Björn Casajus first came to Malaga in September 2019 to attend a language course. From that moment on, the Andalusian city was etched in his mind. “Shortly after the course, in December, I went straight back with my wife Paula and my son for the winter holidays,” he explains. “The sun, the beach, the sea… all captivated us from the very beginning and made us want to live here for a little while.”
In May 2021, the dream came true and the young family rented a flat in Malaga. They want to stay as long as they can: “At least one year, if possible two, and gladly more,” says Björn, who is from Hamburg.
The fact that he works as a recruiter for a recruitment agency and that it’s possible to do it from home makes things much easier. “My former boss would not have allowed me to work from Malaga; no exceptions were made there. So, when my current boss offered to hire me for a start-up for which I can work remotely, I didn’t think twice.”
After-work trips to the beach
Working hours are usually from 9am to 6pm and after work – sometimes even during his break – Björn goes to the beach, which is five minutes away from the flat, with his family. “I sit under the palm trees and I can’t believe how lucky we are,” Björn says enthusiastically.
Some of his clients know that he works remotely, but they don’t know from where. About once a quarter, Björn flies to Hamburg to meet with his colleagues or to be present at the recruitment of a new employee. Otherwise, a lot is done over the phone.
Björn’s wife Paula also works in HR. “With my own company, Cebraas Consulting, I can organise my working hours independently of the location,” she says. Since the birth of their son Henrik, Björn and Paula also enjoy family time together.
The main advantage of Malaga? “Here we can give our son the tools he needs: to speak German and Spanish fluently, to get to know other cultures and to explore other places,” says Paula, who was born in Argentina.
Paradise
In Malaga, the couple enjoy the sun, the warmth and the friendliness of the people. “Malaga already has a lot of what you can call paradise. We still feel like holidaymakers here and it’s something special when you can say after work: ‘Let’s go to the beach to eat fresh fish.’ The quality of life is different here,” says Björn.
Paula agrees: “Our place is definitely Pedregalejo. It was love at first sight. The promenade, the restaurants, the playgrounds and the beaches. The warm evenings are ideal for dining on a terrace or enjoying a tapa with a good wine.”
There are differences with Germany, of course, they both say. “Some things take some getting used to, but that’s the case everywhere,” Björn explains. “For me, the climate is definitely part of the quality of life. The people here are also quite open-minded, unlike in northern Germany.”
In general, he points out, local administration in Germany perhaps works a little better and the way people here take care of the environment is not yet up to Germany’s standards. “On the other hand, the parks and playgrounds are very well-kept. But in reality, everything is great. We’ll see where the trip takes us, but so far it’s been a lot of fun,” says Björn. “We’re happy to live here. Malaga surprises us every day,” Paula concludes.
