# families that moved from uk to cyprus



## andrew-roper (Oct 4, 2008)

hi can you give me some advise on what its like to have moved to cyprus. are you glad that you have done it. or do you think it was the wrong move and wish you was back in the uk .we are thinking about moveing there but need to to find as much information as we can. ie places to live / schools and jobs any information would be great andrew/claire


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## yummymummy150 (Sep 8, 2007)

andrew-roper said:


> hi can you give me some advise on what its like to have moved to cyprus. are you glad that you have done it. or do you think it was the wrong move and wish you was back in the uk .we are thinking about moveing there but need to to find as much information as we can. ie places to live / schools and jobs any information would be great andrew/claire


Love it , would hate to go back (but you never know what can happen)
We planed for 5 years ,. have been comming for years .
Just feel at home here ,only been since 9th oct but all going well.
16yr old and 20 yr with us , youngest was not happy to come but seems fine now . 20 yr old loves it.


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

yummymummy150 said:


> Love it , would hate to go back (but you never know what can happen)
> We planed for 5 years ,. have been comming for years .
> Just feel at home here ,only been since 9th oct but all going well.
> 16yr old and 20 yr with us , youngest was not happy to come but seems fine now . 20 yr old loves it.


Tricia would you have made the move if you had 3 school age children and no promise of a job to come to?


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## kimonas (Jul 19, 2008)

Sorry Andrew and Claire - I seem to pop up to burst your bubble everytime you pose a question. I'm not trying to put the dampners on your dream, but I do have quite a lot of experience of the sharp end when things go wrong. I've also read more threads and pieced together your situation, of which I wasn't completely aware when I was advising you earlier. 

I still think it would be madness to cut all bridges or rely on savings while you look for work. There are so many unknowns to cope with that such a leap in the dark is bound to end in disappointment. Renting is the best option - buying in Cyprus is risky if you are not sure where you'll be working, or where the best place is to school your children. The resale market is glacial. The best schools are in Larnanca and Nicosia Districts- all your children are young enough to pick up the language, but going to a state school can be an alienating experience, their education will be disrupted for a few years while they pick up the language. You should make sure they're all on board and happy to make the sacrifices of the inevitable angst that changing school means - You will not be able to afford private education for three children unless you have plum jobs lined up (e.g. Administrator of a hospital, Director of the New Airport Terminal, or offshore work). 

Part of my job in school management involves meeting expat parents whose dreams have been shattered, whose businesses have gone bust, who can no longer afford to educate their children and who have planned to trek back to the UK. Many of them cannot sell their houses to fund the move back and are desperately seeking solutions. The recession doesn't help. Of course there are always success stories too. Those that do thrive have usually planned their move for years and have contingency plans for when things go wrong which inevitably involve renting out their homes in the UK. The majority of the really successful families are wealthy people.

I know you're reading the threads and looking for advice and it is all there on the various fora. I hope you will find the advice that you seek to help you plan your next step. Good luck...


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## andrew-roper (Oct 4, 2008)

kimonas said:


> Sorry Andrew and Claire - I seem to pop up to burst your bubble everytime you pose a question. I'm not trying to put the dampners on your dream, but I do have quite a lot of experience of the sharp end when things go wrong. I've also read more threads and pieced together your situation, of which I wasn't completely aware when I was advising you earlier.
> 
> I still think it would be madness to cut all bridges or rely on savings while you look for work. There are so many unknowns to cope with that such a leap in the dark is bound to end in disappointment. Renting is the best option - buying in Cyprus is risky if you are not sure where you'll be working, or where the best place is to school your children. The resale market is glacial. The best schools are in Larnanca and Nicosia Districts- all your children are young enough to pick up the language, but going to a state school can be an alienating experience, their education will be disrupted for a few years while they pick up the language. You should make sure they're all on board and happy to make the sacrifices of the inevitable angst that changing school means - You will not be able to afford private education for three children unless you have plum jobs lined up (e.g. Administrator of a hospital, Director of the New Airport Terminal, or offshore work).
> 
> ...


hi kimonas, thanks again for your advice, i'm glad you are being honest, it is facts i'm looking for, not fairy tales, i've always wanted to move abroad, but am not willing to jepedise my childrens education and quality of life, just to live in a lovely sunny place!looks like i'll have to put up with british weather for at least a few more years. unless i win the lottery of course, has the recession had a big impact in cyprus? its terrible over here, andrews hanging onto his job by a thread, and has had to take a 40% pay cut, i only work part time and that ends in july, theres no work here at all, theres not many people i know who hasnt been effected! from claire.x


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## andrew-roper (Oct 4, 2008)

yummymummy150 said:


> Love it , would hate to go back (but you never know what can happen)
> We planed for 5 years ,. have been comming for years .
> Just feel at home here ,only been since 9th oct but all going well.
> 16yr old and 20 yr with us , youngest was not happy to come but seems fine now . 20 yr old loves it.


hi, thanks for your reply, great to here you are happy and settled, how long have you been thinking of moving to cyprus, and did you decide to wait until your children left school, can i be nosey and ask what you do for a living, its just that it only seems to be wealthy people who actually do it?


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## yummymummy150 (Sep 8, 2007)

Veronica said:


> Tricia would you have made the move if you had 3 school age children and no promise of a job to come to?


No, Veronica ,Thats one of the resons that we waited as long as we did ,
Even with the money to pay for school fees i wont have done it when the kids were at school ,only as i know that my kids would not have coped they had a good childhood in Scotland.Howerever some kids cope and gain from change we all know(or try) our kids. 16yr old is partime(2 days) private school , enjoys it!
Tricia


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## yummymummy150 (Sep 8, 2007)

andrew-roper said:


> hi, thanks for your reply, great to here you are happy and settled, how long have you been thinking of moving to cyprus, and did you decide to wait until your children left school, can i be nosey and ask what you do for a living, its just that it only seems to be wealthy people who actually do it?


Hi,Yes we waited !,I clean apartments , hubby longterm lets. sales,.
If your kids could cope with greek school,(Lots do), and you can get a job you budget ,live within your means(as we do) It is a good life.
Hubby was born here&some schooling(RAF) Always was the dream to live here again.
We came on holiday 1997, loved it came as much as we could then took the chance and bought off plan 2004 went well, at last we are here .


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## Cherie (Mar 17, 2009)

yummymummy150 said:


> Love it , would hate to go back (but you never know what can happen)
> We planed for 5 years ,. have been comming for years .
> Just feel at home here ,only been since 9th oct but all going well.
> 16yr old and 20 yr with us , youngest was not happy to come but seems fine now . 20 yr old loves it.


Hi

So glad things are going well for you I hope to move in July/Aug and I to have a 16 year old who is nearly 17 he can't wait and my daughter who is 12years can't wait either

from Cherie


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## yummymummy150 (Sep 8, 2007)

HI Cherie, hope all goes to plan ,PM, me if there is anything i can help with
No matter, how much i wanted to come last few weeks i got a bit wobbely then the hard bit of saying goodbye but so happy we did it.
Good luck,
Tricia


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## Cherie (Mar 17, 2009)

Hi Tricia
Sorry to be a pain, my brother has just picked up the registration form for my daughter who is 12 yrs to go to Emba Gymnasium, I wont be able to fill them in untill I come out in July the problem I've got is I would like to now or here from anybody who has children in this high school or no children there. Just want to no how many English children are at this greek school and do they get on well with the greek children I am a bit worried now as I don't no who to talk to, to ask all this to

from Cherie x


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## Cherie (Mar 17, 2009)

Hi Tricia

My brother picked up the registration forms for my daughter who is 12 yrs to go to Emba Gymnasium but i cn't fill them in untill I move out in July. The thing that I am worried about I am trying to find out how many English children go there and how many are in her year also do the greek children get on well with the English children my daughter can't wait she isn't a bit concerned as I am worried for her I just need to here from someone who no or have children that go to this greek school, sorry to be a pain

From Cherie x


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## yummymummy150 (Sep 8, 2007)

Cherie said:


> Hi Tricia
> 
> My brother picked up the registration forms for my daughter who is 12 yrs to go to Emba Gymnasium but i cn't fill them in untill I move out in July. The thing that I am worried about I am trying to find out how many English children go there and how many are in her year also do the greek children get on well with the English children my daughter can't wait she isn't a bit concerned as I am worried for her I just need to here from someone who no or have children that go to this greek school, sorry to be a pain
> 
> From Cherie x


Cherie i will ask around for you , i know there are english kids there and they get extra greek in afternoon , it works for some , it depends on your child .
You wont know till you get here and see for your self .
i know there is a small private school in emba, 20€a day 6-16 also one my son goes to in chloraka.


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## Cherie (Mar 17, 2009)

yummymummy150 said:


> Cherie i will ask around for you , i know there are english kids there and they get extra greek in afternoon , it works for some , it depends on your child .
> You wont know till you get here and see for your self .
> i know there is a small private school in emba, 20€a day 6-16 also one my son goes to in chloraka.


Thank you Tricia it will be very much apreciated if you can find out all you can and any information on the other schools you mentioned would be great, maybe they have a website i can look at

Many thanks Cherie x


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## Chloe13 (Feb 21, 2009)

Hi Cherie

Why don't you just pop on a plane and fly over here for a few days next week whilst it is half tern in the UK. The schools here do not have half term so they are open. If you meet some of the teachers and other pupils it will put your mind at rest. You are making life changing decisions and surely you need to know that you are making the right decision for your daughter. As already mentioned some children do not settle into the Greek school system so you must have a plan B to hand.


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## Cherie (Mar 17, 2009)

Hi

I went to Emba School a few weeks ago with my daughter and they couldn't show us around they told me to get the forms and fill them in, can't come over flights are to expensive and I am trying to budget everything before we move

Cherie x


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## yummymummy150 (Sep 8, 2007)

ITS going to be summer holidays when you come so gives you time to ask around face to face met mums ect , but as i said before it works well for some, good and bad stories about all schools uk&cyprus.,private&greek,
Tricia


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## Chloe13 (Feb 21, 2009)

If you are worrying about the costs of flight re your daughters wellbeing at a new school, in a new country, IN A NEW LANGUAGE, then I should seriously think of the options available to you. This is a hard country to get along in, don't think that the Cypriots welcome you with open arms, evey time your daughter needs extra help in the understanding of a particular subject the Cyps (and their parents) will resent you for slowing down their childrens education. You must be prepared for all of these hurdles. Sorry for being so blunt but this is the problem in the Private schools also but the other way round. The UK parents are really annoyed at the time the Cyps are taking way from the teachers where their English isn't upto scratch to understand let alone learn. Just remember your daughter not only will have the language to contend with but she will also will be expected to learn the subject eg Science (new vocabulary even in English) etc.


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## kimonas (Jul 19, 2008)

I have to agree with Chloe - the situation in many state schools is dire when it comes to the education of foreign nationals - the schools are legally obliged to offer foreign nationals an education, but it is widely acknowledged within the Ministry of Education that they are struggling to do so. Issues such as bullying, truancy and anti-social behaviour are top of the list of problems before we even get down to the problems of getting the lessons accross to the children. 

My wife, who is a state school teacher, says that the usual solution is to pass the expat children through on a sympathy grade. Some kids love it - school is great, but they're not actually learning anything. The parents too think that their kids are getting a great education with a report card that looks fabulous.

Of course there are always exceptions to the rule, and some schools are trying very hard to rectify all these problems, and the Ministry has adopted many innovations and put in place a team of specialists to try to resolve the problems, but it is still in its infancy. 

There have been many media reports recently which highlight the problems faced by British teenagers in Cypriot state schools and the plans that the Ministry of Education have adopted to try to rectify those problems. These reports make it clear that moving to a new country and being taught in a difficult new language is a huge challenge for older teenagers. Most are not up to that challenge and resort to anti-social behaviour, are subject to bullying and play truant as a result. These problems have become severe in many schools with larger ex-pat populations and the solution seems to be afternoon lessons and withdrawal from other areas of the curriculum to concentrate on Greek. This has a hugely detrimental effect on their education.

I have also highlighted in the sticky thread on Education, another major problem faced by those wishing to carry on their education at University or College, and that is the State Schools do not offer the necessary entry qualifications. These have to be gained by expensive afternoon private classes (a problem for Cypriot and Expat children).


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## Chilminder (May 25, 2009)

Hi I went to Greek primary schools in Paralimni and Pegeia and when I moved there I didnt speak any Greek. I also went to Emba high school i loved the teachers are great and I got excellent grades, I am so glad my mum put me into Greek school because i learnt the language fluently which helps to get jibs in both the UK and Cyprus. The qualifications are also recognised in English universities and colleges. Just make sure that if you do send your child to a Greek school that they aren't only friends with the English children as they won't learn the language as well as they would if they mixed with the Greek children and I also know from experience that the Greeks would prefer it if you made friends with them too, they will help you! They helped me.


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## Cherie (Mar 17, 2009)

Chilminder said:


> Hi I went to Greek primary schools in Paralimni and Pegeia and when I moved there I didnt speak any Greek. I also went to Emba high school i loved the teachers are great and I got excellent grades, I am so glad my mum put me into Greek school because i learnt the language fluently which helps to get jibs in both the UK and Cyprus. The qualifications are also recognised in English universities and colleges. Just make sure that if you do send your child to a Greek school that they aren't only friends with the English children as they won't learn the language as well as they would if they mixed with the Greek children and I also know from experience that the Greeks would prefer it if you made friends with them too, they will help you! They helped me.


Hi Chilminder

Thank you so much for your reply because the last two posts worried me. I have heard good reports about Emba my brother has lived there for 6 years and through people he is friends with English and Greek they all say Greek school is fine for English. My daughter is a very pleasant 12 year old girl who makes friends very well with new people English or Greek she has had everything explained to her regarding the language barrier and this dosen't seem to bother her as she is looking forward to learning it. May I ask how old you are? You sound a very nice pearson who has experianced this school first hand and that says alott

Thank you once again Cherie x


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## kimonas (Jul 19, 2008)

I was an admissions tutor in the UK for many years and would always (in fact was forced) to take Cypriot students with a school leaving certificate (Apolyterion) as they were then classified as overseas students and therefore paid higher fees. This situation continued for sometime after accession to the EU, largely out of precedent, but recently (at the 2007 UK Higher Education Fair in Nicosia) most of the UK HEIs announced that they were no longer accepting only the Apolyterion in leieu of A levels. As Cypriot students (and the three year residency rule includes expat students) are now classed as 'home' students, they pay the same standard fee as UK students and no longer attract a higher fee. Some institutions desperate for students still bend the rules and accept the leaving certificate only, but the vast majority also require students to have GCE A levels or their equivalent. From my conversations with admissions tutors recently, it was made clear that the leaving certificate is not considered as an equivalent to A levels. 

I agree with many posters on the education threads that sending younger expat children to Greek state schools is an excellent idea as they pick up the language readily and do very well, but parachuting a teenager into an alien system and expecting them to cope is asking too much, as has been discussed by the media and the Ministry of Education.


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## theresoon (Apr 11, 2008)

Hi Cherie,

I am not in the education field but I was thinking that since you are coming over in July why not take advantage of the time and have a tutor for your daughter till school start? The other thing I have heard people do is that they hold the kids back a year, so for instance do the last year of elementary school instead of the first year of middle school.

I know three sisters who were already in high school when they moved from Greece to New York, with little to no English and two became doctors and one an economist, not very nice people but very successful professionals nonetheless.


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

Chilminder said:


> Hi I went to Greek primary schools in Paralimni and Pegeia and when I moved there I didnt speak any Greek. I also went to Emba high school i loved the teachers are great and I got excellent grades, I am so glad my mum put me into Greek school because i learnt the language fluently which helps to get jibs in both the UK and Cyprus. The qualifications are also recognised in English universities and colleges. Just make sure that if you do send your child to a Greek school that they aren't only friends with the English children as they won't learn the language as well as they would if they mixed with the Greek children and I also know from experience that the Greeks would prefer it if you made friends with them too, they will help you! They helped me.


Hi Casey, welcome to t he forum. 
I have sent you a visitor message.
If you look at the top right hand corner under welcome Chilminder you should see unapproved messages. Click on that to read my message.
Regards Veronica


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## bert (Mar 23, 2009)

yummymummy150 said:


> HI Cherie, hope all goes to plan ,PM, me if there is anything i can help with
> No matter, how much i wanted to come last few weeks i got a bit wobbely then the hard bit of saying goodbye but so happy we did it.
> Good luck,
> Tricia


Hi Tricia,
We too started to go to Cyprus for holidays in 2003 and fell in love with the country.We are hoping to move out at the end of november.I notice you are in Chloraka we have just got back from a 2 weeks holiday in Paphos and stayed at the Akti - is this anywhere near you? We are looking to rent longterm in this area.Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Donna


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

bert said:


> Hi Tricia,
> We too started to go to Cyprus for holidays in 2003 and fell in love with the country.We are hoping to move out at the end of november.I notice you are in Chloraka we have just got back from a 2 weeks holiday in Paphos and stayed at the Akti - is this anywhere near you? We are looking to rent longterm in this area.Any information would be greatly appreciated.
> 
> Thanks
> Donna


Hi Donna,

You have done it the right way, coming over a few times and getting to know the island. 

If people take thier time and plan there is no reason that they cant make a go of things here and if you can make end meet financially it is certainly a far better place to live than the UK.
After nearly 5 years living here we have never for one minutue regretted our decision to move to cyprus.

Good luckwith the move

Veronica


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## bert (Mar 23, 2009)

Veronica said:


> Hi Donna,
> 
> You have done it the right way, coming over a few times and getting to know the island.
> 
> ...


Hi Veronica,
Thanks for your reply.It makes us want to move all the more! Do you and your husband have jobs?We are both looking to work when we move out. When we visited recently my husband was offered a job but we had far too much to sort out back home.
Regards
Donna


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

bert said:


> Hi Veronica,
> Thanks for your reply.It makes us want to move all the more! Do you and your husband have jobs?We are both looking to work when we move out. When we visited recently my husband was offered a job but we had far too much to sort out back home.
> Regards
> Donna


Hi donna,

My husband and I have our own business but we spent the first two years here getting to know how the property markethere works, getting to know the area and doing as much resarch as we could. We knew what we wanted do before we came here.
I get the impression that you don't have children to worry about.
If you had young children I would be saying do not come over without jobs to come to.
If you dont have to think about children the life here is great as long as you dont treat it as one long holiday. Remeber that living here is not the same as being on holiday. But as long as you dont try to live above your means then why not give it a go. Treat it as an adventure. You only live once.

Veronica


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## bert (Mar 23, 2009)

Veronica said:


> Hi donna,
> 
> My husband and I have our own business but we spent the first two years here getting to know how the property markethere works, getting to know the area and doing as much resarch as we could. We knew what we wanted do before we came here.
> I get the impression that you don't have children to worry about.
> ...


Thanks for the advice Veronica,
You're correct we don't have young children to think about.We have a married son at 25 and a daughter at 21 who is getting married in november-this is why we are waiting until the end of november before we move.My husband is a plater welder and myself a duty manager at my local Co-op.On a recent visit my husband was offered a job at Ziths in Agia Varvara-don't know if you know of it.He couldn't accept at the time due to commitments at home.
Regards
Donna


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

bert said:


> Thanks for the advice Veronica,
> You're correct we don't have young children to think about.We have a married son at 25 and a daughter at 21 who is getting married in november-this is why we are waiting until the end of november before we move.My husband is a plater welder and myself a duty manager at my local Co-op.On a recent visit my husband was offered a job at Ziths in Agia Varvara-don't know if you know of it.He couldn't accept at the time due to commitments at home.
> Regards
> Donna


Yes I know the place. If I remember rightly it makes catering equipment?
Lets hope that they still have vacancies when you are in a position to come out.


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## bert (Mar 23, 2009)

Veronica said:


> Yes I know the place. If I remember rightly it makes catering equipment?
> Lets hope that they still have vacancies when you are in a position to come out.


Yes they do make catering equipment.When we visit Paphos we go to a local bar and have made good friends with the owner-he arranged the interview as the owner of Ziths is a good friend of his.


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