number of women working in the field. ‘In our Fuengirola store 70% of the staff are female and we also have a female store director. The profession has changed considerably and I’m glad women can play leading roles. At school I always enjoyed maths, physics and biology. I originally wanted to go into medical school but I also knew that a career in optometry will allow me to have a better work-life balance, while working in a field that I am passionate about. ‘Now that I’m a mother, that balance is even more important for me, as I want to continue my career development and also be at home to support my young family. I feel like women can have it all. Although it is difficult, with focus, hard work, determination and a little sacrifice you can achieve what you want. I feel empowered by being a working mother and think that working definitely makes me a better mother and motherhood makes me a better worker. She adds: ‘I’m fortunate to work for Specsavers Ópticas, a company that also values a positive work-life balance. It’s always easier when your company offers support during pregnancy and the transition back to work. Having such understanding directors, who care about its employees’ family life and needs is crucial.’ Optometrist Susana del Barco has worked in the optical industry for more than 20 years, after obtaining her qualification from the University of Alicante. She chose a career in optometry as she felt it offered excellent professional opportunities and wanted to help people look after their vision. She has worked at Specsavers Ópticas in the Guardamar store for the last nine years, under the guidance of female store director Lisa James. She has always felt supported to develop her knowledge and skills and to take on more responsibility throughout her professional career. Nerea Galdos-Little is the store director of Specsavers Ópticas in Marbella, which she opened in 2012. Nerea, originally from San Sebastian in Spain, moved to the UK in 1996 to complete a Masters degree in International Relations, Politics and Law at Sussex University and completed two degrees. After graduating, Nerea started a successful career in banking in the City of London, but decided on a change of career after a decade in the job. It was then she set her sights on becoming a Specsavers store owner in Spain, climbing the ladder until she could become director of her own store and return to Spain. ‘It is gratifying to be able to create jobs in Marbella. The optical industry is a great career choice, as people will always require the services of an optician. While being a female business owner has its own challenges, I have been very happy with the way that I have been received into the Marbella community and how Specsavers as a brand has been accepted and am proud to be setting a positive example to other women as a female business owner.’ Recommendations for women on International Women’s Day These excellent female role models have some great advice for women looking to succeed. Optometrist Susana del Barco from the Guardamar store recommends that women looking to succeed should start by ‘focusing on the goals they want to achieve and be passionate about reaching them’. ‘Then learn and improve your knowledge and skills in any way you can and look for a company who will support you and offer you ongoing training and development to help you to reach those goals.’ Guardamar store director, Lisa James, adds: ‘Be proud to be a woman. Be strong and work harder to be successful, things are improving and more women are rising to positions of power and responsibility. If you want to, don’t let being a woman hold you back.’ Nerea Galdos-Little the Marbella store director says, ‘I’d definitely encourage any women with dreams of owning their own business to be brave and step up to the challenge. It’s definitely worth it!’ Store director Judith Borland from the Fuengirola store agrees, ‘My advice for young women wanting to climb the ladder and become either a manager or director of a business is to seize every opportunity that you can. If you are offered an opportunity to learn more, take it. If you are offered more responsibility, carry this out to the very best of your ability. I can honestly say that I have never been held back by being a woman. Although there have been challenges at times with the demands of having your own business and a young family, I feel that these challenges have been worthwhile and have helped me to fulfil my potential.’ Sheymae Hansali, also from the Fuengirola store, would encourage women to go for it and follow their dreams and not let being a woman, or a mum hold them back. She says that, ‘the recipe for success is to work smart and hard, prioritising what matters to you and focusing on your goals. Don’t give up, make it happen and don’t forget that difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations.’ There are Specsavers Ópticas stores on the Costa del Sol, Costa Blanca and Mallorca. Find your nearest Specsavers Ópticas store at www.specsavers.es

Presentations – check, toiletries – check, passport – check, tickets – check, handouts printed – check, check, check, last-minute things for packing – check, excitement – double check! That was me this time last year in preparation for “Make it Happen 2020”; the 8th year of 1230 The Women’s Company in collaboration with partner in crime Ali Meehan, owner of Costa Women. If you were booked in for last year’s MiH you’ll know that as my plane touched down at Malaga airport my mobile pinged with a text from Ali – “Phone me when you land”. That was the Wednesday prior to Spain’s lockdown on the Saturday. MiH was scheduled for the 3 days inbetween – Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.  That was that then! Come on…. you really didn’t think we’d let you down and you know we didn’t. Ali’s apartment was converted to film studio and office and within 12 hours we’d turned the whole 3 days around to an online event. Everyone was just amazing, with skillsets unknown till then bouncing off the walls. Well, we’re women – we could and did deliver! That was last year. This year’s celebration of International Women’s Day, everything is planned to be online. Three days, 11, 25 and 30 March on an exciting new platform – Hopin. As always we bring you the most inspiring and informative speakers, there’s also 1:1 networking, Expo Booths (stands) and so much more. I don’t want to spoil your surprises here, so just check HERE for full details and booking. If you haven’t already, there’s just still time to book. I can’t wait to see old friends and new, all online in just… 5 days’ time! See you soon! Don’t miss out, don’t forget, full details and booking HERE   

Hi Costa women!. I wanted to explain other possibilities for women than would like to live in community, but with its own space in Spain. There is the chance to integrate a little group of women among an already created multi-gender eco project on Canary islands. By buying 1 hectare by 100.000e and place small but confortable portable individual houses. A similar option on south Portugal,but instead of buying, in this case would be a kind of renting of a space on the main plot and space to plant vegetables and trees… by 1300e per year. And of course if we gather a little group of us, it could be open to other possibilities and even buy a piece of land and build our own little eco self-sufficient project. I hope I get to find some of you, that could have been now on the place and situation on their lives, to engage on such a project, and get to enjoy life on a new different kind of family, on a secure space, being able to self-sustain us. Many thanks to Costa Women again, that brings me the incredible chance to reach some of you, that could be interested in this possibility right now!.

    My story and how it all began We really appreciate our family doctor and medical specialists but have you ever thought out “what your doctor may not have told you” Well yes it sounds absurd. My personal experience was when I went to the gynecologist in my early 40´s and mentioned I had a 3-day migraine before my period and then 3 – 4 days migraine mid-cycle. She told me to stop eating cheese, drinking coffee, and red wine. Of course, at this point, she was treating me for migraines, but not a hormonal migraine. I said to her that I only ate cottage cheese, in Spain known as Questo de Burgos, and drank the occasional shandy, a weak gin & tonic, English tea in the morning, and water all day. “Oh”, she replied. She gave me Estriodil ẞ and told me to apply it daily. I began to investigate myself into natural hormone balance….. I read a book that was written by Dr. John Lee, I read it from cover to cover and it opened my eyes to reality. What women needed was Progesterone Cream. I had to get some. The Book that changed my life    For further details about natural hormone balance please feel  free to contact me www.mividanatura.com hello@mividanatura.com  

In our latest informative webinar, Ali Meehan, Founder of Costa Women and SpainExpo.org was joined by a group of experts to talk about the changes to residency post Brexit. Listen to information and advice from My Lawyer in Spain, Blacktower Financial Management, Lobster.es and Masa International Relevant for all non-EU Nationals. Watch the video for more information:-         TOPICS COVERED Alex Radford of My Lawyer in Spain explained how you can now become a resident of Spain if you are a non-EU national.   The paperwork you need to provide. The options for UK Nationals who were in Spain before 31st December 2020. The Golden Visa Scheme Alex was recently quoted in Pisos website suggesting that pressure could be put on the UK/Spanish Government to convert to a Norway style agreement.  Ali asked him if he thought it was too late for this to change?   Tim Govaerts of Blacktower Financial Management discussed the changed which he had seen post Brexit for people investing in Spain. Ali asked how the investments and the financial markets behaved lately and how did he expect them to behave going forward? As well as any tips.     Sharon Hitchcock of Lobster.es shared the very special Costa Women offer for mobile phone chips including a charitable donation to Bancosol Alimentos on behalf of our community.   Paul Payne of Masa International shared his thoughts on the property market before the end of the transition period and now.       Questions from Costa Women members included:-   To My Lawyer in Spain:- 1. My family and I are hoping to move to Spain to work for 6months plus and was wondering if anyone has any experience of a temporary move? My husband was born in Madrid and moved back to Scotland at age 5 but has always yearned to go back on a more lengthy basis (of course we have holidayed in this wonderful country many times).   2. I have proof of living in Spain before the end of the transition period in the form of my tenancy agreement which commenced on October 31st but has now expired at the end of January as I returned to the UK to visit family and am stuck here but my landlady has held my deposit and my tenancy will resume at the same address as soon as I am able to return. I paid my rent via my bank account. I did not have health care in place before 31st December because I was in the UK, will this prevent me from submitting my application now or will it be sufficient to have it in place at the time of making my application? The reason I haven’t started my application yet is because I thought I would be able to return to Spain before 31st December but covid rules changed and made that impossible. My rented property is in Malaga. My financial means would be lump sum of the required amount in my bank account at the time of application. Please can you advise me how to proceed?   3. How can we I stay for more than 3 months? Every year we try to stay in Malaga for the entire winter. 5 months or so. The Schengen agreement only allows US citizens to stay for 3 months and then we need to leave for 3 months to stay again. We are retired, have no intention of working in Spain. Recently, we read that there is a bi-lateral visa which would allow me to stay for up to 6 months and it states it is easy to obtain.  For 2 years, we try to reach the Spanish Embassies in the US and we never get anyone to respond.   4. How can you get a work visa as a non-Eu National?   5. Now that the UK have left the EU, and we are not yet resident, when we apply can we still register our S1 forms and use the state health care system as retirees?   6. I hear that you can have a retrospective Golden Visa.  How does that work?   7. We’ll be moving to Spain but still ‘working’ in UK… what do we need to do in terms of visa and tax etc.   8. Under the self employed visa criteria is there a minimum income level like there is if we are employed by an English company as a full time employee? 9. If two people from the UK are resident here and have had a baby, can the baby qualify for a Spanish passport and citizenship? 10. Is there a difference between the SIP and Tarjeta Sanitaria or is there a different card for people resident in Spain that covers them for healthcare when travelling in Europe.   11. My daughter has a bar and had an inspection. they have now to present paperwork as seemingly her staff member although she has residency they were told that was not enough for her to be working legally in Spain – they were told it must be the TIE   12. As a US citizen, if I have enough savings to qualify for the non lucrative visa, can I theoretically still work remotely, or is that not allowed?   13. Bank Account question – I am concerned about my UK bank account and want to move my money to a Spanish bank account. What is the minimum requirement to open an account? Monthly payments? Opening balance?     Questions to BLACKTOWER: 1. I have an account in Gibraltar – has anything changed with bringing money over the Spain   2. I’m worried about my private pensions in the UK after Brexit, anything I need to do?   Contact details Alex Radford – My Lawyer in Spain – https://mylawerinspain.com​ Tim Govaerts & Lucia Melgarejo – Blacktower Financial Management (International) Limited – https://www.theblacktowergroup.com​ Sharon Hitchcock – Lobser.es Paul Payne – Masa International – https://www.masainternational.com  

Walking the Camino de Santiago was the trigger for Maria’s move to Spain. Now she is living in Marbella and helping people with her therapies. Read her story.   Why Spain? Growing up in Switzerland, I needed a change in 1999. In the summer I did the Camino de Santiago. That’s when I realised I wanted to emigrate to Spain. I backpacked through Andalusia for a few months and finally settled in Cadiz, where I worked as a German teacher and shiatsu masseuse. After a year, I did the Camino de Santiago again and decided to move to Málaga. After a short time I met a Spanish man and fell in love. We had a daughter. After 4 years we separated and I returned to Switzerland with my daughter. But after just one year I was drawn back to Spain. Over the years I have continued to train in music therapy, gestalt therapy, family constellations, mindfulness counsellor and masseuse, and have found my calling. I give individual sessions and also lead groups. In November 2020 I moved to Marbella with my new partner.   Where are you based? I’m based in Marbella and it’s a wonderful place to live. I love the international atmosphere. I live in Marbella now and it’s a wonderful place to live. I love the international atmosphere. The beaches are fantastic and the hinterland is great for hiking.   What was your biggest challenge and how did you overcome it? The biggest challenge was moving to Spain in 1999 without knowing anyone and building a new life.   How do you spend your days? I start the day with a long walk with my dog. Then I often have clients or prepare a new course. Besides, there is always enough time for Tai Chi in the park, yoga or a chat with a friend. At the weekend we often go hiking. In the evenings I love to read.   Something you have achieved during these Covid days? The confinement coincided with my move to Marbella. So it was a good time for me to settle in and decorate the house.   If you arranged a dinner party in your new home, who would you invite? Of course I would invite my friends and then also Eckhart Tolle, a llama, Isabell Allende and Alejandro Jodorowsky.   Your secret weapon? My positive attitude. In every difficulty lies an opportunity   One thing you had to bring with you to Spain? my passport and my credit card. Without that, nothing works.   Favourite childhood book and why? Pipi Longstocking, because she was so free and wild.   One thing you are most looking forward to which restrictions are lifted? To meet and hug my friends from Málaga.   Something you would tell your younger self? Don’t worry! Everything has its purpose.   Where can we connect with you? terapiaselpuente.com and facebook María Degen or centro “el puente” on Facebook   Thank you Maria!   Do you want to tell us your Story?  Complete the online form here