A Big Step - Moving to Greece
Trip Start
May 2005
1
Trip End
Ongoing
Rhodes, Greece
Monday, February 25, 2008
My son and I moved to Rhodes one of the southern most Greek Islands part of the Dodecanese Group of Islands in May 2005... and have never looked back since!
I longed for a life where I didn’t worry for the safety of my son when I kissed him good bye in the mornings as I left him at nursery school so I could go to work and just earn enough to cover our monthly living expenses.
We lived inside the City of Wolverhampton where the skies even in summer time were filled with the smoke and pollution of neighboring industrial plants, we regularly dreamt of living in a place where the air is fresh from the sea, to spend our weekends walking along golden sandy beaches, to smell the fresh Mediterranean waters and unlike the climate of the UK to look forward to a summer that actually arrives, we found Rhodes met with all of our dreams and aspirations, it is a small and friendly Island that enjoys over 300 days of sunshine every year.
Rhodes Island is breathtakingly beautiful and unique it has a wealth of history and culture combined with excellent modern infrastructure and is lined with km after km of golden sandy beaches and practically zero crime there was no doubt in my mind that I had chosen the best place to build our new lives.Callum and I (at the time our ages 3 ½ and 26) longed for a safer and healthier living environment than that available to us in the UK. Rhodes Island is breathtakingly beautiful and unique it has a wealth of history and culture with excellent modern infrastructure and is lined with kilometer after kilometer of golden sandy beaches all this with practically zero crime there was no doubt in my mind that I had chosen the best place to build our new lives.
Once we arrived I wanted to find work as quick as possible. My background in the UK was Human Resources I felt that because of my inability to read, write or speak Greek that I would not be able to find a job in my field so I decided to source work in the tourist sector. Rhodes Island has a specific tourist season it starts in May and ends in October, luckily Callum and I had arrived just at the beginning of the 2005 summer season and I managed to find a job within a matter of days as a waitress in Pefkos by Night a bar in one of the Island's busiest Tourist Resorts Pefkos, very antisocial hours of 4pm to 4am 7 days a week). I worked at Pefkos by Night for the entire summer I would recommend this experience to everyone, working in a busy bar was not something I had ever seen myself doing but it was a great way to meet the locals and tourists it really eased the settling in process. Once the season finished I started to think about a more permanent job something with more normal working hours and preferably an all year round position.
I drove around the Island with a note book and pen and wrote down the names and contact details of all the big employers that I saw hotels, construction companies, real estate agents etc and then once back home that evening I sent my CV via email to all their respective offices asking if there were any administrative or HR positions available whereby my inability to speak Greek would not be a problem.
After a few anxious days waiting I started to receive replies and offers of interviews mainly in the construction/real estate sectors. To cut the story short I was offered a position as Sales and Marketing Manager for one of the Islands largest construction companies, I accepted and enjoyed a successful 18 months within my newly found position and then in the summer of 2007 I left to begin working for myself.
After 6 years of working in the Construction and Real Estate Industry of Rhodes I have built a fantastic network of associates across the Island, which enables me to assist purchasers and exisiting property owners with any help or guidance that they require.
My company Rhodes Property Online is a UK based Advertising Agency offering properties for sale throught Europe.
2010 update...
With challenging times ahead, my clients are looking nowadays for not just someone who says they can trust them but an individual or company that can really deliver on these words.
I pride myself and my business has grown tenfold on the basis that my clients trust me, whether the news is good or bad they can be sure of an honest answer from me.
Some may say I am crazy with a full time business, a family and a home, to take on something new this year, but I believe that my clients should see my efforts for continuing my professional development and my hunger to keep up to date with legislation and laws and be the best at what I do, for me to be able to continue to provide knowledgeable acurate information to my clients, I have to keep up to date myself, therefore this year I have started studying towards my NFOPP (National Federation of Property Professionals) Qualification - Technical Award in Sale of Residential Property - United Kingdom, once complete in late 2010, I will be able to apply for full membership and will be governed by the Regulations and Codes of Conduct and Ethics of the NFOPP & NAEA (National Federation of Property Professionals / National Association of Estate Agents).
Just goes to prove that with a lot of determination you really can make your dreams come true...
Comments
Your advice
Natalie
I have just read your blog on travelpod, it was an absolute inspiration. I adore Greece, but more specifically Rhodes itself and it would be a great ambition of mine to move there one day. I have worked in Rhodes for 6 months previously doing bar work etc and I plan to get married in Lindos this time next year. We are coming to Rhodes in July for a week in fact.
I have a Degree in Business and a Diploma in Management and currently work in the construction industry. I don't speak Greek but would be very willing to learn. I would like your honest opinion of the current work situation in Rhodes. Although I am not averse to bar or tourism work (I have done plenty in my time!). I would like to take on more permanent work using my skills and experience.
My soon to be husband is a Garden Designer & Hard Landscaper (31 YO) he runs his own business in the UK and has done so for some years. Would there be a market for this type of construction services in Rhodes?
I am 29 and my partner is 31.
One more question! Can you advise on property prices in Rhodes? In recent years they seem to have increased dramatically.
I genuinely look forward to hearing from you. Vicky
vickster256@hotmail.com
Hi i have just read your blog and have been extremely impressed i am currently planning to move out to pefkos in may and stay until the end of season and would be a great help if you could share some information with me and if possible to email me at l-clare@live.co.uk many thanks Lauren.
hi me and my partner are planing to move to rhodes in the next couple of years i was wondering how your son has coped with the language barrier and schooling as my children are 7 and 2 and am a bit worried about uprouting them from school does your son attened a greek school on the international school.
thanx
Hi, a truly inspirational story! Me and my boyfriend are wanting to move to
Greece. We are both 20, have no idea where to start ! Could you help me
please? He is a qualified joiner and I have worked in offices and in insurance
but have no qualifications. We would both be looking for a cheap rented
property and work (during the day only!) could you help? Do you know any
specific areas of Greece that would be good for cheap properties and for
jobs? Thanks so much, please reply to shadiv@hotmail.co.uk
Hi me and my husband want to move to Rhodes,is it easy to find a property to rent? we would just need a small two bed apartment.
Is work easy to find I am a driving instructor at the moment sure not sure how that goes for any jobs over there and my husband is a self employed window cleaner and ebay trader.I have done loads of different types of jobs like Bridal wear and venue dressing and sales etc.Would love to talk more lindy_ewen@yahoo.co.uk
Hi, my artist husband and I are currently packing up our house in York and tarting it up to put on the market asap so we can move to Rhodes! No jobs to go to but if you don't try you don't get! We love the island so much and think if we don't do it now we never will - ok, the Greek economy is in bad shape - is the UK much better? At least the sun is consistent in Rhodes - the people are lovely and the food and lifestyle so much better. We would love to make contact with people who have taken the plunge when we arrive (hopefully by next Spring) so - if you want to meet up (any of you!) keep in touch. hollyfirthdavies@gmail.com. Here's to the future!
Hi
I am moving to Rhodes in August 2010, my sister has lived on Rhodes 25 years now, so I know the island well. I have a little job lined up for now a couple of days, but would be grateful if anyone could advise me on some part time work! I have a travel abtac certificate level one, and have always done office work, I will be living in Trianda.
Any advice would be great - please email toptrace@aol.com .
Thanks
Tracey
Do I know you? I also moved out to Rhodes in 2005 and I know a Natalie, maybe just coincidence! My wife and I live in Kiotari. I'd quite like to place a link to your blog on my links page. If you'd be interested in reciprocating, check out my site here: http://honorarygreek.blogspot.com and come back to me some time.
John
In fact, just reading over this again I reckon it must be you!! Since it mentions Lindian "Trust". Enough said!!! Plus, just realised (duh!) this isn't a private website it's travelpod! Spot the dummy. Well, it IS after midnight!
hello we are a family of 4 that will/might be moving to rhodes island. we are from AZ and this is a HHUGE step and change in our lives. My kids are teens and need to finish school somewhere. Im scared on where to move in Rhodes. I came across this website and read your blog and was so inspired by what you did. How are things now there? Are you still happy? Are there people there that speak english? We were thinkging of just staying for a few months in one area and try another town if need be until we find the right place for us. We are open to whatever. Do you know if they have an english speaking high school/collage? LOL sorry Im stressing just a bit.
Any info would be huge if you could spair some.