I lived there when I first came back and did a very thorough recce of the whole area looking at houses. As per my earlier email, you have to choose very carefully if you decide to live in the valleys. It's a real contrast between beautiful scenery, a proud mining history, but also squalid, damp, terrible traffic in places like Porth, chav-ism and petty crime, high rates of teenage pregancy and people on benefits, etc.

Not trying to burst your bubble but South Wales is a neglected area of the UK (shame on central government ...) and you have to look very carefully to find the jewels in the rough, so to speak. Don't be discouraged but do take your time doing research.

Yep she is...shame she's a jack ! LOL..
But saying that she's got more class than the other...meaning (C-Church) soz churchy but you are a Lush.LOL

Here is Ali G in the welsh valley's (not cardiff) LOL...
Hope you Enjoy...LOL..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOZlJiOvXsU

Actually it sounds just fine as you described. The male chauvenism...well, here in Texas it is called the "good ol' boy" network, so I am not that phased by it really. I tend to just work, tend to my children and pets and then go home. I like to take my dogs for walks and go to seasonal markets and festivals, so I am pretty laid back. I will most definitely do a lot of research to make sure the home I get isn't in the middle of a "troubled zone" like I saw in Newcastle. That area looked like a war zone. But, I and my children are decent DIY people (well, painting, fencing and light plumbing) so I am not looking for a perfect place, but something fixable, but not a money pit.
Now as for traffic, I will be using public transportation for a while until I get the hang of the driving and find a vehicle. I hope it is accessible to the hospitals in the area and the shops.

If you'll be relying on public transport, check out the train routes - there's a pretty good network, but some villages don't have a station.

http://www.arrivatrainswales.co.uk/u...ATWMap2009.pdf (bigger scale)

The routes network map is handy (it's like the London Underground map) - you can see which stations are connected and if you have to change trains.

http://www.arrivatrainswales.co.uk/u...nesMap2009.pdf

Good ! There are stations and routes from those places directly to Cardiff if need be. I also printed out a map of Wales as I need to know the areas of the country I am looking at especially since everyone has said that South Wales would be best since I am not versed in the language.
Also, usually the depressed areas tend to have more jobs in regards to nursing and teaching since people move away to 'better' areas and leave the area to have shortages.

If your going to work in cardiff...and live just outside then take a look into taffswell,cearphilly, newport, areas as this is a safe bet for trains run every 20/30 mins till midnight..also some nice country walks..well...not so much newport anyways..but they do have the Royal Gwent hospital there so that might be of some interest to you also..

What is your budget? if you don't mind me asking...maybe i can do a little digging for you, if ya like..

That would be great jaxslad. I need all the help I can get and it is greatly appreciated.
Well, from the housing show I saw on BBC, a nurse salary is about 26,000 pounds so 3 -4 times that would be about 78-104, 000, but I don't want to get NEAR that amount. I don't want to be a slave to a mortgage and I would like to get something with good structure to fix up. I don't know if I can get renovation grants since I haven't been a resident for at least 3 yrs, but I know they are trying to get first time buyers to take over some of these vacant homes. That is another reason I am trying to look for a rent to own if I can't qualify for the grant, because I know the initial money to buy a home can run about 20K and it will take me too long to get that amount, but renting and having half that would work to get things rolling.
I have been looking at the Zoopla site for houses, but I don't know how accurate the listing is as some of the showing dates are back in November.

yep well check out peter alan estate agents and also darlows.....google both of them...that would give you a better idea....cardiff zip sorry post code is ..cf11 not sure the codes for outside tho..
so ya want a fixer up in a decent area huh? ok let me take a look..

Not sure about how it works now with the banks but it used to be you could borrow 3 maybe 3 1/2 times your income...with 1 yrs pay stubs..when S/Employed its more loop holes with 3 yrs accounts..
but all this depends of what deposit you put down and how much you borrow...
Like i said with the banks being so shy to lend anymore ..not sure what is there norm nowadays..
sorry i don't want to put a spanner in the works, im just being honest, thats all..

It is the same here. That is why I don't mind renting for a while until I can establish myself. I do have a mortgage here and I know I could get a letter of reference if needed.

Where I live, it doesn't have to be a perfect area, but decent enough that I would feel safe, mind you, I lived in Dallas with gunfire outside my window. And won't come home to things missing.

My children will be the ones overseeing the work on the property and picking up pets from the aeroport/import centre also.