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lawfamily
Lurker
Joined: Aug 16, 2007
Posts: 26
Status: Offline
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  Posted:
Aug 16, 2007 - 12:00 PM |
 
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| Post subject: Choosing where to live |
Moving to Shanghai from Australia in Jan. Which is the best option? Do you choose your childrens school then select a location to search accommodation. Not familiar with compound living - where do you start and what should you look for? I am assuming my husbands company will give us some options but I imagine our preferences will be left to us. Do all the international schools offer transport and/or is the public transport system adequate? We have a small dog - do we bring it or try and find a home for it? Any referrals to helpful websites would be appreciated. |
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Angie
LoopKicker
Joined: Feb 01, 2004
Posts: 848
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Aug 16, 2007 - 12:06 PM |
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I first chose the school then the compound (keeping also in mind the distance to our office).
More or less all International schools offer buses, but I don't find it acceptable for small children to sit in a school bus for 1-2 hours a day just to commute to school.
I would recommend that you come to Shanghai for a look-and-see trip: you could have a look at different schools and assess the neighbourhood and living environment of possible future compounds.
Regarding public transport: I guess most expats use taxis that are plenty (unless it rains) and inexpensive. The metro (subway) is efficient but there are only few lines so far. It's also overcrowded so I wouldn't recommend it as a means of transport to get to school. There are plenty of buses but you need to be able to read a little bit of Chinese to make full use of them. |
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lawfamily
Lurker
Joined: Aug 16, 2007
Posts: 26
Status: Offline
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| Posted:
Aug 16, 2007 - 12:28 PM |
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| Post subject: What facilities do you look for in a compound? |
Thanks for your response Angie. We will sort out schools first (and hopefully have a look and see trip first) and then search accommodation. What exactly is a compound? Is it like a gated community with its own facilities ie recreation centre/pool? Why do people choose compounds over private dwellings? Is security an issue? |
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NeilUK39
LoopKicker
Joined: Apr 17, 2005
Posts: 908
Status: Offline
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Aug 16, 2007 - 12:31 PM |
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For large international schools most of them have bus service from the major compounds. Check in your contract that the company will pay school bus fee, mine didnt and for 2 kids the total is about 2400USD per year which is a bit expensive for a 15 min bus ride.
With regards to you dog it may be best to leave it in Oz, it is no problem to get a dog into China but getting it back to Oz when you move back is a big problem particularly with Quarantine times.
Agree with previous poster choose the school then the compound best options would be British school pudong or Dulwich in pudong for an Aussie with nice compound around both of these. Dulwich is better for a large expat population in Jinqiao area
Good luck |
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lawfamily
Lurker
Joined: Aug 16, 2007
Posts: 26
Status: Offline
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| Posted:
Aug 16, 2007 - 12:54 PM |
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| Post subject: mind boggling |
| NeilUK39 wrote: |
For large international schools most of them have bus service from the major compounds. Check in your contract that the company will pay school bus fee, mine didnt and for 2 kids the total is about 2400USD per year which is a bit expensive for a 15 min bus ride.
Agree with previous poster choose the school then the compound best options would be British school pudong or Dulwich in pudong for an Aussie with nice compound around both of these. Dulwich is better for a large expat population in Jinqiao area
Good luck |
Thanks for the bus fare advice - last thing I would have considered but obviously valuable information! Now researching Jinqiao area. |
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Angie
LoopKicker
Joined: Feb 01, 2004
Posts: 848
Status: Offline
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| Posted:
Aug 16, 2007 - 01:49 PM |
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| Post subject: Re: What facilities do you look for in a compound? |
| lawfamily wrote: |
| What exactly is a compound? Is it like a gated community with its own facilities ie recreation centre/pool? Why do people choose compounds over private dwellings? Is security an issue? |
Not all compounds have a recreation centre/pool.... but most of the apartments and even villas are in compounds - don't ask me why. It might be due to history (with each compound having its own committee & guard...).
It's also safe to rent an individual flat/house (as long as you keep your door locked and your valuables hidden away  |
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claire4
Squeeker
Joined: Aug 14, 2007
Posts: 17
Location: Montreal, Quebec
Status: Offline
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Aug 17, 2007 - 10:58 AM |
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Same here,
so if you live around school how husbands go to work? He won't have a driver! How do you travel from Jinqiao area to Puxi, Four Shanghai Center Nanjing Xi Road ? Is there a subway station in Jinqiao area? We lived in Tokyo for 6 years, so overcrowded is not really an issue here. Other husbands, they take taxis every morning?
Answers appreciated,
Claire4 |
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evblell
Barker
Joined: Mar 23, 2007
Posts: 170
Location: Pudong
Status: Offline
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Aug 17, 2007 - 11:04 AM |
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My husband gets picked up every morning by the factory bus. But when I need to go somwhere and not deal with the taxis I take bus 987 to science and tech museum and then take the subway from there. The bus is RMB 2. It comes around every 20 minutes it has ac and if its full people usually offer me their seat because of my baby, so I find it very convinient. |
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yyfamily
Ranter
Joined: Apr 25, 2005
Posts: 578
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Aug 24, 2007 - 12:15 PM |
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| Post subject: Re: Choosing where to live |
| lawfamily wrote: |
| Do you choose your childrens school then select a location to search accommodation. |
This is a good strategy only if you know that you are going to like the school for sure. We've moved to Shanghai for 2 years now. My son has changed 2 schools. |
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yyfamily
Ranter
Joined: Apr 25, 2005
Posts: 578
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Aug 24, 2007 - 12:19 PM |
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I agree with Angie, it really worths the time and money to come over for school tours and house-hunting before you move. You will see the schools yourself, get the chances to talk to teachers and parents... no websites and forums can really be nore effective than that. |
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ladylady
Reacher
Joined: Aug 29, 2007
Posts: 259
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Sep 02, 2007 - 10:47 PM |
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Giving an alternate opinion here.... We chose to live close to work and have the kids spend more time on the school bus. Different things work for different people.
I think you should consider how your husband will get to work and if you have a driver. Traffic is hell here during rush hour when your husband might be going to and from work, while the kids going to school might be missing the rush hour. Do you have a driver? I do, but sometimes its easier to be able to walk up the street, or take a taxi or a subway ... something that might not be all that easy from a large villa compound way out of town.
Also the amount of money you have for housing may be a consideration. You need a big chunk of change for a nice villa, but you can get some pretty nice apartment compounds in convienent locations for much much less. Our apartment complex has indoor/outdoor swimming pools, club houses (2!) with ping pong, basketball courts, gym, etc... The villas we looked at in our price range were kind of crappy.
Again, not knocking the villas - but some choose the uptown apts for very valid reasons as well! |
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gino
Reacher
Joined: Jan 31, 2005
Posts: 238
Status: Offline
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Sep 02, 2007 - 11:58 PM |
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I know from friends who have children they first pcik the school then the house/apartment. I am just a bit worried that you might not get place in one of the top schools. As far as I hear from friends you usually have to arrange registering 1 year before. I hope I am wrong. |
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ladylady
Reacher
Joined: Aug 29, 2007
Posts: 259
Status: Offline
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Sep 03, 2007 - 06:59 AM |
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The basic first step - PuDong or Puxi - you want to live on the side of the river that you work.
Your choice of international school might start with which good ones are closest to the office... a house somewhere in-between or close to either the school or office depending on you preference.
Get cracking on the school choice now - there are often waiting lists ! I applied to three just to be safe. |
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freeman2007
Reacher
Joined: July 07, 2007
Posts: 342
Location: connecticut
Status: Offline
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Sep 03, 2007 - 08:12 AM |
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january is a long time and also a very short time to look for things like that the school
as paople mentionned if it is your priority you should come and see for yourself in shanghai
try to talk to some of the people that have their kids in the school see what they think about it and go from school to school.
meet with parents. then make your choice
then for the house you can do the same thing ask people you meet see if you can look at their villa/appartment try to visit the more you can..
4 months till january as i said long time but very short also.
by the time you think you find something good as other people mentionned you will find out the school will not take you because it is too late then you have to start all over again
best bet.............. come spend some time here in shanghai that will also give you an idea of what you like or do not like ...
that will show you what part you can feel safe for you and the kids
shows you where the shopping will be etc etc etc
all those things that will make your stay enjoyable or not.
you can only feel it when you see it.
an option would be for you also but this is just to give you a rought idea
no more than an idea get google earth install it then get all the options from it and check it out
with the latest versions you can see where the subway lines are the busses the shopping malls the schools all the important things
it is only to show you a rought shanghai but i think it would be a help
but you have to come here and ask people live
good luck on your project you do not have too much time left and it is going fast do not waste it |
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MinniMe
Barker
Joined: Sep 09, 2006
Posts: 163
Status: Offline
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Sep 03, 2007 - 12:38 PM |
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Ladylady
do you live in Shimao Riviera? |
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knockknock
Lurker
Joined: June 02, 2007
Posts: 27
Status: Offline
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Sep 03, 2007 - 01:27 PM |
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My kids Y6 (5th Grade) and Y4 (3rd grade) are enrolled @ Dulwich College in Pudong Jinqiao area. We all are very happy with the school. If you're worried about seats availability, I know that Y6 and Y4 have a couple of seats opened for this term.
We're living in Trinity Village, which is a newer compound in southern Pudong (kangqiao area). It is somewhat in between of where I work and the kids' school (20-30 minutes drive).
I definitely recommend a look-see trip for yourself. No matter what anyone says, nothing beats seeing a compound and school first hand.
Before my look-see trip, everyone recommended Seasons Villas in Pudong, but after my visit, I was disappointed with the condition of the club and the houses themselves...very dated and had a sort of rundown feel to it. |
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sinned69
Veejay
Joined: Sep 01, 2004
Posts: 1814
Location: China, Middle East, Asia Pacific
Status: Offline
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Sep 03, 2007 - 01:54 PM |
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best to come over and see for yourself... one man's potatoes is another mans veg.... |
_________________
qing nin shao deng |
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Adrienne
SuperStar
Joined: Mar 01, 2003
Posts: 1433
Location: Shanghai, China
Status: Offline
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| Posted:
Sep 04, 2007 - 08:07 AM |
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Just to add to the very useful advice above, I think there's one other thing to consider and that is the age of your chidren. If they are littlies I wouldn't send them on 20 to 30min bus trip to school as I think it is quite tiring for them. The older ones are fine with a longer commute.
Another thing to consider is the kind of job hubby has. If he has to be attending lots of business events in the evenings etc. then it is best to live closer to transport to the Puxi side as many events happen there as well as in Lu Jia Zui. Jin Qiao would be a better choice. I think most of them work longer hours than at home so if he has to then spend a lot of time travelling he may be home afer the kids go to bed.....or you for that matter:(
In answer to your question on the dog, most expat compounds accept them but some private landlords might object. Just tell your agent abt it and they should only show you places where dogs are ok'd by landlord.
In regards to the international schools, they all have shuttle buses with supervisors on board so the kids are safe. They pick up/drop off at most major compounds and areas.
Adrienne
http://www.shanghaiprops.com |
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