# US family Relocating to Valencia--lots of ???



## JennJ35 (Jan 16, 2012)

Hi everyone 

My husband is in the process of being offered a position from an American Company who has an office in Valencia.

I am a stay at home mom and we have 4 children, 18, 8,3 and 1
We will be moving at the beginning of June but my husband will start his new job and arrive before us sometime in February.

I am looking for any information and advice anyone can help with.
The first thing would be the best towns we could rent a villa big enough for all of us but not too far away from his office in Valencia.

We look forward to making a discovery trip sometime in the next month.
B
Look forward to hopefully meeting others in our situation!
Jenn


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## Bfpijuan (Apr 6, 2011)

Welcome. Check out InterNations, International women on net and Americans in Valencia on Facebook.


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

JennJ35 said:


> Hi everyone
> 
> My husband is in the process of being offered a position from an American Company who has an office in Valencia.
> 
> ...



I think one of your first considerations should be schooling - are you putting them into a Spanish school or an international one?

If international, then try Alzira. It's South of Valencia but not too far.

I guess your 18 year old has left school, does he want to go to university? or will he try and get some work?


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Valencia (city) is pretty humid, which may be smth that needs to be taken into consideration. 
It's a small city and pretty manageable from what I've seen.
The biggest issue you may have to contend with is the use of the local language, which is Valenciano. I'm sure you can manage your day to day life in Spanish (Castellano), but Valenciano will need to be considered when thinking of your childrens' education.


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## JennJ35 (Jan 16, 2012)

*Thanks*



Bfpijuan said:


> Welcome. Check out InterNations, International women on net and Americans in Valencia on Facebook.


Thanks for the info I will check them out.


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## JennJ35 (Jan 16, 2012)

*Valencia move*

For sure school is our first concern.
Our relocation package is still being worked out but, we hope to apply for them to go to The International School in Valencia or the British school in Valencia or Cambridge House.

At least for the first year until we learn the language.

We have yet to visit but hope within the next week to have a trip planned.

Our oldest is going to attend Online University through a school here in the states.


Do you know anything about these schools and the areas they are in?

Thanks!


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## JennJ35 (Jan 16, 2012)

I have four years of High School Spanish here in the states and have not spoken fluently since ...(19 years)


But, zero experience w/ the regional dialects.


My children have zero experience!
So, we are definitely going to need some major help as far as the language goes.

My husbands company says they can arrange for private tutors for us once we get there.

I would like to get a jump start.
Any suggestions??....I was thinking Rossetta Stone


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

I'd leave the Rossetta stone well alone and go for the BBC free on internet courses which are of a high standard and concentrate on Spanish spoken in Spain and not South American Spanish.
See these threads for some really good advice
http://www.expatforum.com/expats/spain-expat-forum-expats-living-spain/41880-learning-spanish.html

http://www.expatforum.com/expats/spain-expat-forum-expats-living-spain/15619-learning-spanish.html


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## anderso (Jan 5, 2012)

Don't speak Spanish yet - but a couple of other languages. Just downloaded the iStart Spanish app (iPad or iPod) a few days ago and can recommend it. Well made and quite comprehensive, will teach you the basics. Only costs a few dollars/pounds. And is well worth it.


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

JennJ35 said:


> I have four years of High School Spanish here in the states and have not spoken fluently since ...(19 years)
> 
> 
> But, zero experience w/ the regional dialects.
> ...


Errr ... you realise that by moving to Valencia you are not talking about a different dialect .... you are talking about a different regional language (Valenciano) which is widely spoken??? Thats not to say its going to be a huge problem for you, but I believe it is widely taught in schools


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

Stravinsky said:


> Errr ... you realise that by moving to Valencia you are not talking about a different dialect .... you are talking about a different regional language (Valenciano) which is widely spoken??? Thats not to say its going to be a huge problem for you, but I believe it is widely taught in schools


I have to agree with that, it is the same as Being English and trying to understand Welsh


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## bob_bob (Jan 5, 2011)

"it is the same as Being English and trying to understand Welsh " and like being Welsh and trying to understand the Welsh spoken 50 miles away!


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## JennJ35 (Jan 16, 2012)

Stravinsky said:


> Errr ... you realise that by moving to Valencia you are not talking about a different dialect .... you are talking about a different regional language (Valenciano) which is widely spoken??? Thats not to say its going to be a huge problem for you, but I believe it is widely taught in schools


Thank You for the correction.
I must admit I am completely ignorant to the culture in Spain.
Having never even visited the country I am only learning what I can online.
I have lived in London, Sweden and Amsterdam where English was widely spoken and I really didn't need to learn anything.
But, that was before I had a family and so many other things to consider.

I am hoping that most people will be patient with us when we first arrive.

Do you find this to be true?


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

I find the local people in all the areas of Spain that I have visited to be extremely welcoming and very tolerant.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

JennJ35 said:


> Thank You for the correction.
> I must admit I am completely ignorant to the culture in Spain.
> Having never even visited the country I am only learning what I can online.
> I have lived in London, Sweden and Amsterdam where English was widely spoken and I really didn't need to learn anything.
> ...


Absolutely! 

And I expect your husband will have made lots of friends both American and Spanish by the time you arrive with the kids, so you will have a ready-made social life from which to build on the experience.


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## Bfpijuan (Apr 6, 2011)

Not proud to say this, but, my Spanish still stinks and I have lived here four years. People have been great.


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

JennJ35 said:


> I am hoping that most people will be patient with us when we first arrive.
> 
> Do you find this to be true?


When I first came to Spain I remember going into a shop and asking in my best Spanish .... "do you speak english"
He looked at me puzzled and said in Spanish "do you speak Spanish"

So in answer to your question, yes they will be patient ..... but only if you try


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## JennJ35 (Jan 16, 2012)

Thanks for all your responses and encouragement
We are very excited for this new opportunity and look forward to visiting this beautiful country hopefully within the next few days.

Does anyone know what the transportation is like into the city of Valencia?

We have heard the metro is very very good ..Is this true?


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

JennJ35 said:


> Thanks for all your responses and encouragement
> We are very excited for this new opportunity and look forward to visiting this beautiful country hopefully within the next few days.
> 
> Does anyone know what the transportation is like into the city of Valencia?
> ...


Ive never used the metro, but I'm told its a good way of getting around town.
Just for interest, the train systems around Valencia are very good. So you can live right down the coast towards Gandia even, and the trains are regular and cheap (about €6.50 return Gandia / Valencia for instance). In effect you could live 20 kms outside Valencia and still have easy cheap access to the city.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

If they are trains like these










they are very good. They are clean, cheap and reliable. Three things that the trains I rely on in Weston Grotty Mare are not!

The metro is very, very good?? I think it probably depends on what you need. When we went in the summer it was open, but the trains had finished running at 10:00/ 10:30 in the evening!! The buses were also on night time table and there was one every hour or something (this was from the beach area). We ended up getting a taxi with a couple of Americans who were just as phased as we were.
The metro in Madrid is excellent, although prices have gone up considerably in the last couple of years. A 10 journey ticket has gone up from 7,40 to 9,30€ in the last 2 years I think it is. A single has gone up from ,90 to 1,50€. Still cheaper than London though, I believe.


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