Mary Harboe

Mary Harboe - Journalist and Radio Presenter at REM FM

In this video, we hear the views of long-time journalist Mary Harboe, who presents a radio show on the popular REM network in southern Spain. Her programme deals with issues that affect expats along the coast. These are a few reasons that she thinks people leave their home countries to come and live in Spain;

“There are people who are running away from something, and then there are those who are running to something else, a dream, or a hope for the future. Everybody just wants to find some happiness, and I know that everyone always says it’s the sea and the sun and the weather, but there is no doubt that it does play a part in how you feel.  There’s a different style of life here, a much better quality of life, and yet it’s very accessible. Within a couple of hours you are still in London. I often wonder what the Spanish people really think of the foreigners who come here.  I don’t think we are particularly aware of any bad feelings towards us, but there are stereotypes like the English bars, and eating egg and chips, and beans on toast, and tea and pints of beer, and the guys who go round without any shirts on! But I think they are the minority, the vast majority of people who live here are like that, it’s just a small minority.  It is a complete mix of people, and I think that what comes out of it in the end is really something pretty good...”