Interview with Cathy
Interview with Cathy
What is your name, age and how long have you lived in Barcelona?
My name is Cathy Loughran. I am 39 and I have been living in Barcelona for 6 years.
What nationality are you and your partner?
Myself and my husband are Irish
How many children do you have and what are their names and ages?
We have 2 children aged 5 and 2. Saoirse is 5 and her brother Fionn is 2.
Do you work and if so what to you do?
I am a photographer. At the moment I am photographing children and weddings.
What was your experience of having a baby in Barcelona? (if relevant)
My experience of having my 2 children here in Hospital Vall D’hebron was very good and professional and there was always an amazing lack of queues. I also found them to be very thorough. I had 5 scans with the first because my blood pressure was a little high once.
What was your experience of relocating to Barcelona with children? (if relevant)
I had no children then
How well integrated would you say you and your children are?
We have become quite well integrated since my daughter Saoirse started the local school 2 years ago. We have a mix of Spanish, Catalan and English speaking friends.
What language do you speak to your children?
English
What is your impression of childcare and education in Barcelona so far?
Really good. I think that they have very good and affordable childcare here in comparison to Ireland for example. I also find them more creative in general which I think is so important for young children.
What school do your children go to?
Font D’en Fargaus
Why did you choose this school and are you happy with your choice?
I chose this school because it is a local regular public school. As my children have 2 foreign parents I wanted them to integrate as much as possible here. The school is also surrounded by a small forest and has a very natural feel to it. We couldn’t be happier with it as our daughter has never complained once and has never not wanted to go to school.
Where you live, how good are the facilities for children (shops, restaurants, activities etc)?
We live in the barrio of El Carmel up on top of a hill over looking the city. It’s lovely and very friendly like a village. The market is great. We are close to parc Guell. I wouldn’t highly recommend the bars and restaurants. I prefer to go into the centre of Barcelona to eat or to socialize.
What do you think are the main advantages and disadvantages of being a parent from the International Community living in Barcelona?
The main advantage would be that we have broader outlooks. We know our own ways of parenting that we bring from our own countries and we can see the ways of others and we can choose which makes most sense to us. We also have very good international parent networks for any support we might need. Not knowing Catalan is the only disadvantage I can think of but would consider that entirely my own fault.
Is there anything you think would improve children´s lives in Barcelona?
More grass.
What advice would you give for anyone having a baby or thinking of relocating to Barcelona with children?
I would recommend integrating as much as possible and public schools
What couldn´t you live without in Barcelona?
The chilled out way of life.
What could you live without in Barcelona?!
The telephone companies