Frequently Asked Questions from Guests

Why Spain?

When we were considering where to move, there were some basic criteria. The security, healthcare and infrastructure of a developed country were primary. We considered the USA, a great environment for the ‘can do’ attitude but culturally quite different to what we were used to and what we wanted for our family and guests to experience. Australasia was too distant for our network of friends and family. This left Europe, a culturally rich fabric with a diversity of countries. Much comes down to personal preferences and in our experience Western Europe, especially countries on the Atlantic coast have benefited from a historical relationship with the New World giving them greater cultural openness. We wanted a good climate for a holiday business and to be in close proximity to the Mediterranean, safer beaches for the children to enjoy. The Spanish love children and we have always felt welcome here. Spain also has more than the sun, sea and sand it is famous for. There is a rich cultural history dating to the Iberian peoples, the Greeks, Romans, Goths, Moors and finally the Christian Spanish all contributing. There is a legacy of the castles of a former world power, walled cities and a magnificent natural landscape with numerous lofty mountain ranges, coastlines and the great Spanish plains of Don Quixote. Each region has its own culinary delights and wonderful sun ripened ingredients, local fiestas and late night bars and restaurants to explore and enrich the visitors’ experiences. For us, the main difficulty was deciding which region.

How did you find the house?

Originally we had been looking at the Balearic Islands for a property. We had dismissed the north coast as too wet, the south coast as too developed, the north east coast too close to Barcelona making it busy and expensive and at the northern part too prone to the cold winds off the Pyrenees. After a long trip to Majorca it became apparent that the budget did not allow for the type of business were looking for. A shame as we loved the limestone landscape and the city of Palma is beautiful. Plan B was to explore the Costa Blanca where we were told the landscape around Javea was similar to the Balearics. The peninsular Cap de Nao points to the Balearics 70km away and is the same rock formation. We looked at areas inland and found Jalon, a town with a strong agricultural and artesian heritage. It is situated geographically in the centre of the peninsular, about half and hour from the coast in the north, east and south giving easy access to a variety of beaches and resorts. Finding the house was a stroke of luck of being in the right place at the right time, someone who knew someone who had a house...

Where do your children go to school?

When we originally arrived in Spain Poppy and Florence went to the English International school. But as time passed and we became more permanently established we felt the children should have the opportunity of a local education and to stay here if they choose to do so. An English education would not prepare them well for this and they would not have the opportunity to get to know as many local kids either.

Poppy goes to the instituto in Benissa, a secondary school where she studies in Castellano Spanish and the local Valenciano language, a dialect of Catalan. She studies French as a second language and hopes to study for her Spanish baccalaureate. Florence and Charlie go to the local school in Jalon where the main language is Valenciano. Florence is in her final year and needs to pass her exams to graduate to the instituto in Benissa. Charlie has never been taught in English having been to the local nursery and then to school. Because he only speaks Valenciano he finds it frustrating going to other regions in Spain where he can’t speak the language. He likes visiting England because everyone speaks English!