HBG

Around three years ago we considered emigrating to the US, not because of any disillusionment with Spain, but merely to continue the adventure of just living. I joined several relevant forums and got excellent advice from many sources. It settled the East versus West Coast dilemma and we actually decided on California and San Diego, for good reasons.

Our plans were quite advanced, perhaps blinded by the exchange rate of two Dollars to the pound and some recent holidays in the land of the free. Then the information from the forums and news channels changed, Lehmans went down, and the pound dropped like a stone.

We had to change our plans, and after reading about California's horrendous problems only today, we were lucky to have done so. The point I'm making on this thread is a simple one – you've got to listen to what others say, even if you don't want to hear it. It saved us from a major disaster.

Veleta

The problem with internet forums is that you ask one question and you get ten different answers. Information and misinformation is dished out in fairly equal measures.

I'm glad you ended up making the right decision, but I'm also glad to see that you didn't base your decision not to go solely on information from internet forums.

I've said this before and I'll say it again, by all means make trivial decisions based on info gleaned on a forum....where to go on holiday next year, where to buy the Times, how to keep a goat!!, etc but when it comes to life altering decisions always do your own invesigation and take the info on a forum as a starting point, not the gospel.

HBG

I agree with every word you say. But with me saying that, does it end the discussion?

You've given me a slight opportunity to continue it by mentioning the goat, and please, I'm not being devious here – it's not in my nature.

The OP previously asked about acquiring a goat, or maybe it was a donkey, and the majority of this forum advised to the contrary. It seems that the OP took the advice, because the acquisition of such an animal on the first arrival in a place now deemed unsuitable would have been a major hindrance when moving on.

I daresay that other advice has also been taken onboard, hopefully, one of the hardest things in life is to say the word Sorry and mean it, but I'm an optimist and always will be, there is still time.

carter71

Rent-a-troll: Well I guess that means little old me!

I admit that I was interested in the painters experience because they're close by. I didn't get offended at them wanting to move on so soon - in fact they never dissed Aspe at all as far as I could tell. But I was surprised.

Okay so the fact that there were no children in their area nor any in the surrounding towns and villages (and I guess none at the school either) was wearing a little thin. Oh and the mission impossible journey by car on that straight empty highway which sits right outside their front porch just didn't ring right. Oh yeah always getting into the wrong shiney BWM at the school gates?

Was I a troll? I offered them some ideas about how they could balance work and home life better from my own experience as the working mom right on their doorstep. That was called "useless crap" by paintermujer and painterhombre told me I was actaully some guy in Manchester pretending to live in Spain.

I don't think I was a troll, although maybe I think Fiona put it right about not saying things the right way. The thought of taking an eight? year old out of school for six months just to find the right area appeared to get the thumbs up - which probably got to me And re-reading my later post about not wanting to introduce them to my own children for reasons of their unfriendly behaviour was probably antagonistic.

Did anyone accuse them of being bad parents. Lots of things have been said, but I don't recall anyone saying that but the painters. How would I react if I was accused of being a bad parent on an internet forum? I just don't know - I like to think I'd laugh it off, but I genuinely don't know what I'd feel or how I'd react.

Was their behaviour natural and understandable? Notwithstanding what I've already said I'd still say no on both counts.

montgomail

There is also the possibility that the Painters are being guarded about the reasons for moving on, out of respect for the people that live in or near to Aspe.

jdr

Don`t sweat about it, your advice on this and other threads should have been excellent for them although not what they wanted to hear, this was the only problem.

dmu

Maybe you would care to address this comment to the OP who makes an average of nearly 4 posts per day despite having a business to run and a child to care for. With the children long since flown from the nest and having retired, I personally no longer have any family or business obligations and can do what I want with my spare time.
Take a look at all the threads and postings the couple made before moving, and you'll understand why they are so exasperating to some of us.
I'll watch the next episode of their Saga with interest, but will refrain from commenting...

Triana

Catrter, to be fair to the painters, I think the suggestion about taking their daughter out of school for 6 months to travel around and try different areas was mine. Admittedly I don't have children but I do know a lot of people who spent up to a year out of their normal schooling doing something different (I am not saying they didn't have any schooling at all during that time) and not only did it do them no harm, they seemed to actively enjoy it and benefit from it. I just thought I would suggest something based on what I have seen work well. Of course not everyone is going to think it's a good idea but surely that's what suggestions (and it was a suggestion rather than a mandate) are all about. it would be boring if we all thought the same thing all the time.

manamama

Nearly 4 posts per day - gosh - surely it was to get information about their move to Spain????

So they were exasperating? I didn't find them exasperating. And often it was interesting to read their posts and the replies. Looking back on the replies they got here - some posters here have really stuck a knife in their backs. Try giving APOLOGIES and not EXCUSES - you older folk should know better.

Anyway, I doubt we will be hearing any more sagas from them.

Hope you are all pleased with yourselves.

jdr

If you post on a forum then you have to expect positive and negative replies.
If you only want to hear positive feedback then ask your mum.

In my opinion they received some good information on most of their threads, as it did not suit their needs they rejected it as they can.
It was just the attitude of the needless replies that upset people, all they need say is "thank you for your opinion" not go off in a paddy about people stalking, trolling, and taking the piss out of them.

agoreira

We have friends and their son attends an international school. They spend on average 2.5-3 hours on the road every day taking him to school. Add to this the same distance for music lessons, band practice etc in the evenings, trips to Granada for more music classes, and I have never heard them moan once of the time they spend ferrying him around, even though they have been doing that for 3 years.

warren d

You obviously don't know my mum. She can only see the negative in anything I want to do.

montgomail

This thread is awful.

Does it matter who is right and who is wrong. I would like to see the Painters back, as their experiences are relevant for any family with young children considering running a business in coastal Spain.

fionamw

Soooo identify


As I said whenever, umpteen posts ago, and many others have echoed the notion, it's all down to how you say what you say - OP, me, joe bloggs, doesn't really matter. I don't think it's the thread that's awful and I don't think it's JUST the OP nor JUST one or two other posters who need to think about how they've posted. Try posting as if the person were standing in front of you & you were talking to them. If you want to get into a bit of a barney, by all means talk bluntly, curse, take the mick NOT lightheartedly. Guess what happens? Mmmm. Thought so. Anyway, if anyone decides not to post ever again, (with young children or not), because of things which have been posted, that's up to them.
Ho hum.

littlelambfound

How I LOVE these threads!
The thing is...we have chosen to live in Spain, probably for a love of (most) things Spanish. And most of these revolve around feelings, passion and expression of emotion. There is very little hiding of feelings in the day to day. Say what you think. Speak your mind. There is no rudeness behind this. When chatting/debating/shouting with the Spanish in my various "local" bars, though feelings may be impassioned, there is never anything personal in this. Just respectful (and loud) expressions of how we feel. And how we feel is the only truth!
And that's why I love these threads. Rather than the foolish and light, they get down and dirty. I get to see the "real" persons behind the keyboard. Sometimes it's not nice, but Hell yeah! Maybe some folks should just step away from the computer for a little while.
The OP made a hasty decision about where to live (to parcel blame to the estate agent is a little rich)...which he now rues. By his previous posts I might suggest that all the advice offered here will not change his trajectory by one atom. I wish him and his family well in any of the satellite towns within a couple of Km of Valencia.