HereKittyKitty

Hello there,
I just would like to introduce myself and say I have been enjoying reading the posts.
Myself, Hubby, Son (then aged 8), 2 cats, 1 Jack Russell and 1 parrot are hopefully making the move to Hondon De la Nieves next Summer or when the property is complete. We have reserved a 3 bed Carmen quite near to the pool. I have a 21 year old who is staying here in Scotland and an 18 year old girl at school in London who won't be coming either for the meantime (at least until he course is finished, when she should get a job anyway in the UK

It would be really nice to talk to others in the same boat or who already stay there. We are putting Son into Spanish State school, possibly in Hondon de la Nieves if it is OK.

We really were taken by the area and surroundings and felt it offered what we are looking for in Spain.
Best Regards, Kitty.

Bri and Katee

We sat in the sun on Thursday and had a very nice lunch in Hondon DLN. There is a big UK expat community there and the woman we were going to lunch with seemed to know everyone in the cafe/bar/restaurant we went to.

It even has an English guy on the local council!, he sat with us during lunch to pass the time of day. I can tell you it was a bit of a shock returning to the UK last night (Saturday) from all that warmth to our dismal winter.

linda Coyle

Hi there, I too plan to move next summer,myself,hubby and yorkshire terrier.Looks like we will be neighbours, we are next door but one from the pool and have a 3 bed carmen (knocking 3rd bedroom into dining room).We are also from Scotland.Supposed to 31st August completion - but reading some of the posts might be 2009!! Where about in Scotland are you?

twyntub

Hi, and welcome to the forum! We are hoping to move to Oasis in the near future - and will be living a few yards from you. Our house was supposed to be finished in July for us to move in September - but Contrimar are very slow and it's still not complete and even when it is, it can take months to get the habitation licence. We're hoping we can be in by the summer - just a year late! Like you, we also have two cats and a JRT!

Our two children (boy of two and girl of six) are at the Colegio Público Nuestra Señora de las Nieves, Hondón De Las Nieves. It's absolutely brilliant - a refreshing change from the reception year in the UK with class sizes of 30+, where they did little in the way of work and my daughter was bullied.

Here - children are respectful to parents, teachers and other pupils - and discipline is a world apart from UK standards... None of this 'teachers scared of their pupils' nonsense you get in the UK.

My son is in a class of 10, my daughter in a class of 15. There is an English girl in my son's class, but no other English in my daughter's. There are other nationalities - Belgian, Dutch, plus the odd Scandinavians, and I believe that there are other English children in the later years at the school.

How's your Spanish by the way? My daughter gets a *lot* of homework, and remember that as you'll be in region Valencia half the lessons are in Valenciano - the equivalent of English vs Welsh. The kids have absolutely no problem picking it up - it's us parents that struggle. Get a good Castellano / Valenciano dictionary unless you've got half decent grasp of Latin + French then you'll be fine!

We're renting locally until our house is complete - so if you ever have any questions, or wish to meet up - we'll be happy to help.

jordandion

Hi There

What a great choice you have made to come to Hondon. This is the first post I have made, I have lived on the development for a while now. i have read some of the posts which give very good advice and information, some information which appears to be from people who think they know everything about the development, before they complete, who are im sure are trying to help others, which is fine, but my advice would be dont take too much notice , just keep the info given in your back pocket. Hondon de las Neives is a wonderful place to live and once over the teething problems, which you will definitely experience you will sit on your terrace in December having lunch in the sun and think what was all the fuss about.

You dont have to take my advice either, this can go in your back pocket too, but for what its worth, the best advice I can give if you is if you need any work doing, shop around. Dont think the first person who knocks on your door is the best or the best price either, you could probably end up paying double the price , I would always think twice, if I was given a business card by friendly salespeople in one of the showhouses as these people may be on commission for recommending and therefore quotes could be more expensive.

You have to adapt to the spanish way of life and that means relax and dont get stressed if things dont work like they did in the U.K. get used to it quickly and dont expect it, you wont be disappointed then, for example the internet has been up and down, but even thats getting better now infact in the past couple of months its been great!!!

A lot of the problems i have experienced in the early days, you will not have to deal with e.g. no roads, no electricity, no water. I have survived as I didnt expect anything else purchasing in Rural Spain, so wont dwell on the negatives.

I say be thankful and never take for granted what you are soon to have, enjoy everyday in a wonderful place surrounded by Mountains and sunshine.

HereKittyKitty

Hi thanks for all your replies, great to talk to others in much the same boat

Bri and Katee, do you live there already?

Linda, we are in Falkirk. I'm not too worried about the build going over the date...we will just be glad to get the house here sold etc. There seems to have been slowing down recently, although this may just be the time of year as all houses here have always sold within about 6 weeks. So much talk of doom and gloom all of a sudden makes you a bit nervous about selling your house! Are you moving full-time? We are across from the pool and along on the right hand side.

Twyntub we have a lot in common then! My two cats are indoor cats and that will have to change when we go over there as it will be impossible to keep them in!! My Spanish is not good and I struggle with it. I hope the 8 year old will adapt OK and maybe help me. I have bought him the Muzzy discs which he starts off enthusiastically then gets fed up after 10 mins asking for cartoons!! I am going to make an effort to learn some and hopefully keep learning when there. I hate the thought of not being able to have a converstion with the natives.

Jordandion, thanks for your advice. I have read some horror stories on buying properties off-plan in Spain and it give me the jitters! We have a really good English Agent helping us with it all and we have learned a lot through him already.

Already I feel happy to have "met" others who are living or going to be living there. Kittyx

Rosemary

Welcome to BE and so glad to read that you are positive about your area and the experiences that you have had. I agree with you that there are difficulties to be overcome no matter what area you move to but that is part and parcel of the culture that we have all bought into so need to get through them and value everything we have.

Rosemary

twyntub

We bought one cat from the UK - the other adopted us as a kitten several weeks ago. Both are indoors, and we will probably keep them that way until the builders have moved on.

Don't get too stressed about teaching your son Spanish. These language disks are a bit like an excercise bike - they seem like a really good idea but they're nothing like the real thing! Anything he can pick up before hand will help, but the school lay on extra Castellano for the non-Spaniards - and they soon learn 'properly' once they're here and speaking Spanish in the playground every day.

HereKittyKitty

Thanks Twyntub, I look forward to hearing how your Children get on at School. I might only bring one of my Cats though after finding all my decorations removed from my Christmas tree earlier along with the tinsel and all the branches pulled everywhere!!
Kittyx

Bri and Katee

Sorry no we don't live in the Hondon's more like the next valley! place called Alguena about 15k's from the Hondon's.
In fact we live in the UK and only visit our Spanish home 5 times a year, a couple weeks at a time.

Let me tell you after being out there last week coming home saturday evening was a BIG shock! We were in Hondon because it was a bank holiday and it was suggested that our group of friends meet there for lunch, its such a pretty place to sit out in the sun.

twyntub

And, of course, the opposite is also true. One of the things we hear a lot from estate agents, builders, solicitors, etc is "well, this is Spain...", usually followed by 100 reasons why something wasn't done on time, why you need to pay money now before the job is complete, etc, etc. Quite often this is not the case - just the answer they give to any 'tourist' who's over from the UK and doesn't know any better!

Thankfully, help is at hand. One of the best things about having children in the local school is that you get to know the Spanish parents and soon begin to learn how things *really* work - who to speak to about things, how to get jobs done, and who *really* knows all the answers about something.

We've only been here a few short months, but we are learning a great deal. These things you'll only pick up when you get here and get to know the locals.

twyntub

I think we'll be almost next-door neighbours! We're on the penultimate road on the right, at the far end on the right.

Mrs Twyntub is delighted at the prospect of having someone to share the homework burden when I'm away on business in the UK!

linda Coyle

Twyntub,Kitty, we will all have to get together next year as we are all so near each other

HereKittyKitty

I'm amazed to be speaking to some of my neighbours-to-be already!
We're going over early Feb. to sort out NIE's and other things, looking forward to seeing it all again. Kittyx

GrapeEater

Aye! Tis a friendly place is Hondon Valley. Apart from a few 'hermits' with the social skills of a rottweiler most everyone is very friendly and helpful.

Back in the UK town we hardly knew our neighbours. And this friendliness is what makes such a difference out here. Go down to Nieves on Market Day, there's a 'buzz' - have a coffee or beer and you'll be chatting to someone before long.

BTW - just been out to the indoor market in Nieves and who should be there having a breakfast meeting at the cafeteria but the Mayor. If it's good enough for him... I recommend the Tostadas con pescados y tomate (Toasted bread with smoked salmon, salt cod, anchovies on a chopped tomato base - drizzled with olive oil) A Yummy breakfast !!!