There are so many reasons why Women move to Spain. Tracey Baxter shares a personal one in her interview and how she is now finding peace in a small village, Rambla de Oria. Read her story.
Why Spain?
We were living in Scotland and my husband worked away from Monday to Thursday evening. I love being alone and love the inspiration that the outdoors brings.
Only…in Scotland, when one bad winter (from October to April) rolls into a gloomy spring (April and May), to a poor Summer, (June to September) year after year, it began to affect my mental health.
We have holidayed for over 30 years on the Costa Blanca and always had a dream to move to Spain. So, in 2016, I had a ‘meltdown’ – I can remember still being in bed at lunchtime on a Friday and crying at the ‘grey June’. We decided to test the waters with and buy a tiny holiday home if we could. We did in August of that year and when my husband retired in 2019 we moved out permanently. It’s been hard but I feel it is home now.
And where are you now?
We live in the tranquility of the orange groves with fabulous Spanish neighbours in the small village of Rambla de Oria. I love it because…
1. It’s still Spanish – although there are many other nationalities living on the Rambla (a dry river bed).
2. It’s beautiful with the light changing the mountains at different times of the day – the beauty soothes me and I’m in awe of the splendour and vastness.
3. A more simple way of life suits me without having to endure ‘the smart set and gossip’ – one upmanship and keeping up with the Jones’s is SO not my style 🤣🤣
What was the biggest challenge for your move?
Saying goodbye to my beloved Scotland – I cried, and cried and cried some more until we got here. I/we knew it was the right thing to do for retirement and health reasons.
Do you have any advice for Women thinking about making the move?
Rent somewhere first – we have had bad experiences!
How do you spend your days?
I spend my days working with words – that’s what I was born to do. Simple!
When I’m not working, I have 3 adorable rescue dogs who never fail to make us laugh with their antics.
This move saw us buy an old cortijo – fairly similar to the old stone cottage we had in Scotland where the milk never went off if you left it out of the fridge 🤣 it’s a test I do.
It is a complete restoration project to bring back to soul of the house which has been badly neglected by the previous owners.
When we were clearing the property of the previous owners belongings, unbeknown to me, a lady who is a spiritualist and medium came in from a puppy rescue charity – in her words, she ‘can feel the joyful energy’ – it’s a very special house 😍
Apart from all of this – my life is spent with my head in a book, or rather, reading on my phone these days. I have been an avid reader since before I started school (my dear old Dad taught me) – hence my love of words and I can easily get through 4 to 8 books a month!
What is one spectacular thing you would like to achieve in just one day?
For me? Cure my SI joint pain! For the world? World peace.
Something you have achieved?
When I doubt myself or my capabilities – I look back on what I achieved in Scotland as a project manager. I literally ‘fell’ into the job after a disastrous slip on the ice left me in a wheelchair for a while – during which time my nasty, unscrupulous boss ‘sacked me’.
In hindsight, it was the start of knowing the power of words – to ‘extract’ thousands upon thousands of pounds from Scottish Government, European Leader funding, Scottish Enterprise and private sponsors to fund various tourism initiatives to support the growth of over 120 businesses in rural Perthshire.
When you use the right words – those you know your reader wants and needs to hear, it unlocks potential and opportunity.
And something you are grateful for?
I am grateful every single day for hot cups of tea, warm showers (cold in summer) and a comfy clean bed – so many people in the world don’t know this joy!
Who would be at your special dinner party?
My Mum – I would love to see her one last time and hear her use the wrong expression for things to make us smile.
Princess Diana – a flawed, much maltreated icon of humanity – the real story!
Eric Cantona – so we could discuss football and his humour along with his organic skincare company.
Peter Kay – to make us all laugh and have fun with Monsieur Cantona.
Bruce Springsteen – The Boss has to be there to philosophise along with Eric and to make music with… Carlos Santana!
Mary Queen of Scots – an early storyteller with so much to tell of her life with the Dauphin of France and then the marauding Scots and sneaky English!
Sophia Lauren – if my brand was a famous person it would be her! That’s 8 at my table!
What’s your secret weapon or accomplishment?
My secret weapon is being able to put people at ease so they feel they can trust me and share their hopes and fears – knowing I am entirely committed to helping them in any way I can.
Do you have a favourite quote?
“Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass. It's about learning how to dance in the rain.”
I discovered this phrase in a Peter James novel at a really dark time in my life.
It summed up where I was and what I needed to do at the time…and I did. And I do whenever I need to.
One thing you had to bring to Spain and could never give away?
Apart from my husband? 🤣🤣 When my Mum died in 1997 I was very ill and used some of the money she left me to buy a bed.
Not just any old bed but an antique cast iron and brass bed which I found in an antique shop and had been salvaged from the village where my Mum had grown up.
It polishes up wonderfully and still has the old bed springs so is crazy comfortable. I suffered from clinical depression and one of the symptoms is insomnia – I had my first full night’s sleep in that bed as I began to heal.
Do you have a favourite book?
Far too many to choose but…I have just reread the Rosie Gilmour series by Anna Smith (a Glasgow journalist) who sets her crime fiction books between Scotland (mainly Glasgow) and the Costa Del Sol – I feel as if I am in those books when I read them.
Also, the Dividing Line series (again, crime fiction) by Heather Atkinson (also from the west coast of Scotland) – as a 50th birthday present she included me in book 6 – there are 16 in the series!
Something you would tell your younger self?
‘Worrying is like walking around with an umbrella, waiting for it to rain’
Thank you Tracey Baxter where can we connect with you?
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pinkcopywritingagency
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/pinkcopywritingagency/
And Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/traceybaxter/
If you would like to share your story, please complete the online questions here
And read more Costa Women stories in our regular interview feature!
