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ENTREPRENEUR MISSES HUSTLE AND BUSTLE OF HOME

The glorious weather and the lower cost of living lured Luka to Spain

Wednesday June 11,2008

LUKA ZAK moved to Spain after graduating from university two years ago but warns that people need to be aware of the pros and cons of living abroad before making such a life-changing decision.

The 25-year-old, who runs a meal delivery service (www.restaurantesparati.com) in Javea, Alicante, was lured overseas by the prospect of glorious weather, the lower cost of living and difficulty in finding a job in London.

But although he has thoroughly enjoyed his time overseas — and met his partner Katie Howard, 24, there — he is considering returning because he misses the faster pace of life in his home country. “It’s a lot cheaper to live out here and you can get a three-course meal for about e10 (£8),” he says.

“However, you also need to remember that the wages are not as high as they would be back in the UK.”

He suggests that anyone seduced by the idea of making a new life abroad consider the positives and negatives before making any commitment, as not everything will be as good as they might imagine.

“The weather is lovely and puts you in a good mood as soon as you wake up, and it’s a more relaxed lifestyle,” says Luka. “The slower pace of life can also be a negative as it’s not always easy to get things done quickly.”

The convenience of popping to a major supermarket is something he particularly misses. “To do the weekly shop you will often need to go to five different places in the area,” he explains. “They don’t have one place that sells everything.”

For those set on going overseas Luka’s advice is to do plenty of research.

“They need to plan properly as a lot of people come out here thinking they can do well and it ends up being a failure. People need to accept that the lifestyle is totally different from the UK.”

Luka adds: “I have had a great time and it’s been a very good experience setting up a business in another country. However, I do miss the hustle and bustle of life in the UK.”

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