# 6 month taster



## Roo87 (Aug 24, 2014)

Hi, I'm new to this forum so not sure if I'm doing this right but would just like some ideas and thoughts from British families living in Cyprus.
My husband and I have been considering moving to Cyprus for a few years now but haven't really looked into it much.
We have 2 sons aged 4 and 5 and I am currently pregnant with our 3rd child who is due in January.
We are considering moving to Cyprus (Paphos area) for 6 months whilst I am on maternity leave to see if it helps us decide whether we want to make the move or just continue to use Cyprus as a lovely holiday destination 
My main concern is schooling. As my children are young I'd like them to go to a local school rather than private. What age does school start in Cyprus and would my children be able to attend a school whilst we are there for 6 months or would I have to home school them? (if they attended a school I'd also teach them at home to ensure they were learning what they would be missing by being away from their English school for 6months). 
I don't have any concerns about my 5 year old really, he is extremely sociable and I think he'd pick up the basic language quickly (he decided he wanted to speak Spanish when we went Menorca for a week in May and quizzed the waiters each night on how to say certain words and whilst on holiday in Lanzarote this summer he was having basic conversations with some Spanish children who couldn't speak English!) Not sure if Greek is alot more difficult to learn though?
Anyway, my main concern is my 4 year old, he is autistic and does not yet speak (apart from a few words), do the local schools have good support for autistic children or would I be better looking into private schooling for him if we were to make a more permanent move?
Sorry for the long post, I just have so many questions floating around my head and feel that next year is the only time we can carry out this 'trial run' move to Cyprus as with me being on maternity leave I will still have my job to go back to (I work in a pupil referral unit for secondary aged pupils), my 4 year old is due to start school in Sept but as he's an August baby and behind with his language and social skills we've been given the option to start him next Sept if we feel he's not coping, my 5 year old at an age where 6months away won't affect his education drastically and we own a house with no mortgage which a friend would rent off us for the 6months were away (which would cover the rent on a property in cyprus)
Anyway.... that's enough of my blabbing, if anyone has any advice for our 6 month 'taster' trip, or any advice in general about moving to Cyprus with young children please leave a comment


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## PeteandSylv (Sep 24, 2008)

Welcome to the forum. We regularly see enquiries about moving here often from couples with children. You have provided a good amount of detail so we can envisage some of your wants and needs.

Before doing anything else please go through the previous posts on the forum where similar questions have been asked. I absolutely beg you to do this particularly as recently so many others seem to refuse to and end up getting upset at what they see as negativity.

My own view is that you cannot achieve what you want to for your children from the state education system. I do not believe you will find any of the support systems you may require, extra schooling is a must and is a normal occurrence at Cypriot schools where the teaching standard is not high and teaching is in Greek which implies you must learn the language to support them. Many ex-pats come here with the best intention of learning Greek, do some studies and, after realising their limitations, end up with minimal phrases to get along with.

If you are going to need to work to support yourselves please be aware that the job situation is dire with no improvement in sight.

Having said this, if you can afford to come for 6 months it would certainly be the best way to assess Cyprus in relation to your family. Even if you did not decide to stay it would be an educational experience and hopefully a happy one. At your children's' current ages they would jeopardise little from any gap in their education.

I wish you well in your decision.

Pete


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## Roo87 (Aug 24, 2014)

Thanks for your reply. I read the post on schooling and it's the school thing that always puts me off moving for good as I'd like to have one more child after this one and putting 4 children through private education would be very expensive! Work is another thing that would put me off as here in England I can afford to work part time comfortably and I have a good job which I enjoy, I'd hate to give that up to end up working long hours just to make ends meet in a job I don't enjoy.
Coming over for 6months seems like a good option to 'get it out of my system' but I'm unsure about whether it's going to be too much hassle for such a short time?


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

My biggest concern would be your autistic child. There is little or no support for children with special needs, schools do not give them any extra attention.
For your other children even if you put them into local school you would still have the expense of extra tuition after school as the education is not great. Cypriot families who can afford it pay for extra tution for their children but in the current economic situation many can no longer afford it and this means their children will leave school with only the very basic of education which will not benefit them in the job market. 
You and your husband would both need to have very well paid jobs if you want your children to have a decent education. Those jobs are like rocking horse poop these days.

Sorry if this sounds negative but its better to have the truth than to have the problems played down and you make the mistake that many familes with children have made in the past.

My advice, keep enjoying your holidays here for now. Keep your ear to the ground for things to improve here and maybe in the future it will be easier for families.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

Regards
Veronica


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## Cleo Shahateet (Feb 23, 2009)

I agree with Veronica that there are very little services for children with any kind of special needs. You could teach him at home but he would most likely need many other services that you could easily get in the UK. In Cyprus it is very difficult and I feel it would be a disservice to him to move. I know of parents who do get some help for their children but there is not a big support system since any differences (even minor) do still seem to be stigmatized in my opinion. It is getting better but the schools, services and society is not quite there yet. 

I would generally say if you have the finances then give it a go but due to your son being autistic and since your only income seems to be from your rental I do agree it is best to hold off for awhile. 

Could you come over for 2- 3 months during the summer to get it out of your system so you wouldn't have to move and rent out your home? That said, since you have a baby on the way and 2 others I still think it may be best to wait even to do that. I have 3 young children myself and have traveled/moved with them so just speaking from my own experience - not trying to be negative.


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## mdekkers (Jul 3, 2013)

Veronica said:


> My biggest concern would be your autistic child. There is little or no support for children with special needs, schools do not give them any extra attention....You and your husband would both need to have very well paid jobs if you want your children to have a decent education. Those jobs are like rocking horse poop these days.


I cannot emphasize these two points enough...

Martijn :ranger:


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## hiatusxenia (May 6, 2013)

I think you should just come for the short term option for the time being. 

Because my husband is Greek and I come from a Greek background, I decided to put my two young sons in the Greek primary system and at one stage I was literally one lesson in front of them. There is a large amount of homework right from the start and so you would need to be able to read and write in Greek in order to help the elder one. So, if you could not do that you would need to have help with both the Greek schooling and also the English that he would be missing. You would need to consider living in a Greek village or the town closest to the school so that at least your son(s) would have the benefit of playing with the local children and being fully immersed in the language; but do not for a moment underestimate how difficult it is to fully integrate here. 

There is no support for children with learning difficulties and I would imagine there would be even less for 'foreigners'. 

I am afraid that both boys might well end up being very confused and you will be exhausted with the effort of it all. 

Finally, poor Cyprus is going through a horrendous time financially and it may well be impossible to obtain any kind of employment, so I echo what everyone else has said here.


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