# Considering moving to Cyprus



## meljaf (Jan 30, 2009)

Hi My family and I are considering a move to Cyprus. We are in our 30s we have a boy of 12 and a girl of 10 oh and a dog. For the past 9 years we have run our own sign making business in scotland. 
We really want a change and would love some feedback about schools, starting a business etc in Cyprus.
We also would love to visit and be shown around talk to expats etc If anyone has information about what steps to take any information would be grateful.
At the moment we are researching and still have our house and business to sell here in Scotland, So not at house buying stage yet.
Look forward to hearing your experiences and feelings,
thanks
Mel


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

meljaf said:


> Hi My family and I are considering a move to Cyprus. We are in our 30s we have a boy of 12 and a girl of 10 oh and a dog. For the past 9 years we have run our own sign making business in scotland.
> We really want a change and would love some feedback about schools, starting a business etc in Cyprus.
> We also would love to visit and be shown around talk to expats etc If anyone has information about what steps to take any information would be grateful.
> At the moment we are researching and still have our house and business to sell here in Scotland, So not at house buying stage yet.
> ...


hi mel, welcome to the forum.
If you take a look at some ofthe past threads you will find that there is already a lot of info about schools and also starting a business.

this thread has lots of info on schools

http://www.expatforum.com/expats/cy...-cyprus/6423-international-school-paphos.html


Regards Veronica


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## yummymummy150 (Sep 8, 2007)

Take your time research all you can, best way is over for a holiday look around find the area that is right for you &familey..We came over 10 Oct from sunny Fife, (after 3 years of dreaming &4 years planing).Schools at that age will be private (if younger they can cope with change to greek school)look back on site feed back on schools ect, but you will be abl to make your own choices when you are here.
It can be done hard when you have children to plan for but i think its worth a go.
Tricia


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## johni (Jan 21, 2009)

Caution needed here.
Is this the right time considring the economic climate.
Lots have come to try.
johni


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## yummymummy150 (Sep 8, 2007)

coution is always needed.
know when is the right time for you.
as i said take time , the world will move on life is to short to put it all on hold.
Tricia


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## Nev (Jan 31, 2009)

*Moving to Cyprus*



meljaf said:


> Hi My family and I are considering a move to Cyprus. We are in our 30s we have a boy of 12 and a girl of 10 oh and a dog. For the past 9 years we have run our own sign making business in scotland.
> We really want a change and would love some feedback about schools, starting a business etc in Cyprus.
> We also would love to visit and be shown around talk to expats etc If anyone has information about what steps to take any information would be grateful.
> At the moment we are researching and still have our house and business to sell here in Scotland, So not at house buying stage yet.
> ...


Hi there,
I previously lived in Cyprus for 16 years at Pre EEC, i was also involved in a business mostly by investment because at that time it was illegal to work.
My advise is DONT DO IT. I had a beautiful house, great lifestyle, enjoyed what i did but the never ending hassle with authorities over everything eventually gets you down, there is more to life than SUN. Stay with your own people you know where you stand. I am English & moved back to the UK 7 years ago to Scotland & you cannot beat it. 
There are so many more people I can introduce you to with tales, it is not the Idyllic place holidays there induce, living there is different & you have children to consider. If you start a business locals will not deal with you they stick to their own.
Thats my experience anyway, By the way I also learned to speak Greek because it is handy to know what is being said behind your back>


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

Nev said:


> Hi there,
> I previously lived in Cyprus for 16 years at Pre EEC, i was also involved in a business mostly by investment because at that time it was illegal to work.
> My advise is DONT DO IT. I had a beautiful house, great lifestyle, enjoyed what i did but the never ending hassle with authorities over everything eventually gets you down, there is more to life than SUN. Stay with your own people you know where you stand. I am English & moved back to the UK 7 years ago to Scotland & you cannot beat it.
> There are so many more people I can introduce you to with tales, it is not the Idyllic place holidays there induce, living there is different & you have children to consider. If you start a business locals will not deal with you they stick to their own.
> Thats my experience anyway, By the way I also learned to speak Greek because it is handy to know what is being said behind your back>


You are 7 years out of date Nev.
Cypriots are now dealing with Brits, in fact in many cases they seem to prefer dealing with Brits.
But I certainly think t hat anyone who has children should think very very carefully before moving over here. Schooling for your children is not cheap as you will find when you read the thread on education so you need to be earning a very good wage to make ends meet and wages are low here for the most part.
My advice is wait till your children have left school and in the meantime do as much as you can to research before making your move over here.
Come over on holiday a few times, get to know the island.

regards Veronica


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## yummymummy150 (Sep 8, 2007)

Nev said:


> Hi there,
> I previously lived in Cyprus for 16 years at Pre EEC, i was also involved in a business mostly by investment because at that time it was illegal to work.
> My advise is DONT DO IT. I had a beautiful house, great lifestyle, enjoyed what i did but the never ending hassle with authorities over everything eventually gets you down, there is more to life than SUN. Stay with your own people you know where you stand. I am English & moved back to the UK 7 years ago to Scotland & you cannot beat it.
> There are so many more people I can introduce you to with tales, it is not the Idyllic place holidays there induce, living there is different & you have children to consider. If you start a business locals will not deal with you they stick to their own.
> Thats my experience anyway, By the way I also learned to speak Greek because it is handy to know what is being said behind your back>


Sorry things did not work out for you. but there are also many people who it has worked for are happy &would not wish to go back to uk.
We are all adults need to try things for our selfs. hope you containe to enjoy your life in scotland. it may surprice you the things that are said about the English in scotland.


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## Nev (Jan 31, 2009)

*7 years out of date*



Veronica said:


> You are 7 years out of date Nev.
> Cypriots are now ealing with Brits, in fact in many cases they seem to prefer dealing with Brits.
> But I certainly think t hat anyone who has children should think very very carefully before moving over here. Schooling for oyur hcildren is not cheap as you will find when you read the thread on education so you need to be earning a very good wage to make ends meet and wages are low here for the most part.
> My advice is wait till your children have left school and in the meantime do as much as you can to research before making your move over here.
> ...


Sorry Veronica you are so wrong . Out of date I am not as I am in daily contact with all my friends in Cyprus. Nothing in the Cypriot attitude has changed & mark my words when the economic situation worsens the real feelings will be seen. There is a saying in Paphos, You can make a hedgehog your pet but you cannot stop it from pricking You, Remember that. One thing that has not changed is the GREED, especially developers, builders, plumbers, electricians ets.


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## Nev (Jan 31, 2009)

yummymummy150 said:


> Sorry things did not work out for you. but there are also many people who it has worked for are happy &would not wish to go back to uk.
> We are all adults need to try things for our selfs. hope you containe to enjoy your life in scotland. it may surprice you the things that are said about the English in scotland.


Like I said , I learned to speak Greek so that I could understand what was said at all times, you would'nt want to know what I heard. Yes I understand all about what is said about the English by some Scots. but unlike your choice of country it is only a tiny segment of the population. If you had the time and I had the typing skills I could carry on all day making my point.


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## yummymummy150 (Sep 8, 2007)

Nev is good to get points over that what a forum is for, you just seem very bitter.
there are good &bad world over.Anyway wish you well, Scotland has a lot of good points too
For now cyprus is for us no one can be sure off the future, just live for the day.
Tricia


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## meljaf (Jan 30, 2009)

Thankyou for all your replies I didnt realise that about schools that will need some thought. I know what you are saying about the scots and english, I am english and my husband is scottish and I hear things all the time. For all they say though they dont always mean it, and I wouldnt choose to move back to england even though most of my family are still there. I am at the stage now though that a change is needed and Australia was on the cards but I just dont think that I could move that far from the UK. 
The more we discuss things more people are saying they know people who have moved to cypruss and are loving it. My husband is a joiner, builder, plasterer to trade and I am a nursery nurse so we have got skills to fall back on and are not set on starting a business. 
My worry is that if we dont move soon the children will not want to move and wont. I just want a better place for our children to be brought up. Also I dont want to get to 50 and wish we had tried it.
thanks 
mel


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## yummymummy150 (Sep 8, 2007)

We love it ,As said before back up plan,as long as you both want the same thing look at pros&cons. look at budget,
its worth a try .
Tricia


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## Guest (Feb 3, 2009)

Have to say best thing we ever did 7 years ago and our kids agree and will not live in the UK again, they say the people here really make it a special place and thats great especially coming from teenagers.


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## meljaf (Jan 30, 2009)

Catherine said:


> Have to say best thing we ever did 7 years ago and our kids agree and will not live in the UK again, they say the people here really make it a special place and thats great especially coming from teenagers.


Thankyou for your reply, My husband and I are planning a visit in the next month or so I would love to hear your feelings about schools etc as this is one thing that is concerning me. What age are your children? What area are you in? I have to say that as a family we really need to try this! I look forward to hearing any futher comments.
thanks again
Mel


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## meljaf (Jan 30, 2009)

I think everywhere you go there are always going to be stories about schools all over the UK also. One of my reasons for moving is that my son doesnt want to go to the high school here and I dont really want him to, also I feel there is nothing for the kids to do. Whats life like outwith school in cyprus for the children? We dont get any Family time at the moment or are to tired to do anything I want to enjoy time with them. You have got me extreamly concerned about the schooling though. We have made a decision to move but maybe cyprus isnt for us the children being the age they are, is there anywhere else you would recommend? I waw going to book flights this weekend Cyprus. 
Maybe we need to anyway and check out schools.
Regards
Mel


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## yummymummy150 (Sep 8, 2007)

meljaf said:


> I think everywhere you go there are always going to be stories about schools all over the UK also. One of my reasons for moving is that my son doesnt want to go to the high school here and I dont really want him to, also I feel there is nothing for the kids to do. Whats life like outwith school in cyprus for the children? We dont get any Family time at the moment or are to tired to do anything I want to enjoy time with them. You have got me extreamly concerned about the schooling though. We have made a decision to move but maybe cyprus isnt for us the children being the age they are, is there anywhere else you would recommend? I waw going to book flights this weekend Cyprus.
> Maybe we need to anyway and check out schools.
> Regards
> Mel


Hi Mel,Yes you are right good&bad stories about schools all over.
but all children are different some adapt better than others, no matter where you move even in uk change of school is a big thing. i would come over for a trip go to the schools talk to parents.I dont know if you are looking at private , there are a few small indepentent schools with 16.20 children, also home schooling on line .
all at a cost .Some people are happy with greek school it can work for some .
My son took his family to spain, they came home as not happy with private school for 12 yr old . the 4 yr old went to spanish loved it .Good luck.
Tricia


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## meljaf (Jan 30, 2009)

I dont know now! It seems that I am going to have a lot of things to consider. With one child 12 and just about to go to high school and the other 10 and going into primary 7. What do I do for the best? I dont mind them learning greek as I think this would help them fit in but if its going to comprimise 12 year olds education and he is better at a private school then we will have to go down that route. I dont know! help


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## griz616 (Sep 9, 2008)

meljaf said:


> I dont know now! It seems that I am going to have a lot of things to consider. With one child 12 and just about to go to high school and the other 10 and going into primary 7. What do I do for the best? I dont mind them learning greek as I think this would help them fit in but if its going to comprimise 12 year olds education and he is better at a private school then we will have to go down that route. I dont know! help


seems like a lot of people like cyprus ,I have never been . Sounds like I need more info. griz616


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

meljaf said:


> I dont know now! It seems that I am going to have a lot of things to consider. With one child 12 and just about to go to high school and the other 10 and going into primary 7. What do I do for the best? I dont mind them learning greek as I think this would help them fit in but if its going to comprimise 12 year olds education and he is better at a private school then we will have to go down that route. I dont know! help


Mel come over on holiday, have a look at the schools and try to get to see as much of the area as possible.
If you have read what kimonas has to say about the schooling system here in cyprus it should at least give you some pointers at which direction you feel you might like to go.
The information you can get the better placed you will be to make a decision.
Its important to do your research before taking taking the plunge.

Veronica


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## Guest (Feb 6, 2009)

sorry my last message was deleted it was a recommendation nothing else. I will say it again without the reference to business.
Our kids are now 15, 16 and 19, our eldest was 13 when we arrived and it was a difficult age to come better maximum 10 or 11 years because of friends etc. Anyway we can help with schools in the Limassol area we know all of the high schools very well. If you have any specific questions on anything I can answer them individually from my point of view. When you are next over you are welcome to come for a coffee and chat.


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