# Considering sabbatical in Mallorca: pros and cons



## Liliw (Aug 20, 2012)

Hello, 

My husband and I have a sabbatical next year and are trying to decide where to go with our two children, 8 and 12. We're considering Mallorca, though neither of us have been. We both speak pretty good Castilian Spanish, but not Catalan or the local dialect. We would love our children to learn Spanish, but we'll only be there for the school year. We're American and can't really afford to fly over and investigate beforehand. We spent an earlier stint in Ronda, Spain. It was beautiful but a bit tricky to meet people. We have many questions. 

1. How are the private schools? This would be a stretch financially but worth it if the children learned Spanish and were happy. Does anyone have suggestions about which school would be best. 

2. We're thinking about Palma. The weather/ambiance in the winter? 

3. Are local people welcoming? I've read a couple threads that indicate no, but is this the widespread opinion? Will local people be willing to speak Spanish with us?

4. Our other thought is France. Any thoughts on how welcoming one culture is verses the other? 

Thanks so much for any feedback. 

Lili


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## bob_bob (Jan 5, 2011)

Really they won't learn Spanish in a private or International School and they are too old to go to a standard Spanish School because...they don't speak Spanish.

I would think placing them in an International School is your best option and then soaking up the culture et al out of School time.

France, your dollar won't stretch as far as the cost of living is higher. Europe is not cheap for anyone these days and a weak dollar won't help you.


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## 111KAB (Aug 3, 2012)

Agree with bob bob re the schooling, Palma is obviously the place with the most activity/life particularly in winter as this is a 'holiday island' so most of the resorts are much quieter in the winter months. I would look to live on the outskirts of Palma so you can 'dip in and dip out'. Winters can be a little on the cold/cooler side but nothing to really worry about. Locals are VERY friendly it really depends upon (like most ex-pat places I would suggest) how you react to them. Learn/try some Spanish and they will be your best friend! Unfortunately I think you would have a harder job in France and as stated the prices are higher.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

bob_bob said:


> Really they won't learn Spanish in a private or International School and they are too old to go to a standard Spanish School because...they don't speak Spanish.
> 
> I would think placing them in an International School is your best option and then soaking up the culture et al out of School time.
> 
> France, your dollar won't stretch as far as the cost of living is higher. Europe is not cheap for anyone these days and a weak dollar won't help you.


I have to disagree about the international school comment. My son went to an international school for the whole of our time in Spain and my daughter went to a state school for the first year and then we moved her to the international school. They both learnt far more Spanish there, they learnt the culture and they made some great Spanish (amongst others) friends. Cos international schools are just that and have a variety of nationalities there, including Spanish (the majority in our case). They also learnt about living in an international world. And of course, the curriculum was english so it was easy to slot back into the UK.

By coincidence, we've just visited friends who live in France and I was shocked by the prices and cost of living there. Its a lovely place but, heck it was expensive!!!!!! More so than the UK. In fact I wrote this while I was there lol!!! http://www.expatforum.com/expats/fr...ing-france/121526-cost-cigarettes-france.html

Jo xxxx


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

yes, as far as International school is concerned it very much depends on the school itself, and the nationality mix of the students

at one of them here many if not most of the students struggle to get a low pass in Spanish at IGCSE - at the other it's totally different


@ Liliw - the first thing you need to consider is getting a visa to stay for a year - there's a lot of info on this sticky thread, incuding a post with lots of links about Visas for non-EU citizens


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## bob_bob (Jan 5, 2011)

We have friends with a place in France, had it years but now take a lot of food with them because of the high prices. They've had the place years but prices of food have gone through the roof. These are people who don't 'shop British', they buy local produce, even a small 'biere pression' is €4 in the local bar!


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

bob_bob said:


> We have friends with a place in France, had it years but now take a lot of food with them because of the high prices. They've had the place years but prices of food have gone through the roof. These are people who don't 'shop British', they buy local produce, even a small 'biere pression' is €4 in the local bar!



I gauge prices by the cost of diet coke/coke light. In the UK a bottle of 1.25litres is 85p (at the Co-op!), in France it was 2.11€!!!!!!!! Pain au chocolate in the UK is 85p (Co-op), the same and certainly no better taste wise, from a French patisserie cost 1.79€!!!!!

Jo xxx


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

We have friends in the south of France who have had their house for 5 years and in that time they too are forced to take food with them as prices are now at silly levels. They are wine lovers and I can buy French wine here at half the price they pay in France - the same wine!!


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

thrax said:


> We have friends in the south of France who have had their house for 5 years and in that time they too are forced to take food with them as prices are now at silly levels. They are wine lovers and I can buy French wine here at half the price they pay in France - the same wine!!


 My friends live in a wine growing region and have friends who vineyards, so they get that cheap - but you cant live on wine alone (well............. no you cant lol!!!). Everything else is expensive. 

Jo xxx


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

I live in the Canary Isles, I visited Mallorca last year, I found that most of the locals spoke Mallorquín, which is a completely different language to Castellano (Spanish), however most were willing to converse with me in Spanish.

The island was a tourist resort, the locals told me that it gets very cold in winter. I was not impressed with Mallorca and shall not be returning, I prefer the Canary Islands a far better climate, less mosquitoes, and nearly everyone speaks Castellano.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

I've always been lead to believe that Mallorca gets cold and rather inhospitable in the winter. I once read a book by George Sand, called "A winter in Majorca" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Sand
and I believe its an accurate account of the season there!!??

jo xxx


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## 111KAB (Aug 3, 2012)

Mallorca does get slightly colder than parts of the mainland in the winter but no way is the Island 'inhospitable'. Don't believe all you read!


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

jojo said:


> I've always been lead to believe that Mallorca gets cold and rather inhospitable in the winter. I once read a book by George Sand, called "A winter in Majorca" George Sand - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
> and I believe its an accurate account of the season there!!??
> 
> jo xxx


I think they may have improved heating and insulation techniques since 1839!


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