# is it right to move to malaga right now?



## samanthachiropractor (Jul 21, 2011)

hi everyone. i have read much of this blog and i am so very greatful that it exists and people like you contribute. 

i have been offered a great job with some collegues of mine in a chiropractic office in malaga, i would pack up everything and move just like i did 8 years ago from san francisco to parma italy. but the idea of moving there is very scary for my husband. he is italian and has had a great job where he is moving up the ladder for the last 15 years. plus we have a 2 year old little boy and would like to have more childern. 

i am convinced that our quality of life would be great- better people, more happiness and laughter, better climate, better international possibilities. however my husband is scared. first of all because he will have to quit his job and he knows the market is worse in spain than here in italy. 

plus i am worried about 3 major things: 1. good schooling- perhaps bilingual for my child, 2. the hours of life there--i have very american practices with my child- waking at 730/8, lunch around 1230-13 and dinner around 630, bed by 8pm. i don't see this working in spain. 3. plus the little things that i love about parma- getting everywhere on my bike even with my 2 year old. not having to have a car because things are so small and charming here probably are not available in malaga right? 

what have been your experiences regarding these factors? i am just wondering if you where to do it again would you move to malaga? what are the best things about your daily life in spain? 

i am sure that i have presented my case very haphazardly but i hope that you understand a little bit of what i am trying to understand...

thank you for helping me evaluate this better.


----------



## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

I think before comparisons and decisions can be made, have you been and had a good look around Malaga??? Is it possible that you could go on your own initially and "try out" living there - that way, if its not right, your husband and child wont have given up life in Italy and you have a return strategy???

Jo xxx


----------



## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

BBC News - Malaga trying to shake off tacky image


----------



## samanthachiropractor (Jul 21, 2011)

thanks for the thoughts jojo. 

i have definitely been to malaga- 3 times this year and i am going again in sept. i do love the city. it is just hard to see all the details that you miss as a tourist but need to know as a person living there. 

i haven't really noticed the things that i had written about in the first post. maybe it is possible to ride around on bikes in the city center instead of taking a car? maybe there are little neighboorhoods that i am not aware of? i have not looked too well into the schooling situation either. 

i am not in a hurry to move. my idea is within the next year to do the research and make it happen. 

thanks!


----------



## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

samanthachiropractor said:


> thanks for the thoughts jojo.
> 
> i have definitely been to malaga- 3 times this year and i am going again in sept. i do love the city. it is just hard to see all the details that you miss as a tourist but need to know as a person living there.
> 
> ...


I havent bween to Malaga City itself often. However, I dont think riding around on bikes is popular, from what I've seen there arent really many small communities within the city, altho, as I say I havent been there often. There are schools. The best international one there is St Georges, which is on the outskirts. There are some lovely areas in the city, but they dont seem to be areas with live in communities. 

There are commuter towns, Alhaurin de la torre to name one, which is lovely and is known locally as Malagas bedroom...

Jo xxx


----------



## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

samanthachiropractor said:


> thanks for the thoughts jojo.
> 
> i have definitely been to malaga- 3 times this year and i am going again in sept. i do love the city. it is just hard to see all the details that you miss as a tourist but need to know as a person living there.
> 
> ...


I went to Malaga city a couple of weeks ago and I was very impressed with the central area, especially the new park by the waterfront Yes, there are lots of cyclists - and rollerblades too!


----------



## samanthachiropractor (Jul 21, 2011)

thanks for your help.

what about the hours for meals and whatnot. 
i would love to know your experience about the last lunch hour and dinner hour. could you share with me the typical hours that people eat their meals?

thanks


----------



## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

samanthachiropractor said:


> thanks for your help.
> 
> what about the hours for meals and whatnot.
> i would love to know your experience about the last lunch hour and dinner hour. could you share with me the typical hours that people eat their meals?
> ...


The same as the rest of Andalucia - lunch is the main meal of the day, eaten between 2 and 4 pm, with a light dinner around 10 or 11 pm.

However an increasing number of restaurants serve meals all day for the tourists, and of course you can get tapas any time.

Most shops and offices close for a few hours in the afternoon (usually from 2 till 5) but in large commercial centres they are open all day till 10 pm.


----------



## samanthachiropractor (Jul 21, 2011)

thanks jojo. i figured it was late. this is the one thing that i am a bit caught up on. but i am sure it will feel natural once i live there right? are you an expat? was the time change for this kind of thing difficult for you? what time do businesses open in the morning? what time do schools start? i am curious if eating so late, thus going to bed so late then means that society just wakes up later...
thanks!


----------



## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

samanthachiropractor said:


> thanks jojo. i figured it was late. this is the one thing that i am a bit caught up on. but i am sure it will feel natural once i live there right? are you an expat? was the time change for this kind of thing difficult for you? what time do businesses open in the morning? what time do schools start? i am curious if eating so late, thus going to bed so late then means that society just wakes up later...
> thanks!



Spain does seem to adhere to the "siesta" and because of the heat, most things start early 8.30ish and due to the heat stop between 1pm-6pm ish. The schools are closed for the whole summer - end of June til September. The hours when they're open tend to be 8.30ish - 2pm. In fact there is a tendancy for a lot of businesses to close altogether during August and its not unusual for kids to be out playing in the parks or out with families til the early hours. So its probably quite different to what you're used to. I love it and have got used to the way things are here. 

Jo xxx


----------



## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

I still can't get used to concerts starting at midnight though!


----------



## ted111 (May 29, 2011)

samanthachiropractor said:


> hi everyone. i have read much of this blog and i am so very greatful that it exists and people like you contribute.
> 
> i have been offered a great job with some collegues of mine in a chiropractic office in malaga, i would pack up everything and move just like i did 8 years ago from san francisco to parma italy. but the idea of moving there is very scary for my husband. he is italian and has had a great job where he is moving up the ladder for the last 15 years. plus we have a 2 year old little boy and would like to have more childern.
> 
> ...


I would say stay put.
You are considering giving up an awful lot on a whim. 
Giving up good jobs in this economic climate is madness. Especially coming to Spain with one of the highest unemployment figures in Europe.
Sometimes ' the grass is always greener' is a great saying.


----------



## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

ted111 said:


> I would say stay put.
> You are considering giving up an awful lot on a whim.
> Giving up good jobs in this economic climate is madness. Especially coming to Spain with one of the highest unemployment figures in Europe.
> Sometimes ' the grass is always greener' is a great saying.


usually I'd agree wholeheartedly - but the OP has been offered a good job, so she's halfway there - especially if they'd be OK on just her salary

it's still something that needs a lot of thinking about - but she has more chance of making it work than most


----------



## samanthachiropractor (Jul 21, 2011)

Alcalaina said:


> The same as the rest of Andalucia - lunch is the main meal of the day, eaten between 2 and 4 pm, with a light dinner around 10 or 11 pm.
> 
> However an increasing number of restaurants serve meals all day for the tourists, and of course you can get tapas any time.
> 
> Most shops and offices close for a few hours in the afternoon (usually from 2 till 5) but in large commercial centres they are open all day till 10 pm.




thanks so much alcalina for your help!! i look forward to visint in sept and seeing malaga with different "eyes"


----------



## DunWorkin (Sep 2, 2010)

With regard to meal times. Presumably if you lived here you would not be eating out all the time. When eating at home, it is up to you what time you eat.

We do not keep the very late hours - I cannot eat too near bed time. We have a light lunch at about 1pm to 2pm and our main meal in the evening at about 8pm - even when eating out. 

Even when we have been in the city (Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Seville etc) we have never had a problem finding somewhere to eat at 8pm. In some ways that is a better time as the restaurants are not so crowded.


----------



## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

DunWorkin said:


> With regard to meal times. Presumably if you lived here you would not be eating out all the time. When eating at home, it is up to you what time you eat.
> 
> We do not keep the very late hours - I cannot eat too near bed time. We have a light lunch at about 1pm to 2pm and our main meal in the evening at about 8pm - even when eating out.
> 
> Even when we have been in the city (Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Seville etc) we have never had a problem finding somewhere to eat at 8pm. In some ways that is a better time as the restaurants are not so crowded.


ah - but if you're working and/or if you have kids at school it's harder

when both mine were at primary school they had their main meal there so only wanted something light in theevening - so we adapted

they will both be at secondary in september so we will all eat our main meal together when they get back from school at 2-3pm - as we have done during the summer for years now - I find cooking easier before it gets really hot mid afternoon, than in the late evening often before it cools down


----------



## Buttons182 (Feb 25, 2013)

samanthachiropractor said:


> thanks jojo. i figured it was late. this is the one thing that i am a bit caught up on. but i am sure it will feel natural once i live there right? are you an expat? was the time change for this kind of thing difficult for you? what time do businesses open in the morning? what time do schools start? i am curious if eating so late, thus going to bed so late then means that society just wakes up later...
> thanks!


Hi Sam,

Did you move in the end, if so how did it go?

Sincerely,

John


----------

