Speaking European with Lily van Tongeren

Another of our ongoing conversations with Europeans who have chosen to settle in Spain, and this time it’s the turn of Lily van Tongeren who moved to the Costa del Sol in 2012 from The Netherlands.

What attracted her?

Explaining her decision, Lily said “I was attracted by the weather and lifestyle after a number of holiday visits and there was a family reason as well.

“I just love it here especially in Marbella which has an international population and whilst the lifestyle is relaxed, you have to be able to ‘go with the flow’ as there are some ups and downs.”

Lily acknowledges that there are some problems with bureaucracy but thinks that the same everywhere in Europe as each country has its own ways of doing things which may seem strange to newcomers so she tries to navigate as best she can.

Many will know that Lily is one of the guiding lights behind the Triple A animal charity in Marbella and she says of this “This is not a hobby, it’s a passion that makes me want to do all that I can to protect and care for abandoned animals especially the very young and those that are sick.

“When I come home from working with them, I love to escape into a good book and I suppose reading is my main hobby.”

Don’t become a bar fly

One piece of advice which she believes is very important for anyone who moves here, especially if they are pensioners, is that they should ensure that they keep active and maybe volunteer to work with a charity as she did.

“That way they will meet other people, form new acquaintances and also not be tempted to spend too much time in local bars, which has been a problem for some people.”

When asked about her ability to speak Spanish, Lily says that although she tries to practice every day, she has enough to get by in normal conversations but wouldn’t like to get into a philosophical debate.