Why?

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amheuwr
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Why?

Postby amheuwr » Mon Oct 10, 2005 10:19 pm

Why did you move to Spain? Has it lived up to expectations, especially those with young children? :?: p.s keeping to the thread would be appreciated.

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spanish_lad
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Postby spanish_lad » Mon Oct 10, 2005 11:47 pm

erm, my parents made me, and .. i expected it to fail like a lead balloon ;) and it has, so a great sucess there :D

sorry no Young kids here, i was 17 when "we" decided to move.
Alhaurin el Grande since 99, working at the airport since 2011.

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amheuwr
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So difficult

Postby amheuwr » Tue Oct 11, 2005 7:38 am

I now understand where some of your prvious posts are coming from! Strange that at 17 you were made to move to Spain.

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Postby Guest » Tue Oct 11, 2005 7:40 am

Dear Spanish Lad,
Your situation and opinion, valid as it is, is well documented on this forum, could you tell us:- Has the dream faded for your parents too? or are they making a go of it? I understand your situation and it must be difficult!

I hope this is not thread drift but the question is relevant to the initial thread question

thanks

El Al

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amheuwr
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Happy with the lads reply

Postby amheuwr » Tue Oct 11, 2005 7:51 am

Personally, I am happy with the lads reply. I would expect the parents move not to be a wholly happy one as they had someone that just didn't want to go with them on board. I think it was totally irresponsible and inconsiderate for a 17 year old to be moved in such a way. My children are 11 and 9 and even at that age I am seriously considering whether it will be right for them. Saying that both are looking forwards to moving so there is a big difference.

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silver
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Postby silver » Tue Oct 11, 2005 10:09 am

Has it lived up to expectations
Yes...:lol:especially for young children...I have yet to here one complain...but its definitely best to move before they are teenagers..this is a difficult time in any child's life..this gives then time to learn the language before going to university or training collages...as jobs for those without degrees are few and far between.
Where it lives up to your expectations will depend on what you personally expect.
What do you expect :?:
No muerdes la mano que te da de comer.

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amheuwr
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What I expect

Postby amheuwr » Tue Oct 11, 2005 12:08 pm

I want our family to spend more time together and not rush around.
I want to learn Spanish and be able to feel as if I can contribute to the community where we decide to live.
I want to know my neighbours.
I want to be able to take my family out to the center of town/village at 11pm without feeling threatened.
I/We want a new challenge.
I/We want to try and start a new business working for ourselves.
I/We want more of an outdoor life without having to don the usual 10 layers of clothing.

I don't want my children growing up in a country where there is no respect for anyone or thing.
I don't want Welsh/English TV, don't really want any tv at all.
I don't want to live in a predominantly ex pat community.

The list could go on but these will do for now.
Yes I know my reasons will appear a bit naive to some, and many will be ready to proffer their opinions about how difficult it will be, nowhere is perfect and all that, but we are prepared to work hard and learn along the way. We know that it will not be easy to settle into a new country, and that we will be treated with a fair dose of suspicion. We have broad shoulders. Our children are keen to move and have already picked up some very basic Spanish.

We have enough worldly experience between all four of us to make a good go at starting a different life. If things don't work out we will be even more experienced and probably better for it.

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silver
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Postby silver » Tue Oct 11, 2005 12:15 pm

I/We want to try and start a new business working for ourselves
Can´t guarantee this one (unless its a pie shop:lol: ) but my own personal experience has proved that all the rest can be found... good luck :)
No muerdes la mano que te da de comer.

Kelly4
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Postby Kelly4 » Tue Oct 11, 2005 4:46 pm

We came to escape a UK that was increasingly forcing us into a live-to-work existence. I also wanted to be able to spend more time with my children. So far, it has surpassed all our expectations, except for the fact that we're still house-hunting after more than a year.

By the way, I personally don't think that it's necessarily irresponsible to bring a reluctant 17 year-old to Spain. Who knows what the alternatives were for that particular family and what the future might have held for Spanish Lad if he'd stayed in the UK? Yes, it can be harder for adolescents to make such a move but this isn't always the case. Unless we know the individual circumstances, who are we to accuse his parents of not having his best interests at heart?

I, for one, shudder to think how my life would have turned out if my parents hadn't taken some "executive decisions" in my teens.

Best of luck. Really hope Spain is everything you're looking for.

Kelly

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keddyboy
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Postby keddyboy » Tue Oct 11, 2005 8:42 pm

My wife and I live on the outskirts of Alhaurin el Grande and in an all spanish area so no hablo english a lot. This is fine as it encourages us out of necessity to speak spanish which I now do to a certain extent. However, looking for the perfect dream is all well and good but when all is said it is nice to hear your mother tounge. The rest is up to you, in our area you can be as British as you like or as spanish as you like, you have a choice.
It sounds like the four of you are well ready to dip your toes in the Spanish way of life.
Good luck to you all and I hope you will be as happy as we are.
Keddyboy
Never do today what you can leave until tomorrow.

Marina
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Postby Marina » Tue Oct 11, 2005 9:32 pm

I agree with Kelly. As a parent sometimes you have to make tough decisions. Sometimes it's very difficult to make them, especially when there is opposition, but you just desperately hope you are doing the right thing.
We moved here 2 years ago with 3 teenagers aged 13, 15,and 16. The eldest really wanted to come, the youngest wasn't too keen, but didn't mind too much, but the 15 year old was really, really, against the idea. he was just starting to hang around on street corners with his mates and he just loved the life he was leading.
As it turned out the one who most wanted to come, found it hardest to settle, and for a while wanted to leave school and return to the UK. However, she got past that. She has just now returned to England for University, but has said that she's very pleased that she had this couple of years in Spain. Both of the boys think its's great here. The one who didn't want to come has a fantastic social life and much more freedom than he would have had in England.
The main drawback that I have found is that as two of them were involved in the UK exam system, they really needed to go to an international school in order to continue with this. In our case, this has meant that they haven't learned the language as well as we would have liked. This means that they will all return to the Uk to persue their careers, leaving poor mother behind. (If anyone knows how a teenager, with only basic Spanish, can learn carpentry here, please let me know).
What I am trying to say, after a few glasses too many, is that they are all pleased that we came to Spain, and feel they have benefited from it.

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Postby pilgrim » Wed Oct 12, 2005 10:14 am

We abandoned 2 teens in uk :lol: , brought younger 2 teens and 6 yr with us. Have been here 18 months and life just gets better, have no intention of returning to uk in forseeable future. Its not all plain sailing, but I feel very fortunate that I am able to live here.

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amheuwr
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Some great answers and PM's

Postby amheuwr » Wed Oct 12, 2005 10:19 am

Thank you for the replies and in particular some of the PM's.


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