My family is also moving to Cyprus and many people, including a very nice gentleman from expatexchange.com in Cyprus gave me by first insight into Cyprus. Some things I have learned so far is this: the health system is as up-to-date as Britain, all state hospitals and some of the newer private ones have the latest state of the art medical technology that we all take for granted in the UK. All the doctors speak fluent English and have trained in USA, UK and Germany and then returned "home" to practice in Cyprus. Private health insurance is available and depending on the type of cover generally starts at around CYP£400 per annum. Not everyone in the family has to have it, however like all policies it probably doesn't cover pre-existing medical conditions so may not be much use to you. I understand from a friend in Cyprus that obtaining prescriptions and medication like we have in the UK is virtually the same in Cyprus. Cyprus stocks most well known brands and medication from well known pharmaceutical companies in the UK and Europe. I can't imagine that he is going to have a problem. We are in the process of obtaining a copy of our medical files to take with us when we go. We are paying £150 Sterling to have these copied but we will only get copies of those items that were on the file after the law changed when patients were permitted to have access to some of their notes. For notes prior to the law changing, our GP is going to write down a brief outline of the problems as they occurred at the time. You may want to consider this to alleviate any problems in Cyprus in waiting for notes to be transferred and when regiistering at a new GP's. This will allow continuity of your elder's sons medical regime. As for employment, go to the EURES website. It is a European wide job search facility. You can select by country and by various keywords or if you are like me you can plough through the 2000+ jobs that come up on curiosity principles. Skilled tradesmen and professionals get paid far more than non-skilled or professional staff. Don't expect to earn what you do in the UK. A Secretary for example may earn up to CYP£500 per month, a skilled trademan between CYP£600 - CYP£800 per month. Having said that, what you do earn will go 10 tens further than in the UK and you will have a better lifestyle there with a high standard of living and relatively free from crime. I don't know if you have considered schooling but unless your son speaks fluent Greek I wouldn't consider putting him into a Greek state school. Although these are free and children of non-native Greek speaking countries get intensive Greek tuition I think at 11 years of age, it is asking too much of him to adjust to his new life abroad, and his loss of friends in the UK by expecting him to start a new school, make new friends and get to grips with a strange language. It is far better, in my opinion, that he continues his education in an environment that he knows, in a language that he understands and on the whole an English schooling curriculum that he can follow. There are many English Language Schools and Paphos has an International School. Head Principal is a Dr L Olympiou. These schools come with an annual fee of between CYP£2000 and CYP£3000 per year but considerably cheaper than private schools in the UK. Greek tuition is back on the menu in the UK for both school children and adults alike. In some parts of the UK it has been missing off the "menu" for some 10 years. My daughter, aged 10 is receiving lessons with 2 other children aged 6 and 9 with a private Greek female tutor and I am learning to speak the language at an adult education centre. Although it is a complicated language, I am surprised at how quickly I am picking it up (as is my daughter!). 5 weeks into the course and I am recognising words and spelling in Greek. If nothing else, it will ease your transition into Cypriot life if you only use it to order 1 beer and 1 coffee please!!! Gracie06

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Hi Gracie06
Many thanks for your helpful reply. You are obviously further down the relocation road than us!! I will look in more detail at the government website and hopefully the medical situation wont be our downfall in relocating. We had a look at the new Paphos International School when we visited in July and this is probably the road that we will go down for schooling our youngest son - although by the time we get there he may have already finished his education!!
I think that with regards to my husbands intended occupation, we really should think seriously about taking some greek language lessons as I'm sure this type of employment would not be easy to secure without a degree of language ability. I've started making enquiries in my local area for classes.
We will be visiting cyprus again in August - peristerona area this time and hopefully will gain a little more knowledge on the multitude of questions that keep popping up.
Hope all goes well with your move - keep in touch.

Larco1

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Thanks for reply Larco1 - gosh I hadn't realised how long my first message was. That's what happens when you type at midnight!! I am pleased you have been to the International School of Paphos. My husband and I are visiting Cyprus 21 November for 1 week to add more of the picture to the jigsaw and have an appointment with Dr Olympiou at the school on Thursday 23 November. If possible and you are logged in before we travel, please could you give me your impressions of the school and the school set up. Is there anything I should be concerned about? I would very much appreciate your insight into this. We have a friend in Cyprus called Nick Tournavitis who works as a self-employed financial advisor and property expert. He takes the hassle out of finding a house to live in. Give him an area, your budget, either in Cyprus pounds or Sterling and what you are looking for and he'll find it. He's the Greek version of Amanda Lamb's Place in the Sun programme and damned good looking too!!! He's our anchor on the ground so to speak. His website is www.locationwisecyprus.com. If know the website is in its infancy so if this doesn't come up, let me know and I will obtain Nick's email address for you. Gracie06. x

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Hi Gracie06
Just read your reply, hope you have a good trip on Tuesday. When we visited cyprus in July the International school wasn't actually ready for occupation. We wanted to get a feel for the area and try to find the new building as we were told by our James Villas rep, who we were holidaying with at the time, that the village of Mesogi was a lovely traditional cypriot village that may suit our requirements for an area to relocate to. The school is also in this vicinity so we thought we'd take an early look. You wouldn't believe how long it took us to find the village and the school!! I'm sure you've experienced how one village/area just seems to
merge with another without any sign-posting. We drove around for what seemed like hours, even stopping to ask shopkeepers etc. who hadn't even heard of the village we were trying to find!! We literally just stumbled on it eventually, wondering how on earth we could ever have possibly missed it in the first place. I hope you have a better sense of direction than we did.
Which area are you looking to move to? Due to the school being in Paphos we have only been thinking of that area, but preferably not where its too built up. Tremithousa is quite a nice little village as well, but personally I quite like the area that is out past Coral Bay and the Sea Caves. My hubby would rather be out in the middle of nowhere, thats why we always end up holidaying in the more remote, off the beaten tracks type of areas.
Will check out your friend Nick's website - this may be very useful in the future. Hope all goes well with your trip, would be happy to hear how things progress for you. Good luck. Larco1.

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If you are looking Coral Bay, Sea Caves area to live you are going to be looking at over 40 minutes to get to the school every day maybe a little less......Yes it is beautiful, but so far from amenities. The international school opened September when the kids went back after the summer break. They are also building a new american acadamy at Koloni. Which is inbetween the airport and Paphos. The villages this side are a lot less built up. Timi, Anarita are lovely local villages. Mandria is nice but in the flight path for the airport. It is a lot quicker to get to everything from this side of Paphos too.

Take a look at www.cyprusvillas4rent.co.uk for long term rentals.

Susanbunny

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Hi Susanbunny
Thanks for your advice - we will certainly take a look at the areas you have mentioned when we come out in August. We're not so worried about the length of time it takes to get to facilities as the object of our relocation is for a calmer, slower pace of life !! Although I expect the boys would like to be closer to where theres some action.
Our main concern is finding employment. As you've probably read my previous exchanges with Gracie06, my husband is a technician working within our local power industry, but he is now considering re-training as an electrician as we have been told that he is more likely to find employment much more quickly in this field. We are still looking at a year or two before we will be in a position to make the move but are gathering as much info as we can until then.
Any further advice would be gratefully received. Larco1

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Hi Susanbunny
Thanks for your helpful info. We will certainly have a look around the areas you suggested when we visit next year. I'm not so concerned about being close to facilities as we're looking for a quieter pace of life compared to what we have at present!! I expect my boys would like to be close to all the action though. We're more worried about the chances of finding long term employment - in fact we wont be able to consider relocating unless my hubby secures work before we leave. He is thinking about retraining as an electrician as we've been told this is a profession that is much needed at the moment. He works in the electricity industry at present but on the heavy duty side - overhead powerlines and project management. We dont think theres much chance of employment in Cyprus' power industry. We are also hoping to start learning the greek language some time in the new year, which we feel will make relocating that bit easier.
Thanks for your help - all advice gratefully received.
Larco1

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Kalimera Larco01 - Gracie06 here. Reporting in after a hectic week in Cyprus! We hired a 4x4 and have driven 1000k!! Went to the International School in Paphos. Great place, new building superb and they are now in the process of building another new extension to the existing school at Geroskipou, heading towards the airport. Current population is 40% british kids and 60% other nations, ex-pat greek cypriots, greek cypriots, french, german and Russian kids taking up the excess. Compulsory tests in English and Maths are required for entrance to the school. Each test is 1.30 hrs long!! Fees for Year 5 and 6 are currently under the £3,000 Sterling mark and only climb slightly on top of that until the age of 18! International GCSE at 'O' and 'A' are taken on the same day as UK so no cheating can take place. Subjects are very similar to UK, in fact probably a few more thrown in that my daughter doesn't do now but Greek is a compulsory lesson. State of the art media centre, all lessons done via an interactive whiteboard, brand new library, swimming pool, mega sports facilities, the bees knees of a canteen split into two. The 6th formers can choose to eat crips and chocolate if they want to but the younger children can only eat healthy options! Sounds good to me! The Principal is a lady called Dr L Olympiou who taught in the UK at Washington near Newcastle-upon-Tyne for nearly 20 years. School begins at 0730 hrs and finishes at 1305 hrs for years 5 and 6 and the seniors finish at 1405 hrs. Additonal tutorial classes and afternoon school clubs are available to take them up to 1700 hrs if required. Afternoon school clubs are free, extra lessons are chargeable. However, having done a comuting exercise from Pahpos to Nicosia, we have realised (as other have pointed out) that this is too long a journey for my husband on a daily basis so we been seriously mouching around the Larnaka area and boy you get much more for your dosh out that way than in Paphos. We went to look at the Area and resale houses to get a feel, but have ended up buying off-plan and have got everything we want in a house for a darn sight less than in Paphos. 3 schools in the Larnaka area. The American Academy, british kids in the minority. Tends to be favoured by Business men for their children but also expat American Greek Cypriots. Very high education standard - fail 1 years exams and you're out!! 2nd school called PASCAL, also near Larnaka - again a very high standard but the emphasis is on motivating and releasing a child's potential. We spoke to British parents whose children attend and they have been amazed at how much better their children are doing in school than they were in the UK. The children we spoke to said they felt much more confidant and there wasn't any peer pressure to misbehave - everyone wanted to achieve their best. Class sizes are between 20 to 26 max per year but they all felt that they got much more individual attention than their British schools. Fees for Years 5 and 6, CYP£2100 per year. 3rd school - MedJunior and MedHigh (Med standing for Mediterranean) - another private English school in the centre of Larnaka. This favours the English education system again, subjects very similar to ours, but instead of bring 100% British education it runs, in my opion 80% leaning to the British schooling curriculum and 20% towards the American so much so that any child obtaining the necessary 'A' levels can choose to go to a British or American University. A high academic standard, another entrance test in Maths and English but focuses on the motivation of the child (as PASCAL) and includes extra help in all areas of schooling - ie the child struggles because he/she misses their school in the UK = support from school counsellors, buddy system in peer groups to help integrate child into school, many after school clubs, summer holiday activities, a summer camp, ski-ing in the winter, canoeing clubs etc etc etc. Their mission statement is that "every child is equal regardless of colour or creed". It seems a thoroughly unbelievable school. The children we spoke to at ranbdom loved being at school. If they struggled, they knew they had someone other than parents to assist them. The British kids were ecstatic! Annum fees around CYP£2100 with marginal increases for rest of years up to 18. I was left with a really good feeling about this school. The villa we have chosen is a 4 bed with ensuite master bedroom, with utility room, 8x4m pool and garage, comes with double glazing, full aircon system, full central heating system inc boiler, marble floors and granite work surfaces as standard - all external lights, drive gates, you name it, the biz for CYP170K. The developer is a well respected builder for the Larnaka area but the independent agents are brits from a company called buyabroad.com based in Bedforshire. Their Cyprus agents, Steve and Sherida Cooper are 2nd to none. They showed us around the Larnaka area, took us for amazing fish and chips on the Dekehlia Sovereign Base and when it came to form filling and introductions to the lawyer and architect and the bank they were there every step of the way with so much enthasism that you would think it was their villa that was being built and not ours!! The area we have chosen is 12 miles from Larnaka on the Limassol side of Larnaka but only 40 minutes journey to Nicosia for my husband. The nice and refreshing thing about the Cyprus agents for buyabroad.com is that they don't favour any one developer but the developers they do have on their list are trusted ones with a solid reputation. They are similar to Amanda Lamb's Place in the Sun TV program. Tell them what you want, what your budget is, whether you want resale or off-plan and roughly the area you want to be in, and they'll do the rest. Anything more you want to know just ask me. Kind regards, Gracie06

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Hi Gracie06 - Sorry for the delay in replying, internet playing up again and up to my neck in christmas shopping! Sounds as though you had a very busy but productive trip to cyprus. The schools in Larnaka are a very interesting alternative to paphos. Have you made any decisions in choosing one yet? They do sound as you said very impressive.
How long will you have to wait for your villa to be ready and are you planning on moving out before its finished? It sounds just like the type of place that we would be interested in ourselves. Is it on a development? We were thinking that we would rent somewhere for a while to give us a chance to get a feel for different areas. Did you arrange a viewing trip with a developer or just arranged viewings when you arrived? Sorry to ask so many questions but these are all considerations that we've also been mulling over.
I've managed to find a greek language course in my area, starting in the new year, but I'm also thinking about the home tutoring Rosetta Stone language course that would be useful for the whole family to use at the same time. Its a bit pricey but makes economic sense when we can all benefit and practice together. Have you tried anything like this as before I pay for it I'd like to know what someone else thinks of it.
What was Cyprus like at this time of year? We've never visited out of season. Thats something that we'll have to give a try at some point in the future. Where did you stay whilst you were there?
I've found some more useful job websites: www.cyprusjobs.com, www.discoverpaphos.com, www.jobsabroad.com. but still nothing in the field that would be suited to my hubby's occupation. He's seriously considering retraining now to give us a better chance.
If we wanted to live in America, we'd be laughing over the job situation as they seem to be crying out for power industry staff over there. Some friends of ours recently relocated to Australia - working in the same industry and had no difficulty securing employment before they went. It doesn't seem quite so easy to relocate to cyprus unless you are planning on retiring or becoming self-employed. Nevertheless we'll keep working on it - we've got some time yet before we'll be ready!!
Speak to you soon - Larco1

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Hello Larco's. Are you resident in Cyprus yet? We were hoping to beat you there, but we haven't achieved this either. We think we may have found a buyer for the house, at long last, (been up for sale for 1 year). How's your house sale doing in Wales?

Gracie06

PS We're now going to be based near Larnaca

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Hi Gracie06,
My fiance and I have put a holding deposit down on an off plan apartment in Kiti through Buy abroad. We also viewed with Steve and Sherida and have been happy so far. We agreed to have the recommended lawyer. My fiance is already living in Cyprus, I am not yet. He has signed the sales contract, I havent yet, it is being posted over to me. On looking through the internet I am a bit concerned and have read a bad review of buy abroad and in particular the lawyer! I was relieved to find such positive comments from you. Just wondering, has everything gone smoothly since? I need my mind putting at rest before I sign the sales contract and we proceed with our mortgage application!!!
Any comments be gratefully received!

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