Interview with Sara Galan-McKay
What is your name, age and how long have you lived in Benitachell?
Sara Galan-McKay aged 31 Have lived in Benitachell since Nov 09 but in Spain since Nov 07
What nationality are you and your partner?
I am British and my husband is British but both his parents are Spanish
How many children do you have and what are their names and ages?
I have two boys Luis who is 4 and Max who is 19 months
Do you work and if so what do you do?
I am a full time mum and housewife
What was your experience of having a baby in Spain?
Ans. We had only been living in Spain for 2 weeks when I discovered I was expecting Max, quite a suprise. As we werent paying into the spanish system at that time I had all my maternity care through the International Medical Centre, Javea which has sadly closed down, my midwife was Judy and she was fantastic. Max was born at the Acuario in Beniarbeig as I had a water birth with my first and knew that worked for me so thankfully I was able to have the same with Max, it was a great experience and I thought the hospital and staff were brilliant, it is just such a shame it is so expensive, if I could afford to have another birth there I definately would.
What was your experience of relocating to Benitachell with children?
Relocating to Benitachell was easy as our best friends have lived here for 2 years and my husband works in the village so it made sense. Relocating to Spain was a very emotional experience as I am very close to my family and then discovering I was expecting again so soon after arriving didnt help my feelings but after 28 months I am feeling happy and settled.
How well intergrated would you say you and your children are?
I am not very well integrated into the spanish way of life as my spanish is still very limited, I tend to rely on my husband as he is fluent. Tony is quite well integrated as he works in the village and seems to know quite a few people. Luis my eldest is starting to mix more now.
What language do you speak to your children?
We speak English to both our children.
What is your impression of childcare and education in Benitachell so far?
I have heard fantastic things about the Benitachell school and I am hoping to start Luis there in September. The local nursery has just been taken over and seems ok, so I will probably start Max there in September for a couple of mornings a week. Unfortunately there is no state nursery in Benitachell it is only private therefore not as cheap as a state nursery.
What school do your children go to?
Luis is currently at the Rainbow Nursery, Javea and has been since January 2009. He really loves it and has a great circle of friends, I am very cautious about removing him from Rainbow but I know if we intend to live in Spain it is best he is fluent in Spanish.
Why did you choose this school and are you happy with your choice?
I chose Rainbow because Luis was a very timid child when we moved to Spain, I tried him in a Spanish nursery and at the time it just wasnt right for him. I am pleased with my decision as he is now a confident happy 4 year old and I feel happy that he will now cope in a Spanish school.
Where you live, how good are the facilities for children (shops, resturants, activities etc?)
Benitachell village is quite big and has plenty of shops, but I tend to shop in Javea after I take Luis to school.
Are there any particular activities, groups, classes etc for children in Benitachell that you would recommend?
The Stage door group gather in Benitachell and they do lots of things : disco once a week for over 5's, Zumba classes, mini movers and quite a lot more I believe. The municipal pool does swimming lessons and also has a mother and baby class, if you are expecting they do a mum to be class although all of it is in Valenciano I believe. I actually have started a coffee morning once a week at my house but when the weather gets better we will meet at the beach etc and it seems to be very successful.
Are there any particular service providers (doctors, dentists, babysitters, tutors etc) for children that you would recommend?
The Acuario hospital is great although private, but to be honest all the state doctors seem to be amazing and I have heard great things about Denia hospital. I find medication in Spain so much better than in the U.K, and the pharmacies are so much better if I ever feel rotten I usually pop to he pharmacy and they always know what I need to cure me.
What do you think are the main advantages and disadvantages of being a parent from the international community living in Benitachell?
The main advantages of living in Benitachell are that you have everything you need close by and there is a very big british population living here, we are a very happy family and love living here, I cannot think of any disadvantages. We are ten minutes from Moraira and 15 minutes from Javea so have everything we need close by.
Is there anything that you think would improve childrens lives living in Benitachell?
I think it would be great if somebody could do swimming lessons at the municipal pool in english so that children unable to understand spanish well could also learn to swim.
What advice would you give anyone having a baby or thinking of relocating to Benitachell with children?
It is a great place to live away from the hustle and bustle but close enough to everything you need.
What couldn’t you live without in Benitachell?
Now that we have sky tv I dont think I could live without it !!
March 2010
