Give the kids a grounding in the language before you go and brush up on your own skills at the same time if you can find a native speaker offering tuition locally, it’s well worth signing up for some lessons. The best way to learn Spanish is to go there and be immersed in the language, but a head start won’t hurt. And it’s definitely not the lingua franca in Spain. Speak SpanishĬontrary to popular opinion, English is not spoken everywhere. Again, time spent on research is time well spent, so take a good look into the various options available to suit you and your family’s needs and requirements. Many expat families use a combination of private and public health facilities and take out international health insurance. You’ll also need to pay for dental care or arrange to visit a private practice. Like any publicly funded health service, there are flaws: long waiting times aren’t unknown, staff shortages can be an issue, and you’ll usually need reasonable fluency in Spanish to communicate with staff and health professionals. Once you’re registered for residencia and paying social security, you and your family will have free and unfettered access to a well-organised state health system. Do a health checkĪlong with improved physical health and a quality of life that boosts your family’s sense of well-being, you can expect high standards of health care in Spain. There are no regulations covering home-schooling and Spanish law isn’t clear about the legality of parents educating their kids at home. Home-schooling is an option, but it’s rare in Spain and won’t be easy. If you’re moving to a more remote part of the country, you won’t have quite as much choice, so make time to find out what to expect from the public (i.e. If you know expats already living in your chosen corner of Spain, ask them to put you in touch with other families, and join a conversation about local schools on an expat forum. It’s easy for young children to slot in at their local state-run school, soak up the language and make friends, less straightforward for an older child or teenager, especially given a general lack of extra-curricular activities. Where will your children go to school? Locally, or to one of the many private, subsidised ( concertado) or international schools? It’s a big decision and one that you’ll need to make well ahead of time.Īs you’ll be well aware, much depends on your children’s age, needs and interests. Families find settling in easier here than many other expat destinations, but don’t wait until you’re there before you start adapting to your new life – a little planning and reorganising will pay dividends. Easy-going, family-friendly, warm and welcoming – it must be Spain, one of the top-rated countries for expat families.
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