I Moved My Daughters to Spain for a Better Childhood. I Was Wrong About One Thing

Comments · 268

• ME

  @merrymaker.andalucia · 13 days ago

  I moved from the UK 11 yrs ago,  my son was 6. We put him into Spanish school and whilst some times were hard, he is now 17, bilingual, as is his dad,  and considers himself Spanish....we are just starting to truely see that the gifts our decision made, moons ago,  are plentiful. Wouldn't change a thing... best of luck to you all xx

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• FL

  @fliprim · 13 days ago

  Thank you for not editing out the pauses when you gather your thoughts. Performative business, without the time to absorb and enjoy, makes for emptier lives.

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• 1J

  @1justme · 2 weeks ago

  I honestly think that every American I've seen on here that has moved to Europe is shell shocked! Their lives are so traumatic in the US that they have PTSD when they are actually free.

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• MI

  @missmerrily4830 · 2 weeks ago (edited)

  It's not in your gift to give your children their friends.  They are probably held back temporarily by a restriction of fluency in Spanish, but here's the thing!  In nio time flat they are going to be chatting in fluent Spanish like chirping birds and they will form bonds with their schoolmates and form friendships.  And you will very likely feel quite left behind in your own interactions because no-one learns as quickly and deeply as a child.  It just takes a little discomfort to get there, but no need to feel any guilt.  They will sort out their situation without your help.

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• SO

  @soniakehoe8074 · 2 weeks ago

  Thanks for this. As a Brit, I&apos;m so glad you felt welcome here. <br>Your kids are now having a fantastic opportunity to experience a completely different life in Spain. It&apos;s easy to double-guess your decisions, but trust me, your kids will thank you later in life. They will have a completely different perspective and will have the ability to adapt to almost anything life throws at them. &nbsp;You are giving them a lifelong gift.

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• ME

  @melkin3549 · 11 days ago

  I used to work in a school here in the UK near a university, where at one time 93% of the children had English as an additional language. Believe me, the children who came in with no English at all had a good grasp after 6 months and were fairly fluent after a year. Children are initially shy about not being able to speak the language but they just get on with it. They don&apos;t have all the inhibitions that we, as adult have.

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• JO

  @josesancos8338 · 12 days ago

  As a Spaniard, sort out the language and communication side of things and you’ll get on fine in Spain. It’s not important to speak well, but rather to make the effort. Any level will be appreciated. Speaking in a bar or at school, even if you’re not very good at it, simply by repeating yourself will make a huge difference… Good luck

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• CI

  @cilajoao1 · 8 days ago

  I live in central Lisbon, if I wanted I could spend the rest of my life doing everything on foot in my neighbourhood. It has everything and my car gets used maybe once a month. Walking everywhere gets you a new perspective on life and people and I absolutely love it.

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• PV

  @pvaldes242 · 10 days ago (edited)

  One of the first lessons that you need to teach your children in Valencia is to be careful with the water. This means the ocean, but also ramblas (dry river beds). Never, ever, no way, try to cross if it was raining and some innocent looking running water blocks the road. Stop. Turn around and look for a higher terrain. The water moves much faster that it seems and a car will lose grip and start to float in unsuspected low levels of water. Don&apos;t try to rescue a car parked on a river bed or a subterranean garage if is raining. The area can flood suddenly in minutes. Flash floods in the Mediterranean kill a few foreigners each decade.<br><br>The second warning for adolescent girls in Valencia is the booze and drug problem typical in a big city. Some parts of the city are much safer than other and booze and cars are a bad mix.

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• DE

  @DEGriffSoc · 13 days ago

  Your kids will miss their old friends but they will make new ones, especially in a city with lots to do. They will learn the language much faster than you expect too. Children do anyway but schools are also just a better place for immersive learning of a language than the everyday activities of adult life. And once they have, what a useful international language to have under their belt!

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• LO

  @lorraines66 · 13 days ago (edited)

  My brother moved to Spain (from England) 35 years ago. He works hard, but really loves it there. He met his wife there (unbelievably, she is from our home town) and their son was born there. I’m sure your children will adjust quicker than you will. I’ve never had any issues driving over there. You just need to understand the Highway Code. You will all be fine 😊

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• MA

  @mariavictoriasanchezgarcia9806 · 13 days ago

  Your daughters will have friends but it is challanging for the language barrier here in Spain. Sometimes they will find it hard, but we humans improve when we have to overcome obstacles. You are very brave to change your world to go so far to a different culture. I advise that you learn Spanish that you join anything where you can meet locals or expats, and you will feel much better.

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