I feel homeless...where to live?
Dec 29th 2004, 11:38 pm
#1
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I feel homeless...where to live?
I'm german and married to a brit.
After moving around for 12 years with the army, hubby left the forces and workes now for nato in Belguim.
I'm not happy here, so we thinking of moving some where else.
We have two kids 6 and 9.....the problem is, we cant make up our mind where to go.
I would like to live in the UK but hubby is not really keen on the idea, because he thinks is all a ratrace over there.
Up to 12 hours work a day and even on weekends and bad pay after all.
He rather would go to other nato places like portugal/lisborn.
My concern are the kids, thinking that they loose out on there education, so far they have been in international schools or mod schools.
I dont like the idea to send them to boarding school....or to the uk when they want to go to university.
I wish for our kids an english speaking country, but I'm not keen on Canada or Australia..this is so difficulty.
There is a wide world out there.....sunny and cheaper then the UK and I want to go just there.....am I'm mad??
Sorry for any spelling mistakes
After moving around for 12 years with the army, hubby left the forces and workes now for nato in Belguim.
I'm not happy here, so we thinking of moving some where else.
We have two kids 6 and 9.....the problem is, we cant make up our mind where to go.
I would like to live in the UK but hubby is not really keen on the idea, because he thinks is all a ratrace over there.
Up to 12 hours work a day and even on weekends and bad pay after all.
He rather would go to other nato places like portugal/lisborn.
My concern are the kids, thinking that they loose out on there education, so far they have been in international schools or mod schools.
I dont like the idea to send them to boarding school....or to the uk when they want to go to university.
I wish for our kids an english speaking country, but I'm not keen on Canada or Australia..this is so difficulty.
There is a wide world out there.....sunny and cheaper then the UK and I want to go just there.....am I'm mad??
Sorry for any spelling mistakes
Dec 29th 2004, 11:50 pm
#2
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Location: MA, USA
Posts: 92,170
Re: I feel homeless...where to live?
The UK ain't so bad, rat race, depends on where you live and what you do, it's more so over in the States regarding working hours.
If you have a EU passport, moving around the EU isn't a problem, but if your kids are considering university, might want to be resident in that country, well in the UK, have to be resident for a while before the LEA would pay the uni fees, I can't remember how long it is, but a couple years I think. Otherwise it's pretty expensive, something to consider where ever you end up really though isn't it.
If you have a EU passport, moving around the EU isn't a problem, but if your kids are considering university, might want to be resident in that country, well in the UK, have to be resident for a while before the LEA would pay the uni fees, I can't remember how long it is, but a couple years I think. Otherwise it's pretty expensive, something to consider where ever you end up really though isn't it.
Dec 30th 2004, 12:07 am
#3
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Re: I feel homeless...where to live?
Originally Posted by Bob
The UK ain't so bad, rat race, depends on where you live and what you do, it's more so over in the States regarding working hours.
If you have a EU passport, moving around the EU isn't a problem, but if your kids are considering university, might want to be resident in that country, well in the UK, have to be resident for a while before the LEA would pay the uni fees, I can't remember how long it is, but a couple years I think. Otherwise it's pretty expensive, something to consider where ever you end up really though isn't it.
If you have a EU passport, moving around the EU isn't a problem, but if your kids are considering university, might want to be resident in that country, well in the UK, have to be resident for a while before the LEA would pay the uni fees, I can't remember how long it is, but a couple years I think. Otherwise it's pretty expensive, something to consider where ever you end up really though isn't it.
Hi Bob
"but if your kids are considering university, might want to be resident in that country, well in the UK, have to be resident for a while before the LEA would pay the uni fees"
I really dont't know want you mean with that, do we have to live in the Uk for a couple of years...and what is LEA??
My kids have both a brit. Passport......
By the way..huppy is telecommunication technician and IT administator.
Last edited by eurotramp; Dec 30th 2004 at 12:10 am.
Dec 30th 2004, 12:35 am
#4
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Re: I feel homeless...where to live?
LEA-Local Education Authority...you have to live in the area for 2 years I think it is before they'll pay for your kids togo to uni in the UK, that means that once sponsored, you'll only be responsible for a max of the first £3000 or whatever the amount it, if not, most courses would coast around £7-12K a year.
Don't have a clue how it works in the rest of Europe, but I would imagine that if you aren't a resident then you'll have to pay overseas' fee's, but I wouldn't have a clue how long you would have to be resident before you would have to pay local costs for uni.
It's just something to bare in mind if you have kids that are thinking of uni.
Don't have a clue how it works in the rest of Europe, but I would imagine that if you aren't a resident then you'll have to pay overseas' fee's, but I wouldn't have a clue how long you would have to be resident before you would have to pay local costs for uni.
It's just something to bare in mind if you have kids that are thinking of uni.
Dec 30th 2004, 2:19 pm
#5
Forum Regular
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 79
Re: I feel homeless...where to live?
Originally Posted by eurotramp
I'm german and married to a brit.
After moving around for 12 years with the army, hubby left the forces and workes now for nato in Belguim.
I'm not happy here, so we thinking of moving some where else.
We have two kids 6 and 9.....the problem is, we cant make up our mind where to go.
I would like to live in the UK but hubby is not really keen on the idea, because he thinks is all a ratrace over there.
Up to 12 hours work a day and even on weekends and bad pay after all.
He rather would go to other nato places like portugal/lisborn.
My concern are the kids, thinking that they loose out on there education, so far they have been in international schools or mod schools.
I dont like the idea to send them to boarding school....or to the uk when they want to go to university.
I wish for our kids an english speaking country, but I'm not keen on Canada or Australia..this is so difficulty.
There is a wide world out there.....sunny and cheaper then the UK and I want to go just there.....am I'm mad??
Sorry for any spelling mistakes
After moving around for 12 years with the army, hubby left the forces and workes now for nato in Belguim.
I'm not happy here, so we thinking of moving some where else.
We have two kids 6 and 9.....the problem is, we cant make up our mind where to go.
I would like to live in the UK but hubby is not really keen on the idea, because he thinks is all a ratrace over there.
Up to 12 hours work a day and even on weekends and bad pay after all.
He rather would go to other nato places like portugal/lisborn.
My concern are the kids, thinking that they loose out on there education, so far they have been in international schools or mod schools.
I dont like the idea to send them to boarding school....or to the uk when they want to go to university.
I wish for our kids an english speaking country, but I'm not keen on Canada or Australia..this is so difficulty.
There is a wide world out there.....sunny and cheaper then the UK and I want to go just there.....am I'm mad??
Sorry for any spelling mistakes
Dec 30th 2004, 3:01 pm
#6
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Re: I feel homeless...where to live?
Originally Posted by ags
Hi Euro, you mentioned thinking of going to Portugal. Well I have friends who are Portugese and have lived in the UK for a few years who returned to Lisbon a year ago. They are having a real tough time, unemployment is sky high, salaries are low and the cost of living is high. A lot of Portugese now work in Spain and commute home to Portugal, even shopping is cheaper in Spain. Thay are still battling along, taking what work thay can. The plus side is the weather. Where ever you decide to go the kids will adapt as they are young enough, and looking ahead to when they want to go to University, no matter where you are you will most likely have to pay fees which are increasing all the time, so whether it is the UK or not won't make much difference. Good luck where ever you decide on.
Work would not be a problem since hubby would be employed by Nato and paid quit well.
I'm surprised that cost of living is so high...even the houses a quit expensive.
I thought that it would be cheaper to live out there, wonder why it is that way.....
Just can't make my mind up....would be easier if we had family in England, but hubby comes from NIr. and we dont want tom go there.
Dec 30th 2004, 9:43 pm
#7
Desert spaces
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 309
Re: I feel homeless...where to live?
I just moved to the UK 18 months ago, because my sister and I wanted to finish school here (neither of us are British, by the way). I'd say it's definitely a good place to be, and I have no reason to be biased! The education system is excellent, the people are friendly, and you can avoid the 'rat race' if you want.
Good luck with your decision
-Becs
Good luck with your decision
-Becs
Jan 1st 2005, 12:12 pm
#8
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Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5
Re: I feel homeless...where to live?
We moved to Spain (Costa del Sol) 6 years ago when the children were 6 and 9 from Gloucestershire. We were worried about them and they settled better than any of us. Our families lived all over Scotland and England and to visit them took well over 2 hours drive. So we sold the move to ourselves that as long as we could finance a flight back we could visit in the school hols. (As long as one books flights in advance you can pick them up really cheap. In fact there are flights for 1.00 pound if you take time to find them. We put them into Spanish school (private) to begin with. Moved the older child onto English International within 6 months (she had meningitis as a baby which caused hearing loss) and we felt the noise level of marble floors and noisy children (larger classes) caused her concern. She has never looked back and in fact sat her Spanish GCSE at 14 and received an A Star. My son on the other hand because he was younger took to it like a duck to water and remained at the Spanish school for 2 years when we then moved him also to the English International. For a number of reasons. i.e. they had different holidays, were going in different directions each morning and the start and finish times were different. Easier to have them at one school. However the cost is not cheap, we now pay around 20,000 euros per year and they have 16 weeks vacation per year. (10 weeks in the summer which is too long). There are also German schools here of which many Spanish children send their families. They receive the Spanish at home and the German language in school. They even bring tutors in for English. They amaze me. The professional Spanish are very into their children. They want only the best at whatever cost!!
Many many families are moving out here from different countries. At the International school there are 30 different nationalities. Many choose to put children into the state school because of cost, even up to the age of 12 which surprises me but they do integrate very well. Would only become a problem when they try to integrate back into the UK system i.e. University and or College.
If your husband has work I would not hesitate to look at Spain. Today the weather is like a summer´s day back in the UK. Many people tend to disappear for the month of August but most of the time we can cope with the heat. It puts the Brits to shame when one sees other nationalities speaking up to 5 languages. For sure if you want a decent job here one has to speak Spanish unless you find work in the Real Estate (100´s of them here). An average salary here per month is 1000 euros (office staff) and many are only paid commission in Real Estate, if you do not sell you do not get paid. Not good at present as unfortunately they have priced themsleves out of the market. You can rent a nice 3 bed apartment for around 1200 euros per month and a villa for around 3000 eruos a month. For sure the prices to buy will stabalise which means it will become a buyers market.
My daughter is now 15 and we have to make decisions as to what is best for her regarding her future. She wants to go to University in the UK and for sure we do not want her to be treated as an overseas student when the time comes. We truly do not want to send her back to the UK on her own at 16. Decisions, decisions.
I wish you luck and happiness wherever you end up.
p.s. Take a look at Ireland it is coming up as one of the best places to live!! Apart from the weather which can be grim. For sure the people are friendly!
Many many families are moving out here from different countries. At the International school there are 30 different nationalities. Many choose to put children into the state school because of cost, even up to the age of 12 which surprises me but they do integrate very well. Would only become a problem when they try to integrate back into the UK system i.e. University and or College.
If your husband has work I would not hesitate to look at Spain. Today the weather is like a summer´s day back in the UK. Many people tend to disappear for the month of August but most of the time we can cope with the heat. It puts the Brits to shame when one sees other nationalities speaking up to 5 languages. For sure if you want a decent job here one has to speak Spanish unless you find work in the Real Estate (100´s of them here). An average salary here per month is 1000 euros (office staff) and many are only paid commission in Real Estate, if you do not sell you do not get paid. Not good at present as unfortunately they have priced themsleves out of the market. You can rent a nice 3 bed apartment for around 1200 euros per month and a villa for around 3000 eruos a month. For sure the prices to buy will stabalise which means it will become a buyers market.
My daughter is now 15 and we have to make decisions as to what is best for her regarding her future. She wants to go to University in the UK and for sure we do not want her to be treated as an overseas student when the time comes. We truly do not want to send her back to the UK on her own at 16. Decisions, decisions.
I wish you luck and happiness wherever you end up.
p.s. Take a look at Ireland it is coming up as one of the best places to live!! Apart from the weather which can be grim. For sure the people are friendly!
Jan 1st 2005, 4:07 pm
#9
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Re: I feel homeless...where to live?
Originally Posted by RosyG
We moved to Spain (Costa del Sol) 6 years ago when the children were 6 and 9 from Gloucestershire. We were worried about them and they settled better than any of us. Our families lived all over Scotland and England and to visit them took well over 2 hours drive. So we sold the move to ourselves that as long as we could finance a flight back we could visit in the school hols. (As long as one books flights in advance you can pick them up really cheap. In fact there are flights for 1.00 pound if you take time to find them. We put them into Spanish school (private) to begin with. Moved the older child onto English International within 6 months (she had meningitis as a baby which caused hearing loss) and we felt the noise level of marble floors and noisy children (larger classes) caused her concern. She has never looked back and in fact sat her Spanish GCSE at 14 and received an A Star. My son on the other hand because he was younger took to it like a duck to water and remained at the Spanish school for 2 years when we then moved him also to the English International. For a number of reasons. i.e. they had different holidays, were going in different directions each morning and the start and finish times were different. Easier to have them at one school. However the cost is not cheap, we now pay around 20,000 euros per year and they have 16 weeks vacation per year. (10 weeks in the summer which is too long). There are also German schools here of which many Spanish children send their families. They receive the Spanish at home and the German language in school. They even bring tutors in for English. They amaze me. The professional Spanish are very into their children. They want only the best at whatever cost!!
Many many families are moving out here from different countries. At the International school there are 30 different nationalities. Many choose to put children into the state school because of cost, even up to the age of 12 which surprises me but they do integrate very well. Would only become a problem when they try to integrate back into the UK system i.e. University and or College.
If your husband has work I would not hesitate to look at Spain. Today the weather is like a summer´s day back in the UK. Many people tend to disappear for the month of August but most of the time we can cope with the heat. It puts the Brits to shame when one sees other nationalities speaking up to 5 languages. For sure if you want a decent job here one has to speak Spanish unless you find work in the Real Estate (100´s of them here). An average salary here per month is 1000 euros (office staff) and many are only paid commission in Real Estate, if you do not sell you do not get paid. Not good at present as unfortunately they have priced themsleves out of the market. You can rent a nice 3 bed apartment for around 1200 euros per month and a villa for around 3000 eruos a month. For sure the prices to buy will stabalise which means it will become a buyers market.
My daughter is now 15 and we have to make decisions as to what is best for her regarding her future. She wants to go to University in the UK and for sure we do not want her to be treated as an overseas student when the time comes. We truly do not want to send her back to the UK on her own at 16. Decisions, decisions.
I wish you luck and happiness wherever you end up.
p.s. Take a look at Ireland it is coming up as one of the best places to live!! Apart from the weather which can be grim. For sure the people are friendly!
Many many families are moving out here from different countries. At the International school there are 30 different nationalities. Many choose to put children into the state school because of cost, even up to the age of 12 which surprises me but they do integrate very well. Would only become a problem when they try to integrate back into the UK system i.e. University and or College.
If your husband has work I would not hesitate to look at Spain. Today the weather is like a summer´s day back in the UK. Many people tend to disappear for the month of August but most of the time we can cope with the heat. It puts the Brits to shame when one sees other nationalities speaking up to 5 languages. For sure if you want a decent job here one has to speak Spanish unless you find work in the Real Estate (100´s of them here). An average salary here per month is 1000 euros (office staff) and many are only paid commission in Real Estate, if you do not sell you do not get paid. Not good at present as unfortunately they have priced themsleves out of the market. You can rent a nice 3 bed apartment for around 1200 euros per month and a villa for around 3000 eruos a month. For sure the prices to buy will stabalise which means it will become a buyers market.
My daughter is now 15 and we have to make decisions as to what is best for her regarding her future. She wants to go to University in the UK and for sure we do not want her to be treated as an overseas student when the time comes. We truly do not want to send her back to the UK on her own at 16. Decisions, decisions.
I wish you luck and happiness wherever you end up.
p.s. Take a look at Ireland it is coming up as one of the best places to live!! Apart from the weather which can be grim. For sure the people are friendly!
thanks for you answer...is good to hear from people with experience...
Did you ever regretted to move to Spain??
How is you social life out there an do you think of moving back to the UK?
My Husband could work for nato in Portugal and my only concern are 2 things...would I have a social life there(because I did not have one for years ) and I'm concerned about when the kids reach the age for university.
Couldn't your kids just to go to a Spanish university??
Lots of question, I'm afraid, but it is so good to talk to somebody who already went through all this.
Thanks
Eurotramp
P.S I'm in shock about the rental cost for flats or houses..
Jan 15th 2005, 6:27 am
#10
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 25
Re: I feel homeless...where to live?
Hi, I am german married to an Australian and know what it is like to feel homeless. We live in Australia now, but have been thinking for years of going elsewhere, just can't seem to find the right spot for us.
Australia is quite good when it comes to a relaxed lifestyle, jobs, economy, etc. On the other hand it is so far away from the rest of the world, cities are isolated, it seems impossible to go back home regularly when you are on an average Aussie salary. I would much rather be in the States or Canada. I can't give you any advice, but I hope you find the right spot for your family.
Australia is quite good when it comes to a relaxed lifestyle, jobs, economy, etc. On the other hand it is so far away from the rest of the world, cities are isolated, it seems impossible to go back home regularly when you are on an average Aussie salary. I would much rather be in the States or Canada. I can't give you any advice, but I hope you find the right spot for your family.
