Jade Gartshore, 25, decided to move to Spain which she likens to a ‘permanent holiday’ (Image: Jade Gartshore/SWNS)
A British woman has swapped the UK for the sun-soaked streets of Spain, where she now enjoys €3.50 (around £3) glasses of wine and free nightly concerts. Jade Gartshore, 25, left behind a successful but unfulfilling career in the UK, finding herself disheartened by the “dark” days.
Together with her husband Edward Partis, also 25 and an electrical engineer, Jade discovered her paradise in the vibrant Spanish city of Murcia. The couple made the leap last November, and now settled in, they can’t envision moving back to the UK and give up their “permanent holiday”. Reflecting on her past routine, Jade shared: “I used to sit in the office and used to look out and think, this can’t be life, you know, every day going to work in the dark and coming back in the dark.
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Jade and Edward found themselves constantly drawn back to the allure of Spain. (Image: Jade Gartshore/SWNS)
The couple made the leap last November. (Image: Jade Gartshore/SWNS)
“I was always doing very well in my job, but it just didn’t give me enough.”
Now, her days are filled with joy: “It’s like a permanent holiday, I wake up feeling a lot happier and often have those pinch me moments where I still can’t believe I live here.”
Murcia’s vibrant cultural scene is a highlight for Jade: “We have a free concert every night. It’s different in each town.
“So you’ll have jazz, you’ll have disco, techno, and they’ll just be on the seafront, and it’s all put on by the council. That’s where some of your money goes, which is a nice feeling”
Even the cost of living has its perks, Jade said: “You can get a glass of wine for €3.50, which is crazy, but your day-to-day shopping can be pretty much the same as the UK.”
Originally from Leicester, Jade and Edward embarked on a six-month travel adventure in 2023, dedicating five weeks to exploring Murcia, a place close to Jade’s heart as her parents’ retirement haven.
The adventurous couple continued their travels across Asia, yet found themselves constantly drawn back to the allure of Spain.
Jade confessed: “The whole six months we were just working out ways how to get back to Spain, and we just completely fell head over heels for it.”
She revealed that their conversations invariably returned to Murcia, saying: “The conversation just kept coming back to Murcia that we kind of loved it and both felt exactly the same way, which was really lucky.”
Reflecting on her roots, Jade admitted: “To be honest, growing up in the UK, I always felt like it wasn’t my home.”
Jade’s parents chose Murcia as their retirement haven two years ago, and currently, the couple is residing with them as they await the move to their new flat (Image: Jade Gartshore/SWNS)
Her wanderlust was evident from a young age as she shared: “When I was 16, I was going to California on holiday by myself to see friends, and when I was 19, we tried to live in Australia, but it just wasn’t for us.”
Jade expressed a profound sentiment: “So I just feel like my whole life, I’ve just known that the UK is not for me.”
She encouraged others, saying: “It can be scary, but definitely making the jump in your twenties is a perfect time.”
On the cusp of a career advancement at her estate agency job, Jade chose to pursue a different life: “I was completely petrified, I had this great job, and my collegial manager wanted me to become a manager. I just left it all behind because it didn’t feel right.”
She praised the local community: “The people here, especially in Murcia, are just so kind.”
Jade also shared her love for the region’s natural beauty: “I’ve always wanted to lived by the sea, but Murcia also has the mountains where you can go on hikes.”
She enthused about the lifestyle: “It’s very outdoor living, which is right up my street.”
Despite enjoying the fantastic free events provided by the council, Jade aimed to dispel the myth that living abroad is significantly cheaper than in the UK.
She remarked: “I think people have the perception that it is quite cheap here, especially when you come on holiday, but it’s mainly the alcohol that’s a big difference.”
Jade, who is in between jobs at the moment, noted that living costs such as rent and utilities are comparable to the UK, saying “it fluctuates as to where you live”.
“Some places near us are more expensive than what you’d rent in the UK, and you get less for your money, but then some areas you get more for your money depending on location,” she observed.
Nestled in the south-eastern region of Spain, Murcia ranks as the country’s seventh largest city and is affectionately dubbed “the fruit basket of Spain” due to its prolific production of fruits, vegetables, and flowers.
Jade enthused: “The fruit and vegetables are so much bigger and they just have so much more flavour.
“Our diet hasn’t changed drastically because I feel like it’s difficult to just quickly change. So we’d still have our basic meals that we’d have in the UK, but you just feel better.”
She also enjoys the opportunity to visit local farmers and partake in tours to witness the agricultural bounty firsthand, all for the bargain price of €12 (£10.36).
Jade’s parents chose Murcia as their retirement haven two years ago, and currently, the couple is residing with them as they await the move to their new flat, conveniently located a mere 15 minutes from the beach.
During their stay, the couple has discerned certain cultural distinctions between life in Spain and back home in the UK.
Jade remarked: “One thing I’ve noticed is that people don’t just want to do stuff on the weekend, they’ll happily make plans every day, even if it’s just a walk”.
Initially apprehensive about the potential isolation of living abroad, she was pleasantly surprised to discover she now has “more friends here than in the UK.”
Now thriving socially, Jade shared: “I think I’ve had two events every day. The other day we went to the beach with friends and then drove to another area to watch the sunset.
“And with my other friend we went to see a concert, so it’s just utilising the free things and not being weather dependent.”
The couple have immersed themselves in the local culture and are even learning Spanish, with their new friends lending a hand.
Jade explained her approach to language learning: “I go to an hour lesson in the village once a week and then just picking up comments from my social media and putting it into practice.”
ade has fostered an online community of individuals who aspire to move abroad (Image: Jade Gartshore/SWNS)
Through sharing her experiences in Murcia on social media, Jade has fostered a community of individuals who aspire to move abroad.
With around 60% of her followers being Spanish, she feels this has accelerated her understanding of the local ways and customs.
She uses her platform to inspire others, saying: “I try to use my account to show people that if I can do it, they can do it.
“Even if it’s just going to travel, take the risk, do what you want to do.”
Jade expressed her contentment with her new life, stating she “can’t see herself moving back to the UK again”.