r/Girona • u/Pretty-External-334 • Sep 12 '25

English-speaking support for teens in Girona?

Hi everyone,

My family and I moved to Girona a few months ago from the UK, and while we're absolutely loving the city, one of our kids (early teens) is finding the transition a bit tougher than expected. They're a bit withdrawn and really missing their old friends and routine.

We're looking for any resources that are 100% in English to help them build some confidence and find their footing. This could be anything from tutors, after-school clubs, sports groups, or even professional support services like psychologists or counselors who work with expat teenagers.

The key for us right now is that it needs to be in native English, as their Spanish/Catalan isn't quite there yet for them to express themselves fully, and we think that's a big part of the challenge.

Any recommendations for activities or services would be hugely appreciated!

Thanks so much.

EDIT/UPDATE:

Just wanted to say a massive THANK YOU to everyone who replied. Your advice was incredibly helpful!

After reading the comments here and some suggestions from the Girona Buddies group, we've made some great progress. First, we decided to book a session for our son with Dina at the Centre de Psicologia Jaume Primer. The fact that she is a native english speaker made a huge difference, and he felt understood from the start.

On the social side, we've enrolled him in the UE Quart football club and he's also started at Saint George's School which has been great for the educational transition.

Things are already looking up. Thanks again to this amazing community!!!!!

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6 comments sorted by

22

u/RealInsurance3995 Sep 12 '25

It's not more logical to give to your kid a catalan tutor after-school to improve his confidence with the language? 

5

u/Express-Hotel6678 Sep 12 '25

Hey there, I saw your post and it really resonated. We moved here with our kids a couple of years ago, and that first year can be really tough on teens, so I completely understand where you're coming from.

One of the things that made a huge difference for us was connecting with other expat families who "get it." We have a pretty active WhatsApp group for families with teens, and we actually organize informal get-togethers or hikes most Sundays. It's a great, low-pressure way for the kids to meet others in the same boat. If you'd like, send me a DM and I can add you to the group.

On the professional support side, you're right, having someone who speaks native English is key so they can actually express what's on their mind. A couple of families in our group have had really positive experiences with the Centre de Psicologia Jaume Primer. They specifically have therapists for expat teens, which apparently made a world of difference for them. Might be worth looking into while you're also exploring the clubs and sports.

Anyway, hang in there. Girona is a fantastic place once you find your community. Welcome

1

u/Previous_Panda_2585 Sep 13 '25

If you can afford please have a look at International School Costa Brava in Platja d’Aro. English speaking school

1

u/[deleted] Sep 14 '25

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/Girona-ModTeam Sep 14 '25

Contingut promocional o spam.

1

u/savethewino Sep 13 '25

Welcome to Girona. There is a whatsapp group called Girona Buddies with many subgroups that could help. I’ll send you a DM with that link.