moving to Spain/Gib
Sep 22nd 2006, 5:56 am
#1
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Location: Surrey to Perth and back to Surrey & Back again, Why why why
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moving to Spain/Gib
Hi, we are currently living in Perth Australia, although it is a great place, with great weather/Beaches etc that is all it has for me , a little too sleepy. I have no Family here and limited friends. I am sooo Sad and homesick I miss all my family and friends in the UK, I have two small children 1 who does not know who nanny is and the other keeps asking when he will be seeing nanny, anyway we are going to stay here until Mar 07 then are thinking of moving to Spain, my Husband could poss have a job in Gib which would mean we are closer to the UK but still having a better lifestyle.....
I know it will not be easy, and language will be a problem but no one talks to you here so no worries there.
Could anyone give me any advice on the best places to live near to Gib, also what are the schools like, is there many expat groups set up or mums and toddler etc
any help would be great..
Sandra
I know it will not be easy, and language will be a problem but no one talks to you here so no worries there.
Could anyone give me any advice on the best places to live near to Gib, also what are the schools like, is there many expat groups set up or mums and toddler etc
any help would be great..
Sandra
Sep 22nd 2006, 6:17 am
#2
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Joined: Jul 2003
Location: Benalmadena Pueblo,Spain
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Re: moving to Spain/Gib
Have a read here http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=389777
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=386154 there are more threads on it if you check back pages.
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=386154 there are more threads on it if you check back pages.
Sep 23rd 2006, 12:53 am
#3
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Joined: Jan 2005
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 321
Re: moving to Spain/Gib
Sorry to hear things haven't worked out here for you but you will more than compensate for that in Spain. We were lucky enough to have owned a property in Estepona for a couple of years and I can't recommend it high enough to you! Unfortunately we had to sell up when we came out to Oz. We couldn't afford to keep it and opted to hang onto our flat in the UK and rent it out. It was a good business decision but not not the best decision for our hearts. We miss our friends and family in the UK but it's Spanish home that we miss (not the UK). We lived in the main part of the town amongst the Spanish and they were so warm and friendly. Unfortunately it has got built up now outside the town but the centre itself remains Spanish (I hope!).
We don't have children but I remember reading about English speaking schools in the area (it's on the edge of the Costa so lots of expats around). However it's feasible to drive to Gib and there are regular buses but it's far quicker to drive. There are also plans down the line for a train service.
We have friends who lived there for a year in Gib and their children did so much better in the school in Gib (same as the UK curriculum), plus the added bonus of adding Spanish to their skills list (and to yours!).
La Linea is just on the mainland and walking distance. I don't know much about that though. When we have driven around we have seen nice parts of it. Gib is very expensive to live in and is an acquired taste. The customs are really hard on drivers with Gib plates. So many come out to Spain to go to the Spanish supermarkets (well I say Spanish but they go to the Carre Four) but the customs give them a hard time. We have even seen them unscrewing number plates! You could be in the queue for hours to cross the border in either direction. We used to park up in LaLinea and walk over....much quicker and great watching the planes taking off and landing.
If we had to leave Australia, Estepona is where we would wish to go but as I said that is without children. Estepona is a town that adores kids by the way. The seafront is packed at weekends with families, it's a pleasure to see and a joy to be amongst them. It is also joked about by the Spanish that Estepona has something in the water because they have so many babies there!
I wish you all the best and will keep an eye on this site to help you in any way that I can. You are (in my opinion) going to one of the loveliest places to live. It has ever thing.
We don't have children but I remember reading about English speaking schools in the area (it's on the edge of the Costa so lots of expats around). However it's feasible to drive to Gib and there are regular buses but it's far quicker to drive. There are also plans down the line for a train service.
We have friends who lived there for a year in Gib and their children did so much better in the school in Gib (same as the UK curriculum), plus the added bonus of adding Spanish to their skills list (and to yours!).
La Linea is just on the mainland and walking distance. I don't know much about that though. When we have driven around we have seen nice parts of it. Gib is very expensive to live in and is an acquired taste. The customs are really hard on drivers with Gib plates. So many come out to Spain to go to the Spanish supermarkets (well I say Spanish but they go to the Carre Four) but the customs give them a hard time. We have even seen them unscrewing number plates! You could be in the queue for hours to cross the border in either direction. We used to park up in LaLinea and walk over....much quicker and great watching the planes taking off and landing.
If we had to leave Australia, Estepona is where we would wish to go but as I said that is without children. Estepona is a town that adores kids by the way. The seafront is packed at weekends with families, it's a pleasure to see and a joy to be amongst them. It is also joked about by the Spanish that Estepona has something in the water because they have so many babies there!
I wish you all the best and will keep an eye on this site to help you in any way that I can. You are (in my opinion) going to one of the loveliest places to live. It has ever thing.
Originally Posted by sandrainaus
Hi, we are currently living in Perth Australia, although it is a great place, with great weather/Beaches etc that is all it has for me , a little too sleepy. I have no Family here and limited friends. I am sooo Sad and homesick I miss all my family and friends in the UK, I have two small children 1 who does not know who nanny is and the other keeps asking when he will be seeing nanny, anyway we are going to stay here until Mar 07 then are thinking of moving to Spain, my Husband could poss have a job in Gib which would mean we are closer to the UK but still having a better lifestyle.....
I know it will not be easy, and language will be a problem but no one talks to you here so no worries there.
Could anyone give me any advice on the best places to live near to Gib, also what are the schools like, is there many expat groups set up or mums and toddler etc
any help would be great..
Sandra
I know it will not be easy, and language will be a problem but no one talks to you here so no worries there.
Could anyone give me any advice on the best places to live near to Gib, also what are the schools like, is there many expat groups set up or mums and toddler etc
any help would be great..
Sandra
Sep 23rd 2006, 10:04 am
#4
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Joined: Aug 2006
Location: Surrey to Perth and back to Surrey & Back again, Why why why
Posts: 349
Re: moving to Spain/Gib
Originally Posted by jdr
Have a read here http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=389777
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=386154 there are more threads on it if you check back pages.
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=386154 there are more threads on it if you check back pages.
Thanks for your help
Sandra
Sep 23rd 2006, 10:47 am
#5
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Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2006
Location: Surrey to Perth and back to Surrey & Back again, Why why why
Posts: 349
Re: moving to Spain/Gib
Originally Posted by Brisbane bound
Sorry to hear things haven't worked out here for you but you will more than compensate for that in Spain. We were lucky enough to have owned a property in Estepona for a couple of years and I can't recommend it high enough to you! Unfortunately we had to sell up when we came out to Oz. We couldn't afford to keep it and opted to hang onto our flat in the UK and rent it out. It was a good business decision but not not the best decision for our hearts. We miss our friends and family in the UK but it's Spanish home that we miss (not the UK). We lived in the main part of the town amongst the Spanish and they were so warm and friendly. Unfortunately it has got built up now outside the town but the centre itself remains Spanish (I hope!).
We don't have children but I remember reading about English speaking schools in the area (it's on the edge of the Costa so lots of expats around). However it's feasible to drive to Gib and there are regular buses but it's far quicker to drive. There are also plans down the line for a train service.
We have friends who lived there for a year in Gib and their children did so much better in the school in Gib (same as the UK curriculum), plus the added bonus of adding Spanish to their skills list (and to yours!).
La Linea is just on the mainland and walking distance. I don't know much about that though. When we have driven around we have seen nice parts of it. Gib is very expensive to live in and is an acquired taste. The customs are really hard on drivers with Gib plates. So many come out to Spain to go to the Spanish supermarkets (well I say Spanish but they go to the Carre Four) but the customs give them a hard time. We have even seen them unscrewing number plates! You could be in the queue for hours to cross the border in either direction. We used to park up in LaLinea and walk over....much quicker and great watching the planes taking off and landing.
If we had to leave Australia, Estepona is where we would wish to go but as I said that is without children. Estepona is a town that adores kids by the way. The seafront is packed at weekends with families, it's a pleasure to see and a joy to be amongst them. It is also joked about by the Spanish that Estepona has something in the water because they have so many babies there!
I wish you all the best and will keep an eye on this site to help you in any way that I can. You are (in my opinion) going to one of the loveliest places to live. It has ever thing.
We don't have children but I remember reading about English speaking schools in the area (it's on the edge of the Costa so lots of expats around). However it's feasible to drive to Gib and there are regular buses but it's far quicker to drive. There are also plans down the line for a train service.
We have friends who lived there for a year in Gib and their children did so much better in the school in Gib (same as the UK curriculum), plus the added bonus of adding Spanish to their skills list (and to yours!).
La Linea is just on the mainland and walking distance. I don't know much about that though. When we have driven around we have seen nice parts of it. Gib is very expensive to live in and is an acquired taste. The customs are really hard on drivers with Gib plates. So many come out to Spain to go to the Spanish supermarkets (well I say Spanish but they go to the Carre Four) but the customs give them a hard time. We have even seen them unscrewing number plates! You could be in the queue for hours to cross the border in either direction. We used to park up in LaLinea and walk over....much quicker and great watching the planes taking off and landing.
If we had to leave Australia, Estepona is where we would wish to go but as I said that is without children. Estepona is a town that adores kids by the way. The seafront is packed at weekends with families, it's a pleasure to see and a joy to be amongst them. It is also joked about by the Spanish that Estepona has something in the water because they have so many babies there!
I wish you all the best and will keep an eye on this site to help you in any way that I can. You are (in my opinion) going to one of the loveliest places to live. It has ever thing.
Thanks for Advice, I feel so much better, also feel I am making the right decision for me and my family, although we have perm residence here in WA as long as we come back and renew our visa's every 5 yrs (just in case, who knows what UK/Spain will be like in 20 yrs from now, it will just be another avenue for my kids should they wish to follow it.
Sandra
