Hello from Canada

I am so happy to have found this site,  I have done tonnes of research on my travel/move plans
and the info I have found is great, but a bit of personal experience from others will be wonderful.
I have already moved my DD from one side of Canada to the other we are now 3500k closer to
our destination…..lol.

Originally I started planning a one year ‘holiday’ travelling around Europe, and over time falling
more in love with the idea of staying.  I have a EU passport, although my DD is Canadian (looking
into Dual for her). Originally I condsidered Italy or Southern France, but something keeps drawing
my back to Spain.  (in the MLS listings the most availability seems to be in Alicante. )

Currently I am working as a Travel Agent, but don’t see that being possible employment for Spain.
I plan on taking the TESL / TEFL courses, and I also thought I could do hairdressing out of my home,
In the off hours/season. do any of you go to local hairdressers or would most prefer to go to another
Brit/Can. ??

During my research I found Brit schools in Spain and thought that that is where I would send my DD
although they are not cheap, I noticed through reading the forum that most of you mentioned the local
public schools, have your children learned spanish to be able to go there, or am I reading something wrong?
In Can they teach the kids french, but I plan on taking Spanish classes with my DD. this way we can
practice at home together.

Wonderful to meet you all, and can’t wait to read more on everyones experiences.
Fiona

Hey Fiona,

Yay another Canuck! 😊

Most people’s kids don’t learn Spanish before entry into public schools and, while I have no personal experience, most expats I know just threw their kids in and in no time they were swimming with the Spaniards sin problemas! No, they didn’t throw them in without concern, it’s just that otherwise it can be very expensive to put them in private school and even concertadas. The public system here, as I hear, is actually very very good. Fewer concerns about bullies (which is quite the problem in Canada these days), broad academic syllabi and the adventure of a new language.  Read around the site a bit more and you’ll see.

What’s a “DD” though?

Thanks for your input,  I have searched far and wide through the forum to read about the school situation and the only thing I seem to find are people whom are planning to do this, but no updates on how it worked out.

DD = Darling Daughter.

What part of Canada did you hail from? 

Fiona

Hola

Wondering if there’s anyone still active in the forum, that has already made the move with kids.  If they can offer some insite into the school system and what some issues were with the kids fitting in, catching on to the lessons and general (just an idea) times of school? ( In Canada they go from 9 am to 3:20 with an hour lunch and they take their lunch to school with them.)
I’ve uprooted my child before and she’s such a great kid, gets along well with others and loves to travel etc.  (bribery of beaches and pools doesn’t hurt this time…lol )
but anything I can talk to her about before we make our move helps us both to be prepared, and makes the transition easier.  So don’t feel that any info you may have could ever be too trivial to share, it will all be appreciated.

thanks Fiona