Excuse the delay, I’ve been meaning to post an update, but work has taken over and it’s been difficult to get free time for this blog. So, following up from my post about my own parental anxieties about back to school, here is how our first month of school is…
In this post, I want to touch upon the costs of sending your child to a concertado school in Valencia. I know many of you have probably done your research on what would be the best option based on your budget. I know of ex-pats in Valencia who send their…
Check out the latest Valencian School Calendar for 2020-2021. Here you will find school events, festivals, fiestas and more… So here we are another start of the new school year. After a busy and hot summer, I’m finally glad to be back to normality… well from next week anyway. If…
Are you worried about sending your child back to school in this pandemic? I’m sure as parents we have the same anxieties about what will happen or whether we are doing the right thing. Here are my thoughts and parental anxieties about sending my child back to school. Going Back…
Are you looking into moving to Valencia? But not sure where to start when looking for a home? Read my experiences and 10 things to look out for when house hunting in Valencia, Spain. We moved to Valencia in late 2012, you can read about a little bit of background…
We have finally entered Phase One in Valencia. Here are just some of the first things our family has done since the lockdown started to ease. It’s been 10 weeks since Valencia began lockdown. Ten weeks of us following the rules and staying at home. Last week Valencia entered Phase…
Well, what can I say? 40 days on and Spain are still in isolation. In the past 5 weeks, we have been confined to our home. Surprisingly we are doing well, and somehow this whole situation is becoming the new normal and we are getting used to it. Spain has…
Valencia is a beautiful city full of traditions and sunshine! The friendly Valencian attitude is contagious, and if you live in this city for long enough, their culture and attitude start to rub off on you. From the weekly ritual of the paella. Knowing the difference between arroz a banda,…
A few days ago, though it seems like weeks already, we were just continuing with our mundane daily routine. Now we are in lockdown. If caught leaving my home I could be fined or even arrested for carrying out non-essential tasks. So weird how just in a few days our…
Are you looking to get a mortgage in Spain as a self-employed ex-pat? Then read on and find out how we got our mortgage approved in less than a month! First of all, I want to be clear that this post is based on our personal experience. This post is…
Living in an urbanisation in Valencia can have many advantages. For example; it’s a great place for families, as many have facilities to cater for kids and you will find a community hotspot like a bar so you can socialise with your neighbours. However, not all urbanisation are the same.…
On this post, I will walk you through a quick description on how to apply for residency in Valencia, Spain. I assume you have been thinking for a while about living in Valencia, and have come to the conclusion that Valencia is a great place to live. Well, you’re not…
You could say I’ve been an immigrant/expat for quite a bit. Twenty-nine years to be exact. Let’s rewind back to 1989 when my family arrived in England. I was 10 years old. The whole cultural shock was difficult to adjust to. I had to learn a new language. Make some…
The difficulties and struggles of becoming moderately bilingual are REAL. Knowing if an item is male or female. Trying to keep up with a conversation that has 10 people talking over each other can really make my head explode. I have a bunch of phrases and words that I can…
There are many interesting and unique neighbourhoods in Valencia, and finding the best areas to live is not always easy. Everyone has different preferences, and so everyone will have different criteria in terms of location, local amenities, and the price per square meter they are prepared to pay for a…
This summer, my inbox was particularly busy with enquiries from families who want to or thinking about living in Valencia. It’s nice to be able to help or at least point parents in the right direction. I know how important it is to know if you’re making the right decision…
Are you thinking about living in Valencia? Have you been doing endless research on the internet to find out more about the city? I’m sure you’ve probably exhausted the forums an dug so deep that you ended up landing here! First of all, I want to tell you that I…
You see, starting a new school year in Valencia is more than just waving your child goodbye at the school gates. I found that different schools in Spain have their own way of doing things. To be an efficient parent; planning and understanding how the system works is the key.
Putting your child in education in Spain can be quite an expensive affair. Unlike in the UK where the majority of school materials are free, in Spain materials such as books, notepads, papers and anything else that your child will use will need to be bought by yourself. During the…
What makes a family want to uproot themselves and move to a completely different country? There is nothing easy about giving up everything you know, especially when it comes to language, family, friends and all the things you grew up knowing and being comfortable with.
In the early days, I felt like my head was going to explode with all the new information that came with living in a different country and I particularly found it tough adjusting to the Spanish education system. While there are many benefits for a child to be bilingual, the amount…
1. The smell of Azahar Valencia is named as the Orange Blossom Coast (Costa del Azahar). Every year you can literally smell spring in the air. These small white flowers on the orange trees are called Azahar and as they bloom during spring time you cannot mistake the smell that lingers…