Drives with his eyes shut tight!!!!!!

Rosemary

Thanks for those links. Our children are 5, 3 and a half and 6 and a half months so not that old yet. Is there anything for younger children to do? We wouldn't be putting of them in nursery so I'd have them at home until school started, I'm a stay at home mum here and would be the same when we move. I know all the stuff to do when it rains making playdoh, baking, glueing etc but sunny weather will be a new experience for us mostly hehe.

Are there many historical things in the area as we all like to visit castles and the like, the children like to explore them

He drives REALLY fast, that's why he doesn't see a thing....................mind you, he drives an FTO, I would drive fast too.








wouldn't want anyone to see me in one.

While I remember, what's the food like in Spain for a vegetarian? I'm one and although I do my own cooking we like to eat out sometimes.

They take the kids from 4yrs in school here. Its a great way for them to pick up spanish.
The trick is to do as the spanish do in the summer, let the kids play on the park or street (cul de sac) untill midnight (when its cool.) only go to the beach from 4pm. There are kids play areas/ball parks etc used for birthday parties etc,but nothing like uk in size or number. Its much more DIY I used to take mine to the beach in the winter on non cold days. bicycling. kite flying etc. the local deportivo have different sports some from 4/5 years. vollyball, basketball,football, we live near benidorm and there is ballet, musical theatre, karate, gymnastics, horse ridding, tennis the list goes on! The local hotels have clowns etc to entertain tourists and you can go for the price of a drink.

re vegetarian. Fab for going to market etc but eating out is harder. Spanish base meals around meat. But if you eat fish you are fine! The chinese restaurants are good and have a wide choice (and are very cheap!) Also indian. Or have 3 salad starters, some places you can get a vegetarian paella.

Is school compulsary from 4 then? My nearly 4 year old boy is not ready for school at all, he's only been going to pre-school here for a few months and while he enjoys it he has his off days. He can't sit still for a minute and is very very lively.

I'd let them play out when they're older but not at this age. They don't play out alone here either yet.

The beach is something I'm looking forward to when it's not too hot. Dd has just started ballet so it would be nice if she could keep that up. I'd love to start horse riding again myself lol, used to ride for about 7/8 years when I was younger and loved it. It'll be great just being able to go for walks etc and we all enjoy cycling but don't get much chance to do it here really.

No I'm a real vegetarian so I don't eat meat! I think those that eat fish are called something else. I'm also quite fussy and don't eat salad at all. I do like chinese and indian, pizza I love do they have many pizza places there? I'm sure I'll find something I like (hopfully!).

there is a horse riding place in Oliva

in Gandia there are dancing schools so expect you will get Ballet lessons there

kids above 3 wont be accepted into nursery so think it is compulsory for them to go to school. I have friends who have kids at "proper school" from age 3 - its a long day as full school hours are 9-5 (with 3 hours lunch break) so expect your little ones to completly shattered til they get used to it

it is a shock to the system ( A BIG SHOCK ) how young and how late the kids play out til, Im still getting used to it - my son who is 11 is out til midnight and feels hard done by if he has to come in any earlier than 11pm - there are kids of all ages out late at night, some as young as 5/6 - its just the norm in the holidays and at weekends when they are back at school

there are loads of pizza and chinese places, indians not so many of just depends on thr area you are going to, are you still looking at Gandia/Marxuquera ?

I'm glad about the ballet and riding

Hmm I think our son will take a while to adjust to full days, he's usually tired by 5pm and also dinner is 4.50-5pm as they're both starving. He gets up at about 5.30am every day which doesn't help with the tiredness. 9-5 seems a long day for little children, do they come home for lunch then? What hours are lunch usually?

That does seem really late but I suppose we'll have to think about that. No way am I letting my 5 year old out yet though!



Sounds good We are yes. Really hoping to find somewhere there but it does depend on jobs for Cliff too. Hopefully his work will agree to keep employing him and have him working from home, that would be ideal as we could live wherever suited us then.

If you´re going to an expat area you´ll probably be ok. If you´re going somewhere typically Spanish you are going to die of starvation. Unless you don´t mind eating tonne loads of Spanish tortilla because that´s about the only decent thing they make that doesn´t have meat, fish or salad.

Good luck. You´re going to need it!!

sure the kids will adjust, it will be difficult at first though naturally - its important I think to start mixing with the Spanish kids asap to make friends and of course for the language

my sons mates used to think he was weird having dinner so early (6ish) but now its hotter we eat later anyway

but their main meal is in the afternoon and they still dont understand why he isnt having a bocadillo at 10pm at night like they do

I'm sure I'll be ok, I used to just eat chips and a cheese sandwich over here before I started liking more foods. I hope they at least sell chips in Spain! Otherwise we just won't be eating out very often.