Barcelona Mum

What is your name, age, where do you live and how long have you lived in Barcelona?
My name is Margaret West, I'm 38, I live in the Poblenou neighborhood of Barcelona.  I've lived in Barcelona for 15 years.

Do you work, and if so what do you do?
I'm an English teacher.  I work part time at a university, and then do other classes at private colleges, language schools, or in-company, depending on the school year.  Now that I'm a mother I only accept classes mornings and middays, and work part-time.

What nationality are you and your partner?
I'm from the U.S.  My husband is from Aragón (Spain).

How many children do you have and what are their names and ages?
Dalia is 5 years old. Nerea is almost one and a half years old.

What was your experience of having a baby in Barcelona? (if relevant)
I had two good experiences.  I wanted a natural birth with as little medical intervention as possible.  I didn't know that it was possible to ask for that with Social Security the first time, but was still quite happy with my treatment (except for the episiotomy) at the Hospital del Mar.  The second time I did a private birth prep class with a doula who favors natural birth, and I asked my SS doctor for the "natural birth protocol", which is only possible at the Hospital de la Maternitat with the public system in Barcelona .  It is not the perfect place to avoid medical intervention, but I lucked out and had the baby before arriving at the hospital! So it all worked out well.

How well integrated would you say you and your children are?
Very well.  We are integrated with Spanish friends--some were originally my Spanish husband's friends and others have been met at my daughter's school-and English-speaking friends which I sought when my first child was born and I wanted to promote her English language ability. We have a lot of friends who live relatively close by, which I find is very important for getting together with them in the afternoon after school.

What language do you speak to your children?
I speak English to them and my husband speaks Spanish to them.  They go to Catalan daycare/school.

What has your impression been of childcare and education in Barcelona so far?
Childcare:  There is massification, and though it seems we pay a lot of money for it, the workers are paid a pittance.  That's why there's a lot of turnover of workers at private daycare centers.  I've been happy with two "normal," Catalan-speaking, private daycare centers in Barcelona--my two babies loved the activities, ate better at the nursery than at home, and had fairly good carers.  The two nurseries I've used have worked well in spite of the seemingly low ratio of carers to kids and the LONG HOURS most kids stay there.  My biggest disappointment is that they don't let parents enter the classroom at all.  I don't like leaving the kids crying on the first days. On public daycare, I should say that it's virtually impossible to get into in my neighborhood, unless one has a "special" family situation (3 or more kids, a kid with dietary or health problems, etc.).  It's not fair that in other neighborhoods this much cheaper form of daycare is available to a larger percentage of the population. School:  My older daughter is in her third year of pre-school, and will start first grade next year.  She goes to a "normal" Catalan-speaking public school in Poblenou, which was newly opened when she entered it.  She has had good teachers, she has been happy there, and enjoys doing some after-school activities on the (provisional) school grounds. (They are in pre-fabricated classrooms which are really very nice.  The actual school building is supposed to be ready for next year.)  My husband and I are happy with our choice. We prefer to send our kids to a local school, which allows our family to be much more integrated with local people and in local activities.  What I find strange about the system here is the lottery system involving a listing of preferences by the parents, but which leaves the final allotment of school to chance.  In the U.S., all the kids in one zone had one assigned school.  It seems silly to me to have 7 primary schools (5 public and 2 private with public subsidies ("concertades") within 15 minutes' walking of my home!!  Besides, it's not fair when some of the kids get into schools with more specialized programs (e.g. the Vila Olímpica Primary School is trilingual) while others are forced by elimination to go to schools with more traditional curriculum.

How do you rate the amenities available for parents and children in Barcelona?
Pretty good, but one has to work extremely hard and talk with lots of people in order to unearth a lot of activities.  Of course, the sources of information are improving all the time--like this new web page, for instance!  I wish something like this had been available when I had my first kid!
 One problem is that almost everything is geared to families with working mothers and fathers, so there are few activities until the evening when school gets out.  For stay-home kids, it's usually very late for them to be doing stuff then.
 
Where you live, how good are facilities for children (shops, restaurants, activities etc)?
I think it's pretty good here in Poblenou.  There are LOTS of little playgrounds for kids, and areas for doing sports activities (the beach, the park by the beach).  There are swimming pools. There is a free public library with a special area for kids. It has books, DVDs, access to Internet, kids' activities, etc.  There are quite a few shops with clothes for kids, and it's not far to two malls with more selection. It's not too far to the zoo.  There are activities at civic centers. There is a playgroup or two. There is a cinema with original language films. There are some places to go skating or bicycling.  The only negative things: maybe the restaurants aren't so kid-friendly (e.g. they don't normally have high chairs).  And of course, living in a flat is NOT so great as living in a house with a yard.  Whenever the kids are outside playing, an adult has to be watching over them.
 
What do you think are the main advantages and disadvantages of being a parent from the International Community living in Barcelona?
Advantages:  Obviously, an excellent advantage is that my kids will grow up multilingual!  For newcomers, having kids can help with integration, as talking with other parents and getting involved in school activities is a great way to become accepted by locals.
Disadvantages:  It can take you time to meet people with similar interests.  And if your friends are also from the international community, they are more likely to move away from Barcelona and leave you without their friendship.

Is there anything you think would improve children´s lives in Barcelona?
Perhaps eliminating the supposed lunchbreak at school, so that the kids could get out an hour or two earlier than they do. The school day seems so long!  (Hey, what about doing the same at offices, so parents could get home earlier and spend time with their kids!!)
Another nice thing would be to make all the schools bilingual (Spanish-Catalan) or even trilingual (Spanish-Catalan-English).

What do you wish you had been told before you came to Barcelona?
I wish I had realized the full importance of the Catalan language!  I don't think anyone understands it till they're here, though.  For instance, public schools teach everything in Catalan!
 
What advice would you give for anyone having a baby or thinking of relocating to Barcelona with children?
Having a baby: If someone really wants a natural birth with little or no medical intervention, the only way to guarantee that is to hire a midwife for a homebirth.  I would do a lot or reading up and do a birth prep course orienteered to that and then go with it.  If you or your partner is against that (as my husband was), or you can't afford it, the second best option is the Hospital de la Maternitat, though they always intervene to some extent.
Relocating to BCN with kids:  Learn some Spanish or Catalan before coming.  Depending on your area of business, Catalan can be important, although everyone speaks Spanish.  Once here, go to the "Ludoteca" play area in the Ciutadela Park.  It's a great place to meet people of all nationalities, and a great place for little kids to play!  Another thing:  Be very careful in choosing your landline and Internet provider.  Some of the companies make you pay for service when it isn't even working!
 
What couldn´t you live without in Barcelona?
I couldn't live without my network of friends made through our local Poblenou Playgroup!  They're fantastic with advice and  info about everything (from giving birth to buying flowers for a funeral and everything in-between!!), playmates for my kids, and just being there to talk to!

What could you live without?!
The long working hours!!!  My husband works approx 9am to 8pm or later!  Of course, supper and the kids' bedtime are way too late, too.