Emmis

My husband is a freelance consultant, and gets offered work in some amazing places around the world. We usually stay between a year to 3 years. Amsterdam worked out fine - and he would have stayed longer but the Madrid offer was too good to refuse.

I'm a bit nervous about Madrid as unlike some other places we've been to, neither of us has ever visited. And if people are offended by our lifestyle, well, that is their bag! I find this forum pretty handy - I think there are probably many people out there like us. We have 3rd culture kids and they are just awesome!

No offence taken at all ... as long as none was meant

Domino

Jacky, you may be interested to know that I made 5 moves in 3 years although that was due to the RN and their crazy manning requirements.

If you say "we" (the BH and I) have lived in 4 places in less than 4 years since moving to Granada then perhaps we should get a bit of a kicking.
these things happen, although the BH has worked for the same co in that period and several years before that in the UK.

We sat down over a cava the other evening and discussed it and yes it really would be nice to have roots but at our age getting too old for a gypsy caravan and a horse to pull it

`

Emmis

Hi Jacky,

I don't know you at all so this is not a personal attack. I am slightly concerned how you know which countries I've lived in. (BTW I haven't lived in Paris. I have enquired after it in the past as it has been one of our options.)

My husband read the post this evening, and was pretty angry about your response. It is an attitude which perhaps you didn't mean to express, but that lead him to take his first consulting job overseas, over 13 years ago - to leave the passive aggression of the UK.

I don't really understand why you wanted me to justify our moves either. Luckily for us, we have been able to move for positive reasons. I'm just wondering how you would have felt if I had told you that it was for negative reasons, like job loss, or personal family reasons. Part of me doesn't mind me telling you why we move, but I don't really understand your confusion or why you thought I needed to justify our lifestyle.

Once again, I do hope that you didn't mean to come across in a judgemental fashion, but also understand that your question did come across as slightly abrasive.

We consider ourselves fortunate - but in another life we could easily be moving because of less positive reasons, and if that situation were to arise I'm not sure those motives would need to be disclosed on an open forum.

Anyway... back to topic.

Madrid anyone?!

Rosemary

I can tell you nothing at all about Madrid but I have just spent a week in a hotel with a load of people from there and I must say that they were all terrific. None were intrusive yet they were all very friendly, they respected the fact that I was not there for pleasure and two ladies actually invited me to join them for lunch and dinner rather than sit on my own.

Rosemary

Domino

That sounds really nice Rosemary. It can be difficult on your own - many people just want to ignore you as if you have come out in spots or have an infectious disease.

Hope you managed to have a reasonable break at this difficult time.
And happy new year

kind regards

Emmis

Ahhh, Bless you Rosemary!

That brought a very large smile to both my and my husband's faces! We do this so often and people often assume it's easy for us, but a new country, a new city always brings the same worries and fears as the first ever move did! I know it won't be all plain sailing, but it's super lovely to hear some positive things. Thank you - hugely appreciated!

Happy New Year to you.

Lots of appreciative love xxx

Lynn R

Glad you managed to get through what must have been a very difficult time, and had some pleasant company.

Best wishes for 2013, I hope it will be a better year for you.

Paz Cabero

Hi Emmis,
Welcome to Madrid!
There is a sentence that states 'Madrid, the city where anybody feels like an stranger', and it is mostly true.

I have a 3 years old son, and if your kids are more or less of the age, I would be very pleased if they can meet and maybe become friends!

Best,
Paz

adra04778

My friend lives in Las Rozas its a lovely place, her children go to a half privare and half public school.

lisacrock

Hey there,
I just joined the forum and found this thread. I am in a very similar situation to Emmi's a couple of months ago. My husband will start working in Madrid end of Feb and I plan to follow with 2 kids 1 and 4, 4 - 8 weeks later depending on how thing work out

We're really looking forward to start anew in Madrid but I feel as clueless as Emmi descibed earlier in this thread.


Adra, may I ask which school your friend's children go to and what their experience with this school is? Is it bilingual?
From what I read online I tend to think Las Rozas might be a good place to live with children: easy access to city and job (even though the M6 is a bit of a traffic nightmare, good schools/preschools, nice neighbourhood but does it have a bit of a character or is it just a commuters' community???

Any hints welcome!
Emmis did you move yet?

Lis

adra04778

I wouldn't class Las Rozas as a computer community myself, it has everything there and is a well respected area, I will have to ask her the name of the school, The children do a lot of classes in English, I do know that, and they speak good English because of it, but the children seems to do extreme amounts of
homework, maybe that is down to their mother, I am not sure. If theres anything you would like me to ask her, just say so and I will do.

cmw6372

Hi emmis, did you make the move ? We had similar questions and Pierre ( previous post) was brilliant in helping us settle. We looked at similar schools and chose one of The three you mention. Hope whatever decision you made worked out.

Ignore jackytoo, she has nothing better to do than bitch at people on forums who are looking for help. I sense maybe a bitterness as she's now back in the uk when she'd rather be in you shoes.

cmw6372

Recently moved to Majadahonda and love it. a6 is easy to the city and close to schools.

If your still looking for guidance let me know and i'll try to help.

jackytoo

You are the one who is starting to look bitter. Trawling the threads to have a snipe at me cos I mentioned your company is no regulated.