Barcelona Mum

What is your name, age, where do you live and how long have youlived in Barcelona?
Isabelle van Ingen, 36 years, Zona Diagonal Mar, 3 and a half years.

Do you work, and if so what do you do?
I have worked until last week as Area Manager in a Catalan Fragrance House. Now I am exploring possibilities to start up my own business in this field.

What nationality are you and your partner?
We are both Dutch.

How many children do you have and what are their names and ages?
2 children, both boys: Luc (2 years old) and Sam (9 and a half months).

What was your experience of having a baby in Barcelona? (if relevant)
Perfect. Especially if you know that in Holland women give birth the natural way, without any pain killers, at home. Of course this also depends on your insurance. I would recommend every woman who wants to have kids or already has them, to take a private insurance, for yourself and the baby. There are many specialists and hardly any waiting lists.

How did you find the process of relocating to Barcelona with your children (if relevant)?
The children were both born here. My now husband lived already in the south of Spain and I lived in Amsterdam. Then I moved to Barcelona and a year later he joined me in Barcelona.

How well integrated would you say you and your children are?
I was the first foreigner to work in the Catalan company I worked for, so in that sense I integrated well.  Luc goes to childcare with all kinds of nationalities but mainly catalan children. We play sports and do social things with international people as well as catalan people who live in our development. 

What language do you speak to your children?
Dutch and Spanish

What has your impression been of childcare and education in Barcelona so far?
Very caring and organised. The language is a problem for us, as we don´t like the fact that schools (in our area especially) in general are 100% in catalan. A mix of catalan and spanish would have been nice. Or even better: Catalan, Spanish and English

How do you rate the amenities available for parents and children in Barcelona?
I don´t know as I cannot compare with other countries.

Where you live, how good are facilities for children (shops, restaurants, activities etc)?
Shops and activities (playgrounds, parks, beach) are fantastic here and there are always many other children to play with.

What do you think are the main advantages and disadvantages of being a parent from the International Community living in Barcelona?
Advantages: open, more international view and background
Disadvantage: we speak spanish at home, but no catalan

Is there anything you think would improve children´s lives in Barcelona?
International schools (that are affordable and in our area), More schools with English / Spanish / Catalan education

What do you wish you had been told before you came to Barcelona?
The big influence of the Catalan culture; to know Spain and  the spanish language is not enough

What advice would you give for anyone having a baby or thinking of relocating to Barcelona with children?
With children who go to school: if you are keen on a more international or spanish education, look for a house in the Zona Alta and not were we live. With babies, our area is perfect as it is right at the beach and with many children who can play outside. Other advice is healthcare insurance (see above).

What couldn´t you live without in Barcelona?
My husband and kids. We appreciate the quality of life here very much and enjoy the many different things to do. It is fantastic to be welcome in a restaurant with 2 young children. It is also fantastic to live right at the beach, but in 10 minutes in the old city center to go out for dinner in a trendy restaurant. And of course everyone is in a better mood when the sun shines most days of the year! I have never met anyone who dislikes Barcelona.