Hoping to get some viewpoints from people with similar experiences!
We've lived in Barcelona for nearly 18 months now, only meant to spend 1 year but we've fallen in love with it!
Our dilemma is to stay or go. We decided to put our eldest (6 now) in an international school as our plan was to stay temporarily, but if we stay we couldn't keep her in as it's too expensive and we have a younger child too.
They would then have to go to a normal public school where the language is Catalan. Eldest has already made inroads with it as they have lessons in her school now, but me and the dad know nothing! Our Spanish is not great either.
If we stayed I would make greater efforts to learn both languages, but I worry I would not be fully included/know what's going on with children's school.
Part of us wanting to go back is to feel like we are more involved with local community as it's hard to integrate with locals here - although I have a great international community which I'm happy with.
Back home would be family too - although we've managed without their help for the early years of our children's lives - it would be nice to live local to them. But I never have so I don't know what I'm missing in a way.
Jobs - prospects are better in the UK, I can pursue more of a professional career there - here partner can work remotely but he's not that in to that.
BUT - we have a great, relaxed, healthy life here. Children can be children. We're outside most of the time. We can get to amazing nature so quickly. They would grow up bi/tri lingual. I kind of like being a 'foreigner' - always something new to explore.
Do I choose lifestyle over job prospects/extended family? I get that both options are not 'bad' but that doesn't make it any easier!