Andalusia is not alone in its quest for the convenience of large out-of-town shopping centres or commercial centres ( centros comerciales, more commonly abbreviated to C.C). Over the past five years shopping centres in Andalusia have become increasingly prevalent and today they form an integral part of most peoples’ shopping experience

Many state schools offer after-school activities such as sports - rollerblading, roller-hockey, athetics, basketball; English; computing; arts and crafts. Most towns have a public polideportivo (sports centre) which offers classes in a number of sports, from swimming (summer, and winter if covered), padel and tennis, to karate, football and basketball. You can also find public music and dance centres.

The academic year in Andalucia runs from the second week in September to the third week of June. The main holidays are at Christmas, Easter and the long 10-week summer break. School hours vary depending on the school and are usually from 0900 to 1400 (Infantil and Primary) and 0830 to 1430 (Secondary) with an hour's break for lunch. Lessons are generally divided into teaching periods of 45 minutes.

The Spanish state schools have undergone dramatic changed over the last decade and standards are fast approaching those in the rest of Europe. Furthermore, if a child wants to continue at a university elsewhere, such as the UK, there are no special examinations to take, the results may be convalidated directly without even translating the same before supplying the same to the respective university body.

In the Spanish education system, children can start nursery (guarderia, known popularly as guarde) at 4 months, and they can stay up to three years, when they move onto Infantil school. Some areas, particularly in larger towns and cities, and especially on the Costa del Sol, have bilingual or international schools which offer nursery facilities as well as infantil.

The following is a list of international schools in Andalucía, ranging from those that offer a purely British or American programme to those that follow the Spanish curriculum but with a strong emphasis on tuition in English. Consult the page that explains the different forms of school accreditation.

As you shop for an international school you will find a wide array of accreditations, certifications and memberships. The logos provided by the organisations behind these stamps of approval look wonderful, but, as a consumer, it is important to know what they really mean. Here is a guide to the most common – and a few of the less common

Every year you must pay a municipally imposed vehicle tax at your local town Hall. This tax "impuesto municipal sobre vehiculos de traccion mecanica" varies from municipality to municipality. As a general rule it is cheaper in rural areas, which sometimes leads Andalusian businesses with fleets of company vehicles to use a rural address for the official headquarters of their business.

Buying a second-hand car can be a stressful endeavour. Many people believe that buying a used vehicle is tantamount to buying another person’s problems. However, purchasing a second-hand vehicle can be an economical way to maintain yourself in a trustworthy and even stylish vehicle.

EU citizens are allowed to use their home country drivers' licenses whilst a tourist in Spain. If you are living in Spain and use your home country drivers' licenses you may be asked to document your absence from Spain in the last six months or face a fine of 300 euros. If you are driving a vehicle you own on Spanish registration you must also carry some form of Spanish language license.

The region of Andalucia has a very high number of luxury vehicles due to the fact that its lifestyle attracts people from all over the world. Hundreds of beautiful vehicles including Mercedes, Ferrari, Aston Martin, BMW, Jaguar, Maserati, Bentley, and Rolls Royce among others are constantly seen in posh places like Seville, Marbella, or among the massive yachts of Puerto Banus.

Anyone holding a Spanish drivers' license must renew the document according to the following schedule: From the time you receive your license until you turn 45 years old, you must renew every 10 years. From the ages of 45 to 70, you must renew every 5 years. From the age of 70, you must renew every 2 years. Renewal involves paying a fee, of course, and passing physical and "psico-tecnico" exams.

All vehicles in Spain must periodically undergo a technical inspection. There are 50 odd inspection points in Andalucia, with service more readily available in heavily populated areas. The schedule your vehicle is required to follow will depend on the date it was first licensed. Following are the year 2003 schedules for different types of vehicles.

All risk "todo riesgo" car insurance will cost between 1.000 euros to 2.000 euros per year for a small car. Third party insurance is the legal minimum and will cost about 400 euros per year. It will cover you for claims by third parties up to 360.000 euros, for injury and 100.000 euros for damage. It does not cover you or your car, only third parties up to the maximum limits stated.

Any national taking up residence in Spain will be exempt from Import Duties. Importing is simple however the re-registraton process is very complicated.

If you are a foreigner in Spain for more than six months (182 days) in one year then legally you must import your car onto Spanish number plates. The six month requirement is on the owner and not the car itself. As the movement of EU citizens is not recorded by passport stamps these days it may be more difficult to prove your status should the police request it.

Both unlicensed drivers and many non-EU citizens are required to take a driving test in order to obtain the Spanish license required of all residents in this country. If the test is available in your native language at this time, you're troubles are nearly solved. Proceed to seek out an academy that offers support, manuals and practice tests, pay your fees and continue with the course until you pass both the written and the practical test.

Spain has taken longer than most other European countries to introduce a drink drive law, but it is now in place, so imbibers beware! Couple these rules with the fact that many Andalusian roads require your undivided attention, and you can be sure that drink driving is no joke in these parts.

In Andalusia, as with anywhere in the world, the search for the right auto part for your vehicle, boat or machinery is a potentially time-consuming exercise. For those living in Andalusia the task can be made more difficult if you speak little or no Spanish. Even for fluent Spanish speakers, discussing engine parts can present an extra challenge.

If you are unlucky and have a car accident make sure you obtain the licence plate, drivers name and NIF number and the name of the insurance company of the other vehicle. Complete the blue form which you should carry at all times. This helps to record all relevant information and includes space to draw a picture of the accident. If you are driving a hire car telephone the hire car company for assistance.