# can anyone help



## pink lady (Sep 13, 2009)

Hi iam pink lady, my husband and i with our two chidren want to move to spain, we was going to move back to javea were we used to live 4 yrs ago, but we thought we would try and find out some info on the south ie torrevieje. so if anyone could try and help us we would be very greatfull. we would like to no were the mostly the english live, witch are the best spanish schools for english kids ages 8 and 4. and what are classed as the best areas to live in, also is crime as bad the as they say it is in torrevieje or not. 

THANKS PINK LADY


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

pink lady said:


> Hi iam pink lady, my husband and i with our two chidren want to move to spain, we was going to move back to javea were we used to live 4 yrs ago, but we thought we would try and find out some info on the south ie torrevieje. so if anyone could try and help us we would be very greatfull. we would like to no were the mostly the english live, witch are the best spanish schools for english kids ages 8 and 4. and what are classed as the best areas to live in, also is crime as bad the as they say it is in torrevieje or not.
> 
> THANKS PINK LADY


Apparently Torrevieja is full of expats, I dont know where the majority would live or congregate. What you need to do is come out and visit and see what you think. get chatting with people and they'd be able to advise you about which schools and areas would best suit you?? As for crime, well yes Torrevieja did have a bad reputation, but I dont know if its any better or even if it was that bad??? I read that its no worse than a lot of towns in the UK and that alot of the problems were caused by the British? But that could have been nonsense?????? 

Jo xx


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

pink lady said:


> Hi iam pink lady, my husband and i with our two chidren want to move to spain, we was going to move back to javea were we used to live 4 yrs ago, but we thought we would try and find out some info on the south ie torrevieje. so if anyone could try and help us we would be very greatfull. we would like to no were the mostly the english live, witch are the best spanish schools for english kids ages 8 and 4. and what are classed as the best areas to live in, also is crime as bad the as they say it is in torrevieje or not.
> 
> THANKS PINK LADY


I've heard the same as Jo about Torre

out of interest - why wouldn't you come back to Javea?


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## SteveHall (Oct 17, 2008)

I have lived in Torrevieja for 8 years - I have written extensively about it and it's "boom town" years. 50,000 to 100,000 population in five years. I set up the Newcomers Club and we taught Spanish to 800 expats per week. I was involved in the Holy Week celebrations and I the police liaison officer for the Neighbourhood Watch scheme so guess I can answer most questions. 

I probably hear more rubbish about Torrevieja than any other aspect of expat life - usually from people who have never been but have heard from somebody who once met a drunk in a bar who had repeated that .... 

Fire away!


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## pink lady (Sep 13, 2009)

SteveHall said:


> I have lived in Torrevieja for 8 years - I have written extensively about it and it's "boom town" years. 50,000 to 100,000 population in five years. I set up the Newcomers Club and we taught Spanish to 800 expats per week. I was involved in the Holy Week celebrations and I the police liaison officer for the Neighbourhood Watch scheme so guess I can answer most questions.
> 
> I probably hear more rubbish about Torrevieja than any other aspect of expat life - usually from people who have never been but have heard from somebody who once met a drunk in a bar who had repeated that .. Hi steve thanks for reply, we are planning a trip to torre in next few weeks so hopefully we can see fpr ourselves what its like, but we will only have a week an you carnt do much with 2 kids who say its there day to chose were we go i.e swimming. just wanted to know were would be best to start, we want a area were the villas are individual and not all the same row after row, with plenty of greenery around i know your not an estate agent but just a name of an area like that would be a good start. also the areas were mostly younger english live cos i am worried for my children starting school and there only being spanish childen. and before any one jumps down my throat i no how this sounds that i should stay in england if i want to be near english but we lived in javea for 3 years and it can be very lonely when yr from manchester and the other people are mostly from down south and have there own friends they just take the mick out ot how we spoke.


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## pink lady (Sep 13, 2009)

xabiachica said:


> I've heard the same as Jo about Torre
> 
> out of interest - why wouldn't you come back to Javea?


Hi we would like to go back to javea, but we thought we would find more of a northern community in torre and a younger community they all seem to be old in javea sorry if ive affended any one but thats what its like.


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## pink lady (Sep 13, 2009)

jojo said:


> Apparently Torrevieja is full of expats, I dont know where the majority would live or congregate. What you need to do is come out and visit and see what you think. get chatting with people and they'd be able to advise you about which schools and areas would best suit you?? As for crime, well yes Torrevieja did have a bad reputation, but I dont know if its any better or even if it was that bad??? I read that its no worse than a lot of towns in the UK and that alot of the problems were caused by the British? But that could have been nonsense??????
> 
> Jo xx


Hi jo thanks for advice we are go to torre in a few weeks so we will se for ourselves. do u live in torre? X


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## XTreme (May 17, 2008)

I know Torre does have a reputation as a Brit ghetto for losers, chancers, and people who sold their taxi.....but I'm sure it does have it's good points.


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## SteveHall (Oct 17, 2008)

I have to say (and I really don't want to sound rude but you are going about this all wrong IN MY OPINION) .......... and with a whole pile of unrealistic expectations about the town.

1)I lived in Manchester all my adult life although born in God's Chosen County (Yorkshire) but don't have a chip on my shoulder about it. I am a Man Utd fanatic but prefer my neighbours to be Getafe and Espanyol fans. I also know Jávea well as a very good friend lives there and I was there at least once per week for 4/5 years. If you are so set on living among Northern folk then, yes, Milnrow is best (I lived there too, New Hey Rd - drank in Commercial and Top Bird) Nobody has ever taken the Michael about the way I speak. If they did I'd probably tell them to shut the xxxx up in Spanish and or Swedish. That would soon quieten them. With 160 nationalities on the padrón in Torrevieja there is always somebody that speaks "funny". I call them Danes. (Ta det lungt, mina vänner! Jag menar inte allvar LOL) 

2) Don't bring the kids with you or on your fact-finding or tell them to shut up because you are "working". This should be a big decision with a lot of thought needed to make the right choice. If they want to swim. there are nice pools in Oldham. 

3) The average age in Torrevieja is 62 (fact) I nicknamed it "God's Waiting Room". Yes, there are younger families but MANY MANY have gone back. Why? Because there is zero employment. I am not sure that will be higher/lower than Jávea. 

4) The Torrevieja area is MUCH more homogenous than Jávea. There are rows upon rows upon rows of almost identical houses (especially on the South side - Orihuela Costa) 

5) Plenty of greenery???? Try Sweden or Switzerland. Torrevieja is probably even more barren than Jávea. 

6) The English and Irish kids tend to be on the south side but I wouldn't get too excited about the schools there. In fact the Regional Schools Inspector when he had Torrevieja and Rojales added to his area famously lamented, "What crime against humanity have I commited to be given Torrevieja?" Truancy is high amongst expat children (55% in the summer term!!) and I hear of ongoing challenges. A big ***** of expat parents is the large amount of homework that even young children get. Obviously, the parents are expected to assist ......and in many cases can't because they don't speak the language. I can guarantee that there is NOWHERE in Torrevieja where your kids will be the only English kids. Las Culturas is now I hear 65% non-Spanish. (Remind you of central Rochdale?) One "plus" is that Torrevieja only plays lip-service to teaching valenciano. English is far more useful here - no linguistic wars à la Jávea!

7) Crime was a MAJOR issue in Torrevieja. In 2003 an unbelievable 8% of all reported crime in the WHOLE of Spain was reported through La Loma Police Station - I did 16 denuncias myself that year. It DID get better but 2009 has again been a bad year and in July the mayor, Pedro, took back the overall responsibility for the Local Police. The good news is that crime on person or persons unkown is rare and violent crime is equally rare. Most people turn a blind eye to a Bulgarian pimp murdeering a Polish drug-dealer or a Moroccan attacking another Moroccan. Pickpocketing is a major hassle and break-ins (usually walk-ins) are frequent...although not at epedemic levels of a few years ago. 

So, that's an overview of the town! It's MY town and I have put a lot into it to try to make it a better town but if you can't cope with the reality I guess I am wasting my breath telling you what the better points are. 

I wish you every success but please try to go with an open mind and, if possible, without the children.


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## SteveHall (Oct 17, 2008)

XTreme said:


> I know Torre does have a reputation as a Brit ghetto for losers, chancers, and people who sold their taxi.....but I'm sure it does have it's good points.



Great football team, Semana Santa, three museums, quality library, impressive marina, 50 kms from Alicante airport, Segunda football with Hércules and Elche, close to Cartagena, Elche and Alicante, new theatre and cultural palace, music conservatory nearing completion, Discoteca de la Tercera Edad (Sí!!), great beaches, nice promenade, casino, important shopping centre, new roundabouts sponsored by the Eastern European pimps (girls on each one!). important regional hospital and major private hospital, SUPERB state health service etc etc 

Something for everyone except XTreme ...never seen a donkey or a sub-30 guapita!


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

pink lady said:


> Hi we would like to go back to javea, but we thought we would find more of a northern community in torre and a younger community they all seem to be old in javea sorry if ive affended any one but thats what its like.


really?


there must be two Javeas!


it's true that now there are less younger Brits than 4 years ago, due to the economic crisis, but there are still some of us families with kids

and we used to joke that we were living in Lancashire or Liverpool, rather than Spain 

We actually hardly know anyone from 'down south'!


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## Suenneil (Feb 17, 2009)

Hiya

Given that Ive never visited Torre I wont comment - as I only have second hand views on that area.

Im surprised about your comments regarding living with northerners as opposed to southerners  I am truly very Northern! lol a Yorkshire (Sheffield/Rotherham) lass through and through .... and my accent is most definitely Northern (a good balance with my husbands Public school posh voice!!!) - and yes, my accent is commented on many many time by both the Spanish and the British - but not in any derogatory way at all. I would never have even thought about a North / South divide here ???? there are people from all over the place and I think its less about where they are from - and more about who they actually are....its seriously never been an issue at all here from my experience.

Good luck with the searching ...

Sue lane:


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## SteveHall (Oct 17, 2008)

xabiachica said:


> really?
> 
> 
> there must be two Javeas!
> ...


**I was confused too! Mind you I was equally confused about the thought that Jávea had miles and miles of identical villas etc. Not the Jávea I know and love!

Local priest comes from Chesterfield - guess that's the south or is it the north (not far from Sheffield) but not far from Derby (East MIDLANDS Airport) ..or does it matter? NO!


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## Guest (Sep 15, 2009)

pink lady said:


> Hi iam pink lady, my husband and i with our two chidren want to move to spain, we was going to move back to javea were we used to live 4 yrs ago, but we thought we would try and find out some info on the south ie torrevieje. so if anyone could try and help us we would be very greatfull. we would like to no were the mostly the english live, witch are the best spanish schools for english kids ages 8 and 4. and what are classed as the best areas to live in, also is crime as bad the as they say it is in torrevieje or not.
> 
> THANKS PINK LADY


Hi and welcome. 
Torrevieja, an interesting choice. 
We visit with our business fairly often and there are good bits and bad bits. I cant say I am qualified to answer in depth questions about the area but if there is anything I can do to help just ask away.


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