# Were gunna need help....



## sweedishtaff (Sep 4, 2008)

Hi all.

Well I will try to keep this brief...


We are thinking about moving to Spain. I need as much help as you can offer.

I am married with 6 kids My Wife and I are both entertainers, so therefore we would like to move to an English area ie La Marina (Alicante) or thereabouts.

I have done some basic research into moving but feel that I would be best helped by you lot....... ( No pressure!)

We plan to have an extended stay for three months from this December through to March next year...To test the ground try the kids in School etc etc...

What advice would you have for me....?? 

I look forward to your replys...

Stephen


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## Mame (Aug 8, 2008)

sweedishtaff said:


> Hi all.
> 
> Well I will try to keep this brief...
> 
> ...


I wish you well. Do not look to this lot for much in the way of help. It is not all of them there are actually some very nice people but on the whole, I have never come across such a bunch of self opinionated and rather rude in the way they have put some people down. I also do not like things reported back from another site. I did very much enjoy the French side of this site which was why I joined. So it is better that I will just leave this site. By the way I have lived in Spain for a number of years.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

sweedishtaff said:


> Hi all.
> 
> Well I will try to keep this brief...
> 
> ...


Hi Stephen, welcome to the forum. What do you wanna know???? Possibly December to March may not be a good time for you to find work, but it will give you time to investigate your options. I think most of the hotels use agents, so I guess you'd be able to find that out - You'd need to get NIE numbers and a padron which you need to do first (you need them for schools), I think you need to go to your local police station and town hall to obtain those - and to get information on the local schools in your area. Although I dont know if you could just get some kind of visitors thing of you're only staying initially gor three months??

Thats about all I'm able to help you with cos I dont know the area your're moving to.

Times aint easy in Spain at the moment, so make sure you have enough money to keep you going and a back up plan should it all go wrong! Doing a three month trial is a good idea, although I hope its long enough for you to find out what you wanna know

good luck and keep us posted

Jo


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

sweedishtaff said:


> Hi all.
> 
> Well I will try to keep this brief...
> 
> ...


Mmmmm .... sorry to hear you're not happy Mame, not sure what you are meaning but there you go

To the original poster, most people find this forum very informative and helpful, so lets see what we can do for you

Coming over for an extended stay is an excellent idea, and even when you come for good it would be a good idea to rent in this financial climate.

If you're coming over at the end of the year though I'm not sure how you will get on with schooling as you normally have to register by May-ish to get them in for the following school year. You may need also an NIE number for the kids as jojo says .... some areas seem to need them to register

Whaddya do for entertainment then .... don't say strippers


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## Pasanada (Feb 5, 2008)

I wholeheartedly agree with the above advice.

La Marina is a MASSIVE urbanisation, I am lead to believe its the largest in Europe!! There is a good number of British people living there and many facilities geared towards the Brits. However, don't rule out coming further south (just past Torrevieja); there are more bars in this area and new talent is desperately needed! If you're a kareoke artist, forget about working here, we have TOO many as it is! If you can offer something different, I would seriously consider this part of the Costa.

Finally, welcome to the forum and keep us posted!


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## chris(madrid) (Mar 23, 2008)

Stephen - from you post name - Is there a Swede in the family?. 

IF SO look for areas with SWEDISH schools. These are subsidised by the Swedish government. I say this I think you may find issues getting your kids into school at short notice and mid term.

I met a Norwegian guy at a wedding in July that was sending his children to one - was VERY positive about it. Classes in Swedish and Spanish. But also seemed very hot on languages generally from what he said.

Pasanda - La Marina is also a region of Spain. I'm fond of La Marina Alta - inland of Denia.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

chris(madrid) said:


> I say this I think you may find issues getting your kids into school at short notice and mid term.


I could be wrong, but I think most schools keep a few places back for if people/kids arrive unexpectedly??? Mind you with six kids, you could fill the schools emergency quota on your own lol!!

Jo


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## chris(madrid) (Mar 23, 2008)

jojo said:


> I could be wrong, but I think most schools keep a few places back for if people/kids arrive unexpectedly??? Mind you with six kids, you could fill the schools emergency quota on your own lol!! Jo


The problem is that whilst they'll find state places (they have to!) - YOU NEED TO BE RESIDENTS with NIE etc and on the Padron - not simply "staying for a bit to see". 

And there's no guaranty that they'll all be close together. 

I know of a case here where I work - the infant got a place in the village "Casita de Niños" but the other who's iirc 8 has to travel to another town about 15kms away as the local one is overfull. No school bus and poor local transport. So one parent takes the child there then goes to work and the other collects via pub transport - 2hr round trip. Fine if both don't have to work! - I got wind of it as they were looking for help from the SS guys here.

The regional TV station for Madrid province (Telemadrid) has been "active" about this as even in the capital there is NO guaranty you'll get a local school place immediately even registering in advance.

Stephen - do your kids speak Spanish? - if not I feel that joining a state school mid term is potentially not going to be a positive experience. I joined late when my parents moved back to the UK from abroad. The first couple of months I was NOT happy (from what little I remember) - and I had no language issues.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

chris(madrid) said:


> The problem is that whilst they'll find state places (they have to!) - YOU NEED TO BE RESIDENTS with NIE etc and on the Padron - not simply "staying for a bit to see".
> 
> And there's no guaranty that they'll all be close together.
> 
> ...


I'll bow to your better knowledge chris, I'm only going on hearsay!

Jo


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## crookesey (May 22, 2008)

Mame said:


> I wish you well. Do not look to this lot for much in the way of help. It is not all of them there are actually some very nice people but on the whole, I have never come across such a bunch of self opinionated and rather rude in the way they have put some people down. I also do not like things reported back from another site. I did very much enjoy the French side of this site which was why I joined. So it is better that I will just leave this site. By the way I have lived in Spain for a number of years.


I suppose if someone asks for other members opinions and receives them then the opinions given must, by definition, be 'self opinionated'. I further suppose that the warnings to folk with seriously flawed money making ideas (IOHO's) are what you class as being 'rather rude', well they asked for our opinions didn't they?

I took time prior to posting to read your previous posts and saw nothing contensious, however what I did notice is that you appear to have a problem with Spain and probably feel at odds with folk that don't. I wish you well with your proposed move to France, it wouldn't do for us all to be the same, would it?


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## owdoggy (Jul 23, 2008)

Mame said:


> I wish you well. Do not look to this lot for much in the way of help. It is not all of them there are actually some very nice people but on the whole, I have never come across such a bunch of self opinionated and rather rude in the way they have put some people down. I also do not like things reported back from another site. I did very much enjoy the French side of this site which was why I joined. So it is better that I will just leave this site. By the way I have lived in Spain for a number of years.


This "lot" have helped me. 
I ask dumb questions & they answer the best they can ................ can't say fairer than that.

Just putting the other side of the argument



Doggy


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## Mame (Aug 8, 2008)

I do not have a problem with Spain in the slightest. We may move to Brittany may not.My husband has multilpe sclorosis and to be near a ferry port makes life easier for me with regards to driving,


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

chris(madrid) said:


> Stephen - from you post name - Is there a Swede in the family?.



and/or welsh???.................. sorry, only joking lol??!!!

Jo


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## sweedishtaff (Sep 4, 2008)

Thanks for all the advice. We have found out all about NIE numbers, school enrolment etc..... Thankfully it looks like we may have work out there anyway. We are literally coming over for a long holiday from December. If it is what we expected then great we can hopefully stay longer. We have found a really helpful Spanish estate agents in Catral and they are really stuffing us with information. It is one of those things in life that we are willing to try and if it doesn't turn out the way we hoped then we can come back to England. We are not tied up with a mortgage (been there, done that and never would again) and our landlord is happy for us to keep our house here till we get back as long as the rent is paid.
Fingers crossed it will work in our favour. Thanks again for all the advice.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

sweedishtaff said:


> Thanks for all the advice. We have found out all about NIE numbers, school enrolment etc..... Thankfully it looks like we may have work out there anyway. We are literally coming over for a long holiday from December. If it is what we expected then great we can hopefully stay longer. We have found a really helpful Spanish estate agents in Catral and they are really stuffing us with information. It is one of those things in life that we are willing to try and if it doesn't turn out the way we hoped then we can come back to England. We are not tied up with a mortgage (been there, done that and never would again) and our landlord is happy for us to keep our house here till we get back as long as the rent is paid.
> Fingers crossed it will work in our favour. Thanks again for all the advice.


Sounds like you're on your way - you've got the right attitude, cos things arent easy out here, but then I guess as entertainers you maybe used to things not always working to plan (I have a few musicians in my family who are always up and down ).

Moving with six kids is quite amazing, I found it hard enough with two!! keep us posted and anymore questions I'm sure someone here will be able to help??? 

Jo


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## Jitterbug (Aug 21, 2008)

Good luck in your move.
We are moving over in January and also work in the entertainment/ music teaching business. I think we'll have to work hard, fight for gig's and take pay cut's to what we are used to but i feel confident and it's got to be worth it if only to sit with a glass of wine in the sun!
Best of luck.


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## chris(madrid) (Mar 23, 2008)

Jitterbug said:


> it's got to be worth it if only to sit with a glass of wine in the sun!.


 It's raining here today


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