Making the big move!!

[MApatt]

Hi folks 
Myself, husband, 2 daughters (6&1), mymum, dad and our 3 British Bulldogs are planning on moving to GA hopefully this year (mum and dad have previously lived here for 3 years)

I'd love to hear people honest opinions or people planning to make the move!

Obvious the lifestyle and community are big factors of wanting to move but realistically do the majority of people make a better life for themselves?

Basically I want to cut the bull and have someone tell us what it's really like 

Any advice is greatly appreciated

[John H]

Hi there, I'm no vet but I feel I must comment on the Bulldogs.
A neighbour in the UK had a couple, they were beauties, but boy oh boy did they struggle with their breathing on a hot Summers day.......they couldn't pant quick enough.
Unless they live in an air conditioned environment out here for the three months of the year I'm not sure how they would cope......it could be a serious/life threatening problem to them.
GA, great place, with family and friends around you I can't think of many better places to live......like everywhere there are faults, but the benefits far out way them.

Best wishes

Regards all

John


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[MApatt]

Hi john thanks for the reply..

The dogs is one of our main concerns when we move. I will only look at rentals that are fully air conditioned. we have a good friend who is a well renowned breeder in Valencia and has gave us some excellent advice for the dogs when we are there so we should have no problems with them.

We have stayed in GA a few times over the years and love how friendly everyone seems to be and the community spirit is great. Do you know anything of the school there?

Meghan

[Philndeb]

My dog loves it out here and so far hasn't been effected by the heat, he likes a sunbathe and loves his 3/4 walks a day which he never got in UK. You will have to go to Santa Pola to register the dogs at €10 each, which for some reason you have to pay the money in at a bank and get a receipt, then take the receipt back to the council for a piece of paper which I'm not sure what you do with !!!, I have a picture of it on my phone. You will also need monthly Mozzy/Tic repellent from the vet, I use the lady in the GA centre who has perfect English. Enjoy.


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[MApatt]

Thanks for that phillndeb,  I'd never even thought about registering them, that's very helpful. My oldes bulldog loves the sun, although hates having to get cream on her ears because she's white lol I definatly thin PM they will love the weather and life style. Is the new dog park any good? I'm a real stickler for not having them off the lead in public, you just never know what could happen with them or if they get spooked and run off! So the dog park is a great idea I think.

[angieanded]

there used to be a lot of trouble over dogs in ga complaints of them barking all day some
being left out on the front patio and dogs toilet being left causing smells and flies  if you walked
around the streets you could see where the dogs had been let by there owners as the took them for walks to wee up peoples property walls
that would smell people would put out bottles of water to deter it some would tile the corner of the wall
so it could be washed off or some left on soleriums, so has this all stopped now .as for living there it is a good life aldepends
who your neibours are what sort of life style they lead some party all night  spanish building the walls are not very thick so you can hear a lot
so no sleep for you when it happens, you need to get work keep your self occupied enjoy the wonderful beaches now thats where to take you picnic just a short drive away a nice evening dip and stroll the kids  should like that 

[MApatt]

Oh I can't stand my own dogs barking so that's a big no no in my house they are well trained not to bark unless someone is on our property. As for leaving them out in the garden that's a huge no! Surely that heat is too much for most dogs never mind a bulldog. Some people eh! I'm most looking forward to a more outdoors lifestyle for my girls. We live in Belfast at the min so obviously we don't get the best of weather.

I have a small business myself I make personalised standing letters. I'd love to keep doing it over there just have to see if there is a market for it. My husband is a personal trainer so hopefully he can keep doing that.

[angieanded]

you would have to register doing training so it was legal the spanish dont mined you spending money
on there shops but dont like people that do some thing that they can do to make money like the train
it was run by the english to start now i think its spanish run  i know they put a bus on the route to take away
some of the trains customers, a lot of xpats do cleaning for others, that only go there for holidays,  painting jobs
just to make a few euros to keep your food comming in there are a lot of arty people in altomar erea that are artists
they sell pictures or things they make on the patios getting the health sorted out as well you would need a job with a contract
so your entiteld to the spanish national health theres a lot to find out but you will get differant stories from differant people
it never seems to be the same you need to live there for a year or 2 to make your minds up really rent a detached property
if you can afford it so you dont get the noisea as well

[David D]

I'm in Belfast as well MAPAT, weather dreadful at the moment isn't it.we have a house in GA and at some stage in the future we are hoping to move there.we have friends who have been living there for the past 11 years they bought their house at the same  time as us, they absolutely love it.If it was down to our 8 y old we would be living there now she loves it .
Regards
Dave

[MApatt]

It's awful today Dave! Days like this make me wish I was going right now. My eldest is nearly 7 she can't wait to go. Do you know anything of the school in GA? Where abouts is the house you have?

[David D]

Our house is in Puerto Marino down by the GA commercial centre. We have heard a lot of good reports about the school.
Dave

[MApatt]

It's lovely there, we had looked at a rental there before, the green houses isn't it around there? I need to try and get in touch with the school about enrol king my daughter, it's just all so confusing still

[gunner]

Hi having just returned to the UK after 14 years in Spain I can give you some sound advice. It looks like from your post you are 99% there already. First I would check with the school in GA as the last I heard there was a waiting list for places. The biggest bit of advice I can give you is do you have to work to be able to live in Spain. if not great. if you do then I would 100% think very carefully about what you are going to do I lost count of how many people and friends had to go back to the uk having spent all there savings in the hope they will find work. Hope it all goes well for you and if you do make the move there's not many better places than GA.   

[Phillip]

Hello
My Cousin moved to Spain (xaiba) when his kids where about the same age as yours. The daughter about 6/7 at the time went to a Spanish school. She was fluent in a year. We could not believe how good she got in a short amount of time. We went to a restaurant a year after they had moved to Spain and she translated and conversed with the staff for the whole meal. At the end of the meal, all the staff applauded her, as she worked so hard translating! The son on the other hand, did not want to know. He must of been about 3 at the time. He refused to speak a word! They had to move him to a international school for him to keep up.
What a great opportunity you will be giving your kids if you do it....

[Phillip]

Hello gunner
Yes agree by very careful of your saving. When my cousin moved over he thought he was on Holiday for the first year, eating out and relaxing. Needless to say his big pot of savings got spent very quickly.