# Schooling & work in Nerja, Torrox and Malaga...



## yosoyaj (Jul 27, 2010)

:help:

Hi all, I'm currently living south of Alicante and planning to move to the Nerja region of Malaga. The more I read here, the more concerned I become with the possibilities of work. Is it safe to assume that there would be potentially more opportunity in Malaga? My Spanish is good, but not fluent. Nerja strikes me as a more homely town and as I have two children, I would like to feel more of a community, than just a city dweller. Nerja ticked many boxes in it's very location and close proximity to Malaga, and for day-time work I am sure I could commute. However, my main concern is schools, of which I need a secondary and a primary school. I am anxious to know anyone's personal opinions and recommendations of the schools in Nerja or indeed if it's surrounding areas have particularly good ones. My kids are fluent Spanish speakers now, as they have completed two full years of Spanish schooling here already. I have already made a mistake with the school by moving to the area where we presently live and it is really important not to make the same one again. Incidentally through my current researching, I am hearing that the standard of education here is rubbish - can anyone with experience please tell me of their opinions? I can certainly say that the education from the school my eldest is in is diabolical, as are their methods, but I'm crossing fingers and toes that this is not true in the areas I'm hoping to relocate to, or I will have to give up the ghost and go back to Ireland...

On the work front, I have been working here as a Dental Nurse, but I learn very quickly and can work at most anything, and felt that perhaps with there being more hotels in the general Malaga region, I would get work there if all else fails? I am qualified in 3 fields, none of which are relevant here without fluent Spanish, so I'm happy enough to do anything just to keep food on the table, so to speak.

All advice and suggestions greatly welcomed! 
My fingers are crossed :hail:
AJ :angel:


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Work is not good anywhere in Spain, the fact that you can speak spanish is an advantage. All I can suggest you do is have a look in the "sur on line" and other papers and/or send your CV off to as many companies as you can find and think of! If you have a job in Alicante right now, I'd not move, I'd hang on to it!

As for schools, well I'm the other side of Málaga (the west) so I cant help you in Nerja

Jo xxx


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

jojo said:


> Work is not good anywhere in Spain, the fact that you can speak spanish is an advantage. All I can suggest you do is have a look in the "sur on line" and other papers and/or send your CV off to as many companies as you can find and think of! If you have a job in Alicante right now, I'd not move, I'd hang on to it!
> 
> As for schools, well I'm the other side of Málaga (the west) so I cant help you in Nerja
> 
> Jo xxx


 
Don't know how I found my way to this post. Am I right in thinking this is in Canada? Shouldn't we be in Spain???? Dunno about you, but it seems I'm lost!

Time for bed!!


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## Guest (Aug 25, 2010)

No, you're not lost pesky - this is in Canada! Maybe a glitch if you found your way here - I was already in Canada. I assume a mod will move to Spain!


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

all tidied up & in the right place now


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## yosoyaj (Jul 27, 2010)

confused...


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

yosoyaj said:


> confused...


 Somehow your thread ended up on the Canadian site, but it's sorted now. Lets hope you get some replies to your post.
The only thing I can say is that I'd never want to spend a whole summer in Nerja because of the high humid temperatures, but that's just me!
Also agree with Jo, if you've got a job, don't give it up. I don't think dental nurse work is that easy to come by. How many dentists are there looking for English speaking dental nurses in that area!?


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

yosoyaj said:


> confused...


don't worry about it
somehow the thread ended up in the 'Canada' forum

but I've put it back in Spain now


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## yosoyaj (Jul 27, 2010)

hehe not to worry, thanks for fixing it 

:focus: Thanks to Jo and yourself for your advice but my boss had to let me go a month or so ago, as there were just not enough patients even for _him_ to have work across 2 surgeries, much less me too !! 

As I say though, I am aware that work is not plentiful anywhere, but I'm willing to take a chance on that, as my determination usually prevails - plus I can usually get some sideline work, as I am a qualified Health Coach/Personal trainer, amongst other things. 

My primary concern, is the schooling and the level of education. My children are 14 and almost 11. Both have been in school here for the past two years and were fluent after 6 months. They lack now Spanish interaction to complete their flow. I am happy enough with my son's education so far, but appalled by my daughter's!!! There's no way I could stay in this area regardless of work, as it has proven itself as a complete non-runner. I'm hearing that there are many tourists down there, here there are practically none. Even those dependables who lived here, have returned to their safety nets. I know the winter here will be impossible. Also, even if I had more work here, there is no alternative Instituto for my daughter. I have had opinions of both the Nerja instituto, mostly recommending Chaparil, but also those who have said that the standard of education is still no good and that if I have an option to return to Ireland and resume their education there, then I should... Oh if I just had a magic wand to know what to do, but truth is, I'm feeling completely lost now, I have 2 weeks left to move and with hand on heart, do _not_ know what to do about this.

It's just me and my two kids and so the tension of making these particular decisions is eating me up now and dread is setting in - and really it's only about the schools! I know I am very lucky as I have a house in Ireland that is rented out on a long term basis and so most of my expenses here are paid and work is to put food on the table, petrol, school expenses etc. I am obviously in a very good position if I choose to return, as our home is waiting, but even after two years here, I cannot forget the things that drove me here in the first place. The only reason I would be prepared to go back, would be for the sake of my children and their education. 

Needless to say, if I thought that Velez-Malaga, or indeed Malaga were better choices I'd go there, but 2 years ago my original intention was to move to Nerja/Torrox and so spent a year researching there. Owing to a last minute change in circumstances though and I came here. Now looking at those areas again, I can see the mistake I made coming here, on many different levels. But, like I said, if the other areas I have mentioned were better for schools, I'd reconsider in a heartbeat. If anyone can shed some light, I would be most grateful!!! 

Thanks so much, 
AJ :angel:


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## captaindog (Jun 8, 2010)

Nerja is a lovely town; not too large and not too small. Have been through Torrox and found it very unappealing and lacking character. As for education I have yet to discover the standard in the schools of Nerja. Our 3 year old daughter will be attending one this October hopefully. As Pesky Wesky mentioned in an earlier post Nerja is VERY humid in the summer and might not be everyone's cup of tea. Not much help I'm afraid.

My family and I are in Nerja from September for 6 months for language studies. Maybe if you are there we'll hook up. Good luck.


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## yosoyaj (Jul 27, 2010)

Yes sounds good to me CaptainDog - as soon as I'm settled in I'll pm my number and arrange something when you have some free time!

Having a problem with the move now though, which I'm about to make a new post of - hopefully I'll get some feedback with that... 

Sincerely pulling my hair out!

AJ


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## eifyswifey (Aug 30, 2011)

*Update please*



yosoyaj said:


> :help:
> 
> Hi all, I'm currently living south of Alicante and planning to move to the Nerja region of Malaga. The more I read here, the more concerned I become with the possibilities of work. Is it safe to assume that there would be potentially more opportunity in Malaga? My Spanish is good, but not fluent. Nerja strikes me as a more homely town and as I have two children, I would like to feel more of a community, than just a city dweller. Nerja ticked many boxes in it's very location and close proximity to Malaga, and for day-time work I am sure I could commute. However, my main concern is schools, of which I need a secondary and a primary school. I am anxious to know anyone's personal opinions and recommendations of the schools in Nerja or indeed if it's surrounding areas have particularly good ones. My kids are fluent Spanish speakers now, as they have completed two full years of Spanish schooling here already. I have already made a mistake with the school by moving to the area where we presently live and it is really important not to make the same one again. Incidentally through my current researching, I am hearing that the standard of education here is rubbish - can anyone with experience please tell me of their opinions? I can certainly say that the education from the school my eldest is in is diabolical, as are their methods, but I'm crossing fingers and toes that this is not true in the areas I'm hoping to relocate to, or I will have to give up the ghost and go back to Ireland...
> 
> ...


Hi there,
I have just come across your thread on here. My family and I are hopefully moving to possibly Nerja next year, as long as my hubbys work allows him. We have 2 kids aged 5 and 2 and schooling is my biggest concern. Did you make the move to Nerja? What do you think of it, and the education too. Any info you can give me would be much appreciated. 

I hope it all worked out for you.

Love Hayley


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

We have lived in the Frigiliana campo for juyst over a year and Nerja is our main town.We have heard good reports about the schools both in Nerja and Frigiliana but as our son is only 17 months old we still have time to do the research. Torrox is dire imo, run down and dull. The population of Nerja swells enormously in the summer months and there is hardly anywhere to park. There are a number of dental surgeries here all offering 'English spoken' due to the large number of UK expats who live here and around so it might be worth contacting them to see what opportunities there might be for you. The Spanish people we have met over here love Nerja and the surrounding environment but seem to loathe Torrox.


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## LasEncinas (Aug 27, 2008)

*Schooling in Spain*

We, my son and I, came to Spain over 8 years ago when my son was almost 9 years old. He is now 17 and has just finished compulsory Spanish education. The Spanish education system is full of flaws, basically because the government don´t spent anything like the amount of money that is spent on the education system in the UK. There is no practical work done eg chemistry/physics/biology experiments. They just don´t have any labs or libraries or art rooms or musical instruments. There is no real art or music done in school. All they do all day is sit and look at a book or listen to a boring teacher ( if the teacher bothers to turn up). Also the teachers are not paid enough to want to do any class work they are content to tell the kids to read from the books. I was shocked when I first walked into a classroom and there were no projects or art work on the walls, they don´t do them. My son said he has not learned anything, he has just had to memorise the paragraphs in the book to pass the exams. I have had such a hard time to keep him motivated, basically because there is none at school. I told him he had to pass to get out as I considered he couldn´t spend all that time in Spanish school and come out with nothing. He is now going to start on-line study to gain some GCSE´s and then A levels. He is considering becoming a Spanish teacher in UK primary. Might as well make the most of the one thing he learned here. So I feel in some ways his education is now just starting. Had I known what the Spanish education system was like we would never have come here. I feel this is the only thing that has been a negative. I would never say to you `go back to Ireland´ that depends on how much you value a good education for your children. Also you can give them the good education but they don´t utilise it and still come away with nothing. We came from Scotland where the education system is different and better than England. You could keep them here till it´s time to start the 2 year GCSE course then send them back to stay with grandparents or other relations. A lot of friends here have done that. I didn´t have that option as I was 42 when I had my son and my mother is now 80 so you can imagine that wouldn´t work. You have a lot of thinking to do. 




yosoyaj said:


> hehe not to worry, thanks for fixing it
> 
> :focus: Thanks to Jo and yourself for your advice but my boss had to let me go a month or so ago, as there were just not enough patients even for _him_ to have work across 2 surgeries, much less me too !!
> 
> ...


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

LasEncinas said:


> We, my son and I, came to Spain over 8 years ago when my son was almost 9 years old. He is now 17 and has just finished compulsory Spanish education. The Spanish education system is full of flaws, basically because the government don´t spent anything like the amount of money that is spent on the education system in the UK. There is no practical work done eg chemistry/physics/biology experiments. They just don´t have any labs or libraries or art rooms or musical instruments. There is no real art or music done in school. All they do all day is sit and look at a book or listen to a boring teacher ( if the teacher bothers to turn up). Also the teachers are not paid enough to want to do any class work they are content to tell the kids to read from the books. I was shocked when I first walked into a classroom and there were no projects or art work on the walls, they don´t do them. My son said he has not learned anything, he has just had to memorise the paragraphs in the book to pass the exams. I have had such a hard time to keep him motivated, basically because there is none at school. I told him he had to pass to get out as I considered he couldn´t spend all that time in Spanish school and come out with nothing. He is now going to start on-line study to gain some GCSE´s and then A levels. He is considering becoming a Spanish teacher in UK primary. Might as well make the most of the one thing he learned here. So I feel in some ways his education is now just starting. Had I known what the Spanish education system was like we would never have come here. I feel this is the only thing that has been a negative. I would never say to you `go back to Ireland´ that depends on how much you value a good education for your children. Also you can give them the good education but they don´t utilise it and still come away with nothing. We came from Scotland where the education system is different and better than England. You could keep them here till it´s time to start the 2 year GCSE course then send them back to stay with grandparents or other relations. A lot of friends here have done that. I didn´t have that option as I was 42 when I had my son and my mother is now 80 so you can imagine that wouldn´t work. You have a lot of thinking to do.



It seems like everywhere and everything else. For every one who has a bad experience, someone else has a good one! The one thing I can say is that the Spanish education system is different from the UK... IMO positives and negatives

Jo xxx


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## LasEncinas (Aug 27, 2008)

Hi Jo, I heard that you and the kids had gone back to the UK.





jojo said:


> It seems like everywhere and everything else. For every one who has a bad experience, someone else has a good one! The one thing I can say is that the Spanish education system is different from the UK... IMO positives and negatives
> 
> Jo xxx


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

LasEncinas said:


> Hi Jo, I heard that you and the kids had gone back to the UK.


Yes, although we/I flit between the two countries. My son wanted to go to college in the UK and my daughter wanted to go to school here, altho as predicted, she isnt as keen on it now she's here. We're in the process of possibly buying a place in Spain and getting a smaller place in the UK



*LINDA????* is that you?? How the devil are you??? Is that Innis you were talking about???




Jo xxx


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## LasEncinas (Aug 27, 2008)

Yes it´s me. we are fine.





jojo said:


> Yes, although we/I flit between the two countries. My son wanted to go to college in the UK and my daughter wanted to go to school here, altho as predicted, she isnt as keen on it now she's here. We're in the process of possibly buying a place in Spain and getting a smaller place in the UK
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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