ah whats happened?

Just read the whole thread on there! Oh no what happened??!!!!! Im very very sorry it didnt work out for you! I actually fly out on 5th June for my new life over there and have all the same worries as you actually went through ie isolation, lack of the spanish language etc. Its bringing it all home to me how big this step is Im making. But I pray its for the best. Are u shocked at how England has turned out in your absence?? Disgraceful country now. I sound like an old woman and im 23!!! If you do genuinly regret it, just remeber you live once….dont waste your life and just go back there!!!! You have to be happy, wherever you are, I wish you the best of luck!! xx

This is such an interesting, inspirational thread. Luke - good to hear from you again (been a while eh?). What’s up with you these days?

Bev - what happened? We’re dying of curiousity. 😊

Mate, i havent had chance on getting on here! i been living the life, minute by minute! been plain madness!

England…......................................a thing of the past!

hope everyones well.

more to the point, i wanna know whats up and why shes had to go back :(

Well where do I start, Firstly hubby went back to UK in October 07 and stayed with relatives he got back into work fairly easy as he’s a gas engineer/plumber so he was able to send money out which of course helped I stayed with my daughter until a young couple showed interest in renting our property and wanted to be in by December which of course meant that hubby had to quickly find somewhere for us to rent in UK and I have to say at the time I was slightly relieved as I was getting lonely and my daughter has almost given up going to school, anyhoo got back to the UK on the 7th December to the damp cold weather and a albeit very nice but small 3 bedroomed flat which the rent was double the price of our mortgage out in Spain difference being we were able to work to earn. Next ordeal once christmas was over was getting my daughter back to school which I had assumed would have been very simple, but how wrong was I after numerous phonecalls visits and letters she actually returned to full time education in late March, she settled in but she has som much to catch up with.

We are now in April and all I can say is we all want to return to Spain it really is ridiculous over here with bills, population, weather the only thing I honestly say we’ve gained apart from work is Lucys return to schooling and I now wish that we had waited to move over to Spain once she had finished her education here

We hope to return for a break in June and see what our tenants want to do if they decide to terminate their tenancy (which I secretly hope they will do) then maybe I will return and we may be able to fund some private edcuation (which I’m not keen on)for my daughter and Hubby can make regular trips back and forth. In hindsight I just wish we weren’t so quick to just move to Spain without doing enough research re work or schooling

We let our hearts rule our heads still its all good experience (who am I kidding)

anybody got a job for me in the Alicante area

CHECKIN my hart gose out to you , your daughter and Hubby . it ant all happy storys here in spain , most my work is traveling to and from Spain , Sewden Ireland and uk where i been hang out and late to night i have to head to Ireland again .
jurdy

Hi Bev,

Research is good, but following your heart is good too and I know that it will lead to the right place in the end….am hoping for you it?s Spain….UK is dire and as Luke says a thing of the past, and I think for most of us on here.  I followed my heart, as I said before, and moved to Barcelona with my two eldest girls, a lot of hard work settling in but in the end all flipping good and now living in Granada. I really hope you find the right place to live and get all the happiness you deserve. 

All the very best of the best and if you need to chat, just yell!!

Alicia
X

Hi

What a long thread with such interesting stories.

Checkin - I do feel for you and think that perhaps it just wasnt your time the last time you went out but I bet you go back.  Perhaps your husband could retrain in the UK to get the Spanish equivalent qualifications of a gas engineer.  I am a recruiter for engineers in the UK and the skills are very valuable and I am sure this is the same in Spain.  Had you ever thought of teaching English?  I have heard this could be lucrative and you could study in the UK and do this in Spain if you go out again.

Luke07 you do seem very wise - I wish I had been like you at your age and got out of the UK when I was younger!  We have 6 kids and the eldest 3 are all in jobs but have no chance of getting on the property ladder, and the eldest one is a policeman and he is horrified at the state of the UK crime and judicial system.

We have been planning our move for nearly a year now and still aim to go out in August with our youngest 3 children aged 12,13 and 16.  I visit this site nearly every day and its brilliant to get real peoples experience and Checkin’s story certainly makes me worry that we are doing the right thing but I think, even it is turns out for the worse, at least you have tried.  It takes real guts to change your life and guts to admit it didnt work and change it back so even though I am scared that it could all go wrong I think we have to try.

I wish you both all the best.

Also, if anyone else reading this could help us with our problem it would be great.  We are moving out with our 3 children and the mother of 2 of them is trying to stop us.  We have been told by the court today that we have to enrol in schools, secure jobs and a house before we can get the go ahead from the courts and we have to do all that by the beginning of June when the final hearing is.  The mother is trying to insist that the kids go to International schools but we wont have the money, plus we all believe that they will be better in going to a spanish school as they all want to integrate in the local community, play footie with the locals, make friends and be part of the place but we know it will be touch.  At the final hearing they could refuse permission so all that cost and work could be for nothing.  We are planning to move to Murcia or Valencia and wondered if anyone else has ever had this experience with the courts?  Probably the wrong place to start this string but I am not sure where else we should seek advice.

Any help, moral support or advice would be welcome.

Bev/ (Checkin)...
Sorry to hear you are back in the UK and it is not where you want to be.  I don’t think any over-research can prepare you for how it ‘Actually is’ here… You still have to go through the ‘Learning Curve’ (ques, red-tape etc, etc.. This from someone who has been here getting on 9 yrs and still learning!).

If it helps… ‘Regret what you did and not what you Didn’t do’...

I understand from friends who have children that this is one are of worry - Will the Spanish educational system be good enough etc… I have known it to send people running back to the UK.  Perhpas if your tennants don’t want to stay on.. (as it sounds like you really do want to be here, not in damp, depressing Britain). 

Hang in there!

sj 😊

Msg for Brady Bunch in Spain..
Hoping you find a way round your dilemma. How awful that you may be forced to pay for International Schools (which cost an arm and a leg, and in most cases so I am told, are no better than the local system!)>...
IF the court rules that their mother insists on all these things… can she not be forced to pay for all/part of their fees?  (I know it is you are who are wanting to make the move - but sounds like you have a real battle on your hands.  Sorry for assuming things here.. but if the children are not with her in the first place (for whatever reasons) - and you are now a new family.. then I hope she is making this fuss as she has a good/healthy relationship with them and they would miss her as much as she does them.
(I know it is hugely complex when there are ex’s involved.. so hoping yours is not a sad story!). 

I know there are lots of good lawyers here who are familiar with both the UK & Spanish systems.. so perhaps look on the site and ask around? (I can only say that DaCotta Law are a local firm to me on the Costa Del Sol.. they are on the list from the British Consulate).  But fees can be high sadly :(

GOOD LUCK!
sj

Hi Susan

Thanks for your message and encouraging words.  The mother doesn’t really bother with the children and hasnt done so for 5 years but she does insist on her rights!!  She is on benefits and gets legal aid etc so it doesnt cost her anything to make a fuss and make demands.  The shame of it is that she (and the judge) are not even taking into account what the kids want and they are all 110% keen on making the move.

I think we will be OK if we can prove that the spanish education is for the best and also that the healthcare is good too.  It is just more stress that we dont need!  Not good for the grey hairs!

Julie

BBIS… sorry to hear of the situation.. (though it might be something like this :(  ... ).
I don’t know much about English law… but can the children ‘divorce’ a parent if they wish????
or… find a judge in another district who is more sensitive to their needs?

I can imagine it is more stress that you don’t need. 
I am sure you will find a way!
Good luck!
sj