Local author shares his experience moving from the UK to Spain

We all have our reasons for moving to Spain, but does the story ever unfold how we expect it to?

For Darryl, exploring the unknown was just what he needed, yet went nothing like he had expected. In an interview with Euro Weekly News, Darryl went over his experience, and how it led him to publish his first novel.

Local writer shares his experience moving from the UK to Spain

Darryl Cousins, originally from London, UK, lived primarily in Brighton working for the local council up until 2014, when an opportunity arose for him; a chance to change his scenery. 

In October 2015, Darryl travelled to Spain, initially only planning on staying a year but instead became a permanent resident in 2019, now living in the campo of San Jose, Almeria. 

Darryl tells Euro Weekly News what made him fall in love with Spain

Mr Cousins knew there was more to life than what he had in Brighton, which he admitted “was a good life”, but on a four-day trip to Almeria, he “loved everything about it” and leaving felt like “leaving home.”

“Almeria seduces you. The people are kind, genuine, very tough and direct. They don’t beat around the bush,” Cousins explained. 

For the British expat, Spain changed his life unexpectedly, exposing him “to a way of life (he) never knew existed”. He was looking for purpose and meaning, the next stage of his life, and found exactly that in Spain. 

Darryl knew he didn’t want to be in Britain, and hasn’t returned since leaving in 2015, but shared with Euro Weekly News that more specifically, he knew he didn’t want to be anywhere else but Spain, and “that’s a good enough reason” as he says.

The Brit fell in love with a region and a woman

In addition to the allure of Spain, Darryl met a woman, fell in love and the two married, settling in their shared love of Andalusia.

As a lifelong writer, Darryl wanted to document his experiences and “just started writing”, telling Euro Weekly News it was “therapeutic” and “felt like a good story”.

Spain’s lifestyle and affordability allowed the writer to explore his passions and find that purpose he sought after, not only in writing but also through his and his wife’s other endeavours; starting a gardening maintenance company in the heart of Almeria and turning his photography hobby into a photo/videography company with his wife.

The author publishes his first novel – Run Dani Run: An Andalucian love story

After scribbling his thoughts, and leaving those to rest for roughly two years, Darryl returned to the page and decided to turn his memoir into a story, and self-published his first novel “Run Dani Run”.

The book is a mixture of an adventure into the unknown, a love story with a woman, a love story with Andalusia, and an overarching message the author described as “no matter how far you are in life, you can change anything. Take a chance, what’s the worst that can happen?”

Where can you find Darryl’s anthology?

Darryl Cousins’ story turned into a novel can be found and read on Amazon entitled: Run Dani Run.

Additionally, Darryl has a collection of poetry on Amazon under the title Fishes, Fights and Motorbikes, though these writings “predate coming to Spain” the author explained.

In an exclusive, Darryl shared with Euro Weekly News his potential plans to write a part two to Run Dani Run, and the possibility of developing a new story.

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