Benalmadena - anyone there? or near there?

[Spongebob]

Hi guys

We are thinking of moving to Benalmadena next Spring...I know the area quite well as I grew up there but have lived in England for the past 18 years. DS is two and learning Spanish already!! Would love to know of any Mums who live there??

[lucy5]

There are a few of us in Spain, i'm probably the closet to Benalmadena. I live in Estepona, which is about 40 minutes drive away (towards Gibraltar) I don't know Benalmadena that well, we've been a couple of times to the sealife centre.

[costamum]

I live only 20mins away in Malaga city itself - we often go there at weekends! I've got DS1 who's 5 and another DS who is going to be 2 in a couple of months. Keep in touch cos we're jsut round the corner really!!

[lucy5]

Oops, sorry Costamum!

[costamum]

No worries Lucy5!!!!!

[Spongebob]

Hi Costamum! Hows life there? My DS is 2 and one of my main concerns is the school system there...ie: I know nothing about it. We are off in Sept. to look at places and hope to be over next Spring. Would love to keep in touch. (and with the other mumsnetters in Spain too.

[Beetle73]

I don't live there, but we've been on holiday there to stay in my Dad's flat for the last 3 years in a row. Heading over there again at the end of this month - can't wait!!
Have a great time Spongebob. I bet it'll be a great place to live.

[chicca]

Hi there

I am quite far inland but come down to the coast every now and then.

Good to hear of people living in malaga city - I'm a big fan.

[chicca]

Spongebob

Just seen your ref to schooling. My DS is just 2 and I have concerns about the system here. I am not in an area with lots of expats so his options are limited. My DS currently goes to nursery in the mornings (not exactly educational at his age) and so is learning Spanish whilst he learns English with us at home. State schooling in my little experience is very narrow and there is not much room for imagination. A friend put it well by saying that if your child likes to sit at a desk s/he will be fine. They still use methods chucked away in the UK some time ago - learning by repetition etc.There is also almost no parent-teacher contact unless you ask for it - even at the international private schools. No parents evenings for example.(Sure the kids would be greatful for that though!)
I'm sure there will be those who disagree but this is based on what I have heard and seen here. I do Usborne Books so I have the chance to go into quite a few schools and snoop!

[dixia]

Hi Spongebob, Hi everyone else. HEllo again CostaMum xxx

I live just outside Malaga city (used to live in it) - on the east/north in a village (actually its a barrio of malaga itself).

My DS is 3.9 and is starting at the local village school in September. This decision was not easy to come to, but finally decided after an extended visit with the head, who is lovely. In this school there are 24 children and 4 teachers!! it is 1 minute away from my house and all his friends will be local. I actually wanted to home educate, but there isn't anyone really doing it here and the options for out of school activities are almost non-existent, so we finally went for the school.

DS has been attending a lovely bilingual montessori nursery in Torre del Mar (about 35 minutes away) which I was very happy with. Before this he went to the Peter Pan Nursery in Benalmadena! Also about 35 minutes away.

Peter Pan nursery is not bad. Its bilingual with lots of spanish children and spanish and english staff. They accept children from 0-6 as it is a nursery 'school', although most leave at 3 to go to school. I found that DS was generally quite happy, but I was a little worried that it was slightly over-crowded! Mind you, the children seemed pretty happy and I was impressed with the range of activities they offered. I liked the staff, which helped. You can easily find the website on a search engine if you put in "Peter Pan Nursery" and Benalmadena. I'd be happy to talk to you about it, CAT me if you want.

Keep in touch, it would be nice to meet up when you come.

[MrsMcJnr]

Hello Ladies. Thought I'd have a read through this when it caught my eye. I, like some of you, grew up on the Costa and want to go home! DH and I are putting the wheels in motion and are looking at selling up here and being out there for Sept/Oct next year. We are hoping to join the family business. Sounds bizarre but we want to get pregnant or better still have a baby before we go, pressure's on! I will keep my eye on this thread. Good luck to you all!

[annaspanner]

Hi, I've just this minute joined Mumsnet and this thread caught my eye. I've been living in Spain now for 13 years but moved to Estepona only a year ago and I'm pregnant. I'm going to have my baby in the Social Security hospital, Costa de Sol, in Nov/Dec. Has anyone else had their baby there/had the social security prenatal tests/been to social security ante natal classes in Spain etc? If anyone has any advice or stories about being pregnant in Andalucia or Spain in general, I'd love to hear them. Thanks

[lucy5]

Hi Anna, i live in Estepona and am also having my baby at the Costa del Sol in November/December depending on whether it's a C-section or not. I have one dd but had her in UK, so it's all new to me too.

[costamum]

Hi Spongebob - just got back from hols so sorry for the delay in replying! About schooling - my DS1 who is 5 attends the local state school. I have to say, I can't really compare to how it is back in the UK and obviously schools differ quite a bit judging by Chicca's post but I think we are quite lucky because my DS's school does seem a bit more open to fun/play as well as learning and we do have quite a bit of parent/teacher contact. There is also a lot of emphasis on the importance of correct nutrition, the environment,sports, music etc and this is usually done in a fun way with visits from outside, plays, special breakfasts etc ... So all in all I am not unhappy about the school and DS is certainly very happy.

Well, certainly keep in touch and let us know how the move etc. goes!

Hello Dixia - still meaning to write - will do soon!!

[Spongebob]

Hi guys...Thanks for all your messages. We are off in a couple of weeks for a good look around the area (although my Mum, who has lived in Benalmadena Pueblo for 25 years) will be pushing for us to move near to her. Will let you know how it goes. The schooling thing still worries me a bit...but I intend to do quite a bit with DS at home anyway...Interesting what chicca said about "sitting at a desk" Back in the 80's we moved to Spain to live and my brother was 8 at the time...he said to me recently that all he did in Spanish state school was sit at the back and draw pictures!!! but he turned out alright in the end ......Keep in touch and would love to meet up when I get there.

[Spongebob]

PS. Lucy5...My Mum tells me that the Hospital Costa Del Sol is like a 5-star hotel and has one of the best reputations in Spain. Have fun being pregnant

[MrsMcJnr]

Melanie Griffith had her baby there apparently - they certainly have the best A&E - have dealt with many family emergencies for us! Good luck with it all Lucy 5 and let us know how you get on with things.

Can I ask those of you who have moved to Spain and did not origniate from there (ex-pats or nationals) what you miss the most about the UK? I know I'll be fine over in Spain but worry that my DH will miss Scotland too much and his football team, British beer etc.

[SenoraPostrophe]

yes, the c del s hosp is much better than the local one here! make sure they tell you about the epesiotomy though.

things I miss: the weather (I hate it here in summer), papers, sympathetic medical professionals (ok so there are some here, but I've had bad luck with them lately) and being fluent in the language - I can say whatever I want to in spanish but there is sometimes a delay, and that delay is long enough for eg my midwife to leap in and patronise the hell out of me.

[annaspanner]

Yes, I've heard so many good things about the C d Sol hopsital, that I feel fairly relaxed about giving birth there. I'm still making my mind up about my 'birth plan' as gas and air aren't offered so there only seems to be a choice between natural birth or epidural, which you have to insist isn't given to you too early(according to some of my friends). I have also heard that an episiotomy is regular proceedure-is this true? In the local antenatal classes the midwife seemed to think the only way to avoid it is to regularly massage your vg with Rosehip oil! I havent read this in any of my UK books.

Don't worry about missing Britain-you will love Spain. I came here in '93 and have never had second thoughts. Of course,I wish my salary was a bit better, but the relaxed (sometimes too relaxed)way of life makes up for that I think.

[Spongebob]

I've heard that there are several billingual state schools in the area now.....anyone know anything?

[SenoraPostrophe]

bilingual state schools? I don't think so. unless they've built some really fast (and changed the spanish system as well).

[Spongebob]

this

[Spongebob]

I think there are about 40 scattered in Andalucia somewhere...I just dont know where!

[SenoraPostrophe]

that article is talking about madrid though. andalucia will probably follow in about 20 years if other things are anything to go by.

[MrsMcJnr]

Ha, that's true. I have a friend in Madrid and her 3 girls were at school in France until recently and they go to a bilingual Fr-Sp school but again, that's Madrid and French is a bit more established in schools than English.

[Spongebob]

I finally found them, they are:

Malaga

CEIP Los Manantiales, Alhaurin De La Torre
CEIP Guadalhorce, Alora Estacion
CEIP Los Boliches, Fuengirola
CEIP Valdecria, Fuengirola
CEIP Ntra Sra Virgin de la Pena, Las Lagunas
CEIP Manuel Laza Palacio, Rincon de la Victoria

IES Almenara, Velez-Malaga
IES Salvador Rueda, Malaga
IES Litoral, Malaga
IES Sierra de Mijas, Mijas
IES Las Salinas, Fuengirola
IES Las Flores, Malaga
IES Capallania, Alhaurin de la Torre