Paphos People

To all members who live out there can I ask you one ,well alright three,simple questions
What was it that made you move to Cyprus ?
And having decided to do so what makes you stay ?
Do you see yourselves ever going back to the UK ?
If you could be brutally honest with your answers I think it would greatly assist us who still wait to make the move.
A brief summary of your circs would help also.
Thanks, Gary

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So close yet so far away

Hi Gary,

A lot of people have asked these questions of me over the last couple of years, and I find it difficult to answer with any real clarity. For me it was just something that evolved slowly over all my married life. Right at the beginning of our marriage I wanted to move "to the continent" and explore other countries, but my other half was too fearful of such an adventure. But as the years passed, and we struggled with mortgages, bringing up kids, illnesses and redundancies, we just felt that there had to be a better life out there for us.

As the years passed, I would never have left my Mum as we were all she had and out of love and loyalty I could not have moved to another country whilst she was alive. So it wasn't until she died in 2002 that we started talking with any conviction about a move.

We love Greece, the Greek Islands, and Crete was spoken about. We also love Portugal. We felt Portugal would be difficult to find work, as would Crete, because of the language barrier. We are practical people and know our limitations. We didn't have much money in comparison to the people we know out here now who have retired. We also don't have the security of a regular income via a pension. So Cyprus, with English spoken fairly widely, and a lower cost of living, seemed the way to go. We had been here twice on holiday and although we didn't "love" the island the way some people do, it ticked the boxes for us. Another catalyst for us was the death of my closest friend when she seemed so young and full of life. It made us realise that we had to follow our hearts and not keep putting things off. We may not have the time we think. So that was how we chose it.

What makes us stay? We have found a lifestyle here that is much more relaxed than our UK one. We don't think twice about saying yes when people ask us if we want to go out to dinner. We still pinch ourselves when we look out of our living room window at the changing views of the Akamas down to Lara. We eat better - I can't remember when I last had a frozen ready meal. Never since I moved to Cyprus. This time of year, when everything is green and the spring flowers are out and the sun sets directly in front of us so that we can sit inside if it is cold, but still see it, is just perfect. I didn't come here for the sunshine in the summer months, or to turn myself into a piece of leather. I came here to get the benefit of the winter sun. The blue skies and bright days. I have mental health issues, so for me - and Phil - anything that reduces the risk of me becoming ill is worth a try.

Would I go back to the UK? Well, who knows. I have my sons there, so I can't categorically say no. But if I am not forced to go back, I wouldn't choose to go back. The UK is a lovely country, physically. There are some beautiful places to visit and to stay. But I could never afford to visit these places when I lived there. It is a sad state of affairs to think that I am in a better position to visit the UK and see its beauty now that I am not being fleeced by its government. I didn't resent paying the amount of tax that was taken out of my salary. But I did resent what it was used for. And when we have needed a little support from the system it was never there. I don't think about it any more because it is not my problem now, but it used to make me feel angry and uptight. I also didn't like the violence of the society and I feel more relaxed here with the Inians and the goats.

Cyprus isn't perfect, but there is nowhere on this earth that it because humans get in the way of perfection. Cyprus gives me what I want for now. Will I stay forever? Maybe, maybe not. I will see what it holds for me when I retire, God willing I get that far.

Any regrets? (You missed that common question out). None. I miss my boys, but much as I would love them to live out here so that I could see them more often, it really wouldn't be right for them. It may suit Nathan's lifestyle if he took up his diving seriously, but Kieran works for the RFU. He is having the time of his life mingling with his heros and coaching lads who may shape the future of the England team. He wouldn't be happy here.

I just want to add that your questions are asked of me - and others who live here - many times over. Apart from wondering how I would feel about leaving my boys behind I never really pondered on how others felt and their reasons for leaving the UK. I was too busy following my own heart and just wanted help with the practicalities, such as, where do I start? No matter what motivated others, or how they feel now, it is what motivates YOU that matters. And as for how you will feel once you have made the move, well no-one can tell you. It is the one thing that you cannot research. You just have to bite the bullet and dive into the unknown.

Verity.

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Verity.

Be who you are, and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind.

http://coecyp.blogspot.com

Hi Gary

My story - well, I always knew I would end up somewhere "abroad" - although I always thought it would be Spain! I had never even contemplated Cyprus for a holiday, in fact I booked to come here once, then cancelled it as I didn't really fancy the idea of Cyprus. Then, five years ago, my friends and I were looking for a destination for a New Year holiday - there were 9 of us in total, my friend and her husband, her sister andher family, and me. They all liked the idea of Cyprus, and who was I to argue, so I fell in with their plans. It was either do that, or spend New Year alone in the UK. We stayed at the Ascos Coral Beach Hotel in Coral Bay, and I just fell in love with the island. We hired cars and saw quite a bit , and I realised how much I was enjoying the place and the people.

I went home and went back to work, and it dawned on me even more how much I hated my life back then. I had already sold my house, and was in rented accomodation, having been to Spain to look for property to buy, but not having found anything suitable, so I booked a holiday for the March, on my own, to see if I still liked it as much. I stayed at the Ascos again, and while here (having decided it was all I was looking for), I went out with an agent and ended up buying an apartment off plan. I don't know what it was that made me do it, but I just felt so comfortable and safe here, and still do. As people state on other posts about the terrible crime in the UK - I daren't even walk round the corner to the shop at night in the UK, and that was in a small village, as there were crowds of young people hanging around - not because they'd nowhere to go, they'd already trashed the local community centre!

So, as soon as my property was ready I knew I had to move out here, and my 12 month plan started. I saved as much as I could, and although my 12 months actually turned into 15 months I wasn't far off. My best friend had emigrated to Australia, and I had no circle of friends in the UK, so I did the best thing I could have done and moved over here. I already had friends over here, and my circle of friends has grown so much since I moved here. I won't say it was easy, and I did a lot of soul searching as I was leaving my mum in the UK (she's now 87), but I talked to her about it, and she realised (and still does) that it's the best thing I could do. My brother grudgingly agrees with me now, although it wasn't an easy time at the beginning, and one or two members of the family still can't understand how I could "up sticks" and go. For once in my life I was putting myself first, and although to some it may sound selfish, that was never the intention.

Am I happy? You bet your life I am. Although I came out here to retire, I actually got a job - part time, which then turned into full time. It gave me the opportunity to get the extras in life while I could (fly screens, etc), but I am retiring very soon to continue with the adventure.

Some people say I was very brave in making the move on my own, others may say I was stupid. All I know is that I was following my heart, and that it just felt the right thing to do. Will I stay here? Yes, I think I will - I went back to the UK for a week in October, and couldn't wait to get home. I think of Cyprus as my home now, and even though I am thinking of selling the apartment, I will not be going back to the UK.

Sorry for my ramblings, but you did ask

Jean

Gary ,, I am not going to write a novel ,, (like the ladies above)
I cant be bothered ... so to put it more simple..
Pick up your evening gazette every night,, and its not hard to figure out why I am here

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REACH 1000`s of PAPHOS CUSTOMERS EVERY DAY FOR A FRACTION OF WHAT THE OTHERS CHARGE
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Whilst the optimist and the pessimist argued that the whisky glass was either half full
or half empty ? .
I drank it .....
The opportunist..

Ooohhh Gary you do like to ask these questions don't you

I think both Verity and Jean have given excellent explanations as to there reasons and it is wonderful that they both are so happy and contented.

Why did we come? Many reasons factored into our decision but to begin with from leaving college I had always wanted to live abroad and in fact had a job offer in th Cayman Islands the very week I met my husband!! As I fell head over heels I obviously declined

As the years passed I still craved the warmer climate and my other half would always sensibly say we will do it when we retire. Then our daughter came along and I took a job that for a chef should have been better hours as there were no evenings involved. It turned out I was doing 12 hour days, only getting 2 days off together every other week, exhausted, managing up to 35 troublesome staff (when they bothered to turn in) and missing my daughter grow up. The stress of budgets, deadlines and general exhaustion started to get the better of me. I both suffered mentally and physically, almost reached melting point and was constantly under the doctor for two years because I simply couldn't breathe. They kept telling me it was stress related, turns out they were right!

We visited Cyprus in 96 and got married here in 2000, so we decided to explore the possibility of moving here. We visited a few more times, looked at schools, work options etc and even put a deposit down on a house, just as the housing market slowed in the UK. It took us almost 3 years to get here, we didn't buy in the end and still have our house in the UK which we rent out. I think for us this was definately the best move.

We came out in August 2006 with our container following two weeks later. Found a place to rent and I quickly sank into a mild depression. With all my excitement to get here and start my new life, I had no idea this would happen to me and even found it difficult to get out of bed in a morning. My daughter was devastated we had taken her away from her friends and our extended family, we quickly realised the local village school was going to be the worst possible thing for her and enrolled her into the International. A huge expense we never budgeted for.

Work was not as forthcoming as we had been previously promised and the wages that had been talked about also did not materialise. I know this has happened to countless people here.
After approx 3 months my husband finally found steady work with decent pay and a good company and has gone from strength to strength with them. One of the most demoralising things over here is being almost worthless within any industry and luckily he is working for a firm that really values his experience. Had he not got this work we would definately have returned after a year.

I then needed to find something for me, I have worked all my life and found myself in the position of housewife The school day ends at 12.50 and there is no after school care and I suddenly have no friends or family to rely on!! What can I do that will fit around school. Then someone posted the question on another forum asking where could they get a traditional English style wedding cake? A light bulb suddenly lit above my head, Well I thought I have spent many years as a chef and studied/worked in patisserie and cake dec but in the UK I never had time to persue the cake dec side and commit to it. In fact I got to the point that if someone asked me to do a cake for them I would groan as because of work I never really enjoyed it. So my business was born. I really enjoy it and I have time for both the cakes and my daughter. Most of the time anyway.

In answer to your question 'what makes you stay'? Quite simply the fact that we turned our lives upside down for this so we have to give it a chance. And the sunshine

Would we go back to the UK? Well this is when I get lambasted, Yes, most definately.

We went back at Christmas and I loved it. I had so much fun with friends and family that I had missed so much, I loved the shops, the choice and the prices even better. Nice cinemas, great restaurants that offer something other than kebabs and stifado. I am afraid I get extremely bored of the food here. Yes there are many wonderful tavernas but they all offer the same dishes. We ate far better in the UK than here, I have never had a ready meal in my life!! Here or the UK. (well apart from pizza obviously)I find the choice in supermarkets very limiting and you have to traipse around so many different shops to get all you want for just one dish. Not too much of a problem if all the shops are on a highstreet, but they are so far apart you can spend a good couple of hours in your car just tracking stuff down. That's fine if your retired but not so good for me.

Don't get me wrong, I think Cyprus is a great place, and I agree much safer than the UK. I also look out of my window everyday and think how lovely it is. I think it is a great place to retire to, if you have no mortgage or rent to pay and you are happy to potter about, a walk on the beach, a drink in the sun. All fab but just a bit too slow for me.

I am finding it very difficult to commit to Cyprus because I hate being so short of income and yes some things are cheaper but I find it in general as expensive here as in the UK. Some times more so! I also find it far to cold in the winter and I find no pleasure living somewhere where I am freezing in my home. We didn't have central heating last year but I have central heating in the house we are in at the moment, unfortunately this villa is temporary and I would not even consider another year here without. I would go back to the UK for that reason alone.

My husband would earn far more money in the UK and I would carry on with my business there. Another frustration I have here is that there are no local suppliers for a lot of my products and I have to import practically every thing. I have learned from Cyprus that life does not need to be full of stress and I don't think I would revert back to the old me.

I do worry about the state of the UK and that also was a motivating factor but I also wonder what will happen if all the good people simply just leave. But I don't know what the answer is.

If we return I think I will be a little wiser and know more what I want from life. I think I would still like to live somewhere warm and more laid back, but perhaps a little nearer to the UK. One other thing I hate flying and find the flight times to long for me when I am a nervous wreck

I hope I have been honest, I don't think I have really slagged off Cyprus, just told my story. I will be very sad if someone comes on and starts spouting about how I didn't do my homework, or Cyprus isn't Utopia you should have known that, hindsight is a wonderful thing and I am glad of the adventure, and who knows in six months my opinion may have changed

We are all different and want different things from life and part of me wishes I could feel the same as everyone else here seems too, but I don't, sorry.

Cheryl xx

Hi Cheryl

For what it is worth i too have lived abroad and untill you try it no one can say how they will feel.Doing homework is fine but we are coming out of our comfort zone.It is what we do naturally when we have situations that in foriegn climes we have to take step back and then deal with situations.

There is culture shock issues also and it could take months to few years.By time we move we should be veterans and well versed with all about cyprus but i think not.You can only prepare yourself so much.

I think what you and your family have done is very brave and one day we will move.

frank

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Life is short! Break the rules! Forgive quickly!
Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably
And never regret anything that made you smile Warning Internet forums may contain nuts

Good posts, As sid said you can only Preprare so much. We have been planning our move for a long time.And we think its the right move and time for us.But when we get there time will tell .You only get one life and we want to give this our best shot. So we will join you brave people some time soon.
Tricia

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new me new life, , never forget my cyprus life and friends .

I love these kind of posts.

What great stories from you all and quite inspring for someone like us who are planning to make the move in the next few years. If I could move over tomorrow then I would but we need to get Emma settled once she graduates next year and get the finances in place then it will be look out Cyprus - here we come

Julie x

No-one should lambast you for giving your personal experience and being brave enough to share your feelings, Cheryl.

I looked into some of the things that you didn't, so things like the cold in the winter didn't come as a shock to me, nor the fact that the value system for jobs is different over here. But the emotional aspects of moving to another country with a different climate and different customs is something that none of us can know until we get here.

When people ask the questions that have been asked on here they want an open answer. It is not for anyone else to pick fault with the opinions of the people who answer. We may not all agree on the same things, but that doesn't make them wrong. It just makes them wrong for some.

Verity.

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Verity.

Be who you are, and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind.

http://coecyp.blogspot.com

Hey thanks peeps for being so honest and taking the time to tell us your stories, I've found them very very interesting and food for thought.
Thanks, Gary

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So close yet so far away

Cheryl

Nobody can change how you feel for you. These are your personal feelings, and nobody should lambast you for saying how you feel. I think it's lovely that you miss your family so much - we have never been a close family, and when I see families who are very close, I do wonder what it would have been like.

Good luck to you in whatever you decide to do - it's a choice only you can make. Whatever your decision, it will be the right one for you.

Jean

Hi all,

After a very lovely read i can only add...

After my hubby's constant nagging of wanting to move abroad three years later after many talks and research we are now here with our two young children, it was a very big gamble but we decided why not give it a whirl, atleast we can then say we tried, we decided to give it a year here and see how things develope.

We have been here a year in april and things are going well so far that we have no intentions of going back to the uk, we have heard alot of people say you need longer than a year in which we can now see their point.
We love the choice we made, we love our life here, the children settled very quickly and have made lots of new friends as well as us too.
Of coarse we miss our Family but they pop over when ever they can and with the amazing access you have now adays on the computer we speak to them more being here than we did back in the uk...amazing what you take for granteed hey!!

I can only wish you all the luck in the world of achieving your goals in life what ever they may be, If you really want something bad enough you will give it your whole in achieving it.
All the best to you

Lisa and Family

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Lisa

Hi Frank

Yes I agree that there are some huge cultural differences that you will really only fully experience when living somewhere new. What seems quaint on holiday can be frustrating when living there.

I think I take most things in my stride now but the lack of recycling and the non use of seat belts for children still infuriates the hell out of me

Verity I too was aware of the wage situation, but as I have said before naively I struggled to actually believe it As to the cold, we had visited in March and been told we would only need a light jacket. I was so cold for two weeks it was a real eye opener, I had intended to send all our jumpers and coats to the charity shop, thank goodness I didn't! What I was unprepared for was the prolonged period of cold nights, 5-6 months really and something any one new to Cyprus should be made aware of. Don't get me wrong though as I really enjoy the daytime weather throughout these months, even the rain

I am always pleased to here things are going well for others but I know of many who struggle. I wish more of these people would actually post their thoughts as sometimes these threads run the risk of being very one sided.

I have to finish by clarifying that I am not unhappy here (now), I don't suffer as bad with the homesickness any more and I do love Cyprus but I am unsure it is for me in the long term.

Best of luck to everyone who makes the move, better to have tried than always wonder 'what if'?

Cheryl xx

Stories from the heart and it is lovely.

Moving here - easy after doing a lot of research and visiting other countries. Cyprus seemed the easiest option because of language, driving on the same side of the road etc.

What makes me stay is I love the place, even though things are very difficult at the moment money wise as I have been unemployed for six months and Steve's work has dwindled from six nights a week to only one, but we are both determined to keep going. Before Christmas I was really depressed and feeling totally useless and there are brilliant people on this and other boards who helped me through the depression. Unfortunately I still feel totally useless as I have applied for so many jobs and only one got back to me. I did not get that one because I was honest about Excel stating I was rusty with it but it would not take me long to get back into the swing as this is a programme that you need to use on a regular basis or you forget the formula.

Things would have to get really, really desperate for me to ever want to go back to the UK. In four years we have been back twice and that was to see elderly parents who are unable to come here. The first time we went back I must admit I was a bit homesick but within two days both Steve and I looked at each other and said we wanted to go home. Cyprus is our home now and hopefully will be until circumstances prevent otherwise.

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"Your dog is your friend, your partner, your defender. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true until the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion"

I love reading about all your different experiences and thought I'd share as well.

I had never thought about moving abroad at all. I'd just moved from Edinburgh to Leeds to take up a new job, met my wonderful husband there, bought a house and came to Cyprus to get married.

Just prior to the wedding, we had moved into our new house together and were burgled on our first night there - while we were upstairs. Rotten beggars smashed my lovely stained glass window, took our car keys and made off with the hubbies car while disarming the alarm and opening my car (obviously to come and pick up later). Called the police and told them that we could see the swine driving away and which raod they were on etc, 45 minutes later PC plod arrived with his SPAR bag (early morning snack one presumes - had we been in USA it would have been a bag of donuts!) tells us that it could be part of a car ringing gang and that in most cases they come back for the second car. When I asked him what we should do if they came back (says me with my trusty 9 iron in my hand) he advised us to do nothing, just call the police. Having never been a victim of crime before, I found this all a little hard to understand - my own instinct tells me that if I break in to someone's house and steal from them, I would expect said house owner to come and beat the living daylights out of me.

So, it's cold, grey, we're working normal 9-5 hours with good wages (but never seem to have any spare cash) nice house (that we don't feel safe in) nice cars (apart from the one that was thrashed around Leeds and almost written off) I think you can all sense where I'm going with this!!

We came over to Cyprus in the September to get wed - we had an fabulous time - we got talking with our friends and thought it might be lovely to get a holiday house and let it out. We came back to the UK and just knew that this is not the way we want to spend the rest of our lives. We came back in the December, bought our house here to live in, went back to the UK, handed in our notice about 8 weeks in advance (it was a glorious day - like an enormous weight had been lifted) house up for sale, sold before the sign FOR SALE went up, moved over here in March of 2004.

We found work pretty easily to be honest. We have transferable skills that we can use in most countries and to be honest as long as you leave the UK mentality behind of what you think you're worth then I think you'll do ok. I want to work so I can pay my bills and have an easy, stress free life, so I know that I'm not going to get paid even half of what I got in the UK and that doesn't bother me at all.

What keeps me here: I'm safe, healthier than I've ever been, enjoying life and surely that is what life is all about?

Go back to the UK - You have got to be kidding me. Absolutely no way - hell in a hand cart is how I would describe the UK.

I think a lot of people get a romantic idea of how Britain is, you go back for holidays, see the family, think how fabulous it is. Forget what you do on holiday there, that's not reality! - Imagine being back in full time work, council tax, energy bills, car insurance, road tax, petrol, social insurance and income tax paying for all the millions of scroungers out stealing your cars, worrying about your kids going to school and whether they'll come back in one piece, traffic jams, floods, MRSA, hoodies, knife crime ......

I love Cyprus, the life it offers us, the safety, the sunshine and the great Mezes & BBQs we share with friends!

Get yourselves over here asap.

P.

Some people don't like reading what they perceive to be negative views of Cyprus. But the reality is that many will move here and then find that it isn't what they hoped or thought. If these people are shouted down when they are honest enough to put down their personal experience it censors replies to the question that was posed in the first place.

There is a vast difference between posting your personal experience, and posting a tirade of bitter rantings, which benefit no-one. Now, I do get sick and tired of reading those sort of posts. Not that I have read any on here yet, of course.

Verity.

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Verity.

Be who you are, and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind.

http://coecyp.blogspot.com