Tenerife forum

[jenbray]

Hello everyone i have just joined the forum. I am an accountant in the UK but am hoping to move to tenerife before Xmas with my family to enjoy a quieter, less stressful way of life. When we are established in tenerife i will be pursuing my love of graphic design and art as i am fed up of being a boring accountant!

We are considering buying a finca in Icod de los Vinos and i hope some of you can give me some information on the area. Our estate agent advises against it as it is in the north, (they are keen to push more expensive properties in the South) a bit remote (we have 3 kids) and cant always get mobile signal.

Can anyone advise on the climate in that area and whether it is likely that i will be able to get a telephone and internet connection, preferably broadband?

If anyone can advise on suitable areas of the island to live we would be grateful. We do not want to be in the middle of a tourist area but need to be near schools, shops etc for the sake of the children (I would live in the back of beyond but thats a different story!). Both my husband and I are able to drive. Is there any good motorbike routes on the island as we are also keen bikers?

My husband and son will be seeking construction work, is there a general demand on the island? All replies gratefully received.

Jen

[margaretbl]

Welcome, I am sure some of the resident members will give you info.
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[jenbray]

Many thanks, we are awaiting replies with anticipation

[karlb]

Our member Bardofely lives there. I am sure he will post soon or you could pm him.

He is a very helpful chappy.

Welcome to the forum by the way.


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[jenny]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

Bardofely lives up near Icod and he loves it. It is cooler up there than down here in the south but if you are coming from the UK it will be much better than there!! I'm sure he will post on this thread soon. Oh and he does have broadband but is not in the back of beyond!

Regarding construction work, that may be a problem in the north as there is not so much building work going on. Do your husband and son speak Spanish? Icod is a predominantly Spanish area so you will find it hard to find any sort of work if you don't. Although if you are thinking of art/graphic desing I guess there is a possibility of working from home so speaking Spanish perhaps not so essential, although for every day life up there will be much easier if you can.
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[sunny]

Hi and a big welcome from me too, am sure you will be able to gets lots of assistance on here, as mentioned Bard lives up that way. I am in the South so cannot really advise on the area or the work situation, but good luck and let us know how things are going with your move

[jenbray]

I am learning spanish along with my two daughters aged 10 and 15 (they will be attending spanish school as i want them to integrate fully).

My husband will pick up some of the language (wont sit down with a book!) but i'm not sure about my 17 yr old son? Guess we'll have to see how it goes.

[Treble99]

Hi Jenbray and welcome.

Firstly, be very carefull, especially as you have children and from what you wrote, you need to work here to live. Have a look at this.... http://www.sun4free.com/forum/ftopic9418.html

After you have read that, please remember there are loads of us who have moved to live the dream and “made it”. You don't want to be one of those who last 18 months or less then return do you?

With regards to where you live, I appreciate you want to live away from the tourist areas and don't blame you for it. There are many nice villages, away from the tourist´s but more accesable to schools, the TF1 and shops etc. Remember your kids will want to play with there school chums. Buzzanada, Aldea Blanca, Valle San Lorrenzo are just 3 of the many great, quiet villages you may want to consider. If you choose that area you will have accses to schools like Las Zocas (spanish school where my daughter goes and it is first class) or wingate school etc.

You will have NO problem getting Internet etc in these areas.

As for your hubby doing construction work, well I will be blunt. Theres no point skimming over the issue. The world and his wife are builders here. Some are good, some are chancing there arms at it as it is the only way they can earn a crust. I know so many more builders who get so little work and are on theirs bums so to speak, as apposed to those I know who get regular work. The building game here is a real struggle to break into if your a brit. Like I said, they are all at it.

Think so very, very hard about work. It is not easy to find work on the Island at the moment. If you do in a bar etc you will be earning 4 to 5 euros per hour.

You also need to think about getting legal. N.I.E numbers so you can work legally, social security numbers etc etc. Should you get here before you sort your “legals” out, you will be waiting for 3 months etc.

Before you arrive, send your birth certificates and your marriage license to the home office in London and ask them to officially translate them for use in Spain. We had to do all this when we were getting in the system.

As for the biking roads, well, I would not fancy it to be honest. They are full of pot holes.

Im not trying to put a dampener on your plans but please do be careful. Plan, research, plan again, research again then do it 100 times more. It is possible to carve a new great life for you and your family here but it is, in my opinion, much easier to fail should you not have thought of everything.

Please ask away if you have any other questions!

Good luck!
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Treble99
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[jenny]

[strippersrus]

Hi amd welcome to the forum.

I live in the south too...but so love the north . It is very pretty, very spanish and cooler than the south.

My advise would be.....try not and use tunnel thinking...IE. i can only work one type of job. Be prepared to keep your fingers in many different pies. My husband came over here as a computer technician...there are hundreds believe me..so he decided to do a few other things aswell..

He now has many hats and this works well for us.

There are, as Treble says, many places down south that are not tourist based and still the prices are reasonable.....not as cheap maybe as the north...but still fair priced.

Think about what you want out of Tenerife and work on that as a basis......you should be fine.

Good luck
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[jenbray]

Thanks for all your info, what you say is quite correct. We have been researching avidly for 12 months now, and been considering Tenerife for the last couple of years. We have already obtained our NIE numbers, got bank accounts etc (I think it's the dull and cautious accountant in me that makes me do all the boring stuff first!). We are coming over for a 2 week visit next week.

We will have a lump on money to live on whilst we get established but have no desire to retire. However, we do realise that things will not be straightforward and are prepared to take the rough with the smooth.

I intend to set up my own design business within the first year of being out there. Both my husband and I are self employed in the UK so have reasonable business skills. I don't think the girls will have any problems settling in but worry that my son may find it difficult and/or may eventually want to return to the UK. He is willing to do bar work while he finds something more suitable.

[Treble99]

[jenbray]

Our son is not very academic and would be happy with what i would call a 'dead end' job. the question is whether he will actually settle in Tenerife.

We have already been advised that our oldest daughter will need to do 12-18 months of extra schooling and she is aware of this and happy to go to spanish school. I firmly believe that the children should live a spanish lifestyle 'when in spain' etc. Extra schooling is something they will have to put up with for a better way of life.

[Treble99]

Good stuff. You have obviously done your home work so to speak. You seem to know what is in store for you. Good on you for that. It makes a change from the people you meet who come out on holiday, see us expats and think, if they can do it so can we. 2 months later there here, 6 months later there gone!
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Treble99
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[jenny]

Good for you for doing your homework. It's not boring, it's sensible.

Can I ask why you chose Icod de los Vinos?

I will also add (as I am ever-the-optimist) that I was 25 when I came to Tenerife and I picked up the lingo in 6 months (well, enough to get me a job where Spanish was essential) so it is possible and more so if you are in a Spnaish area mixing only with the locals.
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Who am I? Find out more here: http://www.myspacetenerife.com/index.php?page=view_profile&id=17

I will make this day a happy one for I alone can determine what kind of day it will be.