# quick guide for moving



## kgrannell (Jun 24, 2011)

i and my family 3 girls 15 13 9 and wife are thinking of moving to oliva can u tell me the essentials i will need to know .also what shops and schools are there nearby in oliva


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

The first thing that springs to mind (being the mother of teenagers) would be your 15yo! Unless you're going to put her into an international school where they teach the english curriculum in english she is going to struggle. Spanish state schools teach in Spanish and their curriculum is totally different - no GCSEs or A-levels. Your 13yo maybe ok - ish, but really again an international school maybe easier. It may not be a problem for you financially, but you have to pay for international schools. 

Apart from that I would suggest you come over and have a look around Oliva, see where everything is and whether it will suit you

Jo xxx


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

jojo said:


> The first thing that springs to mind (being the mother of teenagers) would be your 15yo! Unless you're going to put her into an international school where they teach the english curriculum in english she is going to struggle. Spanish state schools teach in Spanish and their curriculum is totally different - no GCSEs or A-levels. Your 13yo maybe ok - ish, but really again an international school maybe easier. It may not be a problem for you financially, but you have to pay for international schools.
> 
> Apart from that I would suggest you come over and have a look around Oliva, see where everything is and whether it will suit you
> 
> Jo xxx


I would totally go along with that about school - but I'd go further & say the 13 year old _needs_ to be in International school too - unless she is already totally fluent in Spanish & Valenciano

there have also been a few threads about Oliva recently

http://www.expatforum.com/expats/spain-expat-forum-expats-living-spain/80569-moving-oliva.html#post537354

http://www.expatforum.com/expats/spain-expat-forum-expats-living-spain/79993-oliva-social-life.html



http://www.expatforum.com/expats/spain-expat-forum-expats-living-spain/79355-looking-oliva-gandia-area.html


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## bobbysox (Jun 28, 2011)

kgrannell said:


> i and my family 3 girls 15 13 9 and wife are thinking of moving to oliva can u tell me the essentials i will need to know .also what shops and schools are there nearby in oliva


Do not do it! It costs **** loadsand almost impossible to get a job. But you could try Madrid is a good choice if you want good transportation. They also have amazing malls. I have family there and it is a beautiful city. If you want nice beaches then Barcelona is a great choice. It is also a beautiful city to live in. Madrid has better schools.
Part of my family is from Spain.
Or you might want to consider valencia, Very beautiful place, full of culture and beautiful beaches... 
go on valencia travel tourist guide

Hope i was helpfull to you, but make the right decission


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

bobbysox said:


> Do not do it! It costs **** loadsand almost impossible to get a job. But you could try Madrid is a good choice if you want good transportation. They also have amazing malls. I have family there and it is a beautiful city. If you want nice beaches then Barcelona is a great choice. It is also a beautiful city to live in. Madrid has better schools.
> Part of my family is from Spain.
> Or you might want to consider valencia, Very beautiful place, full of culture and beautiful beaches...
> go on valencia travel tourist guide
> ...


Actually Oliva isn't that expensive compared to many towns on this stretch of coast -and it's not far from Valencia, either

you're right about the lack of jobs though


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## bobbysox (Jun 28, 2011)

xabiachica said:


> Actually Oliva isn't that expensive compared to many towns on this stretch of coast -and it's not far from Valencia, either
> 
> you're right about the lack of jobs though


Okies, but it isnt cheap if you dont have a job. The english schools are aroung 5000 euros a term and without a job your screwed!...But is is a cheaper way of life if you have the money or a good business.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

bobbysox said:


> Okies, but it isnt cheap if you dont have a job. The english schools are aroung 5000 euros a term and without a job your screwed!...But is is a cheaper way of life if you have the money or a good business.


true

but the OP doesn't say that they need to find work - so until they come back & say one way or the other it's just conjecture


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## kgrannell (Jun 24, 2011)

i believe if you want work you will find it ,its the quality of life were after,the schools are a problem unless we learn spanish fast .in england we are slaves we work to pay bills,the councils and government need money to pay there workforce to keep the employment figures down


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

kgrannell said:


> i believe if you want work you will find it ,its the quality of life were after,the schools are a problem unless we learn spanish fast .in england we are slaves we work to pay bills,the councils and government need money to pay there workforce to keep the employment figures down


you do realise that spain has more than double the unemployment rate of the UK??

there is no quality of life if you don't have work - & there really isn't much chance of work

have a read of these http://www.expatforum.com/expats/spain-expat-forum-expats-living-spain/68126-economic-employment-situation-spain.html

http://www.expatforum.com/expats/spain-expat-forum-expats-living-spain/78758-spanish-take-street-last.html


http://www.expatforum.com/expats/spain-expat-forum-expats-living-spain/81809-19-june-demonstrations-organise-democracia-ya-against-euro-pact-etc.html


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

kgrannell said:


> i believe if you want work you will find it ,its the quality of life were after,the schools are a problem unless we learn spanish fast .in england we are slaves we work to pay bills,the councils and government need money to pay there workforce to keep the employment figures down



I'm sorry, but at the moment I'm perhaps not in a good mood, but quality of life is nothing if you havent got enough money to live on, a bit of sun in the summer will not make your life any better and you'll still need money to spend on the same things you need it for in the UK As for knocking the UK - that is no reason to leave it! You realise that in Spain there are no benefits if you havent paid into their system for a good few months. There are no housing benefits, healthcare, child allowance and if you dont get work you are well and truly on your own! 

So to conclude, unless you have good, secure and well paid jobs lined up, dont even try to go to Spain. spain isnt easier, cheaper or less of treadmill than the UK! Its a hard and harsh country and you move your kids would be stupid and ruin their chances of any qualifications. To learn spanish well enough for their ages they need to have been learning it all their lives

Jo xx


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## kgrannell (Jun 24, 2011)

life was not meant to be hard labour, happiness is not about money and keeping up with the jonses profit and greed cause most problems ,after that negativity. the whole world is bankrupt if the truth be told.most benefits and pensions should be scrapped profit on lifes essentials should be capped .and afree marketbrought into place .as long as theres farmers and fruita smile is all you need


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

kgrannell said:


> life was not meant to be hard labour, happiness is not about money and keeping up with the jonses profit and greed cause most problems ,after that negativity. the whole world is bankrupt if the truth be told.most benefits and pensions should be scrapped profit on lifes essentials should be capped .and afree marketbrought into place .as long as theres farmers and fruita smile is all you need


and a roof over your head??

let us know how you get on


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## Morten (Apr 20, 2011)

I like your hippie attitude ... and if you can swing it like that, why not ... it aint something anyone can really give you advice on though, unless I suppose theyre pro-hustlers or lifestyle hippies living of fresh air and fruits falling of the trees.



kgrannell said:


> life was not meant to be hard labour, happiness is not about money and keeping up with the jonses profit and greed cause most problems ,after that negativity. the whole world is bankrupt if the truth be told.most benefits and pensions should be scrapped profit on lifes essentials should be capped .and afree marketbrought into place .as long as theres farmers and fruita smile is all you need


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Morten said:


> I like your hippie attitude ... and if you can swing it like that, why not ... it aint something anyone can really give you advice on though, unless I suppose theyre pro-hustlers or lifestyle hippies living of fresh air and fruits falling of the trees.


I have to agree I do too - & if I were younger with no kids.................


but with teenagers - is that really fair?


and they won't get the kids into school either without a proper roof over their heads - good old Spanish paperwork


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## Morten (Apr 20, 2011)

Oh yes, the flower power vibe had made me forget the kids ... I´d imagine early teens being the worst age for immigration at the best of times - and an uncertain jump into the big blur of potential poverty, unemployment and homelessness. No thats probably not quite ideal.



xabiachica said:


> I have to agree I do too - & if I were younger with no kids.................
> 
> 
> but with teenagers - is that really fair?
> ...


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

kgrannell said:


> life was not meant to be hard labour, happiness is not about money and keeping up with the jonses profit and greed cause most problems ,after that negativity. the whole world is bankrupt if the truth be told.most benefits and pensions should be scrapped profit on lifes essentials should be capped .and afree marketbrought into place .as long as theres farmers and fruita smile is all you need


All of that may be true.

The question is, how is coming to Spain going to change that for you and your family?

What can Spain offer you that will change your life, or more importantly, what will you be bringing to Spain, 'cos Spain _*needs*_ more than it can *give* right now?


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## Maimee (Jun 23, 2011)

Life in Spain for the Spanish nationals is extremely difficult at the moment and there does not seem to be much light at the end of the tunnel. When the work situation is more normal they work long hours for little money. They also complain that all of their money goes on paying all of their bills so their lives are no different to yours.

Do you have skills that are needed? Are you prepared to work hard in the heat? Do you have sufficient money to keep you all here without working? Can you support your family unit whilst searching for the jobs that are so thin on the ground that the Spanish people are losing their houses and moving in with family? Ask yourself these and many, many more questions before you look at living in Spain as idylic and preferable to life in the UK.

Good luck with your decision making.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

kgrannell said:


> life was not meant to be hard labour, happiness is not about money and keeping up with the jonses profit and greed cause most problems ,after that negativity. the whole world is bankrupt if the truth be told.most benefits and pensions should be scrapped profit on lifes essentials should be capped .and afree marketbrought into place .as long as theres farmers and fruita smile is all you need



Sadly, with all the beaurocracy, paperwork, red tape and regulations, Spain isnt the place to be able to live like that. Also your kids, like it or not deserve a "proper" education so they can at least have some choices in the world. I'm sorry to be negative and there are times when I'd like to "Stop the world and get off", but the reality is that we cant, so for a good quality of life we need good choices and to conform with those around us

Jo xxx


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