Thread: Moving to Baeza

Hello. I have been offered a job as an Au Pair in Baeza , which i am considering at the moment. Can anyone tell me what Baeza is like ?. I am 25 years old, is the night life good for people in my age group ?. Can you recommend good clothes shops, a good hairdressers, beauty salon ?. And can you tell me about health care and medical insurance, opening a bank account, and anything else in general about moving to Spain ?. I have never moved abroad before, so this is a big step.I wanted to try and find work in Mojacar, but I haven't seen any Au Pair jobs available there or anywhere near there, and i've heard it can be difficult to get a job in a bar or restaurant over there if you don't know much Spanish.I have an opportunity to learn Spanish as the family i will be working for are bilingual, and they teach at a language school which they said i can help out at if i'd like to.I know some families recommend that the Au Pair studies a Spanish course as well.

Hi Beth welcome to the Absolute Spain Forum. I don't know the town of Baeza, googling it came up with a few web sites for information, it seems to be a historical town, perched on a cliff top with approx 15000 inhabitants. For information about moving to and living in Spain we have several places you can look on the forum, do a search and check the 'Guide to Spain'

Hi Beth and welcome
Baeza is in the centre of Jaén Province (where I live) and was originally a Bronze age settlement which developed under the Romans as the town known as Biatia. Under the Visigoths in the 7C, it was an episcopal see and later became the capital of a taifa kingdom. Following the reconquest by Fernando III in 1227 it became a centre for the rechristianisation of al-Andalus.

Baeza ia a monument in itself offering surprise after surprise in the form of elegant palaces, monumental churches, enchanting nooks and crannies and exquisite architectural detail. The town's patios - havens of peace and quiet, hidden behind the attractive wrought iron grilles of some of the town's most delightful buildings - are an essential part of any visit.

The foregoing is copied (edited) from the Michelin guide. Since I'm not allowed to post URLs I will send you a PM with the website of the local turismo which will give you a better idea and an opportunity to learn a bit of Spanish.

I've been quite concerned about how much the family in Spain will pay me for the Au Pair work. They would pay me 50 Euros a week. I know some families pay an Au Pair between 70 and 100 Euros a week though. Do you think I would be underpaid with this family, or would 50 Euros a week be enough ? .I'm not sure how much things cost in Spain, so i'm not sure if it would be enough. It is supposed to be spending money though in return for me looking after their children and helping a little with housework.

Not being familiar with the au-pair field, 50€ may or may not be a fair rate.

Are they paying for your Social Security as an employee or are you expected to pay your own as an autonomo (self-employed person)? The minimum soc-sec you would have to pay as an autonomo you should be able to get from the INSS (Instituto Nacional de Seguridad Social) website. If you are expected to pay your own Soc-Sec (to ensure that you get your pension) then the rate you are paid needs to reflect this.

If everything is all-found then 50€ may be fair.

Have you got this job through an agency? If so can they tell what is a fair rate, alternatively ask another agency what you could get as an au-pair in a provincial area in Spain (let them think you are interested in applying for a post through them!)

P.S. When you are typing on a computer to get the Euro symbol (€) Hold down the "Alt" key and type 0128 on the numeric keypad, then release the Alt key.

Originally Posted by baldilocks

P.S. When you are typing on a computer to get the Euro symbol (€) Hold down the "Alt" key and type 0128 on the numeric keypad, then release the Alt key.

Hi Baldilocks, have you thought of investing in an up to date keyboard!!! then you wouldn't have to tax your brain thinking of all those numbers, just press the '€' sign... far easier.

Sorry I'm not a flush Police pensioner, I'm still wearing out the UK keyboards. Also the suegra (79 next Feb) is doing translation work from South American Spanish to American (I refuse to call that English) so if I make a change to the system, it is a case of spending my entire life dealing with her queries and problems.

Apart from that, the lass is obviously in UK and therefore has a non-Spanish keyboard, I was just trying to help her as you (a village copper) should be!

I wasn't sure whether to start a new thread, as i'm not moving to Baeza now. The family said my photos were great and that they would call me that night, and then about an hour later they sent another email saying they couldnt call me , but they would call me the following week if they were still looking for someone, and thanked me for my interest, So i'm assuming they found someone else.

I now have two more families to choose from, and i'm not sure which one to go for.One is in Pontevedra and the other is in Barcelona. I'll tell you about both families, and see what you think as well.

I have seen a photo of the children from the family in Pontevedra, and they look really sweet !. They are also quite shy and well behaved. I've also seen photos of the flat they live in, and it looks very nice !. The family said there would be no housework involved, i would just help the family with their English ( they are a Spanish family ), and take the kids to their after school activities.They also said i could have weekends off, or i could join them in whatever actvities they do at the weekend, if i would like to. And they said they would help me to learn Spanish. They will also pay me 75 Euros a week ( sorry, i tried to do the Euros sign, and it hasn't worked !. And yes, i am using a non-Spanish keyboard ). The only problem i'm having at the moment is i can't find any direct flights. They told me of three airports that are close to where they live. I'm not used to airports so it might be a bit of a problem for me to get an indirect flight. A family member is going to see me off at the airport here, and the family in Spain will meet me at the airport when i get there. The kids have seen my photos though, and have said they look forward to meeting me. The kids are a girl and a boy, by the way. The father doesn't know any English at all. The children and the mother only know a little English, so i hope it won't be too much of a problem for us to communicate, although it may be at first.

The family in Barcelona have three boys, and they require help with their homework,playing and learning English, and i would also take them to their activities and help clean the house a little bit. They have similar interests in music and films as i do too. The whole family sounds very nice. The situation with the flights is easy for this one as they are cheap and go directly from here to Barcelona. They haven't told me what the salary is yet, they said it's negotiable. They are also Spanish, and they said i can learn Spanish with them too.

I wanted to mention that usually when i hear Spaniards speak, it sounds as if they are talking very fast. Is that just because i can't understand the language, or are they actually speaking fast ?. Mind you, i've heard that sometimes it can sound to them as if peolpe who speak English are talking fast, even when they aren't.
If i have missed anything out i will add it here. I hope i will be able to pick the language up.

Make your pros and cons list in a nice looking table on a white A4 sheet of paper. This will be your best bet to get a clear idea of what's the better choice.

Here some starters:

Barcelona

- Cleaning involved
- Direct flights
- Big city with many opportunities (make new friends, nightlife, history, museuss....)
- No clear idea of salary - what does "negotiable" mean?
- Does family speak English?

I suggest you find our what area in Barcelona they live as central Barcelona is very different to outskirts... Also clear up the salary before you go, tell them you have been offered around 120 euros by another family in another location, but you'd prefer Barcelona - see what they say.

Pontevedra

- No cleaning involved
- No direct flights
- Pontevedra options for culture? nightlife? new friends?
- Appears to be a straightforward family - clear salary.
- Family speaks little English: Communication problems?

I strongly suggest you check out what leisure opportunities the area/city/towns in and around Pontevedra offer you.

Hope that helps!