"Your standard of living rises, but your standards drop!"

I once asked a British resident in the Costas "How would you sum up living in Spain?"

I was told "Your standard of living rises, but your standards drop!"

I pondered on the statement prior to moving to Spain, and I really never understood it until I had been here several months.

Living here is substantially cheaper than living in the UK. [30% - 40%]. Which means that it is possible to live on just one income meaning that living here means I can spend more time with my two children. Eating out and entertainment is far cheaper and there is a great choice. You can luxuriate in the time you now have, relax and learn to enjoy life.

On the minus side: standards on many levels are below par. A few examples that spring particularly to mind are:
Attitude to Service or rather lack of it. Service is a foreign word to the Spanish It is strained if you're lucky or more often non-existent. You get used to the Spanish shrug of shoulders, with the turning down of the mouth and the dismissive grunt. I really feel the Spanish need to take a leaf out of the Americans' book of attentive reliable service.
Broken promises by any tradesman/shops regarding delivery dates and times, and non-returned promised phone calls by the same are the norm. You will have to chase, chase, chase unless they need paying that is.
Do not expect anything to be done in one day.

You need to take a leaf out of the Spaniards' book: eat, drink and be merry and leave the worrying for manana!