Cyprus-Forum.com

[Cyprus2008]

Hi Everyone...

Firstly hello to everyone as this is my first post on this site!!!

I am seeking some help with regards to schools and jobs in the paphos area. We are looking to move this summer, and have 2 children aged 4.

I have seen the international school of paphos, but we are thinking that they should go to a Cypriot State School. Can anybody help with the process of this?

Also, my wife and I are looking for jobs in the area. I am a retail manager for Asda Walmart and she is a Airport Manager at Heathrow Airport (Both very good / senior roles).

Please can you suggest some recruitment sites for us, maybe with hotel management?

Thank you all...




David & Amanda

[cyprusgrump]

There are loads of threads on the subject of jobs and schools in Cyprus – try the search facility and you’ll dig-out much useful information.

However, you clearly need to do much more research before even considering moving out here permanently. Suggest you take a long holiday and use it to evaluate the cost of living and the likelihood (or otherwise) of obtaining ‘very good / senior roles’ in the workplace without knowing anybody or (presumably) speaking Greek.

That is all…

[Cyprus2008]

We have just returned from Paphos, we have been there for 3 weeks as we got married- prior to that, we have had a 2 week holiday in January.

When we returned, we have decided to move permantly.

[cyprusgrump]

Being on holiday is great – living here is very different.

It is clear that you didn’t research jobs or schools while you were here. Unless you are rich I suggest you come over again on a ‘working holiday’ and look into both.

We came on holiday and decided to lice here permanently (I’d never been to Cyprus before) so I can understand the attraction. However, we had the luxuries of being solvent, no school age children and running our own business at the time.

[Bill]

I'm afraid I'm with Cyprusgrump on this one.

Having a holiday in Cyprus and actually living here are two very different experiences ~ why Paphos ~ at a guess it's the location you had your holiday and you feel comfortable there.

There are other locations in Cyprus just as nice and to be honest probably with better chances of securing employment such as Limassol, Larnaca and Nicosia.

I do hope you haven't already put a deposit on a Cyprus home yet ~ you would be surprised how many people are so taken with Cyprus whilst on holiday that they put a deposit down on their new Cyprus home and move here with apparently very little research then move back to the UK within two years bitterly disappointed with what Cyprus offers ~ I often smile when I read the desperate pleas for employment on some of the other forums .

Once the rose tinted "isn't Cyprus wonderful" glasses are removed the stark reality of living, working and educating children sets in and they realise that Cyprus isn't that great really .

Employment.
You will have a great deal of difficulty getting any senior management positions without being fluent in the Greek language.

You might be able to find employment at the airport but it won't be a senior position and even the supermarkets require a good understanding of spoken Greek for their checkout girls .

In short unless you have a particular talent needed in Cyprus or manage to secure employment with a off shore company / on line gambling organisation etc the lack of speaking the Greek language will hamper you in your search for work .

I also have a little snigger at those coming to Cyprus wanting to open a bar or restaurant often with no previous experience ~ whilst it's a lovely dream sadly in practice it's almost bound to fail .

Education.
You are lucky that your children are quite young and if put into the state school system will soon pick up the Greek language plus if you do end up going back to the UK within say three years your children will not suffer to much by returning to the UK school system.

I'm often shocked at some parents attitude towards their children's education ~ the way they shove their kids into the Greek state schooling system when they are in their teens and expecting them to cope is nothing short of disgusting and shows little regard for both their children's education and well being.

Sending your children to one of the many private English schools is probably the best choice but very expensive ~ unless you have plenty of money to begin with or manage to secure well paid employment it will not be affordable over the long term.

Your Cyprus home
The best advice most people give is to rent in Cyprus for the first 6 to 12 months ~ make sure you like the place ~ can find employment and you are happy with what Cyprus has to offer .

The advantage of renting is that if you decide you don't like one particular location you can move easily ~ a English neighbour of one of my friends is always complaining about dogs barking all night and that it's making her very ill ~ sadly the barking dogs, fighting cats, idiots running around on scooters and the local formula one team practicing their road grid starts are all part of Cyprus and often never heard from a 5 * hotel but become a reality when you actually live here.

There are some folk who have left Cyprus because they are sensitive about animal rights and are shocked at the Cypriots attitude towards animals ~ not that the UK is much different but it's more "in your face" here.

What ever you do please don't fall for the assurances and promises from developers and estate agents that everything will be wonderful and you will have no problems with employment and children's education ~ they often tell the most outrageous lies to get that all important signature on a contract.

Conclusion
By all means relocate to Cyprus but bring enough to keep you going for at least 12 months .

Don't buy here until you are absolutely sure where you will eventually live.

With the present economic climate in the UK it's probably not the best time to sell with house prices falling every week plus your GB pound will not get you very far in Cyprus due to the poor exchange rate against the Euro

Do your research ~ think about it carefully ~ bring a fair amount of money with you ~ get employment sorted out before you come .~ take off the "Cyprus is wonderful" glasses and explore the realities and you will be fine .

Probably a better website for you to look at is Cyprus living which is a Paphos based web site ~ I think you need to do some serious reading of the various previous posts as most deal with the same situation that you are now in ~~ http://www.cyprusliving.org/

Oh and good luck ~ you will need it

Bill

[Cyprus2008]

1. The reason for Paphos is that we have family members that own / live in Paphos - one in Universal, and Sirena Olympia.

Also, We got married in the Azia Hotel.

2. We would learn Greek as soon as possible.

3. We would have enough money for 12 months.

4. We would rent our house in UK for approx £1200Sterling, leaving enough money to pay mortgage, and rent in Cyprus!


Now can someone suggest some websites with job vacancies, and also, suggest some schools in the Paphos area?

Thanks

[RichardB]

Try Cyprus Jobs link at the foot of this forum homepage or the eures website which gives the better selection of jobs - Good luck

[Cyprus2008]

Thank You RichardB

[Bill]

1. The reason for Paphos is that we have family members that own / live in Paphos - one in Universal, and Sirena Olympia.

Also, We got married in the Azia Hotel.

2. We would learn Greek as soon as possible.

3. We would have enough money for 12 months.

4. We would rent our house in UK for approx £1200Sterling, leaving enough money to pay mortgage, and rent in Cyprus!


Now can someone suggest some websites with job vacancies, and also, suggest some schools in the Paphos area?

Thanks

Well that sounds pretty good and looks as if you have things sorted so I expect you will be moving soon .

The eures website doesn't seem to be working at the moment ~ I tried it before my last post ~ the site shows you jobs available but as soon as you click on "more details " it says the job can't be found ~ which is why I didn't post a link.

To be quite honest the Eures site is often out of date and doesn't always show the salary

The cyprus job portal shows plenty of jobs but is quite hard to navigate and doesn't show salaries ~ if only they would put a all jobs option it would be fine ( except for not stating the salary).

Schools will be closing soon ( if not already closed ) and won't open til the beginning of sept although they have registration days towards the end of July .
But as your children are only 4 years old I wouldn't worry to much as they are to young for school at the moment

Did you look at the Cyprus living website I recommended to you

Anyway best of luck with your new life in Cyprus

Bill

[RichardB]

The eures website doesn't seem to be working at the moment ~ I tried it before my last post ~ the site shows you jobs available but as soon as you click on "more details " it says the job can't be found ~ which is why I didn't post a link.

To be quite honest the Eures site is often out of date and doesn't always show the salary

Working ok at the moment Bill all salaries showing and delails available
(well as of 5 minutes ago anyway)

Will agree that its not always up to date but then again neither are most recruitment sites. But you can get a general idea of salaries etc.

Another idea cyprus2008 why not post your cv on these websites