has anyone on here moved to france (or maybe spain)

[markus]

Hey there,

I, for want of a better phrase, NEED to leave england - i've fianlly had about as much as i can take of this country. Initially I was applying for Australia/New zealand, but I'm afraid the distinct lack of culture would start to get to me (I have visited before, and as beautiful as they are culture is not their strong point), So also knowing that i love france and europe i thought it might be a possibility, especially if it's within distance of the alps to fulfill my boarding needs.

So questions; have any of you lot made the break and if so what advice could you give?
My biggest worry is finding work - I'm currently an IT analyst/Business infrastructure manager, but at the moment i do not speak frence or for that matter any european language so what are my chances?

Secondly if I were to move how easy is it to find international schools?

where would you recomend, what's buying property like etc etc

just anything you can offer would be great.

Thanks

Mkus

[sadbiker]

I know the feeling.

I always wonder if living in a place would be the same as stopping over on holiday, you know once you are there you will be open to everything the locals hate about their country that you don't normally see. With Spain the reports of Land Grab etc, Italy mounds and mounds of paperwork etc.

[Kato]

http://www.transitionsabroad.com/publications/magazine/0001/moving_to_france.shtml

Some good info here.........

[Rogerg]

a mate of mine moved to valencia many years back, jacking in his job as a graphic designer. The idead was get back to his first love painting (water colours, not whitewash!).

Since then he's helped so many friends and friends of friends move out that he's pretty much now doing this for a living.

He's got a website: http://www.thisisvalencia.com/ his names Tim and he loves his Gin!

[JerryXt]

I've got my eye on a little flat by the sea not too far from Nice, but the wife wants to move to yorkshire?!?!?!? I don't understand it myself.

[madhatter]

...I NEED to leave England......Mkus

I always knew you were a bit of a dark horse behind that Boyish exteria, what have you done???? Bank Job? Tax Evasion? Assasination? Fitted someone with Concrete boots? South America was always a good option.......Damn!! I always knew there was something dark and sinister lurking behind that smile! :devil:

[bigredduke]

Don't forget that Sarkozy has just closed the 'NHS' equivalent in France to non-nationals under retirement age!

[markus]

Thanks Guys - keep the advice coming!

always knew you were a bit of a dark horse behind that Boyish exteria, what have you done???? Bank Job? Tax Evasion? Assasination? Fitted someone with Concrete boots? South America was always a good option.......Damn!! I always knew there was something dark and sinister lurking behind that smile!

It would be easier to answer 'what havn't i done' - to tell you would be to kill you.....just couldn't do that to Ellie, so you'll have to stay in the dark monsieur

[CK & AK]

International schools?

Contact the IBO : http://www.ibo.org/

This will list all International Schools following the IB, and will be able to advise you on most details, in most countries across the world.

C - working at ACS International Schools (UK)

[hhmunro]

After 10 years ambling around the globe on a yot, came back to the UK last July, lasted 3 months, now moved to Spain.
Tips- firstly, what ever they tell you, you must know the language, or be trying very hard to learn it- locals a delight, and will include you in everything, but you must communicate in their language.

Met a UK couple ,been here 3 years, not a word of Spanish- when I asked them why they left the UK, they said there were too many foreigners...

Jobs always tough, see above, unless you have an internetable(?) skill, you will work for peanuts, other Brits scraping by can't afford you, most become 'builders' or estate agents' so they can deal only with the Brits- those who have been in-country a while know to avoid them. Nurses always welcome, but jobs for women often really poorly paid

Schools, health and all else trounce the UK, and your kids will grow up bi-or tri-lingual, in a society where there is no threat to them, accepted by all, as they still see kids as the future here. (Wierd)
property cheap, cost of living cheap, land grab only around Valencia, don't believe all in the British media, it may suprise you to learn sometimes they are a little, er, sensational...
Oh, and the roads, mmmmm, your bike is a gunna luv you for this, hardly any traffic, sunshine amazing road surfaces and miles and miles of them- and in a place where they love bikes...
MOVE!!!

[PC Myers]

I can recommend Grenoble - great city, loads of ski resorts very close, a huge IT centre, a truly cosmopolitan community so schools with special bi-lingual classes, reasonable property prices (compared to the satirically expensive UK) some of the best biking country you could hope for, great food and wine, beautiful mountains all round but only a few hours from the Mediterranean. Sarkozy is a great admirer of Thatcher so it may all go t**s up soon, and many of the good things about France have already been sold to the weasels but it is still a good place to live as long as you're not trying to run away from things that will travel with you.

[JerryXt]

That reminds me, a couple of years ago an agency phoned me and told me about this amazing opportunity near Nice. A telecoms company had had their entire development team walk and they needed someone to come in and tell them if they stood a chance of delivering.

Nice, 6 months, consultancy rates, all expenses, goody.

'Oh, they need fluent French speakers'

B*llocks.

[Nickj]

Vous devrez apprendre à parler français ou vous ne vous adapterez pas dedans. Technique aussi bien que le discours normal. Car une zone franche de culture j'a aimé l'australie, est allé surfer le jour et le prochain était dehors dans la neige. Je n'ai aimé le rien entre les villes. Désolé à tous les linguistes français, mal hors de hors de la pratique.

[Nickj]

A whole team walks out and you'd want to walk in!

[Bodybag]

Toulouse is the place mate.

Near the top of this page:

http://www.multimap.com/maps/#t=l&map=42.5439,2.04344|8|4&loc=ES:32.61335:-2.04348

30,000 international students in the 4th City of France. A cultural gem with Andorra two hours away (skiing and boarding every weekend during the winter) and Barcelona another 30 minutes beyond that. We used to travel down to Andorra in the evening after work just to grab duty free fags and scare the **** out of newbies on the mountain roads. :D There are direct flights from Birmingham airport. Airbus have their main final assembly plant there and the Airbus business language is English.

I lived there for just over a year and only left because I was moved back to the UK by Airbus. :grump:

If I could, I'd be back out there tomorrow. I still have contacts in the IT department out there if you'd like me to see whats available?

Oh and did I say the roads south of the city are awesome?!?!?!?!

[JerryXt]

Nick:

don't take the p*ss out of my appalling French! LOL!!
think of the money!

Plus, I can do anything for a few months!

[Bodybag]

La manière la plus facile d'apprendre une langue est obtiennent un des paquets de Michel Thomas 8CD. Aucune écriture en tant que son tout fait par la répétition. L'obtenir sur votre iPod et apprécier les conversations.

The easiest way to learn a language is get one of the Michel Thomas 8CD Packs. No writing as its all done through repetition. Get it on your iPod and enjoy the conversations.

Translated beautifully by Google Language tools. :D

[madhatter]

It would be easier to answer 'what havn't i done' - to tell you would be to kill you.....

Hmmmm.....I wonder if BBC Crimewatch are offering a reward.........he was last seen thundering off into the blackness with a wobbly little headlight, wearing a "molest me I'm yours" tee-shirt, superman pants and plimsoles....can you help find him??:D

[markus]

Hmmmm.....I wonder if BBC Crimewatch are offering a reward.........he was last seen thundering off into the blackness with a wobbly little headlight, wearing a "molest me I'm yours" tee-shirt, superman pants and plimsoles....can you help find him??


Do you really think i can find a t-shirt like that - i mean wow!

and my superman pants ROCK!

[stef]

i just caught this thread..
i moved to the uk when i was 19, and just returned to France, april this years, after 12 years of britishness. so in the words of the Brentmaster.... Shoot....