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Hello from Liverpool (UK) to Roquetas De Mar

Posted: Wed Jun 26, 2019 8:39pm
11 replies493 views5 members subscribed
missrv86

Posts: 17

2 helpful points

Location: Roquetas de Mar

Joined: 26 Jun 2019

Hello and thank you for letting me join. 

I have just accepted a job in a school in Roquetas De Mar for September as a teacher. 

I'm moving out of my mum's house for the first time, I have so many questoions; 

1. Is it worth me getting a car out there or is public transport adequate? 

2. I have a number of outgoings in the UK (credit cards and a bank loan) my friend said I can't transfer money to a British bank for 3 months? Is this the case? 

3. I'm pescatarian (fish eating vegetarian) will I struggle? 

4. Is it maybe worth getting a bicycle? 

5. Can anyone recommend a good airport transfer service or should I use uber? (I won't be driving for the first week I'm there whilst I'm finding things out.) 

6. Does anyone have a copy of a bus timetable? 

Any tips on things to bring with me? Or any general advice? I'm so excited but so scared at the same time. I am in the process of sorting an apartment out, close to the beach in aguadulce sur but no pool. Is there a public pool anywhere in that area for very hot weekends? 

Kdskitchens

Posted: Thu Jun 27, 2019 2:49pm

Kdskitchens

Helpful member

Posts: 260

137 helpful points

Location: Mojacar

Joined: 30 Mar 2018

Posted: Thu Jun 27, 2019 2:49pm

im Too far away to give you advice but sounds very exciting , take your time , enjoy the experience , if you have never been to roquettas , take a look from the motorway , wow , it’s massive . Transport will be dead easy and cheap . As for the rest I think I may know who your working for , good luck and say hello from karl kdscosta.com 

missrv86

Posted: Thu Jun 27, 2019 6:30pm

missrv86

Original Poster

Posts: 17

2 helpful points

Location: Roquetas de Mar

Joined: 26 Jun 2019

Posted: Thu Jun 27, 2019 6:30pm

Thank you:) 

chrisso50

Posted: Thu Jun 27, 2019 10:44pm

chrisso50

Super helpful member

Posts: 1106

1334 helpful points

Location: Roquetas de Mar

Joined: 23 Jul 2018

Posted: Thu Jun 27, 2019 10:44pm

Hi Miss RV!

We live in Roquetas de Mar so will try to answer your questions - but with some of our own...

You start the job in Sept but when do you plan to arrive here? There are just a few British immigrants here and we may be able to assist with all sorts of issues. For a starter - if you are here for more than 90 days you will need to seek residency. You may need help in doing this but the paperwork has to be filed at the office in Almeria City.

Your  questions; 

1. Is it worth me getting a car out there or is public transport adequate? 

[It depends where you live, how far from the school. Buses will get you from A-B and are cheap but are not that reliable. Cars are expensive but hold their value better than in the U.K. Taxis are v expensive but I don't know about Uber, never used.] 

2. I have a number of outgoings in the UK (credit cards and a bank loan) my friend said I can't transfer money to a British bank for 3 months? Is this the case? 

[Not true. You will want to open a Spanish bank account ASAP and can do that as soon as you arrive. Assuming your income is paid into your Spanish account in euros you can transfer monies to your UK accounts via Transferwise - much cheaper than via a bank using SWIFT]

3. I'm pescatarian (fish eating vegetarian) will I struggle? 

[Not in the least! Lots of fish here, we are on the Med. And vegetables ... tapas by the bucketload too]

4. Is it maybe worth getting a bicycle? 

[Absolutely. You can buy one at Decathlon near here. There is a 14kms paseo with cycle track by the sea - runs from Aguadulce all the way to the Roquetas nature reserve. That could also solve your home to work transport query. It hardly ever rains here, we are the only desert region in Europe!]

5. Can anyone recommend a good airport transfer service or should I use uber? (I won't be driving for the first week I'm there whilst I'm finding things out.) 

[use two buses: L30 from airport to Almeria City €1; 330/331 from Almeria to Roquetas (I think via Aguadulce) €2. Some visitors rent a car for first week to familiarise themselves]

6. Does anyone have a copy of a bus timetable? 

[Can be downloaded but basically the ALSA buses run frequently/hourly but not reliably!]

Any tips on things to bring with me? 

[Hat! Plenty of electrical adapters,]

Or any general advice? 

[We assume that you speak Spanish? If not - no worries you can get lessons and Spanish conversation classes here.]

I'm so excited but so scared at the same time. I am in the process of sorting an apartment out, close to the beach in aguadulce sur but no pool. Is there a public pool anywhere in that area for very hot weekends? 

[Communal Pools for apartments tend to be open June-Sept only (school holidays). They are a boon! You may not need a pool outside these dates but the RdM indoor muni pool is open all year round, as is the sea. August is mucho calor!]

Good luck! You will love it here, it’s where the Spanish come for holidays and whilst there are a few of us Brits you tend to hear Spanish voices everywhere. Our adult children and grandchildren love visiting us here. If you ever want to meet up with us at a cafe/bar for a chat or just want more info just send me a private message.

Best wishes 

Chris

missrv86

Posted: Thu Jun 27, 2019 11:16pm

missrv86

Original Poster

Posts: 17

2 helpful points

Location: Roquetas de Mar

Joined: 26 Jun 2019

Posted: Thu Jun 27, 2019 11:16pm

Hi Chris 

Thank you so much for your detailed reply. I speak conversational Spanish (but hoping to improve, that said, I managed to speak to the estate agent this morning without problem.) 

Your answer has helped me a lot :) Thank you so much. 

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chrisso50

Posted: Fri Jun 28, 2019 9:11am

chrisso50

Super helpful member

Posts: 1106

1334 helpful points

Location: Roquetas de Mar

Joined: 23 Jul 2018

Posted: Fri Jun 28, 2019 9:11am

Hi again

I forgot to mention (re. bank account). We opened an account with Sabadell in March 2018. We have been happy with them and it’s free banking as long as €700 is paid in (in total) each month. There’s a branch in central Roquetas and a couple of staff speak some English. I have heard horror stories about another bank (Bankia) but never about Sabadell.

Chris

missrv86

Posted: Fri Jun 28, 2019 10:32am

missrv86

Original Poster

Posts: 17

2 helpful points

Location: Roquetas de Mar

Joined: 26 Jun 2019

Posted: Fri Jun 28, 2019 10:32am

Fantastic thank you :) 

Ruchabo

Posted: Sun Jun 30, 2019 4:06pm

Posts: 9

4 helpful points

Location: Roquetas de Mar

Joined: 16 Sep 2016

Posted: Sun Jun 30, 2019 4:06pm

A lot depends on exactly where you'll be teaching in Roquetas and your hours. As a general rule, wherever you live here, I'd  say a bike is pretty indispensable.  A car isn't: for planned journeys, the bus service is ok. ( By which I mean about max 2 per hour at peak times)

BUT: If you're in a language school and finish shifts at say 9.30 at night ( v highly likely timetable ) then a half hour ride back to Aguadulce by the coastal cycle path ( paseo marítimo) is going to feel like a real slog. It's also quite an isolated route at times and one I don't like doing and thus avoid in the dark. and finally can be incredibly windy.. . So much so that at times you will have to dismount and walk with the bike. I'd you are in a language school, you will be teaching end to end, from about 4- 9/10pm. Trust me, you will want to be very close to home at the end of it all.

If you're living by the coast in Aguadulce, you'll prob have to walk up the hill for about 1/2 hour for the bus into Roquetas.

I wouldn't live in Aguadulce if your hours are as described above. You're much better off in Roquetas itself. 

Banco de Santander on the Avda de Roquetas were helpful: they allowed me to open an A/C there before I had my residency sorted.  

Your employers should help you with : residency and NIE, medical card, all reasonabe teething problems.

WiFi recommendation: Schedia, also in Avda de Roquetas. Sounds reliable service which you'll need for lesson planning. 

Ruchabo

Posted: Sun Jun 30, 2019 4:19pm

Posts: 9

4 helpful points

Location: Roquetas de Mar

Joined: 16 Sep 2016

Posted: Sun Jun 30, 2019 4:19pm

Ps. Looking at Christie's comments re Sabadell, they sound like the best, rather than Santander. 

missrv86

Posted: Mon Jul 8, 2019 3:22pm

missrv86

Original Poster

Posts: 17

2 helpful points

Location: Roquetas de Mar

Joined: 26 Jun 2019

Posted: Mon Jul 8, 2019 3:22pm

Thank you sorry it's taken me so long to reply x

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