Your interactive family guide to Spain as recommended by local mums | Last updated 13 hours, 33 minutes ago
Click here to read some indepth interviews with Sitges Mums and share their experiences of childbirth, schooling and Sitges living.
(There are currently 20 interviews in this section)
"We have put the kids into the local Catalan school and are trying hard to fit in. The kids are learning the language fast so are making friends - both English and Spanish. I have a couple of Spanish friends although they are new to Catalunya also. I wouldn't say I have integrated yet. Maybe once I can speak Spanish to the mums at school then it will get easier." (AJ, Dec 2008)
"I had Andrés here in hospital Sant Camil in Sant Pere de Ribes. The whole experience was so much better than in Bristol where I felt like I was on a conveyer belt. The hospital is a busy one but the atmosphere was so calm and the staff could not have done more to help me feel comfortable and relaxed. I was induced and had an epidural. After the birth I was taken to a private room where for 48 hours I had the full support of the nurses day or night. The only downer is that a health visitor does not come to your house afterwards and you have to go the doctors." (AB, Oct2009)
"I live in a non-touristy part of Sitges called Poble Sec. I have lived here for 12 years. I am very happy here. The shopping is amazing- fresh fish shop, butcher’s, fresh veg market in the square, chemist, doctor’s. It doesn’t have restaurants, though. It’s a good place for children in that there are plenty of big parks and squares where the local kids all play together. The new swimming pool and the local football ground are both here. The pre-school Planet English, is here, too. It’s also cheaper to buy/rent properties in Poble Sec than in the more touristy areas."
Bridget Nelson, founder of Sitges Playgroup and Planet English, has kindly given us her time to share her experiences of education in Sitges, the options available to parents, how to apply for schools and how to prepare for that first day.
"Sitges is like a big village in beautiful surrounding and therefore perfect for families....." (CM, April 2008)
"If you're pregnant and aren't too shy to practice your Spanish then definitely check out your local breast feeding group. Without a doubt they offer the most invaluable support to new mums...the sooner you discover your nearest group the better! Plus, all new
families should head to the town hall and ask for info on local activities." (CY, 23 Aug 2010)
" I'd say the prenatal care is very thorough but once the child is born the Spanish philosophy is to cut you loose and let the family rally around." (CB, Jan 2009)
"Everyone I’ve spoken to seems to think that kids have some really good opportunities in Spain that they might not have in England – to learn a language and experience a different culture. Of course Mia is too young at the moment for day care but we’re going to have to think about it pretty soon I guess."
"I cannot lie, I found the first 6 weeks awful!!!!!! I had a 12 week old baby & I was moving from the UK with a great support network of Family, health visitor, friends etc to come here to NOTHING I had to look for everything, Doctors etc" (EJ, Nov 2008)
" I had Amy in Hospital Sant Camil in St. Pere de Ribes. I’d heard such great things about it, but unfortunately Amy came on a busy day and they had no room for me at the inn. I spent over 14 hours parked up in the corridor on a temporary bed while 3 other expectant mums sat in their comfortable private pre-birthing rooms. I’ve heard they are lovely"
"La Riera had just opened when we arrived and we were impressed by the teachers commitment to providing a school where the process of learning was considered as important as exam results. We have not been disappointed, our kids love going to school where their natural curiosity is stimulated and encouraged." (JW Dec 2010)
"The main reason for moving here was to have more time with our kids, and we certainly have. Our life here is much less stressful and we are much more a family here than at home where we both worked a lot. So all in all we never one day regretted moving here." (KH, May 2008)
"Going to the international playgroup was great but often all foreign parents were in the same boat so I discovered that you really have to throw yourself into it and find out for yourself. Choosing any type of care for your children is such a personal choice that you do need to visit nurseries and schools yourself as well as trying to find people who already have children in school here." (LB, Jan 2009)
"I had lived abroad before I came to Sitges so I understood a little of the transient way the people live here but I wish I had explained it more to my children who make friends only to find two years later their parents contract has finished and they move on." (MB, April 2008)
"It is a fantastic experience to meet all these people from all over the world with totally different backgrounds and different reasons for being in Sitges. A disadvantage might be the lack of Catalan language skills."
"I would like to mention that in order to do a homebirth, one has to get in touch with midwifes right from the beginning in order to get to know each other , and to build up a relationship , to let them know about your fears and your desires, so that the birthing experience can be all that it should be. I think that the advice for mums to be in Spain is to be very clear with their Gynecologist about what kind of birth experience they would like. And if they do not feel that they are getting the attention that they need, Change gynaecologist. Ask a friend for a referral. It is your right to choose how you would like the birth to unfold."
"We felt that we weren't really enjoying living in a big city now we had a baby. Our needs are different now, we don't need lots of bars and restaurants, and I felt I was always walking Max down very busy, noisy roads with lots of pollution. Also, the summer heat in Madrid is too intense! So we decided that we wanted to be by the sea, but close to a big city and Sitges fitted those requirements well. " (SL, Aug 2011)
"I think the school system here is a bit 1950´s but there seems to be a lot of love at the same time and Stan has been happy at nursery and at school and I love watching him learning Catalan and Spanish effortlessly, which I think counteracts some of the negative points which are ridiculously long days and lunchtimes, a big class (in his case anyway) and a rigid timetable." (SH Nov 2010)
"I have seen a few Kindergarten in Sitges and I was a bit disappointed at first. I am comparing them though with the only other kindergartens I know from Australia. All the Kindys there are amazing, with lots of green areas, separated rooms for different ages, areas to sleep, dining areas, etc" (SDZ)
"The days after birth until I went home, I had a nice single room with mountain view and could hear the birds sing in the morning. That sounds like kitsch but that is what it was like. However, since the Hospital Els Camils is a public hospital, you can’t choose the obstetrist that will attend you and it is somehow a question of good or bad luck who you will have to deal with. My personal experience was very good and I recommend the hospital. Most of the women from Vilanova have their children in Barcelona. I wouldn’t. Depending on the traffic, Barcelona can be very far, especially during rush hours and the public hospitals usually are full. For women who chose a private clinic I would recommend to look for information about the number of caesareans done there. I would not recommend a “programmed” delivery under normal circumstances since I think a woman’s body knows itself when the time has come." (June 08)
"It´s very childfriendly and green, the village is located 400m above sea-level so the air is clean. With 6000 inhabitants it has everything you need (schools,healthcare, stores...)I love it because in some ways it reminds me of Sweden" (SL, Oct 2011)
"Belén and Dunee go to Agnes de Sitges and we think that we are very lucky. The teachers are very helpful and caring. The school itself actually realizes that there are many people that do not understand Catalan and so they take measures accordingly. Our youngest started at 2, so that’s very early (in Holland we start at 4). But now, after 3 months she skips to school. My oldest was allowed to celebrate Sinterklaas with her schoolmates. Ferd and a Dutch friend explained the whole story of the man who, after all, is a Spaniard!" (YP, Oct 2008)
"There are a lot of well organized activities for children of my daughter’s age in Sitges. She has taken up swimming and music as after school activities. I have found a wide choice of restaurants to suit all needs from a family night out with the children to a romantic meal with my partner. Since my favourite food is fish, this seems the right place to be. But I wish there was a large supermarket, as I find the supermarkets in the Sitges small and very expensive in comparison to Zaragoza where I lived before" (YD, Oct 09)
This website remains property and copyright MumAbroad.
http://www.mumabroad.com | info@mumabroad.com |
Login