Comments for Legal, General, Relocation, Information and Family Advice Spain

Comment on WIN A One Week Course of Online FREE Spanish Lessons by Nicole Sterley

Nicole Sterley — Tue, 28 May 2013 10:45:49 +0000

Hi
We are planning on moving to Spain in the next year or so. Both my husband and I come from South Africa so are used to a warm climate, we are currently living in the UK and have had enough of the cold, damp, grey skies – we are craving warmth and blue skies!

We have made the decision to move to a warmer climate not only for ourselves but also for our 3 children who all have mild special needs and I believe that the warmth and sunshine will do them a world of good.

Obviously, it would make life so much easier when we move if we are able to speak the language and we do have plans to learn some Spanish before we make the move, but it would be good to have a kick start.

Thank you

Comment on WIN A One Week Course of Online FREE Spanish Lessons by Benedicte

Benedicte — Mon, 20 May 2013 14:32:19 +0000

My boyfriend and I moved to Spain in February. It was his dream to move to a warmer country (we are both from the cold Scandinavia), so when the chance appeared, we grabbed it and moved. I like the country, and the people here are very friendly even though I can barely make myself understood at the grocery store. I am three months pregnant and very afraid of getting too isolated in this country. I want to be able to take my child to parks and meet other kids, and for me to be able to communicate with other mothers. I’m also afraid that I won’t be able to understand what the doctors are saying when I’m about to give birth. Giving birth in itself is scary, having to do it around people that don’t understand you is even scarier. I would love to win the opportunity of learning Spanish through conversations. I am a teacher myself, and if the website ever needed a Norwegian or English teacher, I would be happy to do that as well.
Kind regards,
Benedicte.

Comment on WIN A One Week Course of Online FREE Spanish Lessons by Sarah Tiani

Sarah Tiani — Sun, 19 May 2013 19:06:40 +0000

Hola Como estàs?

My Spanish is VERY BASIC im disappointed to say

I think I should be in with a chance of winning the free Spanish lessons as I am an English lady who is extremely fed up of the British weather. Hehee.

I am a mum to one gorgeous boy aged 7.. I work for an Italian wholesaler. Management.

I studied Business Administration and then Business Managent at College/uni. I hope one day to set up Business in Spain..

I have visited Spain many times. Costa Brava, Barcalona, Palma and Alcudia. I love Spanish food, I love Spanish weather and I love Spanish wine. The men are cute too!!

I have ” Learn Spanish apps” on my phone to help me converse as I know Spanish residents like it when we make an effort to speak the lingo… ahhhh Spain I love thee!! How I long to be swimming in your sea… please provide me with tuition for free!!! Hehehe.
Xxxx Good Luck everybody xxxx

Comment on WIN A One Week Course of Online FREE Spanish Lessons by Carol Phillips

Carol Phillips — Sun, 19 May 2013 18:35:22 +0000

Hi, I am a single mother of 4 and am hoping to move to Spain in the next 18 months, so a course in the language would help greatly in order to get the children into schools and myself into employment. Therefore that’s why I would like to win

Comment on WIN A One Week Course of Online FREE Spanish Lessons by Penny Thompson

Penny Thompson — Sun, 19 May 2013 18:18:34 +0000

Planned to live in Spain. Did nightclass in Spanish and learnt the basics. Came to live in Spain. Vowed to integrate and get fluent. BUT on Urb, neighbours all Brits, Scandis, Germans, Russians. At work, all speak English. Now, children at Spanish school nearly bilingual … so even more easy to bury head in sand because they can translate. Need a big kick up the proverbial and cross over from ‘entiendo mucho pero hablo muy poco’ to ‘si, yo hablo español’ and embrace this wonderful country and culture within which we reside.

Comment on WIN A One Week Course of Online FREE Spanish Lessons by Diana Berryman

Diana Berryman — Sun, 19 May 2013 17:48:42 +0000

I have had many lessons over the years and my knowledge of Spanish is fairly good, the problem is I still can’t communicate, I struggle to understand what people are saying to me and I need more practice in speaking and listening. I work a lot of hours from home so don’t have to opportunity to get to classes and this also means that I don’t speak to many Spanish people on a daily basis. I hate not being able to communicate with my children’s school and with their friends!!

Comment on Brilliance in Blogging … We Need YOU! by Steve Hall

Steve Hall — Thu, 02 May 2013 22:30:17 +0000

Happy to recommend

Comment on 3 Tips for Successfully Moving Abroad with Children by Intercultural Blog Carnival: Expat Support: What We Need, and How to Deliver It | Expat Everyday Support Center

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 15:17:25 +0000

[...] Enjoy Lisa’s contribution here. [...]

Comment on 3 Tips for Successfully Moving Abroad with Children by Alan

Alan — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 07:29:45 +0000

“It’s all about the children …” Well said Lisa!

We’ve seen so many people with their heads in the clouds come steaming over with children in tow who haven’t thought it through. If you’re kids haven’t got the buy in, or not at the stage you’re in for a very tough time – at best!

Comment on 3 Tips for Successfully Moving Abroad with Children by admin

admin — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 18:26:11 +0000

Thanks for your comments ladies. This is merely a thought provoking article I hope … I’m sure we will generate many more ideas from this

Comment on 3 Tips for Successfully Moving Abroad with Children by Gemma

Gemma — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 14:34:48 +0000

We were always suprised at the number of families that thought the English speaking/International schools on the Coast would be non-fee paying!!! I’d also say that for older children approaching GCSE’s/A’Levels/IB it would be unfair to put them into Spanish school as you don’t pick up the language as quickly and inevitably educationally there will be a knock on effect.

Also regardless of what UK universities say they don’t always understand foreign exam results, at least they didn’t 15 years ago when I was applying. They even viewed IB with suspicion.

Comment on 3 Tips for Successfully Moving Abroad with Children by Sue Sharpe

Sue Sharpe — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 13:12:55 +0000

Well written, Lisa. I’m sure that it will be very helpful to anyone who is considering a move to Spain and has concerns about the effect that it will have on their children.

Comment on Education in Spain : Division by Lindsay

Lindsay — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 12:26:53 +0000

We eventually got it from 1) watching division videos on Khan Academy to re-learn how to do it the “sensible” way (yes I am now old, but not old enough to not rely on a calculator then 2) trying to translate that the opposite way round into the “Spanish” way, it took pages and pages of trial and error and lots of mistakes but think we have pretty much cracked it, it just goes wrong if you get your columns in a tiz!

Comment on ¿Qué Pasa España? by steve

steve — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 14:35:13 +0000

I think you’ll find that figure is only €150,000 and as someone who has tried to comply having been here in Almeria for more than 3 months it didn’t work out as we expected.
Everything was in order EX-18 completed, the correct fee paid of €10.40 and not €10.30 as they told us in their appointment email. However, the big hurdle was having acceptable proof of income, we both have private pensions / annuities paid into Uk banks and we do transfers to our Spanish bank as and when we need the funds (nothing regular).
We took P60 from HMRC, letters from UK pension provider, UK bank statements and a copy of our Spanish bank a/c and a certificate to say we were in financial good standing from the Spanish bank.
Either pension was over their limit required for a couple which incidentally is €8513 but none of our documents was accepted, anything in English had to be translated by a Traductor-Intérprete Jurado and the Spanish bank a/c was no good because there was no regular income.
So, we got sent away to either get a translation as above , although how you translate a bank statement or a P60 I don’t know.
Obviously we’re not happy as we would certainly be no burden on the Spanish state , the opposite in fact as we are spending money here.
So beware, if you do not have regular income in a Spanish bank make sure anything else is officially translated by a Traductor-Intérprete Jurado , nothing else will suffice.

Comment on Introducing Mika & Why we love living in Mijas by tessa

tessa — Sun, 30 Dec 2012 12:59:20 +0000

dear Lisa,
surfing on the net looking for info on moving to Mijas I often came across your name…We are moving to Mijas next week with…our dog Mika. ). What a funny coincidence. Maybe we will meet one day.
best regards,
tessa