WELCOME TO THE NEW NOW

WE did it.

We followed the instructions of our President, Pedro Sanchez, regardless of our political inclinations and by doing what we should we went from being one of the world’s most dangerous countries to one of the safest.

Regardless of nationality, we came together and did everything asked of us, living for 98 days in a world that only weeks before we didn’t know existed.

We closed our businesses, locked up our children, shielded our elderly and vulnerable, facing a frightening world of social distancing with remarkable dignity in our masks and gloves.

Each night at 8pm we applauded those keeping us safe and we formed amazing self-sacrificing groups who cooked, baked, shopped and delivered for others with no thought for themselves.

We showed tolerance and compassion as we queued for anything and everything and if we worried about our families’ health, finances and futures, we worried in silence.

As business people, we, too, suffered financially but as an essential business, we had to continue despite high overheads and little income.

Now, after 98 days, the State of Alarm has been lifted and our lifeline to businesses along the coasts of Spain has been restored.

“Welcome, we have missed you, and we need you,” we say to returning visitors because we might not be tourist-based but our clients are.

We, too want a busy landscape of bars, restaurants, beaches and hotels where visitors receive the best service they have ever had.  We want them to buy properties, bring their skill sets here and their families.

We want them to rebook in August and October and to come back at Christmas.

More than anything else we want our wonderful business community to stop suffering.  We don’t want to see any more closures, just busy and contented owners who are being rewarded for their patience and dedication in preventing Covid-19 from robbing more lives while their own were put on hold.

As a business community, we have weathered recessions, but nothing like that of 2008 and no sooner did we emerge than we were confronted first by Brexit and then by Covid-19.

Life will never be the same again, but we are convinced that doesn’t mean this year can’t be turned around.

It will be hard and worrying at times, but we are made of tough stuff, us ex-pats, and as pioneers and entrepreneurs we know we shall get through.

Good luck to every single business-owner out there: we wish you every success in the New Now.

And we are sure that by the end of the year we will be toasting together, celebrating because we all made it through.

Good luck, everyone, and remember: we WILL do this!