Any advice about moving to Canary Islands as a youngish couple with kids

[sweetpea1602]

Hi, we are a fairly youngish couple - 32 and 40 thinking of moving to the canary islands (although I like the idea of mainland spain but my husband says its not warm enough in the winter!) and would like some advice about living costs - council tax bills, utility bills, renting 3 bed villa. We are starting to learn Spanish (and I am brushing up on my German) and would probably like some part-time work. We are looking at the island of Fuerteventura but would welcome any advice on any of the other islands. Thanks

[edew27]

hin sweetpea, if you don't mind me asking how old are the kids, we are in the same situation as you in a way but with cyprus instead of the canaries! you will get lots of advice about anything you need to know on here!

[sweetpea1602]

Hi Thanks for that reply, my children are 4 and half and 2 and half. When are you off to Cyprus, why have you chosen Cyprus? Its a big move isnt it and very scary. Claudia

[edew27]

hi, we have chosen cyprus because my mum lives there and has plenty of room for us, so we won't have to look for somewhere to live or pay rent initially. the idea is to go out there for six months, see if we can adjust and get work etc and if we can adjust, to stay and rent a smaller apartment for my mum to live in. basically we love it out there and we are sick of the government here and the way the country is going down hill, we are scared of the prospect of our children becoming a product of society and reckon its worth a shot to give them an alternative lifestyle. if it doesn't work we will come home and at least know we tried. Cyprus is like a second home to us and more and more young families are moving out there. i guess we are very lucky to have my mum there and a free place to stay. don't get me wrong Cyprus has its pitfalls like anywhere but my four year old has wanted to live there since he could talk! don't wanna get to old age and wish we would have tried do we? what made you choose canaries? if you don't mind me asking what do you both do for a living?

[sweetpea1602]

Hi, we have chosen Fuerteventura because we have just come back from a holiday there. Weather was fantastic and like you we are sick and tired of this country you work your socks off to pay just the bills, and like you I dont want to bring my children up in this country its really scary. I hate the weather and the winters in particular, my kids are always sick and we always feel unhealthy. The only thing about Fuerteventura is that it is very very barren and I love greenery, that was why I was thinking of maybe mainland Spain. You are very lucky that your mum lives there. Makes some part of the move easier. When are you moving.

[edew27]

sweetpea, when the kids are 3 and 6/7 so about 2010 because i want to be able to work and then me my partner and my mum will work around the kids. im teaching my son greek although he knows some anyway. they are like a sponge at that age, they absorb everything. even if my sons end up selling deck chairs on the beach in years to come,if their happy, rather that than becomming a chav! a product of a lawless society! its worth a try. what do your kids think

[sweetpea1602]

Yes. my 2 year old loved speaking a little spanish, would always reply to a spanish "hello" and say "thanks". He was great so I have no doubt they will have no problem learning the language. We are looking at going end of this year or maybe next year to escape the winter and do like you, just rent out our house and try it out for 6 months and see how we get on and as you said we can always move back.

[edew27]

i don't know if you have had any advice about this yet but with you having small children, like us, you would be better to go around march/ april because it is warm, but just like summer here, then you and kids can adjust to life there before having to adjust to weather at same time. whenever i go on hols with kids to cyprus i always go just before it gets warm or just as its dropping off. all your friends will say 'are you sure its a good idea?' but what they really mean is they are not brave enough to try it!

[sweetpea1602]

I know what you mean that is why we chose March as it was not boiling hot, just comfortable and we did stay out of the sun alot because of the kids. Worried about burning. So out of 2 weeks we actually only spend 3 half days late afternoon swimmining in hotel pool, a couple of days pm on the beach and some trips out to a zoo, a waterpark etc plus alot of walking, so we didnt any weight on with all that eating in the hotel half board restaurant!

[edew27]

at the end of the day so long as your family are all together a shot at a better life is worth a try! my other half is an electrician so hopefully he will be able to get some work out there, i will probably have to do waitressing etc as im not trained in any area but we'll have to wait and see. every time i pick up a paper or watch the news it makes me more adamant to go for the sake of my kids future