In September, I’ll be moving to Ibiza again with my partner Beau and our daughter Nova after almost two years in the UK and, we’re all excited about the move.
For nearly two years, we’ve been living in the countryside close to Oxford in the UK. While the countryside is beautiful and we’ve been very happy, it wasn’t our choice to stay as long as we have.
Like so many people, our plans were derailed by the pandemic.
But, after visiting the island as soon as we were able, there’s no doubt that this is where we want to live.
Although I’m part of an Ibiza-based business, I and my team have become so used to working remotely that I really don’t need to live on the island for commercial reasons.
Having said that, I do enjoy showing new houses and, hopefully, selling them to people who have fallen in love with the island as much as I have.
The real reason I’m moving to Ibiza again is that the quality of life here is just outstanding. I’m becoming more and more aware of the importance of this as I watch my daughter Nova grow and evolve.
When I visited Ibiza earlier in the summer, I knew that this was where I wanted to be. I felt completely at home. I was reminded that I had friends on the island who were very different but all like-minded and international in their outlook.
After just four days, I knew that I wanted to create a life for my family here.
While my partner and I are still relearning how to express ourselves freely; Nova is already a communicative, expressive free spirit, most at home in the wild. And, in Ibiza, there are so many opportunities to go wild, become unbound and express yourself.
Nature has a lot to do with this. The climate here means we live outside for much of the year. We’re connected to the sea which inevitably encourages a sense of freedom and of limitless horizons.
There’s also a rich cultural identity which has given rise to a live and let live tolerance for centuries.
Right now, and perhaps because Ibiza’s past is such fertile soil, there’s also a cultural and social shift happening that I want my family to be part of.
Over the past few years, I’ve been become aware that there’s a movement of people moving to Ibiza to create a world they can love. They’re thought leaders, heads of corporations and people who’ve been able to create wealth for themselves. Many of them are my friends. Some are clients of Charles Marlow Ibiza.
For us, creating a world we love is rooted in practicalities. It begins with education – something which is important to Beau and I because of Nova – and it shapes how we make a living and the businesses we build.
Speaking for myself, the way I live and express myself comes down to truly understanding who I am and why I do what I do. This doesn’t just manifest itself in my personal life. It’s fundamental to the ‘Why’ of Charles Marlow.
Every single member of our team has done what are clients want to do. We’ve chosen to live in Ibiza or Mallorca, so we know why we are here.
Being on the same wavelength as our clients, whatever their situation, means we have a good idea what they’re looking for. It also means we can help by talking openly and honestly about our experience.
Part of that experience is learning how to navigate a very different culture from that found elsewhere in Europe.
We don’t just want to help our clients find their place in moving to Ibiza or Mallorca. We want to share our knowledge as fully as we can.
I’ve learned that the very things that contribute to the wonderful quality of life in Ibiza – the sun, sea, beautiful nature, and fascinating people – can also be a distraction if you’re not careful.
Moving to Ibiza to work, you have to accept that your way of working will change. The important thing to remember is that you won’t be any less productive.
My Ibiza routine is to swim at sunrise, practice yoga and start work around 8.30 refreshed and with a clear mind. Most days, I don’t need to work 9 to 5.
Given that Ibiza, the white island, is also the party island, there are plenty of temptations. Even if you don’t indulge, being surrounded by larger than life characters is a temptation. Ibiza has always been seductive.
I avoid being seduced by knowing myself, by understanding what I want from the island for me and my family. Our dream life is ours, no-one else’s.
Together with the team at Charles Marlow Ibiza, I would love to help you begin your dream life on the island.
Written by Charles Marlow cofounder Charlie Hill